Windy Conditions

By creekboy24 Ranked #262 - Tents August 28, 2008

We bought this specifically for use at the beach after reading the reviews. We put it to the test at Hilton Head island and I was immediately disappointed. Now we did have a decent, steady wind coming across the beach, but my experience with past Kelty products told me that this sunshade should have been fine.

We set it up, and staked it out at all corners, including the guy lines. Within a few minutes of getting it set up, the wind was flexing the poles so bad they bent inwards, collapsing the canopy. Rotating the whole thing so it would face different directions did nothing. After reading other reviews here I'm surprised the poles didn't snap, that seems to happen frequently with this product.

What's sad is that a lot of other people were using those square canopies with the four aluminum legs that stand straight up like you buy at Dicks Sporting Goods or Wal-Mart for $50. They weren't having any issues with the wind, and there I was with my fancy Kelty sheepishly stuffing it back into the bag. It would have been nice if it had held up, temps were in the upper 90's all week.

I'm returning this product as I don't have much use for something that can't take a normal wind load.

View Details: Kelty Sunshade

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