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. However, we feel the tarp-style floor stays a little hot in the sun, and it tends to collect dirt, sand, and water. The Easy Up is a self-contained product with no assembly required, making it easy to set up, take down, and store in your garage, coat closet, or car trunk. Five large weight bags attach and can be filled with sand to keep everything in place.
Coleman says that the tent doesn’t need one, probably because its floor is a crinkly (though tough) tarp-like polyethylene, not a taped-seam polyester as in our other picks. The geodesic structure of the Base Camp tents is built to withstand wind and rain. It has two coleman sleeping bag main that thread through sleeves, stretching between the four corners of the tent. The Eureka Tagalong scored a little lower but still holds its own in terms of craftsmanship. It is a lighter-weight product, which inherently involves thinner, less durable materials.
Additionally, its weather-taped seams and waterproof canopy create an excellent barrier against rain. As for the Caravan V-Series, we feel it provides excellent coverage from the sun. However, its thinner frame rocks a bit during wind gusts, and it doesn’t have weather-taped seams, so it tends to leak a little during heavier rain storms. Our second grading metric involves how fast and easy it is to set up and take down each shelter, but it also considers how simple and intuitive both processes are. Likewise, the roller bag is made from commercial-grade components and fabrics, and the frame is thicker and heavier than other canopies. Its fully enclosed design protects users from sun, wind, rain, and bugs, making this a perfect shelter for camping.
In addition to costing you a few extra clams, this product doesn’t pack up very small. When stowed in its carrying case, it could easily be confused with a winter travel bag carrying snow skis. Its packed size is more the 6 feet, making it difficult to fit into an average-sized car. But if you’ve got a big enough rig, this is a dream canopy tent to add to your campsite.
Below, we discuss the metrics we used to score each model and highlight impressive models in each performance area. Determining which features you need in a canopy will help you choose which one provides maximum efficiency at the right price. The Eurmax Standard 10×10 is very functional, followed closely by the E-Z Up Pyramid, Clam Outdoors Quick-Set Escape, and Eureka Tagalong Shelter. All four of these models maximize space and offer several coleman cooler features that make them very livable. 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.
Overall, this is a fun beach accessory that is great for guarding gear and valuables and offering periodic shelter from the sun. At 5.4 pounds, it’s the lightest canopy in our lineup, making it very portable. Our lower scorers in this metric generally received lower scores because of their weight and size. However, it’s important to note that some canopies are not as portable because they’re constructed of higher-quality, heavier, and thicker materials. Canopies in this category are the Eurmax, Quick-Set Escape, E-Z UP Pyramid, Caddis Rapid Shelter, and Caravan Canopy V-Series. In the case of the Eurmax and E-Z Up, they both received lower portability scores because they are heavy and more difficult to lift from the car to the ground.
The E-Z Up Pyramid is our favorite canopy for outdoor-sports enthusiasts. From youth football and soccer fields to motocross tracks and cross-country meets, this canopy fits the bill. If you spend a lot of time on the sidelines, we think the E-Z Up is the perfect way to catch some shade while you cheer on your athlete or team. 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 easily hold this shelter steady, even during wind gusts, and glaring sun and rain are also no threat.
The Wireless 6 goes up easily, using the same kind of intuitive pole and clip method as our couples’ pick. The Caravan Canopy V-Series bridges the gap between quality and budget-friendly better than any canopy we’ve examined. This model is much lighter than its beefier peers, but it still incorporates a steel frame that is sturdy enough to handle a few moderate wind gusts. We found the Caravan perfect for trips to the lake, activities in the park, or backyard barbeques, ideally in calmer weather.
It’s also more challenging to lift into and out of a vehicle alone, and although quite solid, the E-Z Up can be a little wobbly at full height. These caveats aside, this is still our number one when heading out to the playing field. Don’t be fooled; this is one of the most important aspects when it comes to the amount of sweat and frustration a model will induce upon its owner. If there’s one thing that we learned over our months of testing, it is that a heavy tent with a poor carrying case can be a real challenge. Greeting messages are not a standard option on this item but are possible when sending from your Virtual Swag Closet.