Canopy tents go by a lot of names: screen houses, outdoor canopies, camping shelters, day tents, camping gazebos, patio shelters, portable shelters, and (our favorite) portable gazebos. No matter what you call them, though, a good one should protect you from the trifecta of outdoor discomforts—sun, rain, and bugs—while you’re picnicking or camping, and it should be intuitively designed and pleasant to sit in. Our favorite of the eight canopy tents we tested, the REI Co-op Screen House Shelter ticks all those boxes. However, it isn’t meant as a place to sleep; for that you should choose a regular car-camping tent.
Our pick
REI Co-Op Screen House Shelter
Our favorite canopy tent is a simply designed, comfortable shelter that offers protection from bugs, sun, and rain.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $250.
The REI Co-op Screen House Shelter is easy to set up and pleasant to use, providing good protection from bugs, sun, and gentle rain showers. A high ceiling makes the tent feel brighter and more airy than other camping shelters with a similar footprint.
Runner-up
L.L.Bean Woodlands Screen House
A lower roof makes this shelter feel notably smaller than our top pick, but it’s also durably made and ready to pair with a superior rain fly (sold separately).
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $280.
Compared with our top day-tent pick, the L.L.Bean Woodlands Screen House uses arguably superior materials; it also comes with an unsurpassed warranty. But with a ceiling that’s 6 inches lower, it feels smaller and darker.
Also great
Coleman Mountain View 12 × 12 Screendome Shelter
The Coleman Mountain View is a spacious, adjustable canopy that offers more sun protection than either of our top picks. But it also suffers more durability complaints and frequently goes out of stock.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $172.
With a 12-foot-square footprint and a peak height of 7 feet 5 inches, the Coleman Mountain View 12 × 12 Screendome Shelter is brighter and significantly more spacious than most comparable camping gazebos. A domed roof made of bright white and teal polyester offers more shade than the squarer roofs on our top pick and runner-up. The tent’s mesh walls are removable, and you can clip on the two included polyester wall panels for extra shade or privacy. Some durability complaints and stock issues keep this model out of the top spot, however.
Also great
Clam Quick-Set Escape
The Quick-Set Escape is a tougher, heavier shelter, and it sets up in a snap.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $255.
The Clam Quick-Set Escape was by far the toughest canopy tent we tested. It’s made with reinforced polyester and heavyweight no-see-um mesh, and it comes with the strongest stakes we’ve seen on any tent. The Clam also sets up and folds down with remarkable speed—we timed the process at 60 seconds. However, this model is too big to fit in the trunks of most sedans, and the muted colors look good when it’s sunny but can feel a bit gloomy if it’s already rainy out.