Getting the fly placed and staked properly took about five more minutes. One night during testing, for example, clouds loomed in the distance with clear skies overhead. After we pitched the tent, the Mineral King 3’s adaptable fly let us leave half the mesh dome uncovered. At the first sign of rain, it took only a few seconds—and a quick hand stuck outside the tent—to unfurl the fly and secure it for a dry night’s sleep. When we awoke, we could roll back one part of the vestibule, make coffee, and watch the sky lighten even though it was still raining. Finding a small, light tent is the logical approach when you’re backpacking.
Each piece is designed to make the best use of whatever limited space you have available. Our folding camping cupboard is perfect for storing toys, clothes and swimming gear when it’s not in use. Then there’s our camping kitchen stand that will keep all your cooking equipment organised and maximise your meal preparation space.
Pitch a truck bed tent right in the back of your truck to keep your sleeping bag off the ground and be ready to get up and go whenever you need to. Look through a variety of truck tent sizes to find the best fit for your truck bed and enjoy a tent that takes advantage of the solid foundation and protective qualities provided by a truck. Unlike our top pick, the Tungsten 4 is coated with flame retardants. Weighing just 7 pounds, the tent is light enough to double for backpacking trips, especially if you divide the pieces among hikers. 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.
These two shelters are the same size and shape (7-foot peak height, 17 pounds) with an almost identical design. The cap-like roofs on both models provided far less shade than we wanted, especially in the beating desert sun. The mesh walls do have a ribbon of polyester at the foot, but even carefully staked they can ozark trail canopy tent leave gaps at the ground; if bug protection is your main concern, these tents would likely fall short. 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.
Though all of these shelters are self-standing and staking them may not be strictly necessary in calm weather, it’s wise to always do so in case the wind picks up unexpectedly. Before staking out a tent, make sure all of its doors are zipped closed to avoid staking it too tightly and straining the zippers. 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. Since 2015, I’ve tested camping shelters and large car-camping tents on weekend trips involving more than a dozen families, and I have talked to dozens more about their tent travails. Over the years, I have evaluated gear for magazines including Wired, Popular Science, and National Geographic Adventure, where I was a senior editor. Like most dome-style tents, the Wireless 6 withstands wind like a champ—it fared noticeably better than the Camp Creek 6 in 15-mph gusts.
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. Fellow campers consistently gravitated toward the REI shelter over the L.L.Bean. Kalee Thompson is an editor covering health, fitness, baby, and kid gear. She has personally tested a dozen tents and an equal number of hair dryers. Blew the shower down and broke the plastic thing that holds the poles together into 2 pieces. We used a “Luggable Loo” seat over a five-gallon bucket, with a plastic bag inside.
We have all you could ever need to dine outdoors in comfort and style, from folding chairs and tables to rugs, cooking utensils and cutlery. Our high quality and durable picnicware are perfect for outdoor entertainment, ozark trail instant cabin whether you’re camping or caravanning. If you can afford to spend more on a family tent, we recommend The North Face Wawona 6. Everyone who tested this tent loved it, and it’s not hard to understand why.
Our camping gazebos come with a built-in floor, so you don’t have to worry about your possessions getting wet or dirty. Use a beach tent for a bit of shade when visiting the shore, or use a pop-up tent to quickly set up a kiosk at a company function. Canopy tents and screen ozark trail instant cabin houses are great ways to create food preparation areas as well, so consider taking one with you on your next camping trip. Though the Wireless’s fly kept water out of the tent’s interior, it took longer to fully dry once the rain stopped than some others we tested.
With all that in mind, we found more than a dozen tents that met our criteria. If you love camping but hate eating your morning pancakes in the rain, a canopy tent can protect you from the trifecta of bugs, sun, and sudden showers. Compared with our top day-tent pick, the L.L.Bean Woodlands Screen House uses arguably superior materials; it also comes with an unsurpassed warranty. But with a ceiling that’s 6 inches lower, it feels smaller and darker. It always cost more than our top pick, but the price has gone up another $150 since we first tested it.
In early March, we took our second trip to the oceanside Sycamore Canyon Campground (PDF) near Oxnard, California. A later check of the weather at nearby Point Mugu Naval Air Station confirmed top recorded wind gusts of 40 miles per hour. We later used the shelters on group trips at Wheeler Gorge Campground near Ojai, California, and at the La Jolla group campsite at Point Mugu, as well as on a trip to the El Mirage Dry Lake in the Mojave Desert. A canopy tent is a purchase most regular car campers consider after stocking up on the basics. After all, you can find plenty of smaller and less-expensive items to help you fight bugs, guard against the sun, and shrug off rain. Our favorite of the eight canopy tents we tested, the REI Co-op Screen House Shelter ticks all those boxes.