Picking the best sun canopy for a caravan can make a big difference to your touring experience. These accessories provide some protection from the rain and allow you to relax in a shady spot while offering the benefit of not taking up much space when they’re packed up.
Lighter in weight than even the best caravan awnings, a sun canopy can be an ideal choice if you’re just planning a short stay at a campsite. Some of them can also have optional extras bought to enhance them – for instance, side walls. It’s not just the best caravan air awnings that are inflatable either – if they’re your preferred style, inflatable sun canopies are also available for tourers.
However, it’s worth noting that the lighter weight of a sun canopy can make them more susceptible to wind and rain than an awning would be, and they also don’t provide that extra room effect that an awning offers either – you wouldn’t be able to sleep outside in one or use it for storage, for example.
In this guide, we’re running through our top picks for the best caravan sun canopies, featuring Isabella, Kampa, Sunncamp and more.
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What is the best caravan sun canopy?
Kampa Sunshine Air Pro 300
Isabella Shadow Caravan Sun Canopy
Vango AirBeam Sky Canopy
Sunncamp Sunnshield Universal Sun Canopy
OLPRO Retro Sun Canopy
The best sun canopies for a caravan:
Kampa Sunshine Air Pro 300
- Weight: 7.5kg
Reason to buy:
- Quick to inflate, can have optional sidewalls purchased to accompany it
Reason to avoid:
- Weighty by other sun canopy standards, most expensive option in our guide
This Kampa sun canopy not only offers protection from the weather but also looks good in the process. Coming with an inflatable AirFrame for speedy assembly, it helps to prevent strong gusts of wind from blowing it away and potentially damaging your tourer’s exterior in the process.
We reckon its width of 300cm and depth of 250cm will provide ample space for sitting back and enjoying the delights of on tour life.
It’s made from a double-coated Weathershield Pro fabric and has one-point inflation. As well as including Kampa’s high volume downdraught pump, we’re fans of how it can be packed away in an oversized carry bag, saving you from ending your trip trying to squeeze it back into a bag that somehow seems too small.
Plus, if you decide you’d like to have extra protection from the elements or create the more room-like effect of an awning, you can always purchase optional sidewalls to accompany it too.
Isabella Shadow Caravan Sun Canopy
- Weight: from 2.92kg
Reason to buy:
- Choice of widths, can be fitted as a side canopy to certain Isabella awnings, lightweight
Reason to avoid:
- Better depths available
Made by well-known brand Isabella, this caravan sun canopy mounts onto the side of your tourer and provides a shady spot for passing those leisurely pitched up afternoons. Quick to set up, we like how the lightweight canopy comes with a transport bag and pole bag too.
It has a depth of 200cm and you can choose the width that best suits your tourer, with available sizes starting from 240cm.
If your idea of the best sun canopy for a caravan offers plenty of flexibility, we think it’s hard to beat this one – both the 240cm and 300cm can be used as a side canopy for certain types of Isabella awning, or you could buy the optional sides and front to enhance the shelter it provides. Alternatively, sit back and use it as it comes.
We reckon it should be relatively stable too, thanks to the CarbonX poles and the roof’s metal rings it comes with.
Vango AirBeam Sky Canopy
- Weight: from 5.5kg
Reason to buy:
- Quick to inflate and set up, comes with ColourLok technology
Reason to avoid:
- Not ideal if you don’t want an inflatable canopy
Available in two different sizes, this sun canopy from Vango will allow caravanners to enjoy the fresh air while benefitting from protection from the sun and rain.
We like how it should be easy and fast to inflate, thanks to its single beam structure and AirSpeed Valve System – in fact, Vango says it should be set up in four minutes. Steel rock pegs provide durability too.
Made with Sentinel Exclusive fabric for waterproofing, its ColourLok technology should also help it retain its colour.
When it’s time to pack up, it can be stored in the oversized carry bag it comes with until your next tour.
Sunncamp Sunnshield Universal Sun Canopy
- Weight: from 3.4kg (depending on size)
Reason to buy:
- Comes in a choice of sizes, budget-friendly
Reason to avoid:
- Only fits onto one awning
Providing a maximum front height of 200cm, the sun canopy offers a projection of 218cm and can be fitted directly into the caravan via the dual beading. Made from a Pro-Tek 300-Denier fabric, it has a 6000mm Hydrostatic Head for some impressive water resistance.
So long as you buy the right size, it can also be fitted onto the 2017 Ultima Super Deluxe Caravan Awning from the same manufacturer. We do like the flexibility provided by it being available in three different sizes too – 240cm, 290cm and 390cm.
OLPRO Retro Sun Canopy
- Weight: 6kg
Reason to buy:
- Looks stylish, comes with a UV coating
Reason to avoid:
- Only in one size, style may not be for everyone
Adding a bit of retro style to everyone’s campsite experience, this stylish OLPRO sun canopy should take less than 10 minutes to set up, giving you a quick and easy way to enjoy the shade.
It provides a good 260cm x 260cm of protection from the sun on a hot day or light rain. Thanks to its UV coating, it should be able to avoid being damaged on those sunny days, and is made from 450D double printed Yarn dyed fabric.
Designed for caravans that are up to 250cm in height, we like the addition of a useful carry bag, not only offering handy storage but also allowing you to keep all of the attachments together.
Lead image: Amazon
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