Gazebos and Shelters – [2023] Our Guide to 21 best multi-purpose Canopies

Camping kit that has a number of uses is a fine thing. That’s why we’re keen on the idea of a utility tent, screenhouse or shelter to add to our packing list.

Here’s our round-up of  easy-to-put-up, airy things that can be gazebos, dining tents, sunshades, rain shelters or driveaway awnings for campervans….

Read on for our favourites.

In a hurry? If you don’t have much time using the links below to quickly find our favourite camping shelters and gazebos for you on Amazon and beyond. You can be assured we only choose the best products…

Gazebos and Shelters

EDITORS CHOICE

Everyone loved the old Decathlon Base. Now there’s a replacement. The Base Connect Fresh works as a living room extension for a tent, but is even better as an awning. Light and spacious, inflatable and around UV resistant.

  • Size: W250 x L250 x (max) H225cm
  • Pack size: 77 x 29 x 29cm
  • Weight: 13kg

OUR TOP PICK

Coleman Gazebo Event Dome Shelter, L - 3,65M x 3,65M for Festivals, Garden and Camping, Sturdy Steel...

The Coleman Event Dome is a lighter version of the original shelter, and there are two sizes available. The ‘power walls’ at the corners add stability. Weatherproof with foldable mesh walls and 2 closed walls which give more shelter from rain and wind. It is also Sun proof SPF 50+

  • Floor size: 350×350 and 450x450cm
  • Max height: Around 218/228cm
  • Weight: 11 to 15kg
  • Pack size:  64 x 22.5 x 22.5cm and 65 x 26 x 26cm


Cinch pop-up tents

The clever Cinch Hub has an optional built-in solar panel, LED lights, great materials and can be set up in less than a minute…and now meet the new generation of Hub.

It takes around 60 seconds to get The Hub opped up and ready to peg. The best thing is that it’s the tallest pop-up tent around. You can actually stand inside (unless you’re over 190cm tall, that is).

It’s also roomy at 230cm x 230cm and weighs around 8kg.

We liked its simple shape and the versatility of four zipped sides. The new generation has larger canopies for better rain protection, silent(ish) zips, better fabric and an optional (£70) inner tent for sleeping.

The pack is a round bag, so a bit cumbersome at 86cm, but it’s virtually flat. Thank goodness that getting it back into its bag has been made easier with a colour coding system!


Now here’s an idea. The Sheltapod is an awning, tent and sunshelter all in one. It will fit on any vehicle up to 2.8m.

It’s based on a roll-up system so that you can be totally enclosed, as in a tent, or open to the air and sunshine. It has aluminium poles and comes with privacy panels, window blinds, a door panel, a groundsheet and an inner tent included.

All those panels and bits and pieces do make it a bit faffy, but putting it up is fairly quick. You need a large area to be able to handle the long poles.

  • Size: 230 x 200 x 180cm
  • Pack size: 97 x 30 x 30cm
  • Weight: 12kg


Outdoor Revolution Cayman Cona Lightweight Low Campervan Driveaway Awning

The unusual Cayman Pursuit is designed to work between two vans, but we think it has more to offer than that. 

It works as a freestanding gazebo, has lots of window light (plus LED lights for night!) and is quick to inflate.

14kg and a pack size of 78 x 41 x 34cm.


Kampa Air Shelter 300

Easy to pitch, thanks to its inflatable columns. This Kampa shelter comes with four removable side panels.

  • Floor size: 300x300cm
  • Height: 225cm
  • Weight: 6.5kg
  • Pack size: 64 x 30 x 30cm

BEST VALUE

Lumaland Pop Up Gazebo 2.5m x 2.5m with 1 sidewall | Waterproof with UV protection, garden event...

A smart, surprisingly sturdy and affordable option. The Lumaland gazebo comes with one side wall and you can buy the others separately as needed.

Comes in a minimal black, a vibrant lime and a rather nice blue. It takes less than 30 seconds to set it up or take it down. It’s waterproof and includes a bag and pegs.

  • Floor size: 250 x 250cm
  • Height: 190cm
  • Pack size: 120 x 14cm
  • Weight: 5.9kg


Outdoor Revolution Outhouse Handi Low Drive Away Awning

This has the advantage of working perfectly alongside a van, or as a standalone utility tent. Plus, it’s affordable.

  • Height: 180-210cm (van height)
  • Weight: 6.96kg
  • Pack size: ‎73.2 x 30.6 x 20.3 cm


The Base Fresh Living Area/Gazebo, an exciting one from Decathlon. This is simple and versatile. A standalone 3m x 3m shelter with three opening doors and a mosquito net. Excellent head height too. 

  • Floor size: 250x250cm
  • Height: 215cm
  • Weight: 7.7kg
  • Pack size: 57x18cm

  • Amazon Basics Event, Garden Gazebo Beach Sun Shelter, UPF 50+ UV protection, 3.65x3.65m, Light Green

    No sides on this one, but it’s big and affordable. 

    • Floor size: 365 x 365 cm
    • Height: 235cm
    • Weight: 16.29kg
    • Pack size: 87.1 x 29 x 21 cm


    Quest Leisure Screen House 4 Pro

    Airy pop-ups from Quest. The basics are fine but have mesh walls. The Pros come with zip-in sidewalls. They say the spring-up frame system allows one person to get these set up in under a minute.

    It did take us a tad longer, but practise, practise! Getting it back down…that’s always the tricky part. 

    • Floor size: 244 x 244cm (Pro 4 – there’s also a 6 in both styles and a Westfield 5)
    • Max height: 220cm
    • Pack size: 173 x 15 x 15 cm
    • Weight: 8.5kg

    Click here but becoming hard to find. An alternative is the Elite 5, which is the same system.


    Quest Screen House 6 Pro

    A bigger version of the Screen House Four Pro. It’s a fast pop-up again, with two mesh doors and two removable waterproof curtains.

    We love this one for its speed and simplicity. 

    • Weight: 9.9kg


    Outdoor Revolution DISC Screenhouse 5 Gazebo

    A simple shelter that pops up and has optional privacy panels. Also available in larger sizes.


    reakoo Pop Up Tent, 2/3/4 Man Instant Automatic Camping Tent, Hexangular Large Waterproof Dome Tent,...

    An incredibly cheap ‘umbrella’ style pop-up tent that sleeps three (four snugly!). The reakoo tent has a feature that we really like, which is that you can use it as a shelter without the inner.

    Packs up very small and weighs around 5kg 


    Easthills Outdoors Instant Shader Enhanced Pop Up Beach Tent Instant Sun Shelter with UPF 50+ UV...

    Most beach shelters are just for sitting in, but this Easthills shelter has a bit more headroom. 

    It’s simple to erect and doesn't cost the earth. Options of pale blue or beige. Very lightweight. It comes with a porch extension, bag, stakes and guylines.

    • Floor size: 250 x 135cm
    • Height: 145cm
    • Pack size: 100 x 21 x 21cm
    • Weight: 3.6kg


    Kelty Screenhouse Tent - Medium, Cool Grey/Putty/Apple Green

    Very handsome and well-respected. 

    • Floor size: 274 x 335cm
    • Max height: 188cm (M), 193cm (L)
    • Weight: 6kg (M)
    • Pack size: Around 25 x 60cm (details vary)


    Airy like a gazebo but with zip-down sides for shelter. 

    It’s versatile and not too tricky to inflate (though it’s better with two people). We like the skylight panels.

    • Size: 300 x 300x 220cm
    • Pack size: 75 x 35 x 34cm
    • Weight: 11.1kg

    Coleman

    Coleman make shelters that provide protection from the sun, the wind and the rain, thanks to their WindStrongâ„¢system. The range has shelters of all sizes with vented canopies, shock-corded poles, patent-pending hubs and guylines.


    Coleman Gazebo, Event Shelter for Garden and Camping, Sturdy Steel Poles Construction, Large Event...

    A choice of large or XL with sunwalls and groundsheet options. There’s a fast-pitch model in two sizes as well.

    • Floor size: 360 x 360cm and 450 x 450cm
    • Max height: Around 230cm
    • Weight: 15 to 22kg
    • Pack size: 30 x 23 x 83cm to 100 x 22 x 35cm


    Coleman Deluxe Event Shelter, Event Shelter for Garden and Camping, Sturdy Steel Poles Construction,...

    Up in seconds thanks to the spring out poles, the Coleman Deluxe is great for all kinds of weather.

    Looks lovely for a garden as well as any warm weather camping. Well-made and up in seconds.

    • Floor size: 455 x 400cm
    • Max height: 228cm
    • Weight: 26.8kgs

    OUR TOP PICK

    Coleman Gazebo Event Dome Shelter, L - 3,65M x 3,65M for Festivals, Garden and Camping, Sturdy Steel...

    The Coleman Event Dome is a lighter version of the original shelter, and there are two sizes available. The ‘power walls’ at the corners add stability. Weatherproof and foldable mesh walls give more shelter from rain and wind.

    • Floor size: 350×350 and 450x450cm
    • Max height: Around 218/228cm
    • Weight: 11 to 15kg
    • Pack size:  64 x 22.5 x 22.5cm and 65 x 26 x 26cm


    Coleman Tent Octagon, 6 to 8 Man Festival Dome Tent, Waterproof Family Camping Tent with Sewn-in...

    Not exactly a shelter, but a tent with versatility – and one of our favourite tents, in fact.

    The Coleman Cortes Octagon has six large windows and hinged doors that open like real doors. The flysheet can be removed to transform the tent into a bug-proof screenroom. Also available in a wide range of colours which always helps.

    • Floor size: 396 x 396 cm
    • Max height: 215cm
    • Weight: 20.7kg
    • Pack size: 85 x 30 x 30cm

    Need something more permanent shelter in your garden? Check out our guide to Hard Top Gazebos

    Fishing Shelters

    They’re always discreetly khaki and very good in the rain (check out our Waterproofing your gazebo article), so have a look at what fishing bivvies have to offer.

    The downside is that they’re usually only for one person – and that person is usually sitting down a lot.

    No longer recommended

    Sad to say, we can’t recommend the Zempire shelter or the similar dome shelters by Trespass. They looked promising, but haven’t stood up to use. The Airgo shelter is also, in our opinion, a no-go, at least in anything above a light breeze!

    AND don’t forget the multipurpose 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 use this Unigear tarp.

    Tarp poles

    Providing you have the tarp clips, guyline and trees, it’s pretty easy to make yourself a shelter. But for extra versatility, add a few tarp poles like the Noorsk above to your kit.

    Go for as light as possible and don’t forget to check how many eyelets your tarp has to accommodate the pole ends.

    This Justcamp tent and tarp pole is fantastic for height (it’s telescopic up to 95 to 230cm), so it would work as the central pole in a lightweight bell tent or tipi.

    Tent and tarp poles made to last

    The Unigear tarp poles are the best we’ve found if you need something more packable than the ones mentioned above. They’ll give you between 40 and 240cm of height and are made with lightweight (800g in total) but strong aircraft aluminium. They also have some good bits of design to add strength and make it easier to set up. They come in a set of two.

    Bungee cords for guylines

    Thanks to ex-para and now car-camper Tommy Graham for his tip on using stretch rope or bungee cords when tying down tarps and other shelters. Go for reflective or bright-coloured

    Clever fasteners

    Buy yourself extra tarp clips and ball bungees to make your tarp even more versatile.

    Choose from screw-down tarp clips or our favourite slide-shut â€˜clingon’ type tarp clips are our favourite.

    Also have a look at our 66 ways to use a tarp, for inspiration.

    Looprope

    Just discovered Looprope too – an ingenious way of tying down loads or tarpaulins, and with a hundred and one uses. Never tangles and safer than hooked bungees. They start at around £20, which isn’t bad, but might work out expensive if you need a few to create a cargo net effect.

    Fishing umbrellas for shelter?

    One of our readers told us they used a fishing brolly instead of a tarp. It’s a great tip. 

    We like the Zebco storm brolly as it’s very tall (with side panels)

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why get a gazebo for your camping trips?

    If you are a camping or glamping enthusiast, having a gazebo for you really enhances the experience. A great gazebo can even make it possible for you to have some sort of luxury indoors while you’re out in the wild. Gazebos offer a variety of different uses. Whether you just want something cool to hang out in, or if you’re planning to cook up some delicious food in your gazebo or just want somewhere to store all your gear; they’re definitely worth looking into.

    Can a gazebo be used as a tent?

    I'm sure you've heard the saying that gazebos make great tents. Well, is it true? The answer isn't quite clear cut, but if you're in a pinch and need a temporary tent or shelter, a gazebo can get the job done. Make sure you check the features before buying is it rain proof for one!

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