I often go camping, and to save weight, I use a small light tent, but it is a little cramped, so I wondered what camping canopies with sides are available to make camping a little more comfortable.
After a little research, I found plenty of different canopies, from small lightweight sun shelters to full-size gazebos more suited to the garden. The choice depends on how you intend to use the canopy, so we picked several very different styles for the review below.
For camping suitability, size, features, and price, the Alvantor Screen House Room Outdoor Camping Canopy is the best camping canopy with sides, currently on the market.
Our Selection of the 10 Best Camping Canopies With Sides:
1. Alvantor Screen House Room Outdoor Camping Canopy
Pros
- Modern design
- Easy pop-up style erection
- Light
- Internal hooks for hanging items
Cons
- Price
The Alvantor canopy has a striking modern design that is far removed from the boring square canopies you normally see. You could use this for camping or as a smart garden gazebo.
Inside, there is plenty of room, with floor space of ten feet square and a headroom of seven feet, it’s ideal for family gatherings.
The canopy roof offers UV protection of +50, while the mesh sides protect you from bugs and insects. Supporting the canopy are light, fiberglass rods that fold down in place, which helps with the speed of building and collapsing the canopy back into the included carry bag.
The canopy comes complete with plenty of sandbags, guyropes, and stakes to ensure it stays in place, even when the wind picks up.
2. Superrella Screen House / Canopy
Pros
- Price
- Size
Cons
- Slow to build or collapse
- Floor panel not included
Superrella’s canopy could be used for a multitude of purposes, from camping canopy to the garden gazebo. It’s spacious, measuring 13 feet by 9 feet, and has a headroom height of 7 feet.
The canopy roof is made of 190T polyester, and gives a UV protection rating of +50, while the mesh sides will protect you from the dreaded mosquitoes. Access is easy through the two T-shaped doors.
Rustproof fiberglass poles support the canopy, keeping the weight down, and it’s supplied with guyropes and stakes.
Overall, the Superrella camping canopy is a smart-looking easy to erect shade for a family. The only real downside is that it can take around 15 minutes to build.
3. Koon Sun Shelter Canopy
Pros
- Price
- Quick erection – around 1 minute
- Very light
- Collapses to a small size
Cons
- Low headroom
For a quick and easy sunshade or canopy, the KO-ON will probably be difficult to beat. It can be built in under 1 minute, gives UV protection of +50 for all-day cover from the sun’s harmful rays.
Three sides of the canopy have mesh windows that can be rolled up if required, and on the front is a solid panel door for privacy if needed.
Whether you are camping or using the KO-ON on the beach, it provides enough space for three to four people.
Supplied with the KO-ON is a carry bag, five sandbags to hold the canopy down, guyropes and stakes.
If you want a lightweight, easy to erect canopy, this could be perfect.
4. Texsport Montana Screen Arbor Shade Canopy
Pros
- Light
- Large size
Cons
- Not designed for windy conditions
- Not the easiest to erect
- No floor panel
The Texsport Montana canopy is another great lightweight camping canopy with multiple uses.
The canopy roof is made of heavy-duty polyurethane, giving a UV protection rating of +50, and should offer years of troublefree use. It is supported by fiberglass poles, attached to steel legs, for strength and low weight.
The four sides are made of mesh material to keep the bugs out, and there are two zippered entrances for easy access. Inside, there’s plenty of room, with the floor space measuring 12 feet by 12 feet and headroom of almost 7 feet.
The quality build and strong materials used should mean that the Texsport gives you plenty of use before showing any wear and tear.
5. YDYL Screen House 13’x9′ Easy Installation Canopy
Pros
- Lightweight
- Easy to set up in less than 5 minutes
Cons
- Probably not very strong for windy conditions
- Price
If you are looking for a lightweight, portable camping canopy, then the YDYL Screen House could be just perfect. Mixed steel and fiberglass poles support the canopy roof and keep the weight down.
Putting the canopy up is extremely easy, taking under 5 minutes. Once erected, the YDYL can be used as a kitchen area while camping, or maybe as an eating area. The mesh walls will keep bugs out, so you can enjoy the outdoors in comfort, while the front double doors unzip completely for easy access.
At 13 feet by 9 feet, there is plenty of space inside for a family, plus the almost 7 feet headroom means no one needs to crouch to go inside.
6. ALEKO 10×20 Feet Outdoor White Gazebo Canopy Tent with Sidewalls
Pros
- Very large for the price
- Versatile use
Cons
- Size
- Weight
- Time to put up
If you’re going camping with friends, and want somewhere for you all to be able to get together, then this is probably what you need. First, it’s huge, measuring 10 feet by 20 feet. The front wall is made of large clear plastic windows and the sides of white PVC for privacy.
For the price, you get a lot of space, and along with taking it camping, it has many other uses. The headroom inside is a minimum of 8.6 feet in the center and 6.5 feet along the front and back.
The frame is made of steel and powder coated for protection, while the strong PVC canopy material gives UV protection of +50.
7. Genji Sports Instant Park and Beach Sun Shelter
Pros
- Instant setup – erected in seconds
- Very light
- Price
Cons
- Cannot be fully closed in
If you are looking for a quick and easy camping canopy with sides, then the Genji could be ideal. Marketed as a sun shelter, it works equally well as a camping canopy which can be taken anywhere, as it weighs just under 5 pounds.
There is also a waterproof floor, making it ideal for keeping you dry while camping, plus protection from the sun, with a UV factor of +50.
Supporting the canopy are lightweight fiberglass poles, built-in to the fabric, and the canopy material is strong 190T polyester. Should the weather turn windy, there are built-in sand pockets to help keep the canopy stable, plus sand stakes for the guyropes.
8. LINKE Beach Tent Sun Shelter Camping Canopy
Pros
- Sets up in under ten seconds
- Includes sandbags to use as ballast
- Internal pockets
- Price
Cons
- Not a pop-up canopy
The Linke is a lightweight canopy that is perfect for using on the beach or when camping.
Although the canopy is easy to put up, it’s not the quickest as it’s not of the pop-up type. Instead, you must thread the fiberglass poles through the top of the canopy, similar to many tents.
The canopy material is 190T polyester, with a waterproof coating to give it a 3,000mm protection rating, plus it a sun protection factor of +50. Internally, there are pockets, and the large mesh windows allow plenty of ventilation.
Supplied with the canopy are sand pockets and stakes for securing in windy conditions and a storage bag.
9. Leedor Gazebos 4-6 Person Canopy Camping Tent
Pros
- Easy, fast setup
- Lightweight
- Small size for storage
- Includes weights for securing in windy conditions
Cons
- Mesh material is not very strong
The Leedor gazebo camping tent is designed as a multi-purpose canopy that looks beautiful in your garden but is also practical to go camping with.
Giving a covered area of ten feet by ten feet, the canopy is an automatic pop up design. It requires no assembly, and the canopy pops open and folds down easily. The supporting poles are made from strong, yet flexible fiberglass, which means low weight and no rusting.
Included with the canopy are six sandbags for weighing the canopy down, plus 12 guylines and stakes to give it strength and stability in windy conditions.
The mesh sides look smart and are practical, keeping out bugs and mosquitoes. This canopy is great for camping, but will also look great as an extra outdoor room in your garden, free from bugs.
10. ZJRIGHT Screen House Room Pop Up Canopy
Pros
- Easy to open and close
- Strong steel frame
- Carry bag included
Cons
- The steel frame makes it heavier than its competitors
- Only 7 feet by 7 feet square
If you’re looking for a small canopy to get some shade or escape the insects while camping, this could be ideal.
Being only seven feet by seven feet, it packs down to a small size and easy to carry in the provided bag. It is a little heavier than other canopies, because of the steel frame, but that also means it is stronger and can stand up to more powerful winds.
What to look for when buying a camping canopy with sides
You first need to decide what you want to use the camping canopy for. Will it be as an extra space while camping with a traditional tent? Or will you be using the canopy to camp under? Will you use it in other places, such as the beach or garden? These questions need to be considered along with the guidelines below.
Canopy roof material
The canopy roof will protect you from the sun’s ultraviolet rays and rain if the material is good enough. In most cases, the canopy roof will be made of nylon or polyester and should have a UV protection rating of +50. Additional waterproofing can be added using one of the many technical sprays available.
Canopy side material
The canopy sides will either be meshed or solid with windows. Some will also have fold-down windows. If you are using the canopy in an area that is known for biting insects, then the mesh style will be a wise choice, as it keeps them out and provides plenty of ventilation.
Canopy Weight
Canopy weights vary from just a few pounds for the sun shelter style to 30 pounds and upwards for the sturdier gazebo style canopies. For camping, it makes sense to look for the lighter canopies.
Packed size
If you intend to use the canopy for camping, then size may well be an issue. The pop-up style canopies tend to be bigger than the traditional style, so you need to factor this in with the time to erect and collapse.
Open size
There are canopies of all sizes available. One of the most important to consider is height. Some are available with heights over six feet or more, which allows most people to stand up in them. The downside to this is that they may not be as strong in windy conditions.
Waterproof rating
If you are intending to use the canopy in all weathers, then it would make sense to find one that has a high waterproof rating. The rating is measured in the millimeters of water before the material lets in water. So a 3,000 mm rated canopy is more waterproof than a 2,000 mm canopy.
Wind rating
There isn’t any kind of wind rating available for canopies that can be used as a guide, so it’s a case of reading the manufacturer’s guidance carefully and making a judgment based on the size of the canopy. A large, tall camping canopy will not be as stable in windy conditions as a small low canopy. The other point to check carefully is the number of sandbags provided for weighing the canopy down, and the number of guyropes.
Sides – fixed or detachable
Camping canopies generally come with fixed sides. Larger gazebo style canopies may have removable sides. Being able to remove the sides makes the canopy feel less restrictive when inside or under it, but this is only useful in insect-free areas.
In the end, it’s a personal choice, depending on how you want to use the canopy. Bear in mind that canopies with removable sides will be more expensive than those with fixed sides, so only buy one if you really need the flexibility.
FAQs
Are camping canopies waterproof?
This depends on the material used, but most will offer some waterproofing. The waterproof rating should be stated with the product.
Should we choose a pop-up style canopy?
Pop-up camping canopies are quick to build, but the downside is normally the size when folded down. If space is not an issue, then a pop-up could be a good choice.
Should I get a canopy with a floor panel?
Many camping canopies don’t have floor panels. This is normally because they are designed as shelters rather than tents. If you intend to camp inside your canopy, then buying one with a floor panel would be advisable.
Conclusion
From our review, you can see there is a wide choice of camping canopies with sides to pick from. Before deciding, you need to decide how you are going to use the camping canopy.
For camping inside, then lightweight, easy to build, and includes a floor panel are all important, as is waterproofing. For use as additional space while camping, then the height and size are more important, allowing you to stand up inside the canopy.
This article was last updated on November 28, 2022 .
The Outdoors Blog is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More.
