What Type of Camper Should Buy a Screen Tent with Rain Flaps?

If you are considering buying a screen tent with rain flaps here are the five most popular groups that we found get the most of out of it

1. Those who enjoy camping for a week or longer.  If you are a serious camper who enjoys extended periods away then this is a necessity.  If you are camping for a week your odds of missing out of rain is slim.  A tent like this means instead of having to bunker down in your tent or car, the screen tent will give you an extra place.  These gazebos are built to go over picnic tables allowing you space to play cards, gather, prepare food, eat, and more.   Just like at home how you wouldn’t want to be stuck in your bedroom all the time, these tents give you additional sheltered living space.
2. Anyone who is camping as part of a larger group will want one of these.  When in a bigger group you will likely need a place to prepare food away from bugs.  It’s good for just enjoying your morning coffee under too.
3. Car campers.  If you are hiking this likely isn’t the type of thing you want.  Car camping means the weight and physical limitations of what you can carry aren’t as big a concern and allow for luxuries like this.
4. If you camp twice a year or more or just love the outdoors you need one of these.  After your camping trip you can set it up in your backyard and use it as an extra living area to enjoy eating family dinner or gathering with friends.  They are much cheaper than a paying to add a sunroom to your home.  One camper we met in researching this article had a sick horse that they used to protect using their screen tent.  Families often take picnic tents to parks in the summer for picnics.
5. Anyone who gets a bad reaction to mosquito or bee bites should consider one of these tents to reduce their risk of bug bites.

Six Reasons Why to Buy a Screened Gazebo?

1. Keep the bugs out, not your appetite.
Nothing ruins a meal faster than mosquitoes in your macaroni salad or flies swarming your sandwich. A dining tent gives you a bug-free zone so you can enjoy your food without swatting away insects every 10 seconds.  Bonus tips on campsite dining.

2. Bugs Aren’t Just Gross — They Can Make You Sick
When flies, mosquitoes, and other insects land on your food, they’re not coming in clean. Flies can carry bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and listeria—all of which can cause serious stomach problems.  Mosquitoes can carry diseases like West Nile virus or Zika, and even if they don’t bite you, landing on your food can still contaminate it—especially if you’re prepping raw meat or cutting fruit.  A kitchen tent will help provide protection.

3. Shelter from the elements.
July is the number one month for Canadians to take vacations.  It is also the month that is the hottest and incurs summer storms.  A screen tent will give you shade from the sun during those blazing hot summer days, and protection from rain when clouds roll in.  It also helps prevent soggy burgers.

4. Food stays fresher, longer.
With fewer bugs and less heat exposure, your food and cooler contents stay in better condition. That means less waste and fewer trips to replace supplies—saving you money and time away from the campgrounds.

5. Cooking and cleaning are easier.
Ever tried flipping pancakes with one hand while fending off black flies with the other? In a screen tent, you can focus on cooking and keep your utensils, sanity, and cleanliness.

6. Peace of mind = a better trip.
Whether you’re in bear country or just raccoon country, a screen tent adds an additional layer of defense. It won’t stop a bear, of course, but it keeps the smells from wafting around as freely and keeps curious critters at a distance while you’re prepping meals.

Why Buy a Screen Tent with Rain Flaps?

If you plan to use this more than a few times avoid the big-box store models and buy a proper tent with flaps.  Now that you want one why should you pay to get a better screened gazebo with rain flaps?  Rain protection is the obvious one, but sun protection is number two.  Even if it isn’t too hot out if you are preparing a meal and that sun is getting in your eyes it is a nuisance.  Remember once you stake out this tent you likely aren’t going to want to move it.  That means when preparing breakfast you can have a different flap rolled down then when you are preparing dinner.  Last is wind protection.  A little breeze is good, but there is a limit.  If you are cooking with an open flame on a camp stove getting too much wind will cause a flameout.

Which Model Should I Buy?

Here are what we found to be the top models on the market.

1. Yanes Kuche and World Famous Hobo Gazebos
If you are planning on being at a campsite for a while these are two of the toughest screen tents in the market.  They are built with steel poles.  These are more durable then fibreglass, but do to their rigidity normally take longer to setup.  The Hobo gazebo is a great budget option.  The Kuche tent is the best option for campers looking for more frequent use.  A competitor in this space is the Eureka Northern Breeze screen house.  We found that these other two models provided much better value and therefore can’t recommend that tent.

2. World Famous Lodge Gazebo and Yanes Cantina Kitchen Tent
Steel doesn’t bend, but fibreglass does which makes these two tents easier to setup.  The longer poles snap together faster than steel poles.  If your physical carrying capacity is limited the fibreglass poles are lighter as well.  The main difference between these two models is the placement of the flaps.  Most screen tents feature the flaps on the outside so as to keep the rain from coming inside the tent.  The Cantina being a kitchen tent is designed for staying inside longer.  Because of that they have placed the flaps on the inside.  This allows you to roll out the flaps due to changing sunlight and wind conditions without leaving the tent.

3. Rockwater Designs Insta-Flex Gazebo
For those doing afternoon events, family picnics, or just don’t have the patience to fumble around with poles this is the tent for you.  It’s a pop-up style tent that has the poles built into the tent.  No lost poles!  It’s not as durable compared to the others.  The hexagonal design has panels that connect to the outside frame.  The panels store in a separate carry bag allowing you to leave them behind for very quick outings when calm weather is forecast.  That allows you to cut down on weight and bulk.

 

Where to Buy?

These tents are around at multiple retailers, but we found for the best deal skip Amazon and go straight to a store that specializes in camping equipment.