Like regular camping tents, these camping gazebos are not intended to be left up for extended periods, as the fabrics are susceptible to UV damage. Like the REI model, the L.L.Bean tent has ample interior pockets, a lantern hook, and a roomy carrying bag, though the bag is of the typical drawstring-sack variety. The REI Co-op Screen House Shelter is an intuitively designed, easy-to-erect picnic tent that offers protection from sun, bugs, and mild rain showers. Though the boxy design is basic, in our tests we found that this camping shelter offered the best combination of functionality, durability, and affordability of all the tents we tried. The first trip was an early-February expedition to Indian Cove Campground in California’s Joshua Tree National Park, where our highly exposed group campsite made daytime temperatures in the high 70s feel like the 90s. We used the shelters for sun protection, setting up camp chairs inside one and a play mat and toddler toys inside another, and placing the large Clam shelter over a picnic table piled with markers and coloring books.
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. It’s worth noting that the Pacific Breeze Easy-Up scored lower due to a very low interior height, but it has extra built-in features like storage pockets, roll-up windows, a built-in floor, and attached sandbags. This metric considers each shelter’s floor space and height and any design element that may limit or enhance accessibility and maneuverability. We erected each model and measured the height and floor space compared to the other tents.
A frequent reader of our site put the lightweight Cool Cabana pop up beach canopy to the test during a West Coast vacation. We put the lightweight Cool Cabana pop up beach canopy to the test during an East Coast vacation. Akin to the Clam Quick-Set Escape is the REI Co-op Screen House Shelter. The Screen House is far more portable but less rugged than the Clam, and it also offers a fully enclosed system that keeps bugs at bay.
But as you look at different slant leg tents, you’ll also notice the frames use less steel and have fewer plastic connection points. Here’s a sketch one of our engineers made to explain the slant leg design. That team is also pretty helpful to have when our marketing team needs to explain why a straight leg canopy has more structural integrity than a slant leg canopy.
It offers impeccable craftsmanship and is even graded as “Entry Commercial” by the manufacturer. Likewise, the roller bag is made from commercial-grade components and fabrics, and the frame is thicker and heavier than other canopies. 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.
Although we always recommend using anchors such as weighted sand bag or stakes with guy lines attached to the top corners. 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. That’s not the case with a slant leg canopy tent which, as you may have guessed, features legs that are slanted and form an angle of less than 90 degrees with the floor.
Our shade-loving experts poured over hundreds of the best canopy tents available before choosing 14 for side-by-side testing. We selected products best suited for farmer’s markets, corporate gigs, and beaches. We also chose canopies optimized for camping, spectator sports, ozark trail screen house and adventure. From there, we tested each product for several months in Utah and California, subjecting them to sun, wind, and rain. All the while, we assessed key performance metrics such as functionality, ease of setup, protection, craftsmanship, and portability.