Likewise, if you need a comfortable seat or place to prep your food, we’ve got you covered. No matter what gear you’re in the market for, chances are, we’ve got opinions, and they’ve been informed by years of rigorous side-by-side testing. The first is to generate an element of airflow when you’re standing underneath.
At 5.4 pounds, it’s the lightest canopy in our lineup, making it very portable. We like the built-in sidewall pockets, attached floor, and roll-away side drapes. However, we feel the tarp-style floor stays a little hot in the sun, and it tends to collect dirt, sand, and water.
The wheels on the roller bag are mostly cosmetic, as they are very ineffective on most terrains. That said, if you don’t expect to use your tent in rugged environments, this is a solid option for a nice big canopy tent at a bargain price. This weight makes it somewhat difficult to load and unload out of a vehicle, but once on the ground, the tank-grade roller bag allows it to be moved with ease, especially if you have two people.
The Eurmax Standard 10×10 offers 100 square feet of sun protection and a peak height of 11 feet. Very high-quality materials were used to produce this shelter, making it our hands-down choice for the best recreational canopy tent on the market. Despite its size and weight, the Eurmax is quite easy to set up and take down.
But if you’ve got a big enough rig, this is a dream canopy tent to add to your campsite. The legs are locked into place with old school metal push button locks, something you won’t see on many modern pop up tents now-a-days. These push locks get very difficult to use over time, especially if the tent is used on the beach and exposed to sand and saltwater, causing rust build up.
After weeks of testing, we have thrown a few penalty flags on the field. This product’s excellent wheel system is mostly made of plastic, and we wish it were constructed primarily of metal. Additionally, it packs up large and is heavy, making it difficult to find room for it in the trunk of just any car. It’s also more challenging to lift into and out of a vehicle alone, and although quite solid, the E-Z Up can be a little wobbly at full height. These caveats aside, this is still our number one when heading out to the playing field. If you’d rather have your shelter geared more toward camping, we’ve also reviewed the best camping tents and top backpacking tents on the market.
ozark trail shower tentThe included carrying bag does not have wheels to aid in transportation, but at only 29 lbs. We don’t find that to be a noteworthy drawback as the nylon handles and shoulder strap work just fine in carrying the tent. The canopy fabric is made of a lightweight denier polyester, offering water resistant features and 50+ UPF, which we love. Being protected from the suns harmful UVB rays is probably why you wanted a canopy tent in the first place, and this Ozark Trail tent meets all criteria in this department. The one complaint we have is that there is no vents in the fabric at the peak to release the build up of hot air under the canopy.
The Ozark Trail Commercial Canopy is packed with the features that you need. The frame is powder coated aluminum and steel with push button locking on the frame and height adjustments. The heavy 400D polyester top provides 99% UV protection and is water and fire resistant. There are 4 walls included and one of the walls has a zipper in the center for easy access under the canopy. The canopy also has an awning, banner holder, stakes and guy ropes. The canopy folds down to 52.5″ in length and easily fits into the roller bag with all of the accessories.
And compared to some of the tents in the EZ-Up lineup, it sells for almost a 70% discount. One could, in theory, purchase a new Ozark canopy every year (which they might need to!) and still come out ahead over the years vs. purchasing a more expensive alternative. In windy conditions high stress is applied to each side and the frame begins to break down at the unreinforced joint connectors.
These tents can quickly become pricey, so focusing on quality versus cost is a great idea. Typically, the lower-priced options in this category will work for the short term. They usually weigh less, which is handy when lugging them around, but it generally means they are not as durable in inclement weather. The higher-priced models often weigh more or offer better construction technology.