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Hello! We live in the Raleigh area and make occasional day trips to the beautiful NC beaches. We're looking for recommendations for portable shade that will withstand the wind! When we first moved here, we got one of those cheap umbrellas. That didn't last long. Then we got one of those canopy tents since we wanted something sturdier for our family. It provides a good amount of shade, but it's really heavy, bulky, and the structure quickly started bending in the wind. We've reinforced with guy-lines, but it's at the end of its life. We're looking for something lighter and more durable that will provide enough shade for at least 2 people. It needs to be easy to set up and take down, and to withstand the sand and salt that gets into everything. I've been researching online, reading "the best beach ..." articles, but reviews from real consumers don't always match the promises. I don't want to spend a lot of money on something that's going to collapse the first time we use it. I'd like something that'll last a few years. I'm considering sunshades, cabanas, etc. I thought I'd check with people on the Coastal NC forum to see if you've found anything that works. Thanks in advance for the advice!
We have a couple of auger type umbrellas that provide shade for 4-6 people and are pretty sturdy. I think ours were 40-50 dollars at Costco. Well worth it as an airborne umbrella can be very dangerous.
I would stay with the canopy style and look for one that appears to be easy to set up, durable, and rust resistant.
To help with the weight issue, consider a 'beach wagon' with larger, inflated tires to lug all your stuff if you have room to transport it in your vehicle.
Finally, with the canopy, find some cheap stuff sacks that hold about a gallon or more and some para cord or something similar. Once the canopy is set up, fill the sacks with sand, tie the para cord around the neck of the sack and attach the other end of the cord up near the top of each leg of the canopy, pulling the cord tight. The added weight of the bag of sand at each corner with go a long way in helping to hold your shade in place under most conditions. Empty the sacks when you are ready to leave and pack up.
I have tried some of the pop up beach tents but they are usually small. They provide shade but they are simply too hot no matter how many screen windows are in them.
Thanks for the responses. I've been wondering about the Neso or Otentik type sunshades, as well as something like the Lightspeed Quick Canopy or the Pacific Breeze Easy Up Beach Tent. Does anyone have experience with any of those? They are pretty pricey, but more of what we're looking for based on the descriptions.
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My wife and I love these cabanas so much we bought two of them. The best thing about them is they only have one pole (the corners are held down by sand) and aren't technically a cabana, so the cabana bans don't apply to them. They are a little pricey, but I have never owned a better beach shade device.
Since we ordered our first one they released larger models with slightly different mechanics, and we like the bigger one (pictured below) much better. We recommend these to everyone, and when we are set up at the beach we always have people ask about them.
I would suggest the Shibumi Shade, https://www.shibumishade.com/. Lightweight and built to function in the wind. Made in North Carolina. They were on backorder when our family was going down to the beach in late July. We sent them an email and they were able to provide one for us to enjoy on our trip. Give it a look.
We saw some people with the Shibumi shade on one of the barrier islands of NC. We were in love with it and very impressed with how it worked on a windy day. But $250 is pretty steep, considering that wind is needed to keep it aloft, and so many HOT beach days are also windless. We will keep carrying our beautiful and sturdy wooden post and fiberglass ribbed beach umbrella with plastic sand anchor. It's heavy but it does the job. https://shop.outdoorlivingyourway.co...rellas_c36.htm
My wife and I love these cabanas so much we bought two of them. The best thing about them is they only have one pole (the corners are held down by sand) and aren't technically a cabana, so the cabana bans don't apply to them. They are a little pricey, but I have never owned a better beach shade device.
Since we ordered our first one they released larger models with slightly different mechanics, and we like the bigger one (pictured below) much better. We recommend these to everyone, and when we are set up at the beach we always have people ask about them.
Absolutely correct! Took ours to southern NC and everyone commented on the Cool cabana . IF YOU DONT PULL DOWN THE SIDES THAT HOLD THE SAND ITS CONSIDERED AN UMBRELLA NOT A CABANA. ! we did this so we did not have to set up way in the back by the hot sand
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