You can stow this featherlight, compressible chair in a backpack or even a work bag. The Clam Quick-Set Escape weighs 34 pounds and comes in a 6-foot-long, ski-bag-shaped carry case that is too big to fit into most sedan trunks. As we pulled this monster out of its box, we were skeptical that we would erect it in anything close to the promised 45 seconds. A handful of REI customers complain that the tent is not stable in strong winds. Though the previous version came with four guylines—the stabilizing lines that allow you to stake out the tent for added security in windy conditions—the current version does not, which is inconvenient. We set up the REI Screen House Shelter and L.L.Bean’s Woodlands Screen House side by side in the Mojave Desert in 100-degree temps.
At the forefront of features, this canopy has a roller bag with large, wide-set wheels so one person can easily pull this beast across gravel, dirt, or grass. The E-Z Up also has a simple setup and can even be deployed solo, depending on age and strength. Its heavy steel frame and massive metal stakes ozark trail instant cabin easily hold this shelter steady, even during wind gusts, and glaring sun and rain are also no threat. The Coleman Cooler Quad has been our pick since 2016, through numerous camping trips and several testing sessions. That’s because it’s among the most durable and comfortable chairs we’ve tested.
The canopy is big enough to block most, if not all, sunlight any time of day, and the chair’s seat has a strip of breathable mesh down the middle for airflow. Senior staff writer Lauren Dragan said the Renetto is her most comfortable camping chair. The King Kong chair has two cupholders and intuitively placed storage pouches under each armrest; unlike the Coleman chair, though, ozark trail canopy tent this one doesn’t have a cooler pouch. There’s also a mesh pocket behind the backrest, to hold things you don’t need to access quickly. This chair comes with a sturdy carrying case, with an over-the-shoulder strap, and it’s simple to expand and fold up accordion-style. Our lower scorers in this metric generally received lower scores because of their weight and size.
Takedown is similarly simple, though Clam provides an instructional video if you need help. Getting our hands dirty with the top-rated 9×9 Neso Grande lightweight beach canopy tent. 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 ozark trail instant cabin out ahead over the years vs. purchasing a more expensive alternative. A functional cupholder, a convenient carry strap, and durable fabric distinguish this kids’ chair from similar seats.
Like the REI model, the L.L.Bean tent uses polyester (ripstop, in this case), which is more resistant to UV damage and absorbs less moisture than nylon by weight. The Woodlands Screen House also has the advantage of eight guylines, whereas the Screen House Shelter includes none. In addition, this model has the same bug-deterring flap of fabric along the base as the REI tent, but while the REI’s flap is about 9 inches wide, the L.L.Bean’s flap is about 10.5 inches wide.
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. Many newer tent brands like EZ-Up use revolutionary thumb lock sliders or larger easy to release buttons, which are a much better user experience when setting the canopy up or taking it down. With the push buttons you need to worry about pinching fingers or not being able to release the button when it gets rusted, which is never a pleasant experience. The legs extend to give the top peak a height of about 8’10” which will be plenty of headroom for anyone underneath. Many testers found other chairs more comfortable and easier to put together than the Nemo Moonlite Reclining Camp Chair. This is also the most expensive lightweight chair we tested, and we think the Chair One is a better value.
One thing we learned over our months of testing is that a heavy tent with a poor carrying case can be a real challenge. We looked for features like double-stitched seams, weather taping, steel, robust fabrics, and fewer moving parts. The Screen House Shelter packs into a reasonably roomy drawstring bag with a strap that makes the canopy tent much easier to transport than tents, like the L.L.Bean, that lack a strap. The shelter has a 10-by-10-foot footprint—the most common size for tents of this type—and a peak height of 7 feet. It will shelter a standard-size picnic table, but with little room to spare.
The Tagalong and Caravan V-Series scored slightly lower than our top scorers, but they still have straightforward setup processes. The setup for both was simple; however, they scored lower because of additional variants that affected the overall ease of the process. The aluminum poles are quite long and awkward to maneuver, and it takes extra time to slide them through the fabric sleeves and bow them into place. We found the V-Series just as easy to set up as the other cathedral canopies we tested; however, it scored a little lower because it still incorporates spring-loaded adjustment pins to lock it into place. These pins are a little harder to use, especially during takedown, and they are more likely to pinch the skin. This weight makes it somewhat difficult to load into 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.