The 11 Best Beach Canopies, Tents, and Umbrellas, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall Beach Tent

Oileus XL Beach Tent

Orig. $100 $65 at Amazon $67 at Walmart

We put the Oileus 4-Person Beach Tent Sun Shelter at the top of our list because of its portability and how easy it is to set up on the beach. It’s impressively lightweight and folded down into a very compact size and shape that could easily be thrown into a large beach bag. We also thought it was much easier to assemble than most other tents or beach umbrellas—once you extend the legs, just pull the cords on top and it will pop into place. 

Judging from the size of the package, we at first thought it was going to be on the small side, but surprisingly, it proved to be quite spacious. We also liked the mesh windows, which you can close to keep bugs or sand from blowing inside. Additionally, there are storage pockets inside where you can store sunscreen, books, or other knick-knacks.

In addition to pegs, the Olieus also comes with six bags that you can fill with sand or rocks to keep the tent stable. We found that it was very stable in the wind even without the anchors, so we feel confident it’ll hold up well and won’t blow away during especially breezy days. Unfortunately, the extendable flat at the front does not have pegs, so you may have to put something heavy on top of it to make sure it doesn’t flap around. 

Material: Polyester | Size: 92 x 45 x 45 inches | Weight: 4 pounds | Capacity: 4 people 

Best Overall Beach Canopy

Shibumi Shade

Orig. $270 $250 at Amazon View on Shibumishade.com $270 at Dick's

If you’re looking for a super lightweight shade for your next beach excursion, the Shibumi Shade is worth checking out. It weighs just four pounds and requires zero tools to set up—the entire setup (and takedown) process took under three minutes. Even if you're setting the Shibumi by yourself, it shouldn't be too hard. That being said, putting it back in the bag proved a little tricky since we didn’t want the poles to rip the shade. 

In terms of design, this canopy is waterproof and comes with UPF 50+ sun protection. It offers 150 square feet of shade, which is enough cover for 5 to 6 people. Unlike typical beach tents, the Shibumi Shade features a completely open design, so you have a 360-degree view and can feel the breeze from all directions. We were delighted that the Shibumi Shade stayed secure and did not blow away, even in high winds. In fact, we didn’t even need to adjust it throughout the day, which was surprising. 

The biggest downside, though, is the extremely high price. While it’s undeniably a fabulous product that should hold up well for many years, it’s best for people who spend a lot of time at the beach—casual beach-goers probably can’t justify the high price. 

Material: Recycled polyester, hard-anodized aluminum | Size: ‎27 x 4 x 4 inches | Weight: 4 pounds | Capacity: 5-6 people

Best Overall Beach Umbrella

beachBUB All-In-One Beach Umbrella

$159 at Amazon View on Beachbub.com

The beachBub All-In-One Beach Umbrella Umbrella got perfect marks across the board for its design, quality materials, and large size. The beachBUB is not the lightest nor the most portable beach umbrella because it comes with a lot of setup accessories, including a sand scoop and gopher tool. Still, it’s compact enough to fit in the back of the car, and it comes with a padded shoulder strap so you can carry it comfortably across the beach. 

It’s surprisingly wind-resistant for a beach umbrella, thanks to a weighted base that anchors it about one foot in the sand. The manufacturer claims that it can withstand winds up to 44 miles per hour, and we think this is accurate—once the pole is in the ground, it’ll take a lot to blow it over.  

Once you follow the instructions, setting it up is easy. Our first time setting it up took about 15 minutes, but once we got the hang of it we were able to set it up in under five minutes (and breaking it down took even less time). Once it’s set up it looks like a straightforward beach umbrella, although we like that it comes with towel hooks to hang your towel. It’s available in five colors including blue, red, lime green, and yellow. 

Material: Polyester | Size: 48.2 x 6.8 x 6 inches | Weight: 9 pounds | Capacity: 2-3 people

Best Overall Beach Cabana

Qipi Beach Cabana

Orig. $121 $89 at Amazon Orig. $100 $86 at Walmart

When you’re looking for comfort and added sun protection on the beach, the Qipi Beach Cabana is worth considering. The difference between this cabana and a regular canopy is the addition of a detachable side wall that provides extra shade and some privacy. The cabana is made from a thick waterproof canvas material and comes with its own storage bag—although at 10 pounds, it’s definitely heavy and tough to lug around, especially if you have other beach gear to carry. Still, we found it to be easier to manage than other canopies we tested. 

While we found the setup and takedown to be smooth, we did have to spend time filling up bags of sand to weigh down the canopy. In addition to the sandbags, the cabana is supported by a long metal pole in the center which helps to keep it in place. Unfortunately, it was knocked over during particularly intense wind gusts. Our observation was that if we removed the side panel, it probably would withstand the wind better. Overall though, we recommend this cabana for its quality materials and ease of use. However, if there are high winds, you need to take the proper steps to ensure it doesn’t blow away.

Material: Polyester | Size: 72 x 72 x 90 inches | Weight: 10 pounds | Capacity: 2-4 people

Best Budget Beach Tent

WhiteFang 3-Person Beach Tent

Orig. $50 $30 at Amazon

For a solo beach trip or small family outing, the WhiteFang 3-Person Beach Tent is the perfect canopy that won't hurt your wallet. Even though it’s about half the price of our Best Overall pick, it has everything you need to stretch out in the shade, including fiberglass rods, steel stakes, sand stakes, guy lines, and three sandbags to keep it from flying away. When we tested the WhiteFang in 10 mph winds, we noted that it did not budge. Plus, we got plenty of air from the three windows, although you also have the option to zip them up if you want more privacy. 

This tent really stands out because the front flap has a zip, so you can close and open it like a real tent. This is beneficial when you need privacy to change clothes, diapers, breastfeed, or just take a nap. There is also a storage pocket inside to store your cell phone and other small items. And while it can only fit three people at the most, if you leave the flap open, you might be able to fit one or two more. The only downside is that we found it complicated to set up, so you’ll probably need two people to install it.

Material: Polyester | Size: 83 x 55 x 46 inches | Weight: 4 pounds | Capacity: 3 people

Best Budget Canopy

Neso 1 Beach Tent

$105 at Amazon $105 at Dick's $105 at REI

When you need extra protection from the sun (more than what your typical beach umbrella can offer), the Neso 1 Beach Tent is a great alternative. What makes this canopy unique is that it relies solely on sandbags to anchor it down, although there are also poles that help hold it up. We tested the Neso 1 Beach Tent in various settings and saw that while the sandbags were ideal to use at the beach, they didn’t work out as well in parks, backyards, and other non-sandy areas because it was hard to find items that were suitable as bag-weight. 

This canopy is very lightweight and roomy, and can easily be set up and taken down—with one important caveat. While setup on calm days was fast and easy, setup on windy days proved much more challenging, and took as long as 45 minutes. And in the same vein, it blew over on extremely windy days. Still, it’s made of a super stretchy and durable material that feels high-quality and durable, and provides a good deal of shade. Plus, it comes in 25 different colors and patterns. Overall, we think the Neso 1 offers lots of value, but it would have been nice if it came with extra stakes.

Material: Nylon/lycra blend | Size: 81.8 x 79.9 x 66.1 inches | Weight: 4 pounds | Capacity: 2-4 people

Best Budget Umbrella

OutdoorMaster Beach Umbrella

$70 at Amazon $80 at Outdoormaster.com

In terms of size, sturdiness, and flexibility, the OutdoorMaster Beach Umbrella gets high marks. This umbrella is made for two people, but we think it can actually accommodate more. It features a solid fiberglass frame and a large shade cover to protect you from harmful UV rays. 

We love how adjustable the umbrella is. Not only can you change the height from low to high depending on if you’re lounging on a towel or sitting on a chair, but you can also tilt it at the top to get extra protection as the sun moves. Although it’s mainly designed for beach use, it works well in any backyard, deck, or pool. The umbrella is anchored with a 44-pound sandbag, making it unlikely to blow away unless the winds are very strong (and by that, we mean gale-force winds). Even though it’s large, you won’t find it difficult to carry because it’s surprisingly lightweight and comes with a portable case. Though we didn’t find the instruction manual to be clear, once we figured it out, it only took us a few minutes to set it up. 

Material: Polyester | Size: 50 x 5 x 4.5 inches | Weight: 6 pounds | Capacity: 2 people

Best Windproof Tent

Pacific Breeze Easy Setup Beach Tent

$114 at Amazon View on Pacificbreezeproducts.com

If you’re the type of person who hates reading instruction manuals or you have small kids with you, you need shade that's ready to use as soon as you arrive. This tent from Pacific Breeze is the perfect tent for that. It has no poles and no bags, which makes setting it up (and taking it down) incredibly simple. Simply pop it open when you’re ready to use, and collapse it when you’re done. And although it does come with stakes, it still took us less than five minutes to get set up. 

This waterproof tent performed well on all our tests and was able to stand up to strong winds, despite not being labeled as “windproof”. Once we put the stakes in the ground, this tent didn’t budge. We also appreciated how spacious the inside was, and how much shade it provided. We also liked that the storage pockets were higher up on the wall to better prevent sand from getting mixed up in it. But, it would have been nice if there was a front awning for more shade.

Material: Polyester | Size: 86.6 x 49.2 x 47.2 | Weight: 4.45 pounds | Capacity: 3 people 

Best Water-Resistant Tent

Lightspeed Outdoors Quick Cabana Beach Tent

$71 at Wayfair $60 at Target $60 at Walmart

Having a tent that’s water-resistant is always a good idea in case of a downpour. With the Lightspeed Outdoors Quick Cabana, you can stay safe from the sun and the rain, so your day won’t be ruined by any type of weather. Although it’s listed as water-resistant, we found it to be totally waterproof—after 45 minutes of rain, there were no leaks inside the canopy. We also noticed that the sand under the flooring was completely dry after the storm, leaving us thoroughly impressed.

Not only does this tent provide protection from the elements, but it’s spacious and can comfortably fit two adults with room to spare. It also has three large windows (plus shades) that you can close to keep out the sun. There are also three inner pockets for you to store water bottles, cell phones, or small gear. 

Although the tent comes with stakes and sandbags to tether it down, we found that the stakes weren’t very helpful. For the most part, it was the sandbags and sturdy frame that stopped the tent from blowing away in windy weather. It’s also incredibly easy to set up thanks to the pop-up design—just press the hub together and it opens like an umbrella. Overall, we feel this tent offers lots of value for the money, plus offers great shade without feeling too stuffy.

Material: Polyester | Size: 96 x 48 x 54 inches | Weight: 6 pounds | Capacity: 2 to 3 people 

Best Umbrella Canopy

Sport-Brella Premiere Outdoor Umbrella

Orig. $47 $39 at Target $65 at Dick's View on Basspro.com

What do you get when you cross an umbrella and a canopy? The Sport-Brella Premiere Umbrella, of course. This umbrella offers the best of both worlds, with an 8-foot width plus two side flaps and built-in UV protection. It is designed to tilt on one side, offering shade like a canopy, and has a built-in window with a flap cover at the top to increase ventilation. There are even pockets to store snacks and other belongings.

At 7.2 pounds, it's one of the heavier beach umbrellas on our list. Though it has a bag that you can carry it in, the shoulder strap is not padded, so it can get uncomfortable if you’re walking with it for long distances. Installation is very easy, and the umbrella comes with two sets of spikes and a metal center pole to keep it firmly anchored to the ground. In fact, we found that it was a bit challenging to move the umbrella to another location once it was set up. Although the tilted design offers ample protection, we would have preferred if we also had the option to make it stand upright for extra versatility.

Material: Polyester | Size: 21.65 x 17.32 x 11.81 inches | Weight: 8 pounds | Capacity: 2-4 people

Best Umbrella With Clamp

Sport-Brella Versa-Brella

$39 at Amazon $20 at Target $30 at Dick's

Looking for a beach umbrella that is small and compact? Look no further than the Sport-Brella Versa-Brella. Even though it's the smallest beach umbrella we have on our list, it’s still a great option if you’re looking for added sun protection without having to set up a large umbrella. This umbrella features a heavy-duty universal clamp that attaches to square and round surfaces like beach chairs, golf bags, or strollers, and the inside has a UPF 50+ coating for extra sun protection. 

It can be adjusted in four ways, including a 360-degree swivel and two push-button hinges, so you can adjust the umbrella at different angles. We also like that it’s portable and can be carried over your shoulder in its carry case or tossed into your bag to take with you on trips. Not to mention, you get 10 square feet of coverage. Because it’s so compact, this umbrella is perfect if you live in a small apartment, or don’t have a lot of storage space. But, like other small umbrellas, it will take more work to manage on breezy days.

Material: Polyester | Size: 3.54 x 2.56 x 35.43 inches | Weight: 1.8 pounds | Capacity: 1 person