Buying an open sun canopy tent provides at least a roof for your vehicle, but it does not offer near as much protection as a fully enclosed canopy sun tent does. It is a lot cheaper and again, it is better than not having any protection at all for your vehicle, but if you have the budget for it, it is better to buy a fully enclosed canopy for your vehicle. In addition, it is important to check what material the canopy tent is made out of, so that you can get a better idea of how much protection it offers your vehicle.

You can buy a fully enclosed 10 x 20 canopy for your vehicle from a number of stores, but buying online is often a lot more affordable. In fact, all major supermarkets and stores now have an online site and sometimes the store’s online retail site will offer items that cannot be found at the store itself. One thing to take note of is that often the canopy and canopy walls are sold separately. You can buy them together, as a ‘bundle’, and this is cheaper than buying the individual items; it is important to make this distinction when you shop or you could inadvertently just buy one part (either the canopy or the walls) without realizing that the other part is not included.  If you have a hammock, buying  a hammock canopy to protect you from insects while you nap might be a good idea.

If you need something affordable, then the Caravan 10′x20′ Carport Canopy Garage Bundle presently for sale at Wal-Mart’s online retail site is a good choice. It costs only $169 and the shipping is free. In fact, pretty much any other enclosed canopy costs over $200 and it is quite hard to find both a 10 x 20 canopy tent and enclosure kit sold together as a bundle. However, with a bit of searching online, you can find both items selling at the same retailer and there are a number of online retailers that have a wide selection and offer good prices. You could probably get both packs for around $200.

Eureka’s design of a Solar Shade sun canopy is one of the simplest and least expensive models on the market. Retailing at only fifty dollars, the tent comfortably fits two people. Lightweight and compact, the cabana is easily broken down in a matter of minutes, so that customers can quickly move it from place to place if necessary; at only five pounds, it can be easily carried around all day on the shoulder strap. A fiberglass frame utilizing only three poles keeps the tent upright and standing, while ground supports keep wind from blowing the tent away. Three windows allow for air circulation on hot days and two storage pockets allow for clothes, food, or supplies to be kept inside.

For baby sun shade sized protection, a SunGrubbies children’s sun tent allows for a great place to get out of the sun during beach trips. The SunGrubbies design is meant for up to two children, boasting complete UV radiation protection for sunburn prone backs and legs. Mesh screens allow for circulation while keeping out insects. At only two pounds, it is one of the lightest tents bar none on the market, capable of being taken down or put up in less than a minute.

If price is of no concern, consider the Nemo Losi Storm two-person sun shade tent. This brand name manufacturer provides a comprehensive array of features to the standard shade model, boasting lightweight, wind resistant nylon attachments for support and overhead ventilation for complete air movement. The frame is designed to be minimally affected by rain or wind, tempered to a precise dome shape for ultimate strength. The Storm’s sun shade can even be removed for use over another tent or a picnic table. At four hundred dollars, it is the ultimate in convenience and technology, with a price tag to match.

Many smaller outdoor gatherings can benefit from the shelter of a 10 x 20 party tent with or without the sidewalls in place. They make great sunshades over the picnic table and are portable enough to take with you on camping trips or daytrip picnics as well. If you camp with a trailer, pitching the sun tent gazebo in front of the trailer provides much better shade and protection than a rollout awning. Attaching the sidewalls creates a wonderful sun porch addition, often more than doubling the living space of the trailer alone. Kids or extra guests can comfortably sleep outside in the tent space created, safe from the elements and free from the cramped bunk space found in most trailers.  The tent could also be used as a carport canopy if you need extra room for another vehicle, but want the car to be protected from the outside weather.

One of the more creative uses for your party tent gazebo, and one that will make you a local hero and create lasting memories for your kids, is to use it as the centerpiece of a 1001 Arabian Nights style sleepover for younger children and their friends. Simply assemble the party tent in your back yard, complete with the sidewalls, and go wild with decorating it in an Arabian Sheik motif, complete with rugs on the floor and swords on the walls (of course, you should use Halloween swords and axes from the local costume or novelty store as opposed to the real ones, and hang them on plastic chains from the support posts of the tent). Run an extension cord from the house and get an inexpensive faux fire pit with painted paper streamers blown by a fan to simulate a campfire in the middle of the room. Your fantasy desert tent can be custom decorated to delight either a girl’s or a boy’s sleepover.

These are just a few of the useful and creative uses you can put your 10 x 20 white party tent gazebo canopy with sidewalls to after it has served its intended purpose for someone’s Big Day. Other uses are as many and varied as your imagination will allow.

The main difference among sun tents from camping or other kinds of tents is that they are not designed as shelter for long term or overnight use. They also do not provide the same type of protection that camping tents do. They are mainly designed to keep the sun off of you and as such, sun tents often come with an open faced design with no zip up door. Some models do not even have a floor and work by being propped up above an individual’s head to protect them from the sun. Other models are large enough for two people and there are some designed for children. While the vast majority of models are designed for one or two people, there are varieties that closely resemble camping tents that can fit up to eight people and have zip up doors and windows.

Prices for sun tents vary based on their size and manufacturer as well as the quality of their construction. Smaller shelters go for about 25 to 50 dollars whereas much larger models such as the 8-person tent mentioned can go for 80 to 100 dollars. Well known retailers of outdoor equipment that sell sun tents include Eddie Bower and REI. Both retailers carry innovative designs such as the ALPS Mountaineering tri-awning sun tent. Its tri-pod design sets up easily and protects up to three people from harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Eddie Bower’s sun shelter looks more like a traditional two person camping tent except one corner has been cut away for easy access to the inside of the tent. The flooring extends out as if the other corner of the tent were there for seating in mild sunlight type weather. It comes with a convenient pocket on one wall of the tent to store miscellaneous items. This model folds down to fit in a convenient carrying bag and comes in Mediterranean blue.

So what are the benefits of owning a beach tent? Well, there are actually several benefits, many of which go unseen! One of more common benefits, as mentioned earlier, is comfortable protection from the sun. Sun block can only last for a certain amount of time, and umbrellas can be easily blown away by the frequent gusts of wind along the beach. Not only will a tent protect you and your family from the sun, but it will also provide you with adequate lounging space. Besides, nobody likes being cramped under a few umbrellas! A tent will allow many people to stay comfortably at the beach for an entire day, free of sunburns.

However, beach tents also provide for other benefits that most people are unaware of. One of these is that a good tent will provide for excellent protection against gusts of sand and dust. As mentioned, the beach is usually a very windy area. These strong gusts easily pick up fine grains of sand, which when airborne, can come in contact with eyes. This can occasionally result in eye damage or infections, along with damage to the skin. And even if there is not wind present, dust can also be produced by people walking or running along the sand; excess dust can be extremely bad for the lungs.

Another overlooked benefit is protection from the wind. Not only does the wind pick up sand, but it can also just be a nuisance in general; readers find wind to be a common enemy, inconveniently turning book or magazine pages. Not only that, but the belongings of many have been blown away by strong gusts! Tents can also provide for plenty of privacy, making it ever more comfortable for spending days- and even nights- at the beach.

While many people apply sun block or put up umbrellas, one of the best and most comfortable ways to enjoy the beach is by investing in a sun tent.