When it comes to typical canopy tents, wind can be a major threat to your festivities. One giant gust and your tent could blow right away! That’s why you should have some baseline knowledge before buying a wind-resistant tent, and we’re here to help!
The best pop-up tent for wind is going to be a commercial-grade, heavy-duty tent - an ideal choice for facing inclement outdoor elements. You don’t want to risk misrepresenting your personal or professional brand, so you are best off upgrading to a heavy-duty high wind canopy tent with lasting quality to avoid the failures that often accompany cheap tents. Investing in a heavy-duty pop-up will keep your tent in good condition long-term.
Factors to Consider Buying a High Wind Canopy
As a USA-based professional tent company, American Tent is well-versed in what it takes for a heavy-duty canopy to be constructed. These are not the same as your cheap, store-bought pop-up. In order for a tent to be heavy-duty, it must be made with certain specifications regarding its material and design features.
Let’s take a closer look at the anatomy of a wind-resistant pop-up tent.
Material
One of the most important things to look for in your wind-resistant canopy is an aluminum frame, classifying the tent as heavy duty. When aluminum is anodized, the natural oxide layer is increased, resulting in a new layer over the top. Anodized aluminum is 100 times as thick as regular aluminum, offering corrosion resistance and an impressive strength-to-weight ratio. Since aluminum is ⅓ the weight of steel, it can be used throughout the frame for increased durability.
Material thickness is also important to look for. A heavy-duty aluminum pop-up canopy should be 12 gauge aluminum (nearly 2mm thick) - anything under that will be less durable and more suitable for recreational use.
Legs
Heavy-duty pop-up canopy models should have a leg diameter of 2” (or 50mm) consisting of 12 gauge aluminum. Legs come available as square, hexagonal, and octagonal profiles. Using a hex or octagonal leg design increases the surface area, aiding in balance and stability and allowing for maximum sturdiness. On top of this, the hex or octagonal profile is also easier to grip, which makes for an easier setup process.
Joint Connection
Most pop-up tents utilize plastic or aluminum joints. Heavy-duty canopy tent models use anodized aluminum joints for maximum strength to accommodate the weight and friction of these areas. In other words, the entire frame is anodized aluminum, including the joint fittings.
Footpads
One of the most underappreciated parts of a tent frame is the footpads (or the base of the legs). These footpads carry the weight of the frame, which can be around 60-70 lbs for a 10x10 high wind pop-up tent. Cheaper pop-up tents will often use steel plates that are around ⅛” thick, while commercial-grade pop-ups will have thicker aluminum footpads, usually closer to ¼” in thickness.
Frame Weight
Heavy-duty pop-up frames weigh more than generic pop-ups because they use more material. This means that the overall weight of your tent is a good indicator of whether or not your tent is heavy-duty.
Sidewalls
For a wind-resistant tent, tent sidewalls will provide you and your guests shelter from any storm. The good news is that you can still enjoy the great outdoors with clear tent sidewalls or sidewalls with windows. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so be sure to include sidewalls for your tent.
Size
When shopping for a high wind pop-up canopy, consider what size will best accommodate your needs. What is the maximum number of people that will fit comfortably in your tent, especially if the weather is bad and everyone needs protection?
Weight
While you definitely want a canopy that won't blow away, you also don’t want one that is so heavy that it can’t be easily transported. If your tent is made from quality materials, it can be both lightweight and durable.
Ceiling Height
Many people are so focused on size when choosing the best shade canopy for wind that they forget to think about ceiling height. Keep in mind that heat rises, so if you plan to use your tent in hot temperatures, the ceiling height will make a difference in your guests’ comfort level.
Ease of Installation
Need the best shade canopy for wind in a hurry? Pop-up tents are the solution! They are easy to pack up, set up, and then store for your next event or adventure. Make sure you choose a high-quality tent that is designed for ease and portability.
How To Prepare Your Canopy for Strong Wind
There are two options when it comes to securing your wind canopy; anchors or weights. Anchors attach to the tent’s canopy and are staked into the ground, while weights secure the canopy with their weight and do not require staking.
Even the best instant canopy for wind is useless if it blows away! Consider the following pros and cons of staking vs. weighting your tent.
- Tent anchors must be staked into the ground, making them useless if you are setting up your canopy tent at an outdoor venue with concrete, or a venue that does not allow staking into the ground.
- Tent weights are a more versatile option that can work virtually anywhere and at any budget - you can even make your own.
- Tent weights are heavy and not nearly as portable as tent anchors.
- Tent stakes are more aesthetically pleasing, easier to transport, and better for set-up. For the best canopy tent for wind, we recommend tent stakes.
What Windproof Heavy Duty Tent to Choose?
American Tent
A small tent with a big personality! The versatile American Tent Pop Up is made with a premium aluminum frame and has a top made of 600D Oxford with PVC coating and is the best pop-up canopy for wind. You can rest easy knowing that this canopy is waterproof and flame-retardant, all thanks to the PVC coating and high-quality polyester. Another nice thing about this pop-up is that you can choose to change the color of your tent top, if you’d like, to fit your preferences and match the theme of your event. These are built to last, making them an ideal choice for your coverage needs.
Benefits:
- 2” leg diameter with a hexagonal profile
- 50mm aluminum frame, footpads, and joints
- 600D Oxford with PVC coating
- Color customization
From the farmers market to your own backyard, to tradeshows, and to industry fairs, these small tents will be a perfect addition to your set-up and can take whatever event you have from drab to fab.
Tent Craft
Another contender for the best canopy for wind, Tent Craft manufactures right out of Michigan, making them another one of the few USA-made tent companies. Tent Craft offers two heavy-duty tents as well as one medium-duty. The mightyTENT line is the Medium Duty Pop Up Tent. The medium-duty tent still has high quality and durability but is lighter weight. This tent is cheaper than the others because it uses less aluminum and has fewer features than a heavy-duty structure.
Tent Craft’s pride and joy is their heavy-duty MONARCHTENT pop-up tent line. This line includes the Professional Heavy Duty Pop Up Tent and the Flat Top Pop Up Canopy - one with a peak and the other without. Both heavy-duty tents ensure battle-tested strength and weather resistance for a lifetime, creating great outdoor event armor.
Benefits:
- Lifetime warranty (MONARCHTENT pop-up line)
- Battle-tested for all types of weather
- 13 gauge aluminum frame, legs, and joints
- ⅜” cast aluminum footpads
- 2” leg diameter with an octagonal profile
- Waterproof and fire retardant
- Frame weight - 72 lbs (10x10)
Mastertent
Mastertent is actually a former partner of Tent Craft! Their manufacturing is based in Italy, and they have one office in the US based out of North Carolina. Mastertent offers three pop-up frames - Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 - and guarantees 100% waterproofing on all of them.
The frontrunner of Mastertent is their Series 1. This pop-up tent’s wind rating is higher than their other options, perfect if you need something to protect your backyard bash.
Benefits of S1:
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Aluminum frame, footpads, and joints
- 2.5mm octagonal legs
- Waterproof and fire retardant
- Adjustable height
- Frame weight (70 lbs)
As a leading manufacturer of premium-quality tents, they offer 12 different pop-up tent sizes. If you are looking for something with a lot of customization options, Mastertent’s accessories may ensure you have the best canopy tent for wind.
Conclusion
Now that you are more informed about what it means for a canopy to be heavy-duty, you can sit back in your pop-up tent, the wind blowing about, and have confidence in your product’s overall quality and ability to withstand the wind!
All three companies are safe and trustworthy choices. Of course, we recommend our American Tent Pop Up Tent, known as the MVP of trade shows and industry fairs. Also, it’s a great and easy option for farmers’ markets and outdoor restaurant seating! Get in touch with us, and we would love to tell you more about our trendy pop-up tents.
