Camper Awning Sides: The Ultimate RV Shade & Privacy Upgrade

You pull into the perfect campsite, hit the button to extend your motorized RV awning, and sit down to relax. But within an hour, the low afternoon sun is blinding you, and you realize you are parked exactly ten feet from your neighbor's dumping station. This is exactly why I finally invested in camper awning sides.

While we love automating our rigs with smart leveling jacks, app-controlled thermostats, and wind-sensing awning motors, sometimes the most effective upgrade is purely structural. A camper awning with sides dramatically expands your usable living space, cuts cooling costs inside the rig, and provides instant privacy. By the end of this guide, you will know exactly how to choose, measure, and install a side shade for your motorized setup without compromising your awning's automatic safety features.

What You Need to Know First

• Motor & Sensor Conflicts: Staking down an rv awning side shade prevents your motorized awning's anemometer (wind sensor) from auto-retracting. You must disable the auto-retract feature when sides are attached to prevent motor burnout or torn fabric.
• UV & Thermal Rating: Look for at least 85% UV blockage. Anything less acts like a cheap screen door; anything more (like a solid vinyl camper awning side panel) completely blocks the breeze and traps heat.
• Attachment Style: Two-piece zipper inserts are vastly superior to full-track slide-ins for fast removal during sudden storms.

Installation & Motorized Ecosystem Integration

Track Mounts vs. Zipper Systems

Most modern motorized awnings from brands like Dometic or Carefree feature a utility track on the main roller tube. A standard rv awning side panel typically slides directly into this groove. However, feeding a massive piece of fabric through a 15-foot channel while standing on a step stool is frustrating. I highly recommend a two-piece zipper system. You slide a short 6-inch fabric drop into the roller tube once, and it stays there permanently. When you arrive at camp, you simply zip the main side shade for rv awning directly to that drop. It takes thirty seconds and saves a ton of shoulder strain.

Anchoring and Wind Management

When you add rv awning sides, you are essentially creating a massive sail. If a gust of wind catches it, the stress transfers directly to your awning's motorized arms. Always use heavy-duty bungee tie-downs at the base rather than rigid stakes. The bungees act as shock absorbers, giving the awning side shade enough flex to handle moderate breezes without snapping your awning's aluminum tension arms.

Fabric Weight & Light Control

Finding the Sweet Spot for Shade

The material of your side shade for awning dictates its performance. I initially bought a heavy, blackout-style vinyl panel thinking it would keep the area ice cold. It was a mistake. It trapped the humidity and made the patio area feel like a greenhouse. Switching to a woven mesh rv awning side sun shade changed everything. The mesh cuts the glaring light and blocks the UV rays from baking the side of the RV, which noticeably reduces how hard my interior air conditioner has to work, while still letting air flow through.

Living with Camper Awning Sides: Day-to-Day Reality

After spending six months on the road with a complete set of rv awning side sunshades, I can confidently say they are a necessity, but they require a shift in habits. The mesh fabric significantly drops the ambient temperature on the patio—my infrared thermometer showed a 14-degree difference on the concrete pad alone. It also provides excellent daytime privacy; you can see out, but neighbors cannot see in.

However, there is a major, unglamorous downside. The fabric makes a distinct, low-frequency humming and flapping noise when the wind picks up at night. If you sleep in the front bedroom near the awning arms, it will wake you up. Furthermore, the anxiety of sudden weather changes is real. Because I have to disable my awning's smart wind-retract feature to use the rv side shade, I can never leave the campsite with the awning extended. If a storm rolls in while I am hiking, the motor cannot save the awning from being ripped off the roof.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I retract my motorized awning with the side shade attached?

No. You must detach the main body of the side shade before retracting. If you use a zipper system, the short 6-inch track insert can safely roll up into the awning housing, but rolling up the entire side panel will jam the motor and stretch the awning fabric.

How do I measure for an rv awning side sun shade?

Do not measure the fabric of your existing awning. Measure the distance from the center of one awning arm to the center of the other. Then, measure the drop height from the awning roller tube down to the ground when the awning is fully extended at your preferred pitch.

Do camper awning sides hold up in heavy rain?

Mesh side panels are designed to cut UV rays and light rain, but they are not waterproof. They will diffuse a heavy downpour into a fine mist, keeping your outdoor furniture relatively safe, but water will still pass through. Solid vinyl panels block rain completely but are highly susceptible to wind damage.