Customer Reviews

Shade Shack Instant Pop Up Family Beach Tent

5 star:		(56)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I saw some tents on Amazon while looking for something else, so started reading the reviews and the specs - this one caught my eye because of its easy setup and takedown and I am so glad it is the one I chose!
We took this tent to the Emerald Coast this October. I did watch the included DVD before the trip for the hint on how to close it easily, and it was a snap. I loved that there were no poles to deal with, no setup at all except for unzipping the carry-bag and then having my 4-year-old shovel the sand into the pockets for weight. There was a decent breeze coming off the Gulf, and the tent just sat with no problems.
The size is nice. We had one low chair for an adult, another adult on a towel, and my son had plenty of room still to dig and build.
I liked that there was no floor - while my little guy was working on his sand castles he was not getting a burn. We came home from a week at the beach, both of us fair-skinned, and no burn at all - this tent was wonderful. Having the side openings and the back unzipped created a wonderful crossdraft so it was not too hot being enclosed. We just turned the tent as the sun moved to keep the sun off - you can't do that this easily if your tent is staked!
I can see us using this tent often in the coming year, not just for the beach.

first of all, I NEVER write reviews. it's not that I don't like to share thought, it's just that I buy so many things and usually just read the reviews and count on the people. and then i get the item i ordered, and go on with my life. but this is something i had to find time to sit and write. so here it goes:
upon a weekend on the lake (that has a sea sand shore) and the fact that i have a baby and a toddler (4 months and 2.5 yo) I needed something to help out with the sun. last vacation on the beach, the baby spent all her time in the stroller or on a towel on the sand and we had to shield from the sun with shade of stuff we had around (chair, towels, stroller) - not much fun. for this conning weekend i searched allllll around the internet and saw many cabanas and tents and half tents, with floor, without floor, and this one just popped.

first - it has no floor (r u kidding me? floor on the beach? do u know how hot it gets?? ) so the toddler can definitely have some break from the sea and play in the sand in a shaded area.

second - one side is open, and the opposite side is close and can be zipped up to open as well. that makes all the difference bcz when i sat inside it with the zipper closed - which means that the wall was closed, and the 2 windows were open, it was still very very hot inside. when i opened the wall, it was awesome breezy and nice.

third - you don't have to put the stakes they give u to attach to the sandy floor. u can just put sand the side pockets, and you're golden. then u can just turn this "shader" as i call it, every time the sun moves. no hassle, no worries.

to sum it up - this is NO TENT!! this is a SHADER and it's an awesome one. it literally popped up from the cover (do that away from children!!! and better outside where u have space and no furniture) and to close it down, i didn't even watched the DVD, the paper with explanations and pictures is more then enough, i learned how to close it in 3 minutes on the clock. so easy, right to the bag, and we are done.

this is the best item i purchased in a long time. with kids, specially babies, who has time to open, close, take time with making shelters? this is so easy, comfortable, easier than umbrella and way more useable (i use it now for my deck, i have no shade in my deck and cant get out afternoons since we are facing west and the sun is boiling us) i open it (2 seconds) put the inflatable pool under it, sent my toddler out, and we are done for a while!!! shady, breezy, awesome. i even sat with her in my chair while she was splashing in her pool.
I hope i helped and wish you an awesome vacation on the beach!!

I have an 11-month old and my sister has a 12-month old, and we were planning to take them both to the beach for the first time. I knew we would need some sort of cover and shade from the sun. I really wanted to purchase the cabana tent from One Step Ahead since it received so many great reviews. However, it was $80 and out of stock anyway. I purchased the Shade Shack hoping it would be okay for this trip, and I'm SO GLAD I DID! It was less expensive and perfect for our trip. It does take a few tries (at home in the living room) to learn how to fold it up, but it pops up very easily and stays in place on the beach with just some sand weighing down the sides. We were in Perdido Key, FL, and left it on the beach for about a week while we were there. It never blew down and provided the shade we needed. Since the sides can be opened, we had a great breeze blowing through it and never got too hot. I plan to use it every year for the beach, and even for our backyard during the summer.

PROS:
The tent is a great size, very compact. We could fit it in our big suitcase for our Hawaii trip and it was easy to pack around on top of our BOB stroller or sling over the shoulder. Lightweight. Easiest set up ever, take down is a breeze, too (I am ridiculously bad at engineering type tasks and I was able to do it no problem the first time). Took my husband and brother-in-law working together literally less 10 seconds to put it away after each use. Absolutely loved the size as I could breastfeed lying down in it, play with the baby, etc. Loved the open floor concept, otherwise I would have spent my whole day trying to sweep off the sand from the floor.

CONS:
Did not stand up to the afternoon winds on Maui. Also would not stand up to Oregon Coast winds I am sure (see pictures above of it collapsed on the beach). The sand pockets are just not enough. Could not use it if it was windy, even after we set up beach chairs inside along the perimeter to give it more support. This is a problem if you have a baby that needs out of the sun during windy weather!

Summary:
We are sending it back, just because I need something that works consistently all the time. We loved it in the calm mornings, but it was worthless in the windy afternoons.

We used the Shade Shack while vacationing in Daytona Beach. It was so easy to carry, set up, and take down (just a few seconds). We were at the beach for several days and found that it worked great. Our two children enjoyed it as well, playing and picnicking inside. It was nice not to worry about over exposure to the sun. The side windows and open back design allowed us to enjoy the ocean breezes. The sand pockets worked well to anchor the tent in breezy conditions. Several people asked where they could find this great product. Our daughter and her friends also used it with their lemonade stand. Great value for the price.

July 2011 Update: Just got back from another trip where the Shade Shack again provided us with the most convenient shelter on the beach. We had one of those lovely surprise downpours one afternoon and, even in the wind and pouring rain, we had the Shade Shack folded and back in its bag in 1 minute! I felt sorry for others who were wrestling to take down bulkier and more complex tents, or drag them off the beach still assembled in order to get out of the rain. They just looked in amazement as we were packed and out of there in no time. Thanks again, Shade Shack!!

I purchased the Shade Shack after reading the positive reviews from other buyers and was extremely pleased to find they were right on the money. I am a single mom to a two year old and needed a sun shelter for our beach vacation that I could set up and take down without any assistance. Portability was also a big factor as we had a 2 block walk to get to the ocean and I had no extra hands to speak of. The Shade Shack was perfect--it arrived earlier than expected and after a few practice runs I was a pro at getting it back into its carrying tote. Once we hit the beach it was a snap (literally!) to put up--a few scoops of sand in the side pockets and it stayed in place until it was time to head home. It folded up as promised, fit right into the bag and was so lightweight I didn't mind lugging it back and forth all week. I had quite a few parents ask where I had gotten it and I was more than happy to tell them. No regrets whatsoever and am extremely pleased with my purchase!

Length:: 3:35 Mins

The Shade Shack is the perfect addition to your beach outing... with one major caveat. If you on a beach with greater than a 10MPH (maybe up to 20MPH) you are are likely to be disappointed. While the Shade Shack sets up in a snap if you have a stiff breeze it turns into a rather large kite (See the video). However, if you are on a nice rather calm beach this makes the perfect retreat from the hot sun

Features

- Side air vents/windows that can be left up or down
- Uses sand to weigh the tent to the ground
- Optional stakes for windier days
- Easy to pop-up (see video_
- Easy to f0ld up (unless it is windy)
- Easy to store - about the same size as your typical car shade
- A sand magnet be prepared to have sand everywhere you store the Shade Shack unless you take extra precaution

It is mentioned in the video, but it is worth repeating ALWAYS keep the direction with you, because trying to fold this on a windy day is quite a challenge. Also, it pays to practice folding the tent a few times when you are at home for practice.

Final Verdict- The Shade Shack is perfect for the beach on days with a gentle breeze - but when the wind begins to kick-up the fun begin!

4 Stars

We took this "SHADE SHACK" to FL, It was very windy but the shade shack stood up like a tree... This is a must have product for the family, we filled four empty bottles of water (16.9oz) with sand and it was a hit, no mess, no stress we put one bottle with sand and each side and ching ching... we didn't even look at the manual, just open and close. We brough the bottles with us and now we still using the shade shack in our yard!!! Love it Love it love it. We never used the stakes the bottles but itself worked perfectly. It may take you a couple of tries to master the folding of it, (it took me 2 tries).I do recomended.

After reading the great reviews for this product, I purchased this and had it sent down to the house I am staying at while on vacation at the beach. I used to take an umbrella to the beach, but it was difficult for me to carry that with the chairs, bag and little cooler. This product is so light and fits on your shoulder. I am a single mother of a 4 year old girl and this product has been wonderful and so easy to use on the beach. It just pops open in seconds! Fill the sides with sand and voila, you are ready to enjoy the day. No need to worry about umbrellas flying down the beach anymore as well. (TIP-I suggest using 4 large zip bags or plastic grocery bags, fill with sand and empty them out at the end of the day. This is a lot easier than emptying out the sand at the end of the day. Stick them in your bag for the next time you use them. I did this the 2nd time I used the tent and it made a huge difference). The sides roll up for ventilation and the back unzips up too which is great for the sea breeze. It did not get hot at all. My daughter loves to play directly in the sand which is why this is so great as well. She even took a nap under it one day. It is much larger than it looked in the pic to me, but maybe that's just b/c there are only 2 of us in it, but there is still plenty of room to spare.

Keep the folding directions with you ( I did) or practice at home first. I did it for the first time at the beach and was fine. I think there is a video on you tube for this as well. (It does come with a dvd- but I was already on the beach when I used it for the first time). It is not that difficult.

I love this product and would purchase it again in a heart beat. I am still at the beach and enjoying the tent, but just had to write this review. You will not be disappointed. Buy this product!

I bought 2 of these for a family vacation to Destin Florida. When it arrived, we immediatley opened it up and popped it open in our living room. It was literally 3 minutes from box to set-up. If you read the instructions carefully, closing it is a snap. This is a great item to have especially if you have 5 kids (ages 11 yrs to 9 months) and have alot to carry to the beach. We look for eveything that is compact and lightweight and this fits the bill. It's alot bigger than the pictures, 1 is big enough to fit a family of 7, but 2 makes it more comfortable and roomy.