In the growing danger of skin melanoma, you must provide yourself and family a nice shade when staying on the beach on your summer vacation. Beach tent is your best solution since it is portable and free compared to sun shades, shade huts, fixed outdoor canopy or beach roof many hotel resorts provide only to their guests or against payment.
Hotel resorts will try to sell (rent) you a sunshade, but you can enjoy a freedom and set up your beach tent wherever you will want to. Usually, a deckchair and a sunshade will cost you up to 70 USD per very hot sunny day, so it is most economical to think twice about your sunscreen protection.
Even though if you’re smart for the same amount you can buy both – the chair and the beach tent. Read here why sun protection is needed on your summer holiday at the sea, is beach tent allowed on every beach, can you carry it to the plane and many other useful tips from the experienced solo or family traveler.
What do doctors say about beach tent?
Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin, nails, hair and its diseases. It is a specialty with both medical and surgical aspects. The most respected dermatologists say that there is no suntan that would not be damaging to your skin. They recommend sunscreen protection clothing, creams, sprays, lotions, gels, and sticks.
Mayo Clinic recommends using sunscreen protection with SPF factor of 30 or greater that will provide the most protection from UVB. But since there is no absolute protection guaranteed, staying in the shade is the best alternative for keeping out
Can I bring beach tent as airplane luggage?
Due to the size of beach tent package, it is best to put your packed tent into the checked luggage. Normally a beach tent is up to 30 inches of length and 3 inches in width. And it weighs around 3 kilograms (6 pounds). Due to carbon or aluminum tent poles (sticks) it gets normally through the X-ray control. A beach tent should not be carried to the cabin since the poles might present a danger to other passengers and crew.
Will the beach tent fit into rental car trunk?
While your main luggage is kept in your hotel room, there will be plenty of free space in your rental car. Even if it’s a mini or economy class. A beach tent has a lot smaller space requirements than a golf club bag. Folded it can be even carried under the front car seat or just held in passengers hands.
Once you unpack your beach tent from your luggage you can take it out to the beach or put it into your rental car trunk. There will be some struggle to pack the beach tent into its’ original bag, but eventually, you will see it as the most practical portable sun shade.
Which countries allow beach tents on the beach?
When exploring the beaches of New Zealand, California, Florida, Cuba, Spain, Greece, Brazil, Indonesia, Croatia or your any other favorite summer destination you should protect your skin against sun radiation that causes sunburn and can contribute to skin cancer.
Putting out a beach tent is basically camping on the beach. You will most likely have a sleeping pad or mat on the tent’s floor. Some of the beach visitors would also set up a fire on the beach.
It is useful to know which beaches prohibit tents and are subject to a fee:
- Hilton Head Island
- Dewey Beach
- North Myrtle Beach
- Siesta Beach
- Rehoboth Beach
- Bethany Beach
- Long Beach Island
- Jersey Shore
- Ocean City Maryland
- Panama City Beach
- Sunset Beach (North Carolina)
- Horry County
- Walton County
- The City of Gulf Shores
- Cherry Grove Beach and the Surfside Beach
Many of the beaches may prohibit large tents and could allow sun shades against a payable permit.
Types of sun shelters available on the market
There are many versions of portable sun shelters that you can choose from:
Beach umbrella Tent
This is a most convenient way of putting out a sunshade and packing it back together in a second. There are many version you can get like the Sport-Brella, Tommy Bahama Sand Anchor 7-Foot Beach Umbrella, BEACHBUB All-In-One Beach Umbrella System, EasyGo 8 Foot Heavy-Duty High Wind Beach Umbrella and Wondershade Ultimate Portable Sun Shade that comes with a mechanic stand.
Tailgate Tent
There’s the famous Abccanopy Kingkong-series 10 X 10-feet Commercial Instant Canopy Kit EZ Pop up Tent that is very robust, windproof and waterproof. You can set it up as an individual canopy. For the home van lovers, there are some really nice tailgate tents available that can be attached to your vehicle and you can enjoy your summertime anywhere in a shade.
Pop up shelter
The classic and most extravagant way of your beach appearance. But you must study the manual and practice putting it back to the bag through winter on your warm lazy evenings. The pop up becomes windproof if you weight it with some bigger stones around the tent. It is also very convenient for keeping your privacy. Quik Shade Expedition Instant Canopy is the one of the best selling pop up shelters in the market.
Neso Tent
Provides shade for 3 to 5 people and it is very lightweight. Easy to set up and small dimensions when packed. Neso tent resembles the Bedouin tents that were designed to be quickly put up and taken apart while providing shelter and protection from the harsh environments.
Beach Cabana Tent
People love it! But how to fold it at the end of the day on the beach is another story. There are many bestsellers available to buy that are easy foldable back into the bag: SEMOO Lightweight Beach Shade Tent Sun Shelter, Ozark Trail Instant Sun Shade, Texsport Calypso Quick Cabana Beach Sun Shelter Canopy, Rijer Portable Family Sun Shelter and Lightspeed Quick Draw Sun Shelter.
Instant Canopy
For camping on the beach, the portable instant canopy is a perfect solution. It can resist the wind quite good. There is a version of it with short poles when packed so you can take it with you on your summer travel. Colman Instant Canopy SunWall is the best choice if you are looking for this kind of beach tent.
Portable screen room
It could look like a beach house, but it’s not. It offers shade for up to 8 people and it can even be combined with mosquito net. Best camping screen houses should fit into your luggage, offer a lot of indirect natural light and have handy pockets to store utilities. There are many models of the screen house available like the Wenzel Biscayne, Gazelle 6 sided house, The Paha Que, Tailgaterz Magnetic Screen House, Eureka Northern Breeze Screen House and the Coleman model of the portable screen room.
Baby beach Tent
Babies and children are the most vulnerable group when it comes to the harmful UV radiation exposure. It is important the beach tent is safe and offers extra protection from the wind and water. Two of the best baby beach Tents currently on the market are Mono Beach Baby Tent and R Horse Baby Pool Tent. Both with UV protection.
Where can I buy a beach tent?
You can check your nearest Walmart store and also Tesco, Aldi, Hofer, Lidl shops will prepare the stacks when the summer is coming. Online the beach tents are available via eBay, Amazon and even Ali Baba or Ali Express. Sun shelter is usually a cheap solution so you must watch out that the shipping costs will not ruin a good deal. If you are looking for a quality product then lower your best price expectations and head to the serious camping gear shop.