During the summer, it’s not uncommon to see beach tents lining the coast, and there’s a good reason behind this. Beach tents are praised for being great portable shelters, especially on exposed beaches where escape from the sun can be difficult. Here we explore if they are worth it and live up to the summer hype.
Beach tents are completely worth your money if you’re looking for a lightweight, compact shelter that protects you from the sun on the beach. As long as the tent walls have a UV coating, they’ll work well to keep you cool and prevent any lasting sun damage.
Below, I examine both sides of the beach tent debate, outlining the benefits and drawbacks that might impact your decision to buy one. Read on to see if a beach tent is worth your investment.
Benefits of a Beach Tent
The bottom line is that beach tents are worth it to provide shade and shelter at the beach. If you’re looking for a tent that is fit for overnight stays on the beach, you’ll have to look into camping tents.
I’ve outlined the benefits and drawbacks below if you’re still unsure if a beach tent is for you. Below we have 10 benefits of a beach tent. Keep reading to see why I think they are worth it.
Also, I’ve compiled a list of the best tents for beach camping for you and loaded it with reliable recommendations. You can look it up whenever you need to buy one.
1. Offer Additional Sun Protection
First and foremost, a beach tent’s most important benefit is additional sun protection. Instead of scouring the beach to find a shady spot, a beach tent makes it easy to create shade whenever needed.
2. Great for Children and Pets
Since babies, children, and pets have less developed mechanisms to help regulate their body temperature, they need to be provided with shade.
Beach tents are an easy way to create shade quickly and keep your little ones cool.
3. Wind Buffer
Another great advantage of a beach tent is that it acts as a wind buffer. Since beaches are usually exposed, they are notorious for getting seriously windy.
Beach tents are a great way to seek shelter from strong breezes and prevent sand from getting everywhere.
4. Sand-Free Space
While keeping you shaded and wind-free, beach tents can also act as sand-free spaces.
We know it can be difficult to keep sand out of everything when you’re on the beach, but it’s made simple due to the enclosed design of a beach tent.
This is handy if you’re eating, need to change a diaper, or are sick of the sand.
5. Good Airflow
A good beach tent will have some decent airflow.
Ventilation in any tent (camping or beach) is essential, and while beach tents tend to be much more open, you still want to ensure there’s a degree of airflow through the tent walls.
This prevents the tent from gathering pressure inside and blowing off when it gets windy.
6. Privacy
Personally, the reason I always take a beach tent along to the beach is because of the sense of privacy it offers.
Especially when changing from my swimming costume into my dry clothes, a beach tent makes this change much more modest!
7. Lightweight, Compact, and Easy to Set Up
Unlike camping tents, beach tents are super easy to set up. Usually, with only a couple of poles, it’s straightforward for one person to put it together.
They are also compact and lightweight, easily moving to and from the beach. Essential if you’re traveling with kids.
8. Improve Beach Comfort
Beach tents also drastically improve beach comfort.
With the combination of privacy, shade, and wind shelter, you’ll likely have a much more comfortable experience at the beach, making your trip even better.
9. Convenience
Another great reason to invest in a beach tent is its convenience. As well as their compact design, they are great markers for your beach site.
They are easy to set up, store belongings, and protect you from the sun. What’s not to like?
10. Cheap
Compared to other tents, beach tents are generally affordable. Depending on the size of the tent and the degree of UV protection you want the walls to have will impact the price point.
However, they are still relatively inexpensive.
Drawbacks of Beach Tents
While there are plenty of reasons to suggest why a beach tent is worth it, there are also several drawbacks. Take a look below and see what you make of these.
1. Thin Material
While a lightweight tent can be advantageous for its portability, it can also have its downsides, particularly in terms of durability.
Beach tents are usually made from ultra-lightweight material, which makes them easy to carry.
However, the sturdiness of these materials is not always guaranteed, so you’ll want to exercise caution when using them on rocky beaches.
2. Not Waterproof
Most beach tents are generally not waterproof, so keep this in mind if you’re looking for a tent that can handle different weather conditions.
Also, remember that if you’re pitching up close to the shoreline, a beach tent will give you and your belongings minimum to no protection against the sea!
3. Small Size
Beach tents, unlike camping tents, are usually much smaller. This means it won’t work well to accommodate big groups or lots of beach gear.
If you plan on ordering a beach tent offline, check how big it will be first.
4. Anchor It Down
Combining a lightweight tent and windy weather can make keeping a beach tent in place pretty challenging. This is why anchoring down a beach tent is so important.
Filling up sandbags or knocking in long pegs can be time-consuming and tiring. On this note, beach tents are inconvenient.
5. Not For Camping
Beach tents are only useful for one place: the beach. They can’t be adapted to use camping or during wet weather.
With this, ask yourself how often you plan to go to the beach and if it’s worth spending the money on.
6. Check the Specs
Lastly, while beach tents might be cheap, you want to ensure they have the right specifications. When purchasing a beach tent, ensure the walls are coated in UV protection.
It’s all well having some shade, but a beach tent without a UV coating may still put you at risk of sun damage.
Beach are Worth Every Penny BUT…
Weighing up the benefits and disadvantages of a beach tent, I’ve concluded that they are worth it.
For an affordable price, a beach tent can provide sun and wind protection, a place to shade the kids, and a fair bit of privacy.
While there are drawbacks, we’d recommend investing in a beach tent that guarantees UV protection! If you’re looking for a tent that can double up for camping, beach tents won’t make the cut.
I believe that beach tents are worth it. Through our detailed analyses of the pros and cons, we concluded that if you’re looking for a tent that’ll create shade on the beach, these tents are worth every penny.
BUT…
If you are looking for a camping tent, look elsewhere, as beach tents will not give you enough shelter for sleeping in overnight.