Hello friends! 🌞
I wanted to circle back to a conversation that comes up a lot in vintage camper circles about easy solo awning options—specifically ones that don’t require drilling into your camper or wrangling a whole second person just to get set up.
Well, I tried something a little out-of-the-box, and it worked so well I had to share!
My “Half Umbrella” Awning Hack
I scored a half patio umbrella for free because it was missing the base post. Lucky for me—that was exactly what I didn’t need. What I did need was:
Shade Easy setup No damage to my vintage camper Something I could do completely solo
Here’s what I did:
Grabbed these heavy-duty alien tape wall hooks (link below—they’re amazing and hold up to 44 lbs each!). I stuck four hooks across the top of the camper where I wanted the awning. Then I just hooked the umbrella onto them. That’s it!
No holes. No tools. No swearing.
This umbrella has venting at the top, so it doesn’t catch the wind like a sail. It’s just enough shade to relax under, make coffee, or tuck into a good book. And when I’m ready to take it down? A hairdryer softens the adhesive and the hooks come right off.
Here’s the link to the hooks I used:
Amazon – Heavy Duty Wall Hooks (Alien Tape Style)
These little guys are game-changers if you’re rigging up lightweight camp hacks and don’t want to damage your camper, van, or SUV.
I hope this helps someone out there who’s dreaming of shade but not ready to commit to a full awning setup. Let me know if you try it—or if you have another clever idea for DIY shade!
Happy camping and shady spots ahead,
Alana
Tent & Lantern
P.S. Got a fun rig hack of your own? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to share more reader tips in upcoming posts!
