To prevent a range of misadventures that can easily befall you once you’re on the beach, from misplacing your car keys to getting some third-degree burns all over your crotch area, I propose you get yourself an easily set up seaside shelter! There are loads of high-quality beach tents for sale out there, so you’ll probably be able to find exactly what you need.
It’s never been a secret that a usual beach picnic can often turn into a nightmare if you don’t play your cards right from the very beginning. This makes it also sort of exciting, in all fairness. Woe to you should you forget to bring any of the must-have necessities – including good loungers and best beach tents – when you’re on these cheery excursions of leisure and frolic!
Since picking up a brand new beach shelter is by no means a child’s play, I’ve decided to help you out a little bit by doing your homework for you! Armed with a strong will not fail you, the avid beach-frequenting ladies and gentlemen of leisure, I’ve done dug through a number of products, brands, and designs, and came up with a definitive list of our top picks!
TABLE OF CONTENTS (last update – January 2023)
1. Pacific Breeze Easy Up Beach Tent
2. Coleman Road Trip Beach Shade
3. Pacific Breeze Easy Up Beach Tent Deluxe XL
II. Top 3 Best Family Beach Cabana Tents
1. Lightspeed Outdoors Quick Cabana Beach Tent Sun Shelter
2. ONIVA Beach Sun Shelter Pop Up
3. Lightspeed Outdoors Quick Canopy Instant Pop Up Shade Tent
III. What Are Others Best Outdoor Tents?
1. Coleman 8-Person Red Canyon Tent
2. Coleman Evanston Screened Tent
3. Coleman 6-Person Instant Cabin
4. Sundome 4 Person Tent
IV. Buying Beach Sun Shelter Guide for Avid Beachers
Top 3 Most Recommended Beach Tents
And now, without further ado, I’m presenting to you the three best models I’ve found during my strenuous browsing sessions. Each of these can be the best beach shelter solution for you if we’re judging by their characteristics. The fine details are up to you to assess.
1. Pacific Breeze Easy Up Beach Tent
Coming from a well-known company conveniently called Pacific Breeze, this small beach sun tent features a compact build which nevertheless manages to house all of your beach necessities, from books, plastic shovels, to towels, sun creams, and means of protection for wind blows.
When it comes to the poor weather conditions, this beach sun shade can protect you from too much sun, rain wind, and probably even snow, if you’re unlucky enough to get caught in a blizzard while on a beach.
The material of choice for this model is a special kind of breathable polyester, which is water repellent, meaning that your car won’t be all dank and nasty once you pack it on your way back.
For your convenience, there are internal pockets for holding all of your beach objects, and keeping the out from the sun.
- Durable and lightweight fiberglass frame
- Includes a carrying case, sand pockets, and stakes
- Comes with a 1-year warranty
- If you’re a big person, the entire thing, even when fully expanded, can appear to be small for you
2. Coleman Road Trip Beach Shade
Lightweight and sturdy, the Coleman beach shade tent can be a perfect solution for you, if you dislike massive and cumbersome models which take hours to assemble. With this one, you’ll simply need to connect a few cords, shove some sticks into the ground, and Bob’s your uncle!
It features two zippered enclosures which can serve you rather well as an impromptu changing room since the cloths used in its construction do a good job at screening the excess sun out.
When it comes to storing your beach equipment, it comes with four inbuilt pockets spacious enough for you to store all of your towels, your entire cosmetics collection, and a penguin book of your choice for good measure.
- 2 zippered doors
- 4 inbuilt hanging pockets
- UV guard protection – SPF 50+
- Includes a carry bag, sandbags, floormat
- It can get pretty hot inside if you’re zippered up all the time
3. Pacific Breeze Easy Up Beach Tent Deluxe XL
Assuming the third position on this top three list is another model from Pacific Breeze, this time sporting a larger build. When fully set, this massive portable sun shelter can house up to 3 or 4 people, so it’s perfect for a smaller family.
Much like the previous models, this one, too, features internal pockets for storing away your beach items. Also, unlike the previous models, this one includes a couple of hooks as well, enabling you to hang your clothes without folding them. You can as well dry up your swimming suit if you expose the ‘hooked’ part of your tent to direct sunlight.
Other than that, the build is pretty solid, offering a water repellent exterior made from high-quality polyester, which is also breathable enough to prevent the air inside from becoming stale over time.
- Comes with 5 sand pockets
- Includes a carrying case
- Has built-in internal pockets and hooks for hanging
- Large windows for ventilation
- As with the previous model, the temperature can get pretty hot inside
3 Best Family Beach Cabana Tents
If you’ve liked the ones so far, you’re likely to find the next batch just as interesting, especially if you have kids. Introducing the family-friendly heavy duty baby beach tent contraptions for picnics and days off duty!
1. Lightspeed Outdoors Quick Cabana Beach Tent Sun Shelter
Boasting a maximum UPF 50+ sun protection, this beach umbrella tent can not only protect you during the particularly hot days but also achieve to be quite good-looking while doing it.
Optimally, this configuration is best suited for two adults and kids, and a dog. If the dog is a bigger breed than only a half of it.
That being said, the floor is made out of highly durable PE material, able to survive both pets and kids at their worst. For additional safety, there are specialized fiberglass poles which are a piece of cake to set up.
- Compression hub system
- 3 mesh windows with shades
- PU coating for wet conditions
- 1-year warranty
- The setup, although simple, does require a bit of muscle strength
2. ONIVA Beach Sun Shelter Pop Up
If find that a strenuous assembly represents the worst part of owning a beach tent, then this sun shelter model baby sun tent coming from Oniva Incorporated might be the perfect solution for you! It utilizes an innovative pop-up technology offering a simple and prompt setup with minimal effort on your part.
In spite of its ambitious new setup routine, none of the standard features have been left out so that the entire thing is lighter, meaning that you’ll get three full walls for protection against strong winds, rain, and the sun.
Also, it’s quite spacious considering its small size when collapsed, so you’ll probably manage to fit your entire family under it. If it doesn’t exceed 5 members, that is. If it does, simply don’t bring one or two of your kids around! Tell them they’ve been bad or something.
- Pop-up setup
- Side windows open for breeze
- Lightweight pop up beach tent for baby
- Easy to carry about
- Comes with sand pockets and stakes
- The temperature inside it can build up pretty badly if you don’t have your windows open
3. Lightspeed Outdoors Quick Canopy Instant Pop Up Shade Tent
If you’d like to get yourself a pop-up beach lightspeed tent for baby excursions, this one may be what you’ve been looking for. Sporting a curiously shaped construction reminiscent of a sea star, this pop-up sun shelter is as spacious as it is easily folded back into its initial shape. It comes with a set of flexible pre-threaded poles, enabling a quick and easy popping setup.
As for the ‘protective measures’ incorporated in this beach umbrella tent, it comes with a sizeable sidewall that screens the excessive rays of the sun away from you, as well as a child and pet-proof floor that can be easily washed in the case of an accident, so to speak. This makes it a perfect beach tent for babies, and small children.
- An inbuilt sidewall
- Comes with a carry bag, stakes and guidelines
- Durable PE floor
- 1-year warranty
- The bottom is not removable, so you can’t sit in the sand
What Are Others Best Outdoor Tents?
And now, for something completely different. The following four models of outdoor tent do perform well not only on the beach, but also in other environments as well. Whether it’s the woods or in a savannah, having one of these portable tents can mean the difference between getting burned alive or bitten by 10.000 sand fleas and returning home unbitten and tanned!
1. Coleman 8-Person Red Canyon Tent
If you’ve got a sizeable family that likes to go on a camping trip now and then, and possibly even choose a seaside of sorts for one of their destinations, this bulky outdoor tent will put a smile on your face.
It’s spacious and huge, enabling you to comfortably house up to 8 people at a time. Also, the matter of privacy has been taken care of, too, as the package comes complete with two dividers. This means you can make three rooms: one for you, the parent, and two for kids.
To help you orient yourself within the often tricky setup routines these contraptions tend to have, the Coleman folks have provided their own instructions so that you can erect the whole thing from your first take.
- A Weathertec system designed by Coleman
- Room dividers included
- Spacious, easy setup
- Cool-Air port
- Adjustable venting system
- The zipper appears to be of rather a poor build
2. Coleman Evanston Screened Tent
Built from tough ‘n’ durable type of polyester called taffeta 75D, this white and green wonder among the ranks of screened tents will deliver both in the space and looks department. When fully set up, it can house up to 8 people, making it a perfect solution for larger families.
It works fine for every environment really, from chilly lakesides to the beaches with scorching sun and equally hot sand. If you’ve been especially pestered by bugs during the outings you’ve been on so far, you’ll be relieved to hear that this particular model comes fully equipped with an anti-insect netting.
- Can house 8 people
- Comes with a convenient insect netting
- Built from durable taffeta 75D polyester
- Possesses 4 large windows for ventilation
- Waterproof and weather-resistant
- There are no zip up coverings for the screen portions
3. Coleman 6-Person Instant Cabin
If you’re into Star Wars, the question of what sort of tent you’d like for yourself can pretty much be answered right here. The whole thing looks like Darth Vader’s helmet, and has some other impressive features, too.
The setup with this model is a piece of cake, and the manufacturers claim that the entire process takes less than sixty seconds, which seems to be quite plausible from what we’ve gathered, as the entire thing is made up of just a few removable parts.
So, you pretty much spread it down on a surface of your choice, and erect the poles so that they create a solid structure. One of the easiest screen tents to set up, indeed!
- Made from 150D Polyester
- Instant poles
- WeatherTec system
- Integrated vented rainfly
- Patented welded doors
- It comes with only two storage pockets
4. Sundome 4 Person Tent
Featuring a simplified, sized-down version of the above mentioned Evanston tent, also by Coleman, this 4 people instant pop up tent is a way to go, if your expedition crew is not that big. Its floor’s been made out of high-quality 1000D Polyurethane, which guarantees no dankness underneath you, as it possesses some rather impressive insulation-related properties.
Additionally, it comes with an electric access port, which can be a lifesaver in situations where you need to recharge your satellite phone in the case of emergency, or even worse if your MP4 player dies on you prematurely.
As Coleman folks are a decent bunch who care about their customers, they’re vouching for their tent with a 1-year warranty.
- Electric access port
- Contains storage pockets
- Carry bag included
- WeatherTec system for improved weather resilience
- Snag-free
- Housing 4 people would rather mean – two adults and two children; for four adults, it could get a bit stuffy
Buying Beach Sun Shelter Guide for Avid Beachers
All things considered, all of these models are of high-quality build and have their special quirks and advantages. So, in order to give you a clearer picture of what you might be needing, I’m delivering to you a buying guide that will help you pick the right model for your needs.
Beach Shelters: Camping on a Beach, Camping on the Seaside!
Mysterious and proud, beach tents are nowadays what ancient desert tents used to be for the nomadic people of the Arabic deserts, who roamed and roamed in search of food, water, and possible a long lost treasure trove here and there!
Nowadays, people pitch tents out of sheer enjoyment and convenience. (UV light emissions have also become a factor in these peaceful trips, unfortunately) If you’ve been to a beach recently, you might have noticed that some people come fully-equipped with heavy duty camping tents that would be more appropriate somewhere in the Himalayas.
This happens, of course, because many people assume that the tent they’re wielding is perfectly applicable for all weather conditions, including scorching hot sun. And that is not true.
When you’re on the beach, even though having a tent is probably still better than not having one at all, hauling about a cumbersome contraption can be a pretty exhausting thing to engage into, particularly if it’s 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside.
Therefore, a number of companies have started producing what’s become known as the beach tent – so, a tent you can use on a beach! The main idea behind the redesign of the well-known camping tents is to make it lighter, more compact, and easily set. This was incorporated for rather obvious reasons- a person who’s about to go to a beach isn’t really in the mood to be hauling a massive Alaskan snow shelter on their backs, even if it meant they’ll get some nasty burns.
Therefore, a typical beach tent should be, first and foremost, light, then spacious, and last but not least – weatherproof. More often than not, modern beach tents are made from highly-durable materials such as polyurethane, which is both quite tough and feather light. Also, this material performs excellently under harsh weather conditions such as rain, and heavy winds. Oh, and also it’s worth mentioning that tents obligatorily have floors, whereas other sun shields and shelters usually don’t.
Types of Beach Tents: How to Know Which One’s for You?
There are four main types of beach tents to look out for when you decide to buy one. They are baby beach tents, cabana beach tents, canopy tents, and pop-up tents. Each of them is slightly different regarding the construction and optimal utilization, so do pay attention to which one you’re choosing. You wouldn’t want to spend your money on a piece of baby beach gear, and you’re a 120 pound-heavy biker. Or vice versa.
Canopy Beach Tents
Intended for families with children and party maniacs on holidays, canopy tents are often quite large, and they can cover a quite a lot of space. They’re perfect for beach parties, backyard parties, any kind of party, really, where there is a lot of people and the sun is blazing mercilessly. Also, you can use them at various festivals as well as at casual barbecues.
They usually feature a rather simple design with four upright poles supporting the cloth that is stretched above them to create shade and shelter if necessary.
Baby Beach Tents
As the market for these convenient beach contraptions started expanding, so did the range of the models for very specific customers. One of the target groups who was literally crying out for their own comfortable tanning spaces were of course – babies. And they sure got them.
For obvious reasons, baby sun shelter solutions are usually small, pretty and made out of reliable material. As they are quite convenient for taking care of your baby’s space issues, they can also be used in places other than seaside resorts and beaches. For example, people routinely use them at home, as they can act as a substitute for a crib. Also, these tents can be used as toys for toddlers and older children.
Cabana Beach Tents
Fashioned and designed as mini football stadiums, cabana beach tents offer a beautiful view of the ocean and the scenery from one side and protects you and your family or friends from the other four sides. This is probably the model that’s most often used by middle sized families, due to its spaciousness, lots of pockets, and kid as well as a pet-friendly floor. Since these tents are supposed to support an entire family and protect it from sunlight, they’re often reinforced with an additional coating of anti-uv protection.
Additionally, the big front opening is constructed complete with a convenient zipper so that you can use your collapsible tent to change into your bathing suit.
Some of the newer models are also equipped with self-erecting mechanisms, making the setup a piece of cake.
Pop-Up Beach Tents
If you can’t be bothered to assemble the entire tent each time you go to the beach, then this line of pop up beach shade will make your life significantly much easier. Simply remove them from their carry bag and watch them spring and twist into shape! You don’t have to lift a finger.
This magic’s been made possible thanks to an advanced design of the stability poles, which have been made to be extra flexible so that they can fit in a small size carrying bag. You can deploy wherever there is a convenient flat surface it can rest securely.
Conclusion
So, generally speaking, a beach tent is usually a sized-down version of the tent we’re used to seeing in the rugged adventurous areas throughout the world. Since going to the beach has more of a peaceful leisurely connotation, the portable sun shade tents themselves are lighter, and easier to set up. And generally cheap.
If you’d like to get yourself a beach tent, feel free to consult this guide and read through the specifications of the products I’ve suggested here. Whatever you choose, you won’t make a mistake!
Liza Williams