The Best Canopy Tent for Camping and Picnics Reviews by Wirecutter

Finally, these shelters feel noticeably smaller than any of our picks. We also tested and liked the Coleman Mountain View 12 x 12 Screendome Shelter; it was an also-great pick until Coleman discontinued the model. Make your tailgate, campout, or backyard party even more enjoyable with the Ozark Trail 10′ x 10′ Instant Straight Leg Canopy. Made of a durable polyester construction, this canopy tent provides 100 square feet ozark trail chair of cooling shade anywhere and the easy push-button system offers safe setup and takedown. It features built-in vents on the top for added ventilation and offers you 50+ UV protection from the hot sun all day long. All you need to do to put together this Ozark Trail 10-foot by 10-foot Canopy is extend the one-piece steel frame, attach the canopy top, and adjust the telescoping 3-position legs to the desired height.

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ozark trail canopy

The Chair One is rated to hold up to 320 pounds—more than any other lightweight chair we tested aside from the Moon Lence. Despite the Renetto chair’s weight and bulk, our testers found it simple to set up and adjust. The canopy quickly and easily transforms into a carrying case—just wrap it around the chair and snap it closed with two plastic buckles, and you can carry the whole thing on your back like an oblong backpack. 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.

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. In fall 2023, we asked a panel of paid testers with a wide range of body types, dexterities, and mobilities to examine our picks and other camping chairs and to share their perspectives. 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.

Several Wirecutter staffers have owned the Coleman chair for years, using it on camping trips, in backyards, and at sporting events. For the most part, it’s held up well, but one common quibble is that the seat bottom begins to sag after several years of use. Weighing about 8 pounds, the Coleman chair is lighter than most traditional models, so it’s easier to grab from deep in a car trunk or to carry for long distances.

There are also chairs that are hybrids between categories, such as the Nemo Stargaze Reclining Camp Chair, which comes highly rated and recommended. 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 canopy top itself comes with a handy mesh pocket for storing your smaller items. Its 112-inch center height gives you plenty of room to create an entertainment space for your outdoor furniture and guests. Whether you are hosting a barbecue, attending a sporting event, or spending a day at the beach, you will be able to take your 10-foot by 10-foot Ozark Trail Instant Canopy anywhere. Any $75 canopy tent from a big-box store—we’re talking about the common square canopy with four spindly metal legs—can provide shade during midday.

Over the years, I have evaluated gear for magazines including Wired, Popular Science, and National Geographic Adventure, where I was a senior editor. The REI Co-op Screen House Shelter is easy to set up and pleasant to use, providing good protection from bugs, sun, and gentle rain showers. A high ceiling makes the tent feel brighter and more airy than ozark trail chair other camping shelters with a similar footprint. 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.