ALPS Mountaineering Tri-Awning Sun Shelter - Special Buy

Comments about Alps Mountaineering Tri-Awning Sun Shelter - Special Buy:

Just received my Alps Tri Awning sun sheild dome and put it up (alone) in a trial run. So here are some first impressions about it from the standpoint of this first set-up experience (I will try to review again with experience over time).

First impressions upon receiving and opening package...

Likes: Compact black, nylon bag with clear, water-resistant window on the outside to hold instructions, etc (comes with a tent sales brochure; Simple and clear set-up instructions are sewn inside the carry bag-cool!

Dislikes: Material of bags are ok but sunshade nylon seems quite lightweight and not too impressive.

Thoughts after set-up...

Likes: Fairly easy to set up on a breezy/light windy day. Poles are very long and a lot of room is needed but the pole sleeves are spacious and the capped-ended poles slide in reasonable well with a bit of jockying. I was able to get the ground ends into their grommets fairly easily with some firm pulling of the nylon via a loop at the end, beyond the grommets. The clip-on side sunshield was very easy to install and is a must-have. Other brands seem to charge extra for this. The sunshade is quite roomy withe plenty of headroom even with the tent spread wide (I'm 5'8"). At minimal spread and max height, I imagine there would be 6'6" or more center height and the shape is sort of wide dome so the headroom is not just at a small point at the apex of the dome-there is a large area of headroom. One could easily cover a picnic table with spare room or accomodate two or three sleeping bags with room left over for a camp table. I love that the sunshade has one tall opening for viewing; These sunshades can feel dark and confining-awkward to move around and in and out but not this one!

Dislikes: One of the poles did come apart inside the sleeve as I was struggling a bit to get the shade up and it was a minor hassle to get it back together. The clip-in sunshield will not go on if the sunshade is stretched very wide. I was not impressed with the quality of the materials. The nylon fabric of the body of the sunshade is a thin, non-ripstop type that is disapointing. The corners, at the ground, the pole-sleeves, and a few other stress areas do seem to use a thicker nylon, though there is no further reinforcement where the capped ends of poles bottom (under force) in pockets at the eaves. The poles are fiberglass of considerable diameter. They make unsettling creaky sounds with even moderate flexing as if the fiberglass is beginning a process of disintigration (but as far as I know maybe fiberglass just does this and it is not a sign of breakdown and short life-I do have a glass-poled Eureka tent and it has held up well, but I don't recall the creaking/snap-crackle-pop sounds with it)-time will tell. Overall, the quality of the materials and construction are ordinary and not impressive.

Overall: Nice, roomy design with very useful, clip-in sunscreen panel and fairly straightforward set-up in non-windy conditions by one or two people (two would be much easier). Quality of materials seems only fair and I had hoped for more. At a substantially discounted price, I feel the Tri-Awning is likely to be an ok buy for light duty use (hopefully moderate duty use). At full price, I would certainly not have felt good upon receiving this product.

Comments about Alps Mountaineering Tri-Awning Sun Shelter - Special Buy:

I moved to West Africa a year ago and use this for shade on the beach. It holds up great against the wind, keeps the minimal rain storm off, and is easy to set up. It's only draw backs are that the stakes are weak so buy some sturdier ones, it's heavy, and the tent poles disconnect when you are pulling them out. The draw backs are no biggies, it's a great little set up and everyone seems to love it.

Comments about Alps Mountaineering Tri-Awning Sun Shelter - Special Buy:

Goes up quick. Use some stronger stakes if you get any wind. Very practical for car camping. Not a back packing item. What value!

Comments about Alps Mountaineering Tri-Awning Sun Shelter - Special Buy:

We just returned from a long Memorial Day weekend on the Texas coast and brought this shelter along with a more traditional four-sided one. We really enjoyed this one as it is fairly light-weight, easy to put up and allows for a nice breeze. It is perfect for sitting, but not standing, and the removable fly (super easy) can be moved throughout the day to block the sun. We had about six people comfortably sitting under it. Highly recommended.