I've gotta admit I'm surprised to be seemingly in the minority here. The default for my awning is extended at all times. But I do try to practice some common sense. When I've stayed at the beach I left it in or mostly in most of the time...
Where we camp (mostly in Ohio) we can get sudden and unexpected very gusty thunderstorms, but, for the first two years I never bothered even strapping mine down. I just watched the sky and if it looked like it's gonna blow hard I'd pull it in.
In the last three years I started strapping it down if the winds might get iffy... I angle it down low and slope it down further on one side if I expect really heavy rain to make sure it sheds water... If I am leaving the campground and there is a chance of severe wind I might bring it in while I'm away... Maybe. Not often.
Heck... I even left mine extended and tied down all night as a tropical storm passed us at Disney's Fort Wilderness a couple of years ago...
I've seen a few fellow campers lose their awnings too I have to admit. Not any that were strapped down as far as I can remember though. A buddy didn't slope his to make sure the water would shed off and it ponded up and bent his tube.
Once I found myself out at 4AM quickly unhooking the straps and pulling it in when a really nasty thunderstorm rolled in. The rest fo the time it's just been there doing it's job. I might loose it someday. It might wear out too.
Guess I'm lucky so far, but, I've noticed while out camping that many or maybe most of my neighbors seem to use a similar strategy of using their awnings for their intended purpose, tying them down if they feel the need, and pulling them in if wind gets really bad...
