In order to buy a beach tent that meets all your needs, you should have a clear idea of what features are necessary to be a good tent.
Things To Look Out For When Buying Beach Tents
Material
Much like every other thing in the world, one of the most important features you need to think about is the material of your beach tent. If you opt for a poor quality material, then it's pretty likely that you'll have an issue pretty quickly on your trip, meaning you'll have to buy another tent.
The materials that you will often find beach tents to be made of are polyester and nylon. Since they both have excellent UV-protection, they are suitable options for a beach tent where the main objective is to provide shade from the glare of the sun.
While we agree that being out in the sun and soaking up Vitamin D is always good, if you are exposed to the sun for too long, it can lead to many negative health conditions, none of which you’re going to like. So in order to avoid an unnecessary amount of sun, make sure your tent has UV protection.
Size
The size of the beach tent you should get depends on the number of people that will be using it. If you have a big family of more than 2 adults, then get a 4 person tent. But if there's small children and adults, then a 2 person tent might suffice. For couples, you can get a compact sized tent that'll be spacious enough for you.
When picking the size, it is important to take into consideration how many people will be using it. But it’s not the only thing you need to be considering. You also have to make sure your tent has enough space to store your beach essentials, unless you’re willing to leave them out, which we’re sure you don’t want to. Hence, it is always recommended to have some extra space in your tent.
Keep in mind that smaller tents will obviously be more lightweight as well as less sturdy than bigger tents. So if you are planning on going somewhere where there’s a chance of strong wind, go for the sturdier option and pick a larger tent.
Stability
Again, sturdier tents do well in situations where it can get windy. So if you don’t want to be chasing after your beach tent and umbrella, then make sure your tent has large stakes and sand pockets you can stuff to help hold the tent down.
Setup
While it is often overlooked, it is imperative to consider whether or not your tent has easy assembly. If you’re taking the kids out alone, you need to be able to manage the setup by yourself. And it is best if you opt for something that takes less than 5 minutes to assemble so you can focus more on the quality time you want to spend with your friends or family.
Your beach tent also needs to be easily foldable and portable. While carry bags are optional, they do make a difference if you plan on using the tent frequently.
Privacy
Although privacy is important, especially when you have a family, you should keep in mind that spending time at the beach in complete isolation is next to impossible. There will always be people around and there’s only so much privacy you can have.
However, with that said, you can still get some degree of privacy at the beach in a closed-off beach tent. It will give you a space to change or chill without anyone disturbing you.
Beach Tent FAQ
Q: How do you set up a beach tent?
A: Setting up a beach tent is easy but it does require some time to master.
Depending on the type of beach tent you have, either a pop-up, canopy or cabana, you will have to make a few adjustments here and there. However, the main things you need to keep in mind is that you need to have a solid base, whether that means stakes in the ground or pockets filled with sand. Practice makes perfect, so we recommend setting up your tent at your house before going to the beach to make sure everything works right.
Q: Are pop-up tents waterproof?
A: While most tents are water-resistant, they are not waterproof. Besides not being waterproof, they also don’t fare well in harsh weather conditions, so don’t think your tent is invincible like a camping tent. However, you can drape a rain tarp over your tent to make it waterproof, although it will be an extra cost in your budget as well as more hassle.