Dick's Sporting Goods - canopies

been there done that......good luck with it, I wont waste my time with them anymore.

they are OK so long as you dont need to shelter yourself from any of the more nasty elements mother nature has.....like wind or driving rain.

also be very careful when putting them up or taking down the frames are not that hard to bend or break. I realize that gentle isnt normally used to describe me, but my wife and her mom snapped the frame on one a couple of years ago the first time they put it up.

I hope you have better luck than me, I would be surprised if it lasts 3 months much less a whole year.

I've had a 20' x 10' carport/ canopy for about a year now. Got it at Sam's for about $150.00. It has sides to keep out the elements. It is seriously heavy duty. You could not tear or bend any parts to this tent. I also just picked up a canopy at Home Depot last weekend. $49.99 for a 12'x12'. Good strong material, and they went fast!

I may be doing comps next year by myself. What are the best "pop ups" to buy.I have owned a few of the questionable cheap ones and have lost faith.. please help!!!

Sal

For the really heavy weather, cinder blocks in the corners tied over the top of the poles. Works at the firehouse..

I use the EZ-up's that they sell at Sam's. The Embassy and the Encore are the models, have 2 of one and 1 of the other dont remember which is which. I really like them both, very good quality and heavy duty frames and tops. the side walls tend to be a bit thin but they are ok.

To keep them on the ground I stake them and then I use a tie down strap to a full collapsible 5 gallon water jug. Same idea as the blocks only you dont have to lug around heavy weights when they arent needed.

This year at Hudson Valley we had a crazy thunderstorm come through with some serious wind and hail, we had no problem at all with any of our tents but take a look at ique's avatar to get an idea of what some people had happen.

Hey Sean! Do the EZ-Up's you mentioned come with sidewalls?

Brian

Yes, Brian they do! I have three of them from Say well Sam's. Penny well spent!

check them out, well worth the extra cost IMO
http://www.ezup.com/products/com/encore2.shtml

I got a nice Caravan ez-up from Costco for about $150. It came with a carry case, side panels and stakes. I have had it for a few years, and it is still in great shape.

At Sams yesterday and the embassy with sidewalls were on sale for 149. regular 200

Sean, I like your idea better then mine...

We went through 9 pop-ups (10x10 or 12x12) in 7 years (our first EZ-Up lasted 3 years) and finally decided to spend the extra bucks, time to put up and take down, and space to haul a very sturdy 20x18 "carport" canopy purchased on eBay.

It's a pain to haul and set-up and tear down, but is well worth it. Virtually all of the failures with our pop-ups happened in high wind conditions. The pop-ups are only rated for winds less than 20MPH, even when anchored. We've used the new canopy for 2 seasons (19 events) and it's as sturdy as the day we purchased it. Now, whenever we're out in inclement whether I can't help but think of the Three Little Pigs. The wind can huff and puff all it wants but our house is not blowing down.

If you do get a pop-up, don't skimp on the brand. EZ-Ups were by far the best we used. And make sure and anchor the legs with weights, stakes, or tie-downs whenever wind is in the forecast. Also, periodically tighten the joints and be prepared to use duct tape to strengthen sagging supports. And, anyone over 6' tall can probably relate to smacking their head on a low laying joint on occassion so you might consider attaching some sort of padding (makes a great place to hang paper towels) to those areas.

Beware of canopy insurance offered by many retailers. There are few things less appealing than hauling a mangled canopy from a contest back to the store. They're not quite as compact when broken and bent and may not fit back into your SUV or truck.