Whether you are climbing up the mountains with your adventure-loving friends or driving into the wilderness with your family, being close to nature can have a therapeutic and relaxing effect on people looking for a break from their technology-driven lives. For this reason, camping has always been regarded as one of the favorite pastimes. If the idea of having a humble abode in the middle of nowhere fascinates you, you are bound to be a camping-lover!
No wonder you are ready to pack that bag, throw in your camping gear, and drive off to a spot where you can appreciate a sky full of stars, gushing rivers, and sweet-smelling wind. It all sounds perfect, but nature can be a little unexpected at times. You never know when you’ll face a downpour or get sunburned by direct sunlight. To ensure proper shelter, comfort, and protection, all you need is a camping canopy!
Canopies are portable structures that act as a roof. The main difference between a tent and a canopy is that the later does not have any dividers, floors, or overall covering. A camping canopy is made up of a metal casing which supports a cloth-like tarp with its four legs. Due to the ease of setting camping canopies, campers often choose it for shade and headcover.
To help our campers buy the best canopies for camping trips, we have gathered some expert advice and reviews of some of the best products available in the market.
What to Consider When Buying Canopies for Camping
Whether you’re planning to visit your nearest camping gear store or browsing online for the best buys, you must be aware of the features which the best canopies for camping must possess. Many times, campers end up buying products that are either completely useless or packed with features that they are unable to use to the fullest. Hence it’s important to make a purchase based on your needs and budget.
Here are some things to consider when buying the best canopies for camping:
· Weight
Camping canopies can be categorized based on their weight. You can either choose for light-weight canopies for quick assembly, ease of transportation, and short-term use. Since light-weight canopies weigh around 40 pounds, they are not suitable for extreme weather. On the other hand, heavier canopies can hold their ground even in windy weather but are a bit costly and hard to carry during travel.
· Material
A canopy is composed of two main components, each with a different kind of material. The metal frame is made up of steel or aluminum. Steel offers robustness and strength, while aluminum is light in weight and corrosion-resistant. Secondly, the tarp or covering is available in polyester, polyethylene, or vinyl. While polyester offers water-resistance and durability, polyethylene gives better protection from water and UV rays. Polyethylene is also fire-resistant, which saves you from any accidents when enjoying a bonfire. Vinyl offers the best water-resistant, flame-resistant, and UV-resistant properties, but is heavy.
· Size
Canopies are available in various sizes. A small canopy would be great if it’s just you and your partner, a medium-sized canopy would provide cover to a small family, and a large canopy can accommodate a greater number of people. Choose one that suits your need as the bigger the canopy, the more complex and sturdy the frame gets, and the more people would fit in it.
· Additional Features
The best canopies for camping often come packed with a range of additional features like sidewalls, carrying bags, pop-up assembly, and anchors for additional support.
Having learned about the things to look for in a camping canopy, let’s have some of the best products in the market.
The Best Canopy for Camping: Our Top Recommendation
After assessing and evaluating all the canopies in the market, we would recommend the Eurmax Pop-up Canopy Tent as our top recommendation. Here’s why:
Eurmax Pop-Up Canopy Tent
Available in size options of 10’x10’, 10’x15’, and 10’x20’, Eurmax pop up canopy tent tops our list. Ideal for outdoor activities, this canopy tent is available in 19 different colors and is the best-selling product of the whole lot. Eurmax, a trusted American brand, has designed this canopy with several exciting features. It is most-preferred for its amazing strength and durability. The metal frame is a piece of impeccable engineering with its full truss structural design and hammertoe powder-coated finish. The finish makes the casing corrosion resistant. The commercial-grade canopy tent is also fitted with the latest thumb lock system, which means locking and unlocking the tent it now at your fingertips.
Another great feature of Eurmax pop-up canopy tent is the fact that it gives you the freedom to adjust the height as per your convenience. This product can be adjusted at three different height positions: 10 ft, 10.5 ft., and 11. 1 ft. A single person can set-up this easy-to-assemble canopy within minutes, without any tools.
Next is the canopy cover. The canopy cover is made up of CPAI-84 fire retardant-certificated 500 denier polyester, which is the best in the market due to the PU coating, which keeps as much as 99% UV radiation away from you. With this canopy, you can now enjoy the sun without exposing yourself to the harmful UV rays. The material is stitched with such finesse that all seams are sealed perfectly. This keeps any water from reaching you and makes the canopy perfectly water-proof. Each corner is fitted with D-shaped steel rings, which can be used to secure the canopy with a rope.
Eurmax pop-up canopy also has a top-front valance with a customizable banner sleeve. You can now put up to 4 names on the canopy and own it completely! The additional features include a great canopy tent roller bag. Designed in an L-shape, the roller bag helps you contain and carry the entire canopy, with its casing and cover, easily. To make it more convenient for you, the manufacturers have fitted the bag with huge 7″ diameter wheels and used 1680D strong polyester for its exterior. Two layers of stitched fabric and reinforced handles make it durable and strong.
The product stands out because of its great value-for-money. You are getting the entire package at a fairly reasonable price. Each package comes with the 10’ x10’ pop-up canopy frame, its cover, the roller bag, and an additional four canopy weight bags. These bonus weights will ensure that your canopy tent keeps you safe against fierce winds. The canopy has a 1-year warranty while the accessories and parts come with a lifetime warranty. Now that’s what we call a classy and long-lasting canopy for camping!
To sum it up, here are the things we liked and did not like about this product:
What We Like
- Easy to assemble
- Very Sturdy even in windy weather
- Great price
- Color and Height varieties
What We Dislike
- A bit on the heavier side
- No option to add walls
Our Final Thoughts
Investing in a great camping canopy can make your camping experience far more memorable and comfortable. We hope that our guide would help you choose the best canopies for camping! Have a great camping trip!
