The whole thing is remarkably easy to set up, even for one person; the family at the next campsite was amazed at my tent prowess when I set it up solo. Takedown is similarly simple, though Clam provides an instructional video if you need help. The Screen House Shelter packs into a reasonably roomy drawstring bag with a strap that makes the canopy tent much easier to transport ozark trail chair than tents, like the L.L.Bean, that lack a strap. For casual outings as well as possible commercial use or for tailgating, this is a fantastic and trusted choice. With bonus stakes, guylines, and a wheeled carry bag, you’re certainly getting value for your money. With 100ft² of ground space, multiple people can stand or sit comfortably inside without feeling cramped.
The frame is that of a pyramid structure, which are generally found in all value brand canopy tents as they require less material to manufacture vs. that of a full truss system and as a result can keep the price lower. Fellow campers and sun-baked spectators consistently gravitated toward the REI shelter over the L.L.Bean. Though the two tents have the same footprint, the REI’s roof is 6 inches taller; we found that ozark trail canopy the higher ceiling made the REI shelter feel significantly roomier inside. In our tests one camper took less than 10 minutes to put it up on the first try. Two shorter aluminum poles cross to support the roof while four longer poles join to the roof poles at the top of the tent and slide into pegs at the ground. The tent roof is made of polyester taffeta treated with a DWR (durable water repellent) coating.
Our favorite canopy tent is a simply designed, comfortable shelter that offers protection from bugs, sun, and rain. With the massive influx of instant canopies taking over the market, it can be hard to find one that lives up to its claims. For a day at the beach, sunny picnic party, or other outdoor event, you want something that’s going to protect from the harsh rays of the sun, but is still easy enough to transport and assemble on site. During the winter and early spring of 2017, we added four more canopy tents to our testing lineup. In addition to the models from REI and L.L.Bean, which became our new top picks, we tested the Coleman 15 × 13 Instant Screenhouse and the Wenzel Sun Valley Screen House. Like the REI and L.L.Bean canopy shelters, this Clam tent has a generous fabric skirt at its base that is designed to keep determined insects—and pooling rainwater—out.
This model follows a simple 3 step process, which is common among many instant editions. It’s a matter of unpacking, unfolding, and extending the legs to your desired height. There’s no complicated insertion of poles and we love how it’s well-designed to be completely hassle-free. The Coleman 15 × 13 Instant Screenhouse is essentially a larger version of the Coleman 10 × 10 Instant Screened Canopy, and it has similar shortcomings. The sloping walls make the interior space feel much smaller than the generous footprint might lead you to expect. The mesh doesn’t seem particularly durable, and given the cap-like roof, the shade provided is much more limited than with our top-pick tents.
Think about it like an umbrella, where you may often feel a whirl of air getting stuck between your head and the umbrella. This is where it would usually flip inside out, if the wind is strong enough, and it can damage the frame. The first is to generate an element of airflow when you’re standing underneath. Yes, it is a completely exposed structure with open walls, but when the hot rays of the sun are beating down, it makes things more comfortable when you have a concentrated breeze flowing through. Today we’re uncovering all its design features and digging into the reasons why it’s considered one of the best value pop up canopies around, additionally seeing if it’s worth a little piece of our next pay check.
If we were camping somewhere infested with mosquitoes or no-see-ums and could fit the Clam in our vehicle, we’d prefer it over any of our other picks. In early March, we took our second trip to the oceanside Sycamore Canyon Campground (PDF) near Oxnard, California. A later check of the weather at nearby Point Mugu Naval Air Station confirmed top recorded wind gusts of 40 miles per hour. We later used the shelters ozark trail wagon on group trips at Wheeler Gorge Campground near Ojai, California, and at the La Jolla group campsite at Point Mugu, as well as on a trip to the El Mirage Dry Lake in the Mojave Desert. A canopy tent is a purchase most regular car campers consider after stocking up on the basics. 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.
A lower roof makes this shelter feel notably smaller than our top pick, but it’s also durably made and ready to pair with a superior rain fly (sold separately). Overall, we think the Ozark Trail canopy serves its intended purpose – a value brand 10×10 instant shelter that caters to price conscious consumers looking for an affordable shade option. 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. There doesn’t seem to be any information on the thickness level of the polyester, but this Ozark Trail Canopy model does have a 50+ UV protection rating. This is very important for gazebos, considering their principal purpose is to shield from the sun.
Four included walls have mesh panels with curtains and one of the two end walls rolls up for easy access under the canopy. The canopy folds down to 48.75″ in length and easily fits into the sleeve bag with a pocket for the walls, stakes and guy ropes. 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.