“When the legs are slanted, it’s completely dependent on those connection points,” Gemmell said.
We like the built-in sidewall pockets, attached floor, and roll-away side drapes. However, the tarp-style floor becomes a little hot in the sun and 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. Overall, this is a fun beach accessory that is great for guarding gear and valuables and offering periodic shelter from the sun.
We erected each model and measured the height and floor space compared to the other tents. Typical cathedral tents offered a 10×10 floor space, whereas many more niche tents had varying sizes. Another key aspect of functionality is the extra convenience features provided by various models. For example, hanging loops, storage compartments, and built-in pockets make canopy use easier and more organized. Our experts teamed up to develop a rigorous test plan, which we applied to every canopy tent in this review.
Its drawstring stuff sack offers a long strap that can be placed over one shoulder or across the chest, giving you hands-free mobility. This shelter employs high-grade, collapsible aluminum poles for its frame and comes complete with built-in guy lines and sandbags to help keep it sturdy. The polyester canopy effectively dampens the sun’s rays and is double-stitched and weather-taped to keep out the rain.
The Qipi, in particular, has a much longer packed size and, at nearly 10 pounds, it’s heavier than the others mentioned above. The Easy Up may have been the lightest in our list of top scorers, but it also comes in a longer packed size, which affected its overall score. Don’t be fooled; this is one of the most important aspects to consider, as it determines the amount of sweat and frustration a model will induce upon its owner. One thing we learned over our months of testing is that a heavy tent with a poor carrying case can be a real challenge. After weeks of testing, we have thrown a few penalty flags on the field.
Some canopies perform well in one or two of these areas, but we gave the highest scores to those that could expertly handle all three functions. We even gave extra points to canopies that also protected against bugs. 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; ozark trail canopy 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. These pins are a little harder to use, especially during takedown, and they are more likely to pinch the skin.
If you’d rather have your shelter geared more toward camping, we’ve also reviewed the best camping tents and top backpacking tents on the market. Likewise, if you need a comfortable seat, place to prep your food, or the best cooler, we’ve got you covered. We’ve also tested the best fire pits for your outdoor patio or backyard. No matter what gear you’re in the market for, chances are we’ve got info informed by years of rigorous side-by-side testing. 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.
Even with the drapes stowed, there is less ventilation than in larger, open canopies. And, despite effectively blocking the sun’s rays, this shader tends to remain quite warm, much like a backpacking tent would when it’s left in the sun all day. It also doesn’t perform well in the rain, primarily because of its open design.
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. The biggest issue in all of this is the inability to withstand any rotational pressure during medium and high impact weather conditions as the joints become unstable and collapse at the mid points.
Like we mentioned above, we’re here to educate you on the different styles of pop-up tents. We know everyone isn’t a good fit for professional-grade TentCraft structures, and that’s OK! But if and when you’re tired of replacing cheap tents, reach out to us to learn more about what American-made quality looks and feels like. The Pacific Breeze Easy Up didn’t score as highly here, but we were impressed with its ability to handle the wind. Its stiff frame doesn’t bend or sway during heavy breezes and stays put as long as it’s staked down or weighted by its five built-in sandbags.