Customer Reviews

ABO Gear Go-Zebo Shelter

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I'm baffled by some of the reviews. They don't seem to be describing the same product. I ordered one to carry in our camper van. We haven't used on the road yet, but I'm happy with the product so far. I may upgrade to 5 stars if it performs as expected.

The Go-Zebo screen room is in a carrying sack that is 8 inches in diameter by 24 inches long. This does not match what other reviewers are saying. It weighed about 15 pounds on our scale. It certainly is well beyond the weight of trade paperbacks - more like a box of trade paperbacks. The poles are very very heavy fiberglass - both thick walled and unusually large in diameter compared to my tent experiences(an upgrade to lightweight aluminum poles would be wonderful). The rest of the shelter is lightweight.

It sets up the same as our Eureka Mountain Pass 4 tent - and is about the size in the storage sack (it would be smaller except for the very heavy and bulky poles). I'm totally confused by the reviewer who couldn't figure out what to do with the poles. Half the tents I've ever seen work just like this. The 2 poles are 23' 4" long assembled and they break down into 23 inch sections.

The comments about the poles being attached to the fabric are also confusing (are we reviewing the same product)? The poles are in a separate bag and rolled up inside the shelter in the carrying case. There are also some plastic stakes.

If we really like it, I may go searching for lightweight aluminum poles to both reduce the bulk and the weight. Still, its packed size will work great in our camper van.

Have now used the screen room. It took two of us to set it up, but there was a good wind blowing. Easy. Assemble the poles, thread through the sleeves at the peak and bend down to the bottom where the metal pin on the ring is inserted into the hole in the bottom of the pole. I've had tents that had the same system. There are loops along the bottom edge for stakes and four guy lines to stake. We staked it out in sand and it has been up 3 days in some rather high winds. It bends in strong winds, but seems quite durable.

Nice product. Change those horribly heavy fiberglass poles to aluminum and it would be ideal. Need to find a small silver tarp to extend the shade area to put on the sunny side. Well worth the cost. I would pay more for aluminum poles to decease the weight.

I had been looking for a screen house I could set up and take down by myself without the assistance of another person. This is it! It took me about 10 minutes to set up and 10 minutes to take down. Once up, it holds its shape well. You can easily put it over a picnic table to enjoy a bug-free lunch.

We've used this tent for about a year. We're happy campers!

We needed some type of bug shelter to carry in our tiny RV. It was important to us that it be very compact to store. If you've spent much time hauling around duffle-size, heavy screen tents, you'll be amazed by this one. The Go-Zebo packs up into a sack about 12x16x3 inches, and weighs about what you'd expect for moderate-sized trade paperback.

Also important to us was that it be easy to set up quickly. When the bugs bite, you don't want to spend extra time struggling with a tent. This sets up in about five minutes, maybe less.

Another reviewer comments that it is difficult to take down. We do not find it difficult, but we do find that it requires some care. There's a trick. After we pull the poles from their pegs and flatten the tent, we pull all of the fabric back up above the top joint of each leg. THEN we remove the legs from the hub; fold each leg; fold the tent in half, leg next to leg; and fold it again in quarters. Finally we gather up any outlying fabric, pick up all the folded poles together, and slide it into its bag. This takes a little longer than the time required to set it up, but with a very little practice, it requires at most about ten minutes.

This is a versatile tent. Staked and guyed it has proven stable in gusty conditions. In hot, sunny conditions, the shade it provides feels very comfortable.

The quality of construction is excellent--durable fabric, smooth zippers, everything well sewn.

One thing the prospective buyer should note is that because of the steeply curved sides, this tent has a very small top. On the plus side, that means you can see out the windows really well.

On the minus side, the amount of shaded area and rain-protected area is quite small. Several kids on the ground would probably find it roomy enough. Two adults can sit comfortably in folding chairs within the shaded area, or eat at a small table. Four adults in folding chairs could all sit inside, but not within the shaded area.

When necessary, we rig a small tarp on one side to provide added sun protection.

I've set it up my new "Go Zebo" and used it twice now and I have to say I just love it. I never realized just how much the bugs effected my camping enjoyment until I was able to camp bug free! All I wanted to do was nap in it the first day it was so nice, and the 360 degree view was perfect and unspoiled. I used two cheap painter's drop cloths (one plastic (bottom) and one canvas (top)) as a floor over a dirty campsite (worked great) both together cost $12 plus about $8 for 6 tarp clips to tie the tarps to the corner and door stakes. I plan to sew a removable roll up fabric sun shade/wind buffer, and a mesh gear loft to make use of the existing loops and stakes. I'm also planning to make a light plastic/nylon rain fly that will roll up and away when not in use. I had no problems with the set up (aprox 20 mins working alone) and suggest bracing it against a rock or tree (or even a car tire) to help "bend" the heavy duty poles enough to get them in the pins/clips (you can always easily move it assembled later). I'm happy mine did not come with the poles attached (as some users stated). However, I did replace the plastic stakes with 10" steel ones right away, and had plenty of room in the existing bag for the new stakes and a mallet. My only hope is that if I'm careful enought it will hold up over time since I plan to use it every chance I get. I want to take it everywhere! Happy Camping!

This go-zebo is awesome. so easy to set up!! it was great on the beach...we put our newborn in a pack and play under the gozebo and he loved it!! highly recommend!!

My wife and I just finished a trial run in preparation for our trip. 17 minutes to setup the first time. I'm sure we can do better. The directions suck and are wrong. There are no pockets to place the poles in at the corners. There is a metal ring that I assume the pole is supposed to go through and some kind of pin. Not sure what the pin is for since the poles dont have anywhere to put it. Maybe into the end of the pole?

The material is very thin and I can't imagine it lasting long. The pictures on the amazon aren't exactly like the one recieved. They show a strap along the bottom which isn't included. Maybe it's a different model?

Like I said if you plan on using it a lot I would be very careful with it. Shove the pole too hard and your going to rip something. Take your time or look elsewhere. I'll update the post, after our trip.

Heading back from our trip to the beach. First thing I'll do when we get home is send this thing back! It is a real PITA to setup especially if there is any kind of wind. It's an absolute must for you to get different anchors. We got big spiral anchors you use for dog leads. The ones that come with it won't hold it down if it's winding and your in sand. They barely held the sides down.

Many of the metal pieces that connect the poles are bent and the material is showing wear after just two uses.

Mind the weight of this thing also. Real pain to carry around when you are also carrying a bunch of beach gear.

I think there must be multiple products named ABO Go-Zebo, I am amazed by the folks who found this a remarkable product and so easy to set up, I find I agree with sbuchholtz23, this was an amazingly difficult device to assemble that first time and the instructions are APPALING!

There are a few lines of instructions inside the sack. The ends of the poles go into the end pockets - what end pockets? There are none! There are two rings and a sort of pointy metal device at each corner and it was only by trial and error we figured out that MAYBE the pointy metal thing is inserted into the end of each rod after it has been threaded through the loops. Even this was extremely difficult as it was so tight, it took two people, one stretching the fabric and the other forcing the pointing thing into the end of the rod. Once this was done the tent held its shape just fine. No clue what the two rings are for.

The two rods are to be tied together in the middle the instructions say, even showing a little picture of the ties. There were no ties. There is a loop and we stuck them through the loop. How on earth one would tie them anyway is anyone's guess, they are way up in the air!

We found the loops for the stakes along the bottom of the inside of the tent, and the four corner yellow cords to hold down the tent. The first time I tied down the corner cord, as I tightened it, the cord which went to the stake separated from the cord that runs up the side of the tent. It was slightly windy and we had to grab the tent. I noticed that there was a plastic ring on the other cords and this one had vanished, broken I guess, so I tied the cord that goes to the stake to the cord that runs up the corner of the tent. This time as I tightened it the cord came away from the little plastic device used to shorten the cord and tighten it. It had been assembled with a single knot which had slipped through the hole in the tightening device, had it been assembled with multiple knots this would not have happened - again we had to grab the thing. I noticed that ALL the ties are badly assembled.

There are loops and tags in various places and no clue what they are for. Inside, in the middle, are two ties that serve no purpose we can ascertain, had they been outside of the fabric they would have been the ties mentioned in the instructions, but they were on the inside. Maybe for a lamp? But then a loop would have been far more useful.

Once the poles are inserted into the fabric, the grand finale of bending everything to form the final shape is left up to ones imagination and I cannot see how a single person can do it successfully unless the weather is totally calm and the ground flat and firm. As I noted, the instruction are just dreadful.

All that said, once assembled and one sits inside, breathing hard and muttering under one's breath, it is VERY nice! One day on the beach the wind vered from the land and brought out all these biting flies; sitting in the tent with a beer and a book was just lovely. Also on this day the wind got quite strong, but by using some umbrella sand screws instead of the corner stakes, the tent stood up just fine.

Taking it down was relatively quick and easy, but getting it up is truly a challenge; especially those first times. And we still do not know what many of the loops and holes and bit and bobs are for. Had I known how difficult this was going to be I would not have bought it, but now we have it we shall be using it. As, I noted, once up it is well made and extremely nice - but by golly getting it up is no picnic.

Florida, July, 105 degrees! Saved our vacation on the beach. Even the Boxers LOVED IT!

The idea is good, easy to set up, we thought having the poles "attached" was a neat idea, that was when we were setting up. But when putting it away, it was such a hassle not being able to remove the poles but insted fold the entire unit with the poles, it was a hassle putting it away. Good size for the price, we probably will try something else though. Because of the hassle putting it away, it would be best to use this if for longer camping trips, say a2 days at least, worth the setting/tearing process.

I was VERY disappointed in this product due to the lack of assembly instructions and the difficulty in putting it up! I tried to assemble it in my back yard before taking it to an outdoor agility trial. Glad I did! I was not able to get it to stand. I would not buy this product again and advise against it.