EZ up Shelter Recommendation

[Greg]

Hi All,
I'm in the market to get one of those EZ-up style shelters (10 x 10 or so) for camping shade similar to what many of the festival vendors use and I am interested in recommendations for brand/manufacturer.  I have seen some pretty cheap ones locally but I know that there are better ones available.  After the windstorm at Joshua Tree Roots Fest last fall they were the only structures still left standing and not tattered.

Thanks!
Greg

[Hippie]

The commercial grade EZ -UP is the only way to go on this one.... Get the heavy duty version with VERTICAL legs. Equip it with some 10 inch spikes for staking or 4 5 gallon buckets filled with water and you should be fairly bulletproof.

Be prepared for some sticker shock, these baby's are not cheap. I have used them frequently for Famer's Markets's and have recieved  almst 4 years of bi weekly use out of a single unit, and I live on the coast...

Save your mney and spend a bit extra. You might also find someone who uses these for festivals, farmer's markets, or other outdoor events willing to let an older one go for a few dollars.

If I could do it all over again the Run a Muck tents would all be vertical leg ez ups...

[Bevin]

Hippie is right that the commercial grade shelters are best, but they can run at least $200.  My favorite "budget" shelter is the "First Up" brand from Wal-Mart.  At $89, it's a pretty good deal, and for another $30 you can get a wall kit for it.  As long as you're not setting it up and breaking it down every day, it should last a good long while. 

I think the secret to keeping your shelter in good shape is to always have 4 people when setting it up.  When you try to set these things up with less than one person per leg, the frame gets torqued which leads to breakage over time.  If you keep everything straight while setting it up, it'll last forever. 

And never, I repeat NEVER EVER, get one of those slant leg shelters of any brand.  Those things are a rip off -they say 10x10 but that's the dimensions at the base of the spread legs, while the shade canopy is 8x8.  That robs you of shade!

[John R]

agree with both above.  the commercial ez up is the way to go.  for light use, the first up is great.  I had been using a commercial ez for years at various festivals as the archival tent.  Last year at Mossy Headz, we suffered constant, heavy rains for about 16 hours(the river rose to the point where campers had to be rescued by boat)  the ez finally gave up the ghost, but 3 first ups stood there completely unaffected.  the difference in the roofline is the deal.  the ez's have straight supports that allow rain to accumulate, especially while one is sleeping.  the first ups have a curved roofline which sheds water. and, it's available at any wallmart.