Determining which features you need in a canopy will help you choose which one provides maximum efficiency at the right price. Our notes on this shelter are mostly positive — there isn’t much we don’t like about the Escape. 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.
We also timed setup and breakdown times for each shelter, and we repeatedly zipped and unzipped doors and windows, looking for annoying snags. In early March, we took our second trip to the oceanside Sycamore Canyon Campground (PDF) near Oxnard, ozark trail backpack California. A later check of the weather at nearby Point Mugu Naval Air Station confirmed top recorded wind gusts of 40 miles per hour. A canopy tent is a purchase most regular car campers consider after stocking up on the basics.
Our most portable models are the Sun Ninja, Neso 1, and Eureka Tagalong Shelter. These models are all thinner, fold-down styles that weigh far less than the larger canopies on our list. Some, like the Tagalong, are lighter because of the high-end materials used in their construction. Others, like the Sun Ninja, are lighter because they employ less expensive materials.
If it’s manufactured correctly, each leg should form a 90-degree angle with the floor. Rest assured, too, when we say we’re not using this article to sway you to buy a heavy-duty pop-up canopy tent from TentCraft. We manufacture and sell professional-grade, custom structures at prices that likely aren’t in the budgets of consumers who are shopping for a 10×10 pop-up tent in the $100-$300 range. Those are recreational-grade tents that wouldn’t hold up to the type of use our customers demand. We simply want you to get the best bang for your buck, even if you are shopping for recreational-grade pop-up tents. 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.
The Tagalong is a perfect canopy tent for most outdoor adventures, but it does have a few snags that affect its overall performance. It tends to bend and sway during stout breezes and is not as large as a standard 10×10 shelter. Additionally, the point-to-point reinforcement webbing occasionally tangles during setup. However, overall, we think the Tagalong is still suitable for the adventurous type who likes to be on the go and doesn’t want to lug a heavy canopy. The included stakes are very short, thin, and somewhat ineffective; we recommend purchasing larger thicker stakes for your Caravan V-Series.
The most popular product in their line is the 10×10 Instant Slant Leg Tent with a blue canopy top. It is made with a steel construction frame and polyester material for the canopy, which is in line with just about every shade tent on the market today. The Caravan V-Series scores a bit lower and isn’t as beefy as more expensive models, but it feels roomy and is easy to move around thanks to a lower weight.