Camping kit that has a number of uses is a fine thing. That’s why we’re keen on the idea of a screenhouse or shelter to add to our packing list. An easy-to-put-up, airy thingy that can be a gazebo, a dining room, a utility tent, a sunshade, a rain shelter, a driveaway awning for campervans, and even an extra bedroom…here’s our round-up of the options.
The Wenzel EZ Rise Screenhouse
WENZEL
Wenzel is a US company but they sell through Amazon and have lots of really good-looking models to choose from. They’re smart and offer great protection against midges and mosquitoes. They also do a choice of sunshade-style shelters, including the rather nice-looking, but flimsier Fairweather.
EZ Rise Screenhouse
Pre-attached poles and a twist-locking centre hub give you a fully enclosed house with mesh walls in minutes.
- Floor size: 295x295cm
- Max height: 210cm
- Weight: 4.6kg
- Pack size: 121x15x15cm
- Price: Around £120
The Wenzel Horizon
Horizon
Large front and rear inverted ‘T’ doors for easy entry, along with a pre-bent eaves pole for extra headroom.
- Floor size: 365x365cm
- Max height:: 220cm
- Weight: 7.3kg
- Pack size: 63x20x20cm
- Price: Around £100
Biscayne
The Wenzel Biscayne
Mesh walls and shock-corded fibreglass roof poles for easy set-up. Apparently, you can set it up and then lift it into place (over a picnic table, for example).
- Floor size: 11.7 sqm
- Max height: 213cm
- Weight: 7.9kg
- Pack size: 67x20x20cm
- Price: About £100
The Wenzel Zephyr
Zephyr
- Floor size: 10.9 sqm
- Max height: 216cm
- Weight: 11.6kg
- Pack size: 79×23.5×23.5cm
- Price: Around £130
The Wenzel Sun Valley
Sun Valley
- Floor size: 13 sqm
- Max height: 218cm
- Weight: 9.1kg
- Pack size: 70x22x22cm
- Price: Around £120
COLEMAN
Coleman make shelters that provide protection from the sun, the wind and the rain, thanks to their WindStrong™ system. It combines vented canopies, shock-corded poles, patent-pending hubs and guylines.
Event Shelter
Coleman Event Shelter
A range of sizes – from family-sized to massive with sunwalls and ground sheet options.
- Floor size: From around 300×300 to 460x460cm
- Max height: Around 200cm
- Weight: 15 to 17kg
- Pack size: Not available
- Price: From around £130 to £160
KHYAM
Famed for their umbrella-style set-up that really is super-quick, but also makers of pole-and-sleeve and air tents.
Khyam Day Shelter 200
Day Shelter 200 and 300
A waterproof multi-purpose tent in two sizes, with a pole-and-sleeve construction.
- Floor size: 200×200 and 300×300
- Max height: 210cm
- Weight: 8.56kg or 14kg
- Pack size: 67x19x19cm and 73x25x25cm
- Price: Around £140 to £2000
Khyam Screendome
Screendome, Screenhouse (Flexidome) and Sports Shelter
Fibreglass and aluminium Rapidex® poles. There’s an optional inner tent to turn this shelter into a…tent. The Flexidome has fibreglass poles.
- Floor size: Not stated
- Max height: 210cm
- Weight: 14.6kg
- Pack size: 105x25x25cm
- Price: Around £200 to £430. Plus a giant Megatop at nearly £1,000
QUEST 
Cheap and cheerful pop-up options from Quest. They say the spring-up frame system allows one person to get it set up in under a minute. Getting it back down…that’s always the tricky part.
Quest Screenhouse 6
Elite Screen House 4 and 6
With optional sidewall blinds.
- Floor size: 244x244cm and 350x350cm
- Max height: 210cm
- Weight: 11.5kg and 15.5kg
- Pack size: 167x16x16cm and 185x18x18cm
- Price: Around £180 to £240
EASYCAMP
EasyCamp Day Tent
Day Tent
This dome-style shelter has fibreglass poles, four large side windows with curtains, a sewn-in groundsheet and large front and rear doors. The doors can be set up as a canopy. Some people complain of the build quality, but it’s a cheaper option.
- Floor size: 290x290cm
- Max height: 200cm
- Weight: 7.9kg
- Pack size: 75x21cm
- Price: Around £100
EasyCamp Pavilion
Pavilion
More of a party gazebo. Steel telescopic poles featuring push locks for quick set-up, organiser mesh pockets at each corner and a lantern hanging point in the middle. Sidewalls are available.
- Floor size: 440x320cm
- Max height: 255cm
- Weight: 15.3kg
- Pack size: 130x20cm
- Price: Around £125
KAMPA
Kampa Activity Shelter with sides and groundsheet
Activity Shelter
In gazebo mode
Optional extras: wall and door panels and a groundsheet.
- Floor size: 350x350cm and 450x450cm
- Height: 240cm
- Weight: 18.8kg and 21kg
- Pack size: 93x27x20 and 100x31x20
- Price: From £150
Kampa’s day room or utility tent
Day Room
A basic utility tent and dining area.
- Floor size: 300x300cm
- Height
- Weight: 6.6kg
- Pack size: 57x18x18
- Price: Around £120
KELTY 
Screenhouse
The Kelty Screenhouse
Very handsome and well-respected. A choice of medium or large.
- Floor size: 274x335cm (M), 335x396cm (L)
- Max height: 188cm (M), 193cm (L)
- Weight: 6kg (M), 8.3kg (L)
- Pack size: Around 25×60 (details vary)
- Price: £200 to £240
Kelty BugBlocker shelter
Kelty BugBlocker shelter
BugBlocker Tent
- Floor size: 274x335cm (M)
- Max height: 213cm (M)
- Weight: 7kg (M)
- Pack size: Around 23×61
- Price: £190(M) to £260(L)
QUECHUA
Decathlon’s own brand is famed for its small pop-up shelters like this £32 two-second one. Their £120ish 3m by 3m Fresh shelter looks super too, and we do like the tarpaulin from the same series (see below).
If you’ve found a multi-purpose shelter you love – easy to put up, strong and handsome – do let us know. Either leave a comment below or send us an email.
AND don’t forget the versatile tarp!
A simple tarpaulin, a couple of poles and some rope could be all you need to create shelter from the rain, a sunshade, a bit of extra space….we love the Quechua IlluminFresh (though we’ve had to buy extra tarp clips
