A good beach tent is an absolute must for me, and I can’t enjoy a day at the beach without one. Not only does it protect me from harmful UV rays, but also provides privacy and some shade where I can set up a chair or two and relax.
I have found the five best beach tents for 2021. Now, you may be wondering, what defines ‘best’ in this case? Well, good material, an easy setup, accessories and features, and size to put it simply.
Best Beach Tents – Top 5
#1 Oileus Instant 4 Person Tent
This instant beach tent is by Oileus and comes in the color bright orange. Only weighing 4 pounds, 3-4 people can easily fit inside.
It’s extremely easy to set up this sun tent for beach, as it has a patented automatic pop-up mechanism, sparing you time and hassle. It can be folded back in less than 30 seconds and packs down to a size of 32 x 5 inches for easy carrying and storage.
Made out of strong, durable, and breathable 210T polyester, with umbrella rated PU coating of 3000mm. The tent also has a UV defensive covering rating of 50+ UPF.
The floor is even tougher 150D PE, and the thick (8.5mm) fiberglass poles provide extra stability, especially with the stakes and guy lines.
With dimensions of 92 x 45 x 45 inches, a family of four can easily fit inside with plenty of room for gear left over. The interior height is quite short though, and this did bother me a bit.
Easily one of the best beach tents out there to date, the two large windows have flaps that attach with Velcro for added privacy or can be rolled up and tied out of the way to keep them open and let in more fresh air.
Underneath each window, there’s an integrated mesh storage pocket to keep small items organized and in one place.
Included with the tent you get a carry bag that even has a shoulder strap, 6 sand pockets, 8 steel stakes, and 12 guy ropes.
- Lightweight and portable
- Quick and easy set up
- High quality materials
- Velcro windows
- Little short
#2 WhiteFang 4 Person Pop Up Tent
This pop-up beach tent shelter by WhiteFang comes in a really nice shade of mint green, which is the perfect color for the beach.
It comes at a very affordable price and is made of sun-proof 210T polyester that has embedded silver-coated fabrics for a UV protection coating, while the floor is polyurethane because it’s more durable. The frame is alloy steel, and the poles are fiberglass, which together provide good stability.
A maximum of four people fit in this tent, with dimensions of 99 x 55 x 59 inches (L x W x H). Although taller than our previous product, I still prefer tents to be taller than myself even if it’s only slight, so I still consider this to be a little short.
Perfect for couples or small families who want to enrich their beach days. The three large windows provide plenty of ventilation whilst also letting you take in the surrounding view and sound of the waves.
Each window does have its own flap, so you don’t have to worry about a lack of privacy. Plus, it has an extended floor for extra space to keep your beach gear or for your children to play.
This tent sets up within seconds, so you don’t have to waste time and can go straight to enjoying the day.
Included with the tent are 5 attached sandbags, 6 steel stakes, 6 sand stakes, and guy lines.
Only weighing 6.4 pounds, which is little to nothing, this is surely one of the best portable beach tents. Not only is it easy to carry and transport but also to store when you’re done with it thanks to its compact carry bag.
There’s only one storage pocket beneath one window, and a small gear loft, but together they’re just enough space to keep everybody’s small items organized.
- Extended floor at the front
- Good material
- Instant set up
- Affordable
- Only one storage pocket
- Little short
#3 NXONE 3 Person Tent
This tent shelter by NXONE is a 3-person and is available in three colors: mint green, ocean blue, or sky blue.
The structure is made up of 8.0mm fiberglass and steel and has good flexibility and durability, whereas the tent body is 210D sun-proof fabrics with UV protection.
It’s actually quite cheap for good quality, possibly the cheapest best tent shelter.
This one also has an extended front and it’s quite a good chunk, big enough to have a picnic on. You can zip up the floor if privacy is required to change or breastfeed, which is a great feature.
The dimensions are 83 x 55 x 46 inches and it only weighs 4 pounds, making it easy to carry, transport, and store.
Included with the tent you get a carry bag, 6 steel stakes, 6 plastic stakes, and 4 guy lines.
There are three windows for plenty of air circulation, and each one has its own flap that attaches with Velcro for added privacy and convenience. There are two storage pockets in total, to keep small items organized, in one place, and off of the floor.
- Extended floor
- Three nice color options
- Straight-forward set up
- Cheap
- Not instant (takes around 15 minutes)
#4 Easthills Instant Beach Tent
This beach sun shelter by Easthills is not expensive but nor is it cheap. It’s available in two colors: beige or light blue.
With dimensions of 47 x 82 x 50 inches this one is best just for two people and weighing just 6.15. It’s a shame that it’s only suitable for couples or a pair of friends, as I always prefer extra space rather than just enough but that’s a personal preference.
Made of durable, water resistant 185T polyester and coated with UPF 50+ protection that blocks around 97% of harmful UV rays from the sun.
The floor is 120g PE which is more robust and can handle a lot of foot traffic over long periods of time.
This round beach shelter is very lightweight yet sturdy with its fiberglass frame. A step-by-step guide can be found sewn right in the compact carry bag and it assembles within seconds.
There’s a 43” front porch space, which I found particularly great for my dogs, and this section can be zipped up to close the entrance like a door.
More features include three mesh windows that provide efficient ventilation and stop insects from getting in. The windows also have flaps for extra privacy, and there are four integrated mesh storage pockets which is more than enough for two people.
Other than the carry bag, which has a shoulder strap by the way, you also get 10 plastic stakes and 4 guy lines for more stability if needed.
- Extended porch
- Four storage pockets
- Porch zips closed like a door
- High quality, durable material
- 2 people maximum capacity
#5 Pacific Breeze Beach Tent
Another great beach tent, this time by Pacific Breeze. It comes in a lovely shade of blue, perfect for beach use, and is made of breathable and durable polyester and fiberglass. The tent’s body has a UV 50+ protection coating on the material, and it folds up quite easily in its carry bag.
The floor is more water resistant and touch PE, since the floor is always the first thing to go and start to wear and tear, it’s great that this one should last longer.
The dimensions are 86.6 x 49.2 x 47.2 inches, so it’s good for about three people or less, and it weighs around 4.45 pounds.
It has a hub system and has been specially designed for faster and easier set up and take down, even if you’re short. I am not sure how much taller campers will enjoy staying in this tent though.
Included with the carry bag you also get stakes that come in their own little pouch for more stability in case of wind. Although these stakes are just plastic, so they don’t do much. Would recommend some other tent stakes for the sand.
In its carry bag, the tent folds down to around 40 x 5 x 5 (L x W x H).
The two large windows provide lots of ventilation, and they have their own flaps for additional privacy and these flaps can be rolled up and tied out of the way to keep the windows open and let in the sun and fresh air.
There’s one large mesh storage pocket so that everyone can keep their small necessities organized, in one place, and off the floor.
- Breathable and durable material
- Easy take down and set up
- Portable carry bag
- Flimsy stakes
- Small
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best beach tents?
My personal favorite is this beach tent by WhiteFang. It comes in a lovely shade, is spacious enough for four people, has three huge windows with flaps, and it’s an instant pop-up tent. Nothing gets better than this.
Are beach tents worth it?
Yes, beach tents are very worth it and useful. Not so much for those who only spend very few hours swimming and that’s it.
For those who enjoy spending a day at the beach, a beach tent is like an umbrella but ten times better. It offers constant shade, which is extremely important for children/babies and pets. Not only are you protected by the sun’s rays, but you also have a place to sit comfortably.
What’s more, most beach tents have features such as mesh storage pockets integrated into the walls, so it’s definitely worth it.
Can I put a tent on the beach?
Tents can be set up pretty much anywhere, but it’s not as easy on a beach. Stakes are often completely useless on sandy or rocky terrain.
By using sandbags and burying them, and also using rocks, you can keep your tent stable without much work.
It’s unlikely that you’re going to stay at the beach on a very windy day, so the above precautions are usually enough.
Are beach tents waterproof?
A lot of beach tents advertise themselves to be 100% waterproof, but this is not true. They are water resistant, but not as much as regular tents. It makes sense since you wouldn’t expect to use a beach tent in a storm.
On the other hand, beach tents have plenty of UV protection.
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