10 Best Pop Up Canopy In 2020

How To Choose The Best Pop-up Canopy Tent – Buying Guide

Following the best pop up gazebo reviews, let’s go through how to choose the best canopy tent for your needs. As you can see, pop up canopies generally have a similar setup but no two canopies are exactly the same. They come in all kinds of designs, sizes, materials and have differing features. You need to identify the ideal tent for your intended application.

So how do you know what is the best pop up canopy to buy? The first step is to determine your needs. What purpose do you want the canopy to fulfill? What kind of events will you be hosting within its shade? This will determine what type and style of canopy tent will serve you best. 

When you set out to acquire a pop-up canopy, pay attention to the following features so you can understand each canopy’s unique features, find the perfect option for your needs and end up with a good quality canopy that will give you good experiences.

Size

The first step is to figure out how much room you will need, how much space you have for the shelter and what tent size will fulfill your needs.

Canopy tents come in a wide variety of sizes ranging from five by five feet to ten by twenty feet. There are tents for two, family size tents and larger ones that accommodate large gatherings. 10 ft by 10 ft is the most common pop-up canopy tent size and it offers ample room to set a table and seats for relaxing, working, serving, or perusing items. 

To determine what size you need for your guests, furniture, equipment, and room for movement, find out the amount of space that each person will take up and multiply it with the total number of people that will be in the canopy.

Don’t forget to take into account any width or height restrictions if your setup space is limited. Measure the setup area and get a tent whose dimensions will fit. For festivals and fairs, 10 x 10 foot is usually the standard size.

For ease of storage and transport, you will also want to check the weight and collapsed size. Pop up canopy tents are generally lightweight and fold up small enough to be carried easily.

Design

The two aspects of design to consider are the functionality and the aesthetics. The best design will depend on how you intend to use the canopy, the level of protection and sheltering you need and your personal preference.

Most pop up canopies are made up of the frame and canopy top with all four sides open. You can also find canopies designed to offer protection from all kinds of elements. If you need privacy or extra protection from the elements, there are units with detachable side walls that block the rain and wind coming from the sides. Screen canopies have mesh screens all around to keep bugs away. 

Instant canopies come with either slanted or straight legs. Slanted legs look sleek but take up more space and provide less coverage. Straight legs offer more strength, stability, and height, but are more expensive.

When it comes to style, most high-quality popup canopy tents are attractive and elegant. If looks matter to you, ensure you’re pleased with how the canopy is going to look like when set up.

Material

The canopy top material is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a pop up canopy tent. The best canopy tent material is thick, sturdy and lightweight.

Polyester is the most common pop-up canopy top material. It is rugged, durable and water-resistant. Its downside is that it is susceptible to disintegration due to damage by prolonged exposure to UV rays. Some manufacturers apply a vinyl cover for UV protection.

Vinyl is waterproof, durable, weather resistance, flame resistant, has great UV resistance and is easy to clean. However, this toughness means vinyl canopies are on the heavy side and don’t come cheap. Polyurethane is highly UV-resistance but highly flammable. Polyethylene is lightweight and its durability is decent.

The denier is a measure of how thick the fabric is. Canopies can have 150D or 420D while the heaviest and most durable are constructed of higher denier materials such as 600D. You will want something strong enough to withstand the elements and last but still lightweight so that it is easy to carry.

Water Resistant

Ensure the canopy you order is either waterproof or water resistant so it offers protection in case of a downpour. Most canopy materials such as nylon, polyester, vinyl, and plastic are water resistance. Some tent fabrics have durable water repellant coatings (DWR) so water droplets slide off instead of soaking through. Waterproof pop up canopies have even the seams heat sealed so no moisture can penetrate.

Height

Pop up canopy tents come in varying heights and this is a dimension you will want to check so you can end up with a tent high enough that even a tall person can stand inside it without their head touching the ceiling but not too tall that it rubs against trees, buildings, power lines, or other objects. You will need even more vertical space if you’re planning to hang lamps and decor accessories from the ceiling.

The frame determines how tall the tent stands. Read the tent specifications or measure the frame to make sure the height is sufficient for your needs. An adjustable height is even better. You can increase the height of the tent so tall people or items can fit inside of the tent and you can use the tent in different settings. You can set the tent high in an open area and lower it if there is a height restriction such as a tree, power line, roof, or building.

Sitting Room

Understand your sitting room requirements and make sure the canopy you get will meet them. The room you need will depend on the kind of event you’re holding and the seating configuration.

It could be a table with a chair visitors can sit on for registrations. A square table with seating on each side for dining. Camping or beach chairs for relaxing or a lecture-hall style arrangement. To determine your sitting room requirement, find out the amount of space that each person will take up and multiply it with the total number of people you will be hosting. You will also need to account for the furnishings and room to sit comfortably and move around. 

Here are some general guidelines: When hosting a party, allow 10-12 square feet per person. For auditorium events, give each chair 5-6 square feet of space. For concerts, exhibitions, and storage, determine the amount of space the items will occupy and leave some room for movement.

Frame Material

The frame is what holds the whole canopy structure together. Picking a tent that has a strong frame that is capable of supporting the tent is essential if you’re to be satisfied with your purchase and if it is to serve you for many years. It is very important to pay attention to the frame material when choosing a pop-up canopy.

Pop up canopy tents frames are made of either steel or aluminum. Aluminum is lightweight and easy to transport and put up. It is also quite durable and resistant to corrosion. Aluminum frame canopies are light duty and suitable where conditions are calm. It is not strong enough to withstand strong winds or storms.

Steel has superior strength, stability, and durability. It is robust enough for heavy-duty use and to keep the tent intact in adverse weather conditions such as rain, snow or wind storms. The downside is that steel framed canopies are heavier and cumbersome to transport and set up.

Strength

The outdoors can go from calm to stormy without notice. The best pop up canopy tent to buy is one that is strong enough to withstand the elements you’re likely to encounter and hold steady. You do not want your canopy to be blown away by strong winds or the frame collapsed by a heavy downpour.

The frame is the backbone of the tent and should be strong enough to support the tent and keep it intact should it rain or get windy. Steel frames are tougher and stronger than aluminum or plastic frames.

Canopy strength is also important. There are two categories of canopies. Lightweight canopies are very easy to carry around and set up. However, they are not strong enough to withstand the harshest elements. They are good for sheltering small groups of people such as families, couples and friends when the weather is calm and friendly. Extra weight is needed to keep them intact in case of strong wind. 

Heavy duty pop up canopies are rugged and built from strong materials that are tough enough to endure extreme weather conditions. They are the ideal canopies for harsh conditions, sheltering large groups of people, for windy beach settings, and for long events. The downside is that these are bulky, heavy and cumbersome to transport and assemble.

Corrosion Resistance

The canopy frame should also be resistant to corrosion. This is especially important for a canopy you will leave exposed to the elements for prolonged durations or use in damp and humid conditions such as with a beach canopy.

Aluminum frames are more resistant to corrosion than steel frames. When exposed to corroding elements such as moisture, aluminum forms a protective layer of aluminum oxide that prevents farther corrosion. Stainless steel is better at resisting rust and corrosion than steel.

Powder coated frames are even more resistant to rust and corrosion as the coating seals the frames from moisture.

Ease of Set Up

User-friendliness is one of the most appealing attributes pop-up canopies have. This is why they are referred to as pop up or instant canopies. The ‘pop up’ functionality makes them easy and quick to assemble. Most of the high-quality popup canopies such as the ones in our pop-up canopy reviews are easy to set up and take down.

Their frames are designed to collapse and expand easily with just a little pulling and pushing. One or two people can easily and quickly put them up and take them down. There are no complicated steps or special tools or skills required to assemble them.

However, the ease of set up differs with each canopy depending on the complexity of the frame. There are some that are easier to set up than others and it is important to read user experiences and go through the setup steps to ensure that you don’t end up with a canopy that will be cumbersome to put up and take down. Once you get your pop-up canopy of choice, practice putting it up and taking it down in your backyard.

Storage

When you’re purchasing a canopy tent, you will want to look at its ease of storage in between uses and when transporting it. Since canopy shelters are designed to collapse into a compact size, they are generally easy to store and carry.

Ensure that the tent your order comes with a storage bag that holds the tent and its components in one place. This will make it easy to store and transport the tent. A storage bag equipped with handles and easy gliding wheels is ideal. Check how much storage space it occupies in its folded-down size so you can determine whether it will fit in the allocated storage and transport space.

FAQs

Globo Surf Overview

The outdoors offers plenty of opportunities to work, relax and have a good time. The only challenge is the unfriendly elements mother nature can present at whim. Armed with the best pop up canopy, you have a shady retreat you can put up instantly and have nice experiences outdoors at the beach, in your backyard, at campsites, sporting events, or wherever you need shelter from the sun.

Any of the pop up canopies in our pop-up canopy reviews will serve you well. Just make sure you pick one that suits your needs and matches your style best. Remember to take good care of the canopy once you have it so you can enjoy its benefits for a long time.

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Which of the pop-up canopy tents on our list is your top choice? We would love to read your thoughts or experience with the instant canopies we’ve reviewed! Feel free to share in the comment box below!