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time for a new screenhouse!
Hello, I've been shopping for a screen house, but having a tough time finding exactly what I want. I'd prefer something that's at least 13x9, folds relatively compact and isn't too difficult to put up solo. Nice to haves include: shades for the windows to help shed rain and add privacy when away from camp, low weight (15 pounds or less) to that I could comfortably pack it with other gear in the roof box and metal poles.
Our old screen house was an Ozark Trail 9x13 that I picked up at Walmart for $40. I expected it to last a season, but to my surprise I got about 8 years out of it. Definitely a bargain! Sadly, they no longer make that model. They do however make a similar screen house (though I see it now has an external frame versus the internal of our old one) and the price has risen to around $50.
Some that I've been considering:
Ozark Trail external frame 9x13: It's similar to our old one, save for the external frame. Poles appear much lighter duty than our old one even though it costs more! Not sure about durability of the screen material, as the old one was prone to developing holes (easily patched though).
Eureka Northern Breeze: I love the looks of this one, but it's heavy and I can't justify $450 for something that will only be used 2 or 3 times a year (we only put up the screen house if we're staying in a spot for a week or more).
Eureka Breezeway: Almost as good as the one above, but also a bit expensive I feel for what you're getting.
Eureka Screenhouse: Size is just a touch larger than our old one, price is good but it is 4x the price of our old one for about the same space. I've read of some people having problems with the plastic hub at the top where the poles attach. It packs quite compact, so that's a big plus. This is also a strong contender with the next one.
Wenzel Zephyr: I also really like the looks of this one, the design lends itself to easily draping tarps for privacy and weather protection. Drawbacks are it's also a bit expensive for the size (13x9) and it has a floor...a concept that feels alien to me for a screen house! It also packs a bit large.
Wenzel Biscayne: I'm leaning towards this one. The price is right and it has plenty of space. Drawbacks are that it looks to pack a bit larger than our old one and is about twice as heavy.
Kelty Veil House: A bit small at 10x10, but does have covers for the windows. Price it a tad high for the size, packs reasonably small.
Kelty Medium and Large screen houses: Initially I really liked these, but there are reports that the roof design causes water to pool. They also appear to offer limited visibility as they are basically just their tents minus a floor. They do offer closable windows and pockets which is a nice touch.
Coleman Instant Screen Shelter 10x10: Price is right, it goes up fast. Drawbacks are that it's bulky and a bit smaller in square footage than our old one (which could be tight if we moved a picnic table into it).
So...that's quite a list to choose from! What do you have (or would choose)? We have a canopy, but that's out. They're way too bulky and heavy (space is tight in our compact wagon and we have a two week trip coming up in January!). We use our screen house primarily as a place to cook and eat meals and as a place to escape from passing showers.
Craig
Our old screen house was an Ozark Trail 9x13 that I picked up at Walmart for $40. I expected it to last a season, but to my surprise I got about 8 years out of it. Definitely a bargain! Sadly, they no longer make that model. They do however make a similar screen house (though I see it now has an external frame versus the internal of our old one) and the price has risen to around $50.
Some that I've been considering:
Ozark Trail external frame 9x13: It's similar to our old one, save for the external frame. Poles appear much lighter duty than our old one even though it costs more! Not sure about durability of the screen material, as the old one was prone to developing holes (easily patched though).
Eureka Northern Breeze: I love the looks of this one, but it's heavy and I can't justify $450 for something that will only be used 2 or 3 times a year (we only put up the screen house if we're staying in a spot for a week or more).
Eureka Breezeway: Almost as good as the one above, but also a bit expensive I feel for what you're getting.
Eureka Screenhouse: Size is just a touch larger than our old one, price is good but it is 4x the price of our old one for about the same space. I've read of some people having problems with the plastic hub at the top where the poles attach. It packs quite compact, so that's a big plus. This is also a strong contender with the next one.
Wenzel Zephyr: I also really like the looks of this one, the design lends itself to easily draping tarps for privacy and weather protection. Drawbacks are it's also a bit expensive for the size (13x9) and it has a floor...a concept that feels alien to me for a screen house! It also packs a bit large.
Wenzel Biscayne: I'm leaning towards this one. The price is right and it has plenty of space. Drawbacks are that it looks to pack a bit larger than our old one and is about twice as heavy.
Kelty Veil House: A bit small at 10x10, but does have covers for the windows. Price it a tad high for the size, packs reasonably small.
Kelty Medium and Large screen houses: Initially I really liked these, but there are reports that the roof design causes water to pool. They also appear to offer limited visibility as they are basically just their tents minus a floor. They do offer closable windows and pockets which is a nice touch.
Coleman Instant Screen Shelter 10x10: Price is right, it goes up fast. Drawbacks are that it's bulky and a bit smaller in square footage than our old one (which could be tight if we moved a picnic table into it).
So...that's quite a list to choose from! What do you have (or would choose)? We have a canopy, but that's out. They're way too bulky and heavy (space is tight in our compact wagon and we have a two week trip coming up in January!). We use our screen house primarily as a place to cook and eat meals and as a place to escape from passing showers.
Craig
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