Do you need a large tent that you can use as a portable car canopy? This 10 x 20 foot True Shelter “carport” assembles in under 1 hour. Plus, you can use this shade structure for special events, garden bed, camping, backyard shade areas and even flea markets…
These assemble-yourself canopies can work well to protect your vehicle or boat next to your house. You can pick them up for only about $200-$300, and a single person can put the frame and roof together in about 1 hour.
Plus, you can dis-assemble the frame quickly and move it from one location to another. You don’t need any tools, and the poles don’t have any bolts or screw to hassle with either.
And, if you keep the box that the product comes in, you can neatly store all the pieces in a fairly small space. The box also makes it really convenient to transport the large tent if you take it camping of something.
We Put the True Shelter Car Canopy to the Test:
And speaking of camping, we decided to test out the True Shelter for ourselves to see how it performed. We took it out for a week in the windy desert of Nevada in 100 degree temperatures.
Overall, the product performed well, considering the low price. However, we attribute this to 2 key factors:
- Additional ratchet straps that we added to give more structural support to the frame.
- Rebar ground stakes that did not come with the package.
The frame stayed intact for the entire week with no movement, bending or breaking. In addition, the canopy remained secure for several days.
Note: However, on the third day, heavy wind gusts proved to be too stressful on the velcro straps that secured the canopy to the sides of the frame. As a result, the straps tore off of the canopy, leaving one side flapping in the wind.
The corner valence tie-downs stayed in place. That said, we removed the canopy entirely for fear that the valences would soon break away under the added pressure.
We plan to use the shelter again, since the canopy fabric and metal frame are still in great condition. But we will create more secure velcro side attachments prior to setting up the canopy.
From our experience, the heavy, thick frame makes this parking cover much more sturdy than your typical pop up shade tent. And, if you set up the canopy as a carport against the side of your house, you may not even need to worry about wind gusts.
Specs for the True Shelter Portable Car Canopy:
- Dimensions: 10′ Wide x 20′ Long x 9′ Tall
- Shaded Area: 200 Square Feet
- Weight: 87 lbs
- Frame Material: Galvanized Steel (rust resistant)
- Canopy Material: UV-Protected Polyethylene
- Canopy Color: Light Grey
- Does Not Include Ground Stakes
- Assembly Required
- No Tools Needed
- Instruction Manual
- Model: 10 x 20
- Brand/Manufacturer: True Shelter/Jump King
- For Sale: Where to Buy the True Shelter Canopy
King Canopy Carport Tent:
The King Canopy Carport Tent looks virtually identical to the True Shelter above in size, shape and design. However, you can get the overhead canopy in 3 different colors (green, white or beige/tan).
King Canopy powder-coats their frame white though, instead of leaving it bare metal like the True Shelter. And the post bases look slightly different.
Note: The main difference between the 2 shelter tents is that the King Canopy has 8 legs, whereas the True Shelter has 6. The additional legs may provide extra support, but they also may get in the way of opening car doors, etc..
In addition, the frame assembles the same for either brand. The support posts and ceiling poles fit snugly into the corner brackets without needing tools.
The video below shows how to put together the car canopy. (By the way, the directions apply to both tents.)