Canopy for club launch

I'd borrowed a canopy from a friend at work a couple of times last year and decided that I needed to get my own for a launch this weekend. So on Monday of this week I did some shopping online and decided on this one:

E-Z UP 10 x 10 Vista Pop Up Canopy

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GGBM0O6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20



With Amazon Prime "free" shipping I paid $106.45 for it and was told it would arrive on Friday.

When I got home last night it was waiting on my porch, two days early.

The first time you open it you have to put the canopy cover on, it's shipped in the same box but separate from the metal structure. Once you put it on you can collapse the canopy and open it next time without having to undo the canvas anywhere. It stays on - which is a helpful feature. I've seen other people set up these things and getting the canvas over the structure is a PITA! My 8 year old son and I were able to get it set up on our own and it was fairly easy to pack away.

It also comes with a packing case that has roller wheels on it, and metal stakes to hold the feet to the ground (must remember to put a hammer in the range box!!).

So far I'm VERY impressed with what I got for the money. Now I just have to see how well it holds up to some light wind. I'm not planning on using it on a beach or in bad weather, only at rocket launches, so I expect it will be perfect.

The bad news I got yesterday... this weekend's club launch was rescheduled and moved to a different location, so I won't be needing the canopy this weekend after all. Bummer.

Good choice I've had mine for more than 10 years. I also used mine at the race track where almost all the rest of the members of my class also had them. Placed side to side in the pits it amounted to a solid canopy 30 yards long

Hey 'stang-won't hurt to put in some more grommets every corner and use tie down straps to stakes to secure this. Torsional rigidity of the legs is marginal at best. If you keep 'em nailed, they live a lot longer.

Got something similar on eBay for $44.90 with free shipping.

Harbor Freight with 25% off coupon.....

dave carver said:

Good choice I've had mine for more than 10 years. I also used mine at the race track where almost all the rest of the members of my class also had them. Placed side to side in the pits it amounted to a solid canopy 30 yards long

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You must do all your launching indoors. I've never had one last more than a year or so before the wind adjusted the frame geometry.

Lifespan will be greatly affected by the wind it gets subjected to. Here in the midwest, wind is unpredictable enough that they typically only last about 5 years at the most.

Al - If you'd stop using yours as a trampoline, they'd last longer....

-Kevin

H_Rocket said:

You must do all your launching indoors. I've never had one last more than a year or so before the wind adjusted the frame geometry.

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I've used it in some fairly stiff winds but what you do is drop the legs on the windward half way down to make an 'angled' shelter. I saw that in the instructions somewhere...Yah, I actually READ the instructions...sometimes Before the Pop-Up I had a screen shelter but a microburst flattened it with me and others in it twisting the frame all to s***. I use the screen part thrown over the Pop-Up, works great.

troj said:

Lifespan will be greatly affected by the wind it gets subjected to. Here in the midwest, wind is unpredictable enough that they typically only last about 5 years at the most.

Al - If you'd stop using yours as a trampoline, they'd last longer....

-Kevin

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Now you tell me.

It just seems all of mine come wit a built in micro-burst attractor. I can spool up 75MPH winds just by unzipping the case mine comes in.

I like the canopy, but agree that the life expectancy will be determined by the amount of wind and the abuse it can withstand. Canopies are like parachutes in that regards. They catch wind and when they do can cause some damage. It's a lot like a flat parachute. It lands on the ground and if the wind is strong enough it will catch it and drag a rocket for ever causing more damage than what the rocket may have had when it initially landed. Make sense?

I think the best way to invest in a canopy is just to build one. Use lightweight but strong legs and have a lot of support (tie downs) around the perimeter of the canopy. Have a flat roof top made out of mesh which will block the sun light and also allow the wind to pass through. I would also have sidewall mesh walls to provide additional shade from all around. Also heavy duty stakes is a must!!

Bat-mite said:

Got something similar on eBay for $44.90 with free shipping.

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Hope that's really heavy duty Bat, it looks eerily similar to one I got at Publix...that one wasn't pop up, just poles and plastic connectors with a cheap plastic cover. I used it once then invested in a stronger one...

Same 12' version on-sale at Sears right now for $79.99!

https://www.sears.com/e-z-up-12ft-sierra-ii-shelter/p-00618281000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

10' version $64.79

https://www.sears.com/e-z-up-sierra-ii-8482-canopy/p-00622710000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1


Jerome

Do not trust the small tent pegs they provide or simply angling one side of the canopy down. In dust devils, these pop shelters have been observed as high as 1000 feet in the air.

Invest in heavy duty stakes, and 15'-20' long adjustable cargo straps. Use them. Still have three of these with the oldest being over 15 years old.

Prolonged sunlight will destroy the canopy but it can be replaced.

screw in dog chain anchors work great with ropes to anchor down

Spend some more money and get the better one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002VUBBS2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It's a true 10 x 10ft without the angled legs.

The $80 to $100 units are garbage!
They can vary widely in quality.
I regret getting the $100 one... It's ok but not that sturdy.
I had one fail before 3 days were up at LDRS.
Took it back to Sports Authority and got my money back.


JD

I've had mine for 15 years. It survived a couple visits to Bonneville including the monsoon at LDRS 17on it's first use. There were 20-30 of the cheaper units in the dumpster after that storm. The main difference between the cheaper units and more expensive ones is the corners. On the low end models they are plastic and will not hold up to heavy wind. The higher end models use (or used) welded steel corners and they are much stronger. Right after I bought mine they started powder coating the legs too. That helps them last longer, although mine was rusted since the first use it's held up fine.

JeromeK99 said:

Same 12' version on-sale at Sears right now for $79.99!

https://www.sears.com/e-z-up-12ft-sierra-ii-shelter/p-00618281000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

10' version $64.79

https://www.sears.com/e-z-up-sierra-ii-8482-canopy/p-00622710000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1


Jerome

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There's got to be a LOT of people that do nothing except post pages on Amazon for things that can be ordered elsewhere for less, and then offer "free" delivery ($12 worth) by adding $40 onto the price they buy it. They could have taken my money and ordered it from Sears themselves, and had it shipped to my house. There's approx $30 in their pocket for placing the order from Sears instead of me doing it myself.

It would probably take a long time (weeks? months?) to set up enough items for sale on Amazon for it to be a money maker, but once you've got them all in place all it would take is being very organized and you could make tons of money. You'd have to regularly go through all your items to make sure you're reselling them for enough, and make sure you fulfill all the orders without getting many bad marks.

Hmmmm....

JeromeK99 said:

10' version $64.79

https://www.sears.com/e-z-up-sierra-ii-8482-canopy/p-00622710000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1




Jerome

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Oooh Oooh, tried the link, $52.99 shipped to store for the 10 footer!

I'm on my 3rd or 4th canopy. Once a leg gets bent, they don't fold and easily break. Had top scissor beans break too.

Long life required stake it down and get help opening / collapsing them. Do it your self, you torque it too much and it is done. If it is windy during takedown, you're hosed.

I bought a REAL real cheap 10 x 10 canopy 10-12 years ago. It was OK and i still keep it around as an extra, but it had to be put together piece by piece (a real PITA) and the frame is very cheap and bendable aluminum. I have no doubt in a real windstorm it would get shredded.

My main canopy now is one of the 10 x 10 EZ-Ups and I have been very happy with it so far. I keep the corners staked down and usually anchor one end to the hatch-end of my SUV. I have never been caught in a major windstorm yet. A couple times I've had to grab ahold of a leg, but it's never been completely flipped by weather.

BABAR said:

Oooh Oooh, tried the link, $52.99 shipped to store for the 10 footer!

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Ya, I saw that yesterday too! A Sears ad popped up on another website. So I bought another one for a buddy of mine. I had borrowed his and wore it out over the past couple of summers. I had just bought one for me a couple of months ago for $79.99...

The EZ-Up brand is the best quality for the buck. Just stake it down "before" the wind and you'll have no problems.

Jerome

The secret to making these last is not to underestimate the strength and unpredictability of the wind. Collapsing the side of the ezup facing into the wind helps greatly and if it really gets to blowing take the covering off till it settles down. For multiday launches where wind is the king consider the do it your self approach:

https://www.ysbw.com/

While not "easy to put up" these will survive very strong winds and since they use conduit are easy and cheap to repair.

terryg said:

The secret to making these last is not to underestimate the strength and unpredictability of the wind. Collapsing the side of the ezup facing into the wind helps greatly and if it really gets to blowing take the covering off till it settles down. For multiday launches where wind is the king consider the do it your self approach:

https://www.ysbw.com/

While not "easy to put up" these will survive very strong winds and since they use conduit are easy and cheap to repair.

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Thanks for the link, I will be needing something like that this summer for some auto repair, then I will also have it for launches.....

I got my parts for my canopy from Yuma, I went with the 1" size. I have it set up for two 8'x10' mesh tops. In the 2 years I've had it I've never had to take it down in the wind. I fly out at Black Rock and it can get a tad windy sometimes. On only one occasion did it get pretty warm under The mesh tops at BR.

It does take time, 20 min (?), to set up. It's also heavy and bulky. But not having to worry about "having" to take it down, or worrying about if it's going to damage my neighbors car or them is worth it.

Tony

I really like the First-Ips with the straight legs. Anyone know what happened to them?

The cheap ones will have very small square tube legs. Plus the tops are a different even in the same brand. The tops with the silver underside stay much cooler. You get what you pay for.

I picked up my first canopy for last weekend. The wife put her foot in the sand and said she won't go to the launch unless I bought one, so I bought one anyway. We went with an REI Alcove. Reason being was the pack size. I didn't want the standard EZ-up because it would have taken up too much space inside the car. It was easy to set up and provided great shelter. Sure you have to put it up like a tent but it goes fast.

I would look into getting a couple side mesh tarps to provide the much needed shade and still allow the breeze to pass through.

cwbullet said:

I really like the First-Ips with the straight legs. Anyone know what happened to them?

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Not sure, I bought one at Wal-Mart years ago along with the solid walls add-on, and its been awesome. Just did some checking at WallyMarts site and they say "not available" at this time, however the Ozark Trail/First Up canopies are the same and the Ozark Trail version just says "out of stock". Its time for me to get new top for mine, as the top is getting full of small holes, we use it for camping, rocketry, events, and even setting up on our back patio for a month at a time during canning season. The biggest key to survivability with awnings is securing them so the wind doesn't buck them around.

JeromeK99 said:

Ya, I saw that yesterday too! A Sears ad popped up on another website. So I bought another one for a buddy of mine. I had borrowed his and wore it out over the past couple of summers. I had just bought one for me a couple of months ago for $79.99...

The EZ-Up brand is the best quality for the buck. Just stake it down "before" the wind and you'll have no problems.

Jerome

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OMG, I mis-read this line. I thought you said that you "had borrowed his wife and wore it out over the past couple of summers...." It just got funnier and weirder the farther I read. LOL!