[SmartsyArtsy]

Hi, I am about to purchase a canopy and from what I see, there is a wide range in price. As far as wind, I intend to secure a 25 lb weight on each leg. It must be easy for me to put it up by myself, so I am looking at the pop-up canopies.

I am interested in hearing your reviews.

[GEP]

What is your price range for how much you are willing to spend? My best recommendation for a very sturdy, reliable canopy that can be setup by one person is the Light Dome ( http://www.lightdomecanopies.com/ ). It costs about $1000. My advice is that the right time to invest $1000 in your canopy is when you are doing more than two outdoor shows per year, and you have committed to doing shows for the long term. If you are doing one or two shows per year, and are still deciding whether you want to do them for the long term, then a $300 canopy will make more sense, like an EZ-up or a Caravan. I don't have any user experience with those, I've heard many bad stories of canopy failure is bad weather, but if you are only doing one or two shows per year, your chances of experiencing extreme weather are very low.

25lbs of weight on each leg should be sufficient in most situations. If the weather forecast is calling for 50 mph wind gusts, then you'll want to beef that up. But otherwise, you should be fine.

The good news for people shopping for a canopy is that many artists are trying to sell used ones. Lots of folks dive in for the $1000 canopy before figuring out they don't like doing festivals. There's a forum called Art Fair Insiders ( http://artfairinsiders.com ) where people can buy and sell used equipment. You might luck out!

Mea

[JLowes]

I have a Caravan that is the easy to put up type and do a few outdoors shows per year. I think mine was under $300 for the tent and an accessory weight bag set. The first show I used the tent had thunderstorms the evening of set up, and each of the two days and nights of the show, and I had no problems with the tent (it was setup mid-row with tents to either side) either structurally, or with the weight bags. Another exhibitors Easy-Up collapsed and was rendered unrepairable in one of the overnight storms, but they were on an end.

I got the one with the steel frame, the Displayshade model from Elite Deals http://www.elitedeal...ca10x10dit.html as I thought the steel frame is more repairable should there come an issue, versus an aluminum frame (I have a friend that has the Easy-Up and has had several repairs made to her aluminum frame, but it always requires a welder.) I have put it up by myself a couple of times this year, but it is definitely easier with assistance. Usually someone will see you going solo and offer to help.

At shows I look at the Light Dome and Craft Hut style canopies with their pipe frames and tall roofs with a bit of envy. I just don't do enough now to justify the expense of a new one, but in the next year or so I will pick up the pace and will be seriously looking at those types. We should take Mea's suggestion and look at previously owned and see how it compares to new for the lighter duty canopies. It may be a good way to go.

John

[phill]

easy up...easy down

[Mark C.]

phill, on 06 December 2011 - 10:05 PM, said:

easy up...easy down

I agree an the easy up if you are just doing a few shows-they make many different models-use a bit more # per leg-35-40# is best
solid steel bar stock 2x2 x 36 inches long works well
Mark

[GEP]

Mark C., on 12 January 2012 - 01:10 PM, said:

phill, on 06 December 2011 - 10:05 PM, said:

easy up...easy down

I agree an the easy up if you are just doing a few shows-they make many different models-use a bit more # per leg-35-40# is best
solid steel bar stock 2x2 x 36 inches long works well
Mark

Mark, where did you get the solid steel bar stock? In the photo of your booth that you posted in another thread, those leg weights look really nice. Very compact.

Mea

[Mark C.]

GEP, on 12 January 2012 - 02:27 PM, said:

Mark C., on 12 January 2012 - 01:10 PM, said:

phill, on 06 December 2011 - 10:05 PM, said:

easy up...easy down

I agree an the easy up if you are just doing a few shows-they make many different models-use a bit more # per leg-35-40# is best
solid steel bar stock 2x2 x 36 inches long works well
Mark

Mark, where did you get the solid steel bar stock? In the photo of your booth that you posted in another thread, those leg weights look really nice. Very compact.

Mea

My weights are lead filled-I would go with the bar stock next time around-I have two friends with them-have a hole drilled thru the top to attack to canopy top with string or wire-this setup is better than what i now have-any place that sells steel-like a machine shop-they can cut it and drill it for you(3/8 hole or larger)-you can paint it before it rusts
I have gone thru about 7-8 canopys in my life-the aluminum ones are the ones i use now that i'm older-I do have a few steel ones left-I seem to keep 4 around-2 in van and two new in boxes. when i find the at a deal I buy extras-as I do with all things.The canopys in that photo came from a sams club many years ago-they are a discontinued model of easyup-I bought 4 back then
I do a few shows where 40# per leg is required
hope this helps
mark

[neilestrick]

I love my Caravan pop-up. Compared to my friends EZUps, it's way better, for just a little more money. I'm using PVC tubes filled with concrete for weights, but I do like the idea of steel bar stock. A friend of mine has PVC filled with sand, and they just aren't heavy enough.

[Bobg]

I bought a First Up from Walmart this past summer. This was the first year I've done any outside selling. I can put it up by myself and it goes up quick. I paid $95 for it and it's cheap for a first timer. You can also get a kit to put walls on it if that's something you need.

Bobg

[SmartsyArtsy]

Neil, what's the dia & length of the pvc for each of your concrete weights?

[neilestrick]

SmartsyArtsy, on 06 September 2012 - 02:57 AM, said:

Neil, what's the dia & length of the pvc for each of your concrete weights?

3" diameter pipe, 30" long. If I remember right, the pipe cam e in 10 foot lengths, and I just cut it into 4 equal pieces. I put on PVC end caps, and an I-Bolt in one end to hang them from. Use all stainless steel hardware. Filled with concrete, the Quickcrete type you don't have to pre-mix (red bag) . Just put in a bit of water, fill it halfway with concrete, add a bit more water and fill the rest of thew way. Part of me wishes I had used 4" pipe instead.

My caravan got taken out by 70mph winds at a show this summer, but $65 later it's good to go. A bunch of the truss bars got bent. Some heavy duty tents also got taken down in that storm.