When you go on a beach trip where you plan to relax in a bit of privacy and shade, you should take a tent.
Along with beach chairs, tents are an important addition- especially for a beach picnic. Thankfully, you can find many types of beach tents which provide sun protection at a reasonable price.
Here is all you need to know regarding beach tents that can make your vacation more fun and relaxing.
Buying Considerations
Here are some factors that should be considered when buying beach tents. Along with adequate sun protection, a tent should have a simple design and provide additional privacy.
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Stability:
If you plan on going on beach days in a place with a lot of wind, you need to ensure that the beach tent is stable. Some tents achieve wind protection by providing metal stakes or sandbags, steel ribs, sand pockets, and other such things for stability. In short, the pop-up tent should be able to withstand strong winds and heavy wind.
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Waterproof:
You might wonder, are beach tents waterproof? Is that possible? Yes, it absolutely is. You can find waterproof beach tents at a reasonable price that are great even when it rains. Along with sun shelter, this type of tent provides shelter from all weather conditions. This is what makes it so unique from beach umbrellas!
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Ease of setup:
The beach shelter of your choice should be set up easily. A good tent should be able to stand up with the help of one person, even with strong winds. If a beach tent is complicated to set up, you will need 3-4 people to make it work. A tent with a quick setup process and durable beach tent has a 1 to 2 pole system.
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Portability:
Remember, you will need to transport the tent to and from your car or hotel along with beach gear. Moreover, you will need to find the perfect spot with plenty of shade while carrying the tent. Therefore, having a lightweight tent is essential. However, a tent that is for 10 people or so will be much heavier than the tent for 3-4 people, so keep that in mind.
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Size:
This again depends on how many people will be in one tent. Make sure to buy a tent that can fit a perfect number of people and have internal pockets and an extended floor to fit more people. Usually, a medium-sized beach tent will have enough space but look for a big tent if you want extra space. You can find many types of beach tents of various sizes.
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UV protection:
A lot of pop-up beach tents come with a UV protection feature along with providing general sun shelter. This is great as with extra privacy; you also get sun shade shelter. Most tents with this feature have UPF protection of 50 or higher, which is great to take a nap. You will have adequate ventilation without the fear of sun rays.
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Where Do You Plan to Use Your Tent:
The perfect place for a tent is where the sand is about to end, and the grass is about to begin as it will have ample ventilation and will have both sand and grass to step on to. However, it is your choice where to tent in a campground. If it is a shady spot with lots of wind or a sunny spot with no wind. Just make sure to make a purchasing decision that fits your needs.
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Internal Pockets:
You need to have storage pockets to store all your valuables and keep the tent organized. It could be a mesh pocket or a normal pocket, but you need some additional pocket space to fit all your things. Most tents do come with this feature, but you should still make sure before buying one.
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Material:
A tent is usually made up of nylon or polyester as the material, but you still need to ensure it is made up of high-quality materials. It should provide outdoors sun shelter a well as plenty of ventilation. So, make sure to use a beach tent with plenty of space and high-quality materials.
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Windows:
Windows are essential for airflow and to act as wind vents. Some windows act as zippered windows, so you can zip them for wind protection while others don’t. Depending on the level of privacy you need, choose a tent with or without zipped windows. Moreover, you can find different materials for windows, like mesh windows and whatnot. So choose a tent with windows for ventilation!
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Removable Sidewalls:
If you need more excellent ventilation, then some tents come with the option of removable sidewalls. This is an unusual design for beach tents, but you can still find them if you need them. Even with removed sidewalls, these beach canopies provide ample shade.
Types of Beach Tents
There are 3 different types of tents that you can buy for a trip to the beach. When you’re looking for beach essentials, all of these tents provide ample ventilation and ample shade for you to rest in.
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Tent:
The most common type is the tent which provides protection from all sorts of things along with bugs. Along with sunshade, this is a good protector for families with kids as it provides privacy. A lot of people decide on buying a baby tent for this reason as well. The only bad thing is that you can’t enjoy the view well since it is all closed up.
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Umbrella Tent:
These are most popular in people who travel alone as they are easy to carry and cost much less. Moreover, they provide sunshade along with maximum ventilation. They are easy to set up and have fabric on each side of the umbrella for shade. However, they do fly away easily in the wind, so you will need a sandbag or wind rope to keep it in place.
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Beach Canopies:
This is a distant cousin to beach tents. They are much more open than a tent so provide excellent ventilation. The reason people buy canopy beach tents is for ventilation purposes. Furthermore, a canopy beach tent is much easier to set up alone as it is already built. You will not get any wind protection from a canopy, but other than that, these are great.
The Best Beach Tents
Here are some great options for beach tents with high-quality materials that also have a quick setup process.
The Best Overall Option
Pacific Breeze Easy Setup Beach Tent: This tent has all the good qualities that a good tent should have, it is easy to set up, it is lightweight, waterproof, and provides UPF 50+ sun protection. Has added sand pockets and carrying case. It is also sturdy and durable, with pockets and a rear window. Some people didn’t like the quality of the bottom portion of the tent, where you sit, but it is not that big of an issue for most people!
Video Overview
The Best Portable Option
Coleman Beach Shade: This pop-up beach tent has UV protection and an extended front floor, which can also zip for privacy. It is easy to set up and has plenty of storage space. Basically, it is small and portable. However, it does take around 5 minutes for the tent to be set up and taken down as it has 3 poles which can be a little stiff to put into the proper place.
Video Overview
The Best for Windy Days
Outdoor Master Pop Up 3-4 Person Beach Tent: It is a large pop-up tent that requires no assembly and has UPF 50+ protection. It protects you from the sun as well as wind by having stakes and built-in sandbags. It can also be zipped up for privacy and is the perfect size for a family. However, the screen on the window is not durable and easily damaged.
Video Overview
The Best Beach Tent for Camping
ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 1-Person Tent: A very easy to one-person set-up tent. It is both water-resistant well as UV resistant, so perfect for any weather condition. It has plenty of storage pockets for you to store everything. It has a footprint that is sold separately, so you might need to buy it for camping in the snow or other harsh weather. It is a relatively small tent, so it only fit one person and their belongings.
Video Overview
The Best Beach Tent for Babies
Sunba Youth Beach Shade: The tent is UV protected and is big enough to fit 2-3 people inside. Moreover, it is easy to carry and assemble and also has mesh windows for ventilation. It protects against strong winds and is lightweight so easy to carry. It is a little to fold it back into place, but it is possible to achieve it.
FAQs
Here are 3 questions that have been frequently asked regarding tents and their answers. Once you know the answer to these questions, your remaining doubts will be swept away!
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Do Tents Protect From the Sun?
Most tents provide shade, which is a form of protection from the sun, but most tents do not have UV protection. Your tent should not be made up of nylon or polyester material for UV protection but rather another special material. If not made up of that material, then it should have a chemical coating that provides UV protection.
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How Do You Keep a Tent from Blowing away?
A tent should come with rope and sandbags or place rocks to secure the tent even in a windy climate. Moreover, you need to choose a location in which the tent faces the wind and, if possible, remove the sidewalls. In addition to that, the tent should be erected accurately, so it is stable and sturdy.
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What is the Easiest Tent to Set Up?
Instant tents can be set up in one quick motion, which is by far the easiest to set up. Roll-up of this tent won’t be as easy, though but still relatively easier than other tents. There is no assembly needed in instant tents, and only one person can set them up easily. These are a great choice for people who don’t have the time or don’t know how to set up traditional tents.
In conclusion, find a tent with plenty of ventilation and plenty of space for you to rest and get sunshade. Some tents are made up of recycled materials which are great for the environment if you can afford one. Lastly, make sure to choose a tent that will fit all your requirements!
Hi, I’m Ryan Nelson! I live in the Hamptons, out on Long Island, near Ponquogue Beach. The beach is a place where I can find peace and serenity. It’s a place where I can sit and clear my head. The waves crashing on the shore somehow helps me to relax, while also reminding me that I am far from the stressors of daily life.
