A Coleman beach shelter is one of the most common and portable brands of shade you can buy for your family if you are on a road trip. If you plan to spend a few hours at the coast then it is worth investing in one of these models.
They provide great protection from the sun for your kids, and also becomes a very convenient area to change your babies and infants. The zipper front door will allow privacy away from other crowds on a busy day.
The materials used for the cover is polyester so it is rain resistant against a light shower but not completely water proof. It has rear windows for ventilation. However on a warm day the dark color of the fabric may attract more than the usual heat from the sun. However, it does provide good UV protection, especially if your children have been out for a while and you need to get them in the shade quickly. If you know that there will be plenty of sand being thrown around, then note that this type does not allow the sand to be shaken off easily.
The stainless steel poles are powder coated which make them attractive and also resistant to rust. However, they are hollow so they can be a nuisance on the beach if sand enters them, which can make it difficult to dismantle. If you have plastic poles from another model which is of similar length, then these are also recommended to be used on this Coleman tent.
There have been some reports of the cord which holds the poles and minimizes the shock, to break and hence making the tent support useless. However, the manufacturer will usually have a warranty period to cover issues like this, and these occurrences are very low.
These tent is only recommended for lighter winds, as stronger winds will require some more fixing to the ground. The corded poles allow the use of sand bags to hold down the structure and provide stability. However, this is insufficient if you plan to stay into the evening when the wind picks up.
The time required to set up this shelter can be quite long. If you only plan to stay at the beach for a couple of hours, then we still recommend that you simply bring a beach umbrella or quick pop up tent. Even though this model is only just built as a shelter, and not a tent, the time required to put it all together can still be as long. There are many other brands which are just as good such as ABO gear, Calypso and Rio, but there have been many happy customers who agree that when they travel they will always bring their Coleman beach shelter.