Standard fit "awning rails"

We have just bought our 1994 Trooper VW Transporter which has the brown rails along the side which I assume are awning rails??

We have a driveaway awning but need to work out the easiest way to attach this to the van.

Also looking for a wind out awning recommendation if anyone has them.

Apologies as I'm sure this question has been asked many times before

Hello and welcome to this most friendly and informative forum. Suggestions will surely come your way soon. 

You need what are called 'figure of 8's'. Look them up on Google or eBay. You slide awning cord in one side and clip other side to rail. I'm sure you'll also find videos on YouTube on how to attach awnings.

Hello Andy and welcome to the forum. We had a freestanding awning on an Autohomes Merlin and it attached as described with the figure 8's. There were two strips about 4 feet long and it worked very well. It tended to flap about a bit in the wind. I was always jealous of those with a wind out awning as it seemed a better solution. Many years later we now have a Fiamma F45s wind out awning on our hightop Trident. I think there's a similar one to fit the Trooper? Its great for brief stops or longer stays and winds out in 30s, i'd suggest a hold down strap just incase it gets windy overnight. We've also got the sides and front pieces to make it all enclosed however these take up quite some space alongwith the extra poles required and they're quite heavy. Also adds another 20 min to put it together. We tend not to use or carry the sides and front. Hope this helps. Steve