Replace Your Bag Awning on Your Pop Up Camper

Replacing the bag awning on an older pop-up camper may be more affordable—and easier—than you think. When we were renovating our pop-up camper, we initially tried repairing our original awning. But after adding up the cost of repairs and dealing with another damaged pole, we finally realized it made more sense to replace the entire awning.

Our replacement turned out to be one of those relatively simple pop-up camper projects that made a big difference every time we went camping.

Our replacement ShadeMaker bag awning was similar in color to the original but was a marked improvement in overall quality and ease of use.

Should You Repair or Replace a Pop-Up Camper Awning?

If you are considering repairing your existing pop-up camper awning, start by adding up the cost of all the parts you will need.

When we repaired ours, I purchased a replacement pole, rivets, and a rivet gun. That repair cost about $140. Unfortunately, only a few months later, a storm damaged our brand-new pole.

For about $100 more than what I had already spent on the repair, I could have replaced the entire awning on our small camper.

That was an important lesson for us. When you own an older camper, little repairs can really start to add up. Before putting more money into a worn awning, compare the total repair cost with the price of replacing it.

This was our original camper and awning. I loved the retro vibe of those stripes, but the awning had become worn and difficult to use.

Why We Replaced Our Pop-Up Camper Bag Awning

I really did love the retro look of our original awning. It matched the personality of our little camper perfectly. But eventually, function won out over nostalgia.

The original awning was damaged and difficult to set up. One of the poles would never fully extend, and my husband and I were both tired of trying to make it work every time we camped.

After repairing it once, we finally decided we weren't going to repair it a second time. It was time to replace it.

The ShadeMaker Bag Awning We Used

Finding a replacement bag awning small enough for our pop-up camper was a little challenging because we only needed an awning that was about 6 feet wide.

At the time, we found a ShadeMaker bag awning that worked perfectly for our camper. It was similar enough in color to our original awning that it looked great with the camper, but the construction and functionality were a huge improvement.

UPDATE: Since I originally wrote this post, I have not been able to find the ShadeMaker bag awning that we used for this project. I'm leaving the original information and photos in this post because this is the awning we actually purchased, installed, and used on our camper. If you're searching for a replacement awning today, there are still some excellent resources for owners of older pop-up campers, which I've included below.

Where to Find Pop-Up Camper Awnings and Replacement Parts

Finding parts for an older pop-up camper sometimes requires a little detective work. As campers get older, original manufacturers, products, and parts can become difficult—or sometimes impossible—to find.

Two companies are great places to start when you're looking for a pop-up camper awning replacement, replacement canvas, lift-system parts, or other camper-specific parts.

Canvas Replacements

Canvas Replacements is a company we have personally used. We purchased the replacement canvas for our pop-up camper from them and had a great experience.

In addition to replacement canvas, Canvas Replacements carries awnings, lift-system components, mattresses, cushions, and other products for pop-up campers. If you're restoring an older camper, this is a resource worth bookmarking.

Visit Canvas Replacements

Pop-Up Parts

Pop-Up Parts is another excellent resource for older folding campers. They specialize in hard-to-find pop-up camper parts and provide resources to help owners identify the correct parts for their campers.

If you're searching for a specific part, have your camper's year, make, model, measurements, and VIN available when applicable. With older campers, you don't want to assume a part will fit simply because it looks similar.

Visit Pop-Up Parts

If you found this post because you were specifically searching for a ShadeMaker awning replacement, these are the two places I would start today.

The scalloped detailing along the front edge was one of the things I loved about our replacement awning.

What We Loved About Our Replacement Bag Awning

Even though this particular ShadeMaker awning is no longer easy to find, the features we liked are still worth considering when you're comparing replacement awnings.

1. More shade and usable space. It extended farther from the camper, giving us more shade and more room for cooking while also providing additional protection from the weather.
2. Easier setup. The twisting tension rods were much easier to use than the ones on our previous awning.
3. Better construction. I liked how the side rods had a plastic knob at the end that snapped into place for a more secure extension.
4. More height. The awning was taller, so our camper door didn't scrape against the top.
5. Easier storage. Velcro pieces made everything easier to organize when packing the awning away.

The overall construction was much sturdier, which made the awning easier to set up and take down. My husband and I were both happy with the upgrade.

The plastic piece underneath is where the awning poles fit to hold the sides in place. This was a big improvement over the levered rods on our previous awning.

How We Replaced Our Pop-Up Camper Bag Awning

Our camper already had an existing awning track, which made this project surprisingly simple.

Before ordering a new bag awning, measure your existing awning track carefully. Your replacement awning needs to fit the track on your camper. Don't rely only on the stated size of your old awning. Take actual measurements and compare them with the specifications and installation requirements of the replacement you're considering.

Our installation involved removing the old bag awning from the existing track and sliding the replacement into the same track.

Everything for our replacement awning arrived together in one neat package.

Step 1: Remove the Old Bag Awning

Our old bag awning was already installed in an existing awning track. That meant we didn't have to add a new track to the camper—we simply needed to remove the old awning.

The old bag awning was already installed in an existing track. All I needed to do was slide it out.

Step 2: Open the End of the Awning Track

The end of our awning track had been clamped shut to keep the old awning securely in place. I used a pair of needle-nose pliers to carefully open the end enough to remove the old awning.

I used needle-nose pliers to pry open the end of the awning track. It had been clamped shut to hold the previous awning in place.

Step 3: Slide the New Bag Awning Into Place

Once the track was open, I could slide the old awning out and slide the new awning into its place. When I was finished, I clamped the awning track closed again.

Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for the particular replacement awning you purchase, since installation methods and hardware can vary.

Once the track was open, I slid the old awning out and the new awning into place. I clamped the awning track closed again when I was finished.

The new bag awning was a marked improvement—even when it was closed!

Was Replacing Our Pop-Up Camper Awning Worth It?

Absolutely.

We put our new bag awning together in about 30 minutes from start to finish. I'm so glad we decided to replace it rather than continue repairing something that wasn't working well for us.

I still loved the retro look and feel of our original striped awning, and I was a little sad to see it go. But I wasn't sad about having an easier setup with the replacement!

No more struggling with a pole that wouldn't extend. No more trying to make a worn-out awning work. And definitely no more propping up one leg with a stack of leveling blocks.

Restoring an Older Pop-Up Camper?

One of the biggest lessons we learned while renovating our pop-up was that parts for older campers are often still out there—you just have to know where to look.

If you can't find the original awning, canvas, lift-system component, or another camper-specific part, don't immediately assume your project has reached a dead end. Companies that specialize in pop-up campers can be incredibly helpful when you're working on an older model.

Start with Canvas Replacements and Pop-Up Parts, gather as much information about your camper as possible, and don't be afraid to contact the company if you aren't sure which replacement part you need.

Our little pop-up camper taught us so much about DIY RV projects. Replacing the bag awning was a relatively simple project, but it made a surprisingly big difference every time we went camping.

Sometimes keeping an older camper going isn't about making everything brand new. It's about knowing what to repair, what to replace, and where to find the right parts to keep making memories.

Save this pop-up camper awning replacement project to your favorite Pinterest board.