Best 270° and 180° Awnings

A wraparound awning is the best shade money can buy for a vehicle you camp from. In the desert, shade is the difference between a pleasant lunch and hiding in the cab. We list 20 270° (and wider) awnings from $449.99 and 13 180° awnings from $596.25.

This compares published specs and current prices. We haven't put them through a monsoon.

180° or 270°

A 180° awning runs down one side and wraps the back corner. It's lighter and cheaper and is all most people need at a campsite. A 270° wraps the side and the entire rear, so you get shade at the tailgate and the side door at once. It's the one to buy if you cook out of the back of the vehicle.

Wraparound awnings mount on one corner, so buy the side your camp faces, usually the passenger side in North America, where you step out away from traffic. Check which side each listing is for before you order.

Freestanding matters in wind

A freestanding awning has stiff arms that hold the canopy up without poles or guy lines, which is why it costs more. Non-freestanding awnings need their poles set and staked, and in the gusts that come with Southwest storms, you'll want them staked anyway. No awning should stay open in high wind. Roll it up before you leave camp.

Weight

A 270° awning lives at the edge of the roof rack, so its weight counts against the rack's load rating. Of the awnings that publish a weight, the lightest is the Freespirit Recreation 180 Tailgate Awning at 30 lb and the heaviest the 23Zero Onyx 270 Freestanding Vehicle Awning at 64 lb.

270° and wider, by price

Overland Vehicle Systems HD Nomadic 270 LTE Awning

$449.99 $454.99 1% below typical price at Off Road Tents

• Covers 270° (from the name)

Yakima OverNOut 270 LG

$599 at Yakima

• Covers 270° (from the name)

Rhino-Rack Compact Batwing 270 Awning - Driver's & Passenger's Side

from $629.99 $790.99 20% below typical price at Off Road Tents

• Covers 270° (from the name)
• Comes in driver and passenger versions
• Weight 39 lb (published: “…ition Left or Right Product Weight 39 lbs Warr…”)

Tuff Stuff 270 Degree Compact Awning

$693 $770 10% below typical price at Off Road Tents

• Covers 270° (from the name)

CVT 270° Freestanding Awning

from $799 at CVT

• Covers 270° (from the name)
• Freestanding (per the listing title)

Freespirit Recreation 270 Awning V2

$862.50 $1,150 25% below typical price at Freespirit Recreation

• Covers 270° (from the name)
• Weight 43 lb (published: “…ning bracket system Weight: ~43 lbs Cove…”)

23Zero Onyx 270 Freestanding Vehicle Awning

$995 $1,195 17% below typical price at Off Road Tents

• Covers 270° (from the name)
• Freestanding (per the listing title)
• Weight 64 lb (published: “…84" W x 8" H x 8" D Weight (Awning Only) 64 lbs Arm…”)

180°, by price

Freespirit Recreation 180 Tailgate Awning

$596.25 $795 25% below typical price at Freespirit Recreation

• Covers 180° (from the name)
• Weight 30 lb (published: “…SUVs and crossovers Weight : 30 lbs Clos…”)

CVT 180° Freestanding Awning

from $650 at CVT

• Covers 180° (from the name)
• Freestanding (per the listing title)

Overland Vehicle Systems XD Nomadic 180 Degree Awning

$774.98 $899.98 14% below typical price at Overland Vehicle Systems

• Covers 180° (from the name)

Ironman 4x4 DeltaWing 180° Awning

from $849 at Ironman 4x4

• Covers 180° (from the name)

23Zero Onyx 180 Freestanding Awning with RGB LED Lighting

from $895 at Off Road Tents

• Covers 180° (from the name)
• Freestanding (per the listing title)
• Weight 58 lb (published: “…80" W x 8" H x 8" D Weight 58 lbs Open…”)

Yakima OverNOut 180

$899 at Yakima

• Covers 180° (from the name)

Angles and sides come from the product names; weights are quoted from listings that publish them. See all 180° and 270° awnings, side awnings and awning walls and rooms.

How to choose an awning

Coverage you'll actually use. A side awning shades one side. A 180° wraps the side and back corner, and a 270° wraps the side and the full rear. If you cook from the tailgate or a rear drawer, the 270° is the one that shades the kitchen and the side door at the same time. If you mostly sit beside the vehicle, a 180° or a side awning does the job for less weight.

Freestanding or supported. Freestanding awnings have stiff arms that hold the canopy without poles. They're quick to open for a short stop. Supported awnings need poles and stakes. In wind, stake either kind, and close it when the wind picks up; no awning is built to stay open in a storm.

Weight and mounting. 270° awnings mount at one rear corner and hang their weight off the edge of the rack. Check the rack can take the awning plus everything else, and that the mounting brackets fit your rack's rails. Some racks need a specific bracket kit.

Side. Buy the side you camp on. In North America that's usually the passenger side, away from traffic. Some awnings are sold in driver and passenger versions; others are reversible. The listing will say.

Fitment checks

• Height: the awning's arms should clear your head when open. On a low vehicle, look for a model with adjustable legs.
• Rear doors: a 270° wraps over the rear. Check it doesn't block a swing-out tire carrier or a rear-hinged door.
• Tent clearance: if you run a rooftop tent, make sure the awning and the tent's ladder side don't fight.
• Bracket: confirm the rack's slot or rail style matches the awning's mount kit.

What to avoid

• Leaving it open unattended. Gusts in the desert arrive fast. Roll it up before you leave camp.
• Packing it wet. Dry the fabric before storing, or open it at home to dry.
• Buying a 270° you can't reach. On tall trucks, short people may need a step to roll it back.
• Skipping walls if you camp in wind. Walls make an awning a room, and they also catch wind; stake them well.

Walls and add-ons

Awning walls turn the shade into a wind break or a room, and many 270° awnings sell their own walls. They're worth it in cold or windy seasons and add weight and setup time. A mesh wall is a good middle ground for bugs. We list awning walls and rooms separately.

FAQ

Is a 270-degree awning worth it?

If you cook at the back of the vehicle and sit beside it, yes: it shades both at once. If you only need shade on one side, a 180° or side awning is lighter and cheaper.

Do I need a freestanding awning?

Freestanding is faster to open for short stops. For longer camps, stake any awning anyway. In wind, close it.

Which side should my awning go on?

The side you camp on, usually the passenger side in North America, so you're stepping out away from traffic.

How much does a 270 awning weigh?

Of those that publish a weight, most are 35–65 lb. That weight hangs from one corner of the rack, so count it against the rack's rating.

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