Kalee Thompson is an editor covering health, fitness, baby, and kid gear. She has personally tested a dozen tents and an equal number of hair dryers. “There’s less scissor material, which means less total metal – and that’s why some of these companies can sell a tent for under $100,” Gemmell said. “When the legs are slanted, it’s completely dependent on those connection points,” Gemmell said.
After all, you can find plenty of smaller and less-expensive items to help you fight bugs, guard against the sun, and shrug off rain. Our favorite of the eight canopy tents we tested, the REI Co-op Screen House Shelter ticks all those boxes. However, it isn’t meant as a place to sleep; for that you should choose a regular car-camping tent. The Ozark Trail canopy very well might be one of the best selling 10×10 tent brands of all time. The easily recognizable logo has been seen by nearly everyone at youth soccer tournaments or beach vacations in recent years.
We are also very impressed with the overall value the Coleman 10×10 Sun Shelter brings to the table. It’s slightly more expensive than the cheapest options on our list. Still, we feel its price point is nearly perfect considering its quality and performance, specifically its extra features and beefier design. Not sure which canopy will deliver the best bang for your buck?
This feature also tightly stretches the entire canopy fabric into place, giving it greater resistance to wind and rain. At first glance, the setup for the Quick-Set Escap appears quite daunting. However, it became our favorite canopy to set up after conquering a slight learning curve. Despite its size, it amazingly ships completely assembled and pops into place with just a few pulls and pushes.
After another few minutes of climbing, we see a waterfall below us. Though there is no room for a tent, it is the most amazing waterfall we have seen yet. We make it to Morgan Fields TH at mile 43 and find our first food cache bucket!! It has been warmer than we anticipated so our winter gear does not need to continue making this trek with us. I leave my puffy, my beanie, my gloves, the extra fuel canister, two spare pairs of socks, the golf ball, and sadly but assuredly, my sleeping bag liner.
The 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. As its name suggests, the Eureka Tagalong Shelter is ideal for tagging along on any adventure where shade is needed. Its drawstring stuff sack offers a long strap that can be placed over one shoulder or across the chest, giving you hands-free mobility.
The Tagalong is a perfect canopy tent for most outdoor adventures, but it does have a few snags that affect its overall performance. It tends to bend and sway during stout breezes and is not as large as a standard 10×10 shelter. Additionally, the point-to-point reinforcement webbing occasionally tangles during setup. However, overall, we think the Tagalong is still suitable for the adventurous type who likes to be on the go and doesn’t want to lug a heavy canopy. The included stakes are very short, thin, and somewhat ineffective; we recommend purchasing larger thicker stakes for your Caravan V-Series.
All four of these models maximize space and offer several features that make them very livable. The Quick-Set Escape offers a massive, fully enclosed living space, and the Eureka Tagalong dons extra pockets, hooks, and attached sandbags. The center trusses on the Eurmax hang lower than we would prefer, limiting the available headspace, but this is our only caveat. The Tagalong sits a little low and isn’t adjustable, which affects the user’s ability to alter the canopy’s height or angles as the sun’s rays change.
The most popular product in their line is the 10×10 Instant Slant Leg Tent with a blue canopy top. It is made with a steel construction frame and polyester material for the canopy, which is in line with just about every shade tent on the market today. The Caravan V-Series scores a bit lower and isn’t as beefy as more expensive models, but it feels roomy and is easy to move around thanks to a lower weight.
We also hosed the tents down to see if the material was water-resistant and strong enough for an afternoon thunderstorm. The results of the unbiased and exhaustive review are presented here. The Pacific Breeze Easy Up is a beach tent with a half-dome design and enough space to shade one or two ozark trail chair adults. Its one-pull setup requires more muscle than anticipated, but overall, it is hassle-free and takes only seconds to erect. 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.