Kelty Three-Legged Sunshade with Movable Side Wall

2024-11-02T20:00:00

It has served well over the last month. The sight lines are a bit tough to watch a soccer match, but it provides great shade. It is heavy, but also can fly in the wind if it isn't staked in hard ground. Regrettably even double staking in the desert still resulted in a flying shade, but it only resulted in a couple small rips and beat up ribs.

Jarrod B.

Originally posted at

2024-07-21T20:00:00

We got this for use on the Oregon coast. It is primarily a sun blocker so our little one can dig in the sand without worry about burning or overheating. In that regard it works perfectly. It's plenty big enough for us all to be under it comfortably. It's second, but important function is to block coastal wind. It's not unusual to have a steady 7-9mph wind or higher all day. We set this up for the first time in 9mph wind, and it wasn't the most fun we've ever had, but it was doable. The second time was 6-7mph wind, and we did it in about a third of the time without nearly the headache we faced the first time. The instructions say to put the poles in bottom to top, which is the best way, but then you should reverse the order for actually getting them in the grommets. Top to bottom works better for that half of the set up. With regard to it's functionality as a wind blocker, it works decently. It could be substantially better if the moveable wall attached to the outside of the structure instead of the inside. With the wall attaching inside, the wind still gets in and blows about a bit. That would be my only request on any future versions of this, to have the wall attach on the outside.

Adam M.

Originally posted at

2024-06-03T20:00:00

I already have an older kelty sunshade from at least 12 yrs ago. The new sunshade is the same excellent quality. However it lacks one key feature and that is one side with a shorter wall and therefore better field of view for the door area. Thus really degrades from the value as you want to be able to see out on one side when under it. So I dont really like it but otherwise the same great quality.

Randal G.

Originally posted at

2024-05-14T20:00:00

Took this out on the Oregon coast this weekend for the first time. Wind was 7-9 mph. Set up was a bit of a challenge being the first time and windy, but we got it done. After it was set up the moveable wall functioned well as either a sun block or wind block. Getting everything put back in the bag was easy too with the slightly roomy bag. Only one outing so far, but no issues.

Adam

Originally posted at

2023-07-03T14:47:00

Exceeded my expectations. Happy with product

MARK L.

2023-06-19T20:00:00

We bought this to replace our beloved Kelty sunshade from 2004, which we used for 10+ years until the elements finally wore it out. This version is great once it is up but the tent fabric is much much tighter so it's a lot harder to get the poles into the corner grommets. I was hoping it would stretch a bit, but after two days on the beach it's still very tight. I have a girls beach trip next month and I'm concerned about setting it up myself. Fingers crossed. P.S. I do love the extra sun-shade side wall; that's a wonderful upgrade.

Susan A.

Originally posted at

2023-06-14T20:00:00

Have used it 3 times after owning just over a month. The positives are: stable when setup, provides shade for a up to 4 people and/or gear, VERY COMPACT!!! Down sides are: it is not easy to setup, easy to damage the material, setup in even mild wind is painful and requires at least two people. The worst issue is mine already has damage due to the metal collars that attach pole segments not being chamfered. They have sharp edges that catch as the poles move through the fabric. The poles are long and have to travel and arc through the fabric, which makes it bunch catch and rip/puncture. If you are very very careful during setup you can avoid serous damage in the short term but I'm certain over time it'll still develop some rips. the trick is to have one person pulling the fabric straight so it won't bunch while the other slowly feeds the pole on that persons go ahead. Even being careful you can still cause tears. A big part of this problem is that the poles have to be pushed with some force to bend them into shape and install in the loop as you put the shelter up. This is where most of my damage occurred because during a windy setup I was fighting to push/bend the poles into position and the back and forth doing so kept catching the fabric even when it was mostly fully stretched. I'll mention the wall which in less windy conditions is nice for the extra shade but struggles if windy. It is a nice addition for the price and is very easy to move during the day to get shade just were you need it. To get 5 stars would need to remove edges from the metal pole collars and reinforce the fabric pole channels with a bit more rugged material. This could allow you to easily push the poles through without catching and bunching, making single person setup in rougher weather fast and reliable. Overall this shelter is very compact and does provide a good deal of shade.

Rob O.

Originally posted at

2023-05-30T20:00:00

This is the best sunshade ever and I have received so many compliments since using it!

Becca L.

Originally posted at

2023-01-30T19:00:00

I set up the sun shade in my driveway as a test run for our summer travel. I purposely set it up by myself so I could time myself and see how long it took. It took me 15 minutes to set it up. Here are some observations. 1. It will go much faster with 2 people. 2. The poles are VERY stiff (which is probably good), but just be prepared for that. 3. While setting it up I noticed that there is already a small hole in one of the corners...that surprised me. I'll repair it over the summer. 4. It's a great size, and I plan on putting our Kelty tent underneath it this summer for extra sun/rain protection. Overall I'm happy with my purchase.

Scott P.

Originally posted at

2022-09-20T20:00:00

Finally got to use this at the beach. Spent the day on the North Carolina shore and this was perfect. Out of the box, easy to understand how to set-up. As others mentioned, the first time is a bit rough, as the poles/fabric are taut. I suspect after a few times, it will get easier. I purchased 15" metal spikes to hold this in the sand. I don't think the included spikes would have worked. Setting up, definitely takes 2 people and a strong steady wind doesn't help. Wind was coming in off the ocean at 10mph and the sunshade held up well. We only put three anchor spikes in; did not use the guy lines. Plenty of room for 2 of us in camping chairs. Could probably fit 4 people if need be. Fortunately for us, the beach was empty during the week. Setting this up in a crowded area would be a challenge, as the footprint is 12'x12'x12'. The poles alone would be a problem with a crowd. Near the end of the day, a small storm blew in and the wind picked up. The guy lines would have helped, as the sunshade would compress down with gusts of wind. Overall, glad we have it. Great product and great build.

Chris F.

Originally posted at

2021-07-22T20:00:00

I needed help with holding sunshade up when setting it up, but other than that it was a solid shelter that held up against the wind and sun.

Mark L.

Originally posted at

2021-07-07T20:00:00

First, I want to thank the amazing customer service. Great advice and help. Second, I had a sunshade before and liked it fine. My new one is so much better! Love the firmer material, the pockets for guy wires and the bright color of them, as well as the stakes. Have not tried the side wall, but it seems like a good idea. Thanks so much for making me upgrade!! Would highly recommend this product.

Britta R.

Originally posted at

2021-07-07T20:00:00

Overall I really like this sunshade structure, mostly because it packs down to 1/3 the size of an EZ-up. Very useful that you can adjust the side wall as the sun moves across the sky. It is a little bit difficult to set up, as the poles have to slide through the fabric loops as you would see on an older/cheaper tent. I would suggest Kelty explore if hooks are a feasible option and maintain enough tension. Would get 5 stars if that occurs. Overall, though, it's a nice little structure and saved us during our camping trip in the recent heat wave.

Kevin G.

Originally posted at

2021-06-06T20:00:00

Used in the backyard on a slightly windy day and we had absolutely no problems. A 10 yr old girl and her grandma did it with ease. Took about 15-20 minutes. Provides plenty of shade and the sidewall was a bonus.

anna n.

Originally posted at

2021-05-18T20:00:00

My boyfriend and I were looking for a more compact travel ?pop-up tent? for a trip to Florida and a car camping adventure in our Jeep Wrangler with limited cargo space. This sunshade has not disappointed so far. At only 12 LBS we were able to pack it in our checked golf bag for FL. The tent was a little challenging to get the hang of setting up on the windy beach, but after the second time it went smoothly. We used plastic grocery bags filled with sand to anchor the tent down under extremely windy conditions on Cocoa Beach. Can?t wait to see how it holds up on our next camping adventure to replace a 10x10 pop-up tent that takes up way too much space.

Trista

Originally posted at

2021-05-02T20:00:00

I read mixed reviews about the product, and I had my doubt as I was purchasing the product. I used Sunshade in Moab desert on a windy day. It was a lot bigger than I expected and held up well through the strong wind. I am very happy with it.

Haeyoung K.

Originally posted at

2021-04-12T20:00:00

Replaced an older model (>10 years of light use) that got me through the Pandemic Summer last year before daily UV did it's dirty work. New features that rock: attached guy lines with easier to use fasteners and better stakes, thicker, sturdier poles, cleverly designed moveable side wall. Big hammock fits under it for relaxing reading and occasional naps

Peter O.

Originally posted at

2021-03-29T20:00:00

I am very happy with my shade and get a ton of compliments whenever I use it. Fiberglass poles only complaint. I used it at a beach birthday party the other day and one of the young boys (that has behavior issues) jumped into the pole and split it. I?ve repaired with superglue and Kelty support has been very helpful. They?ll repair for free and supplied a company that makes poles. I?m inquiring about upgrading to aluminum, if they are flexible enough for this design. When I purchased the tent I also bought sand stakes knowing they would be better for the beach. I have not used original stakes.

Jason M.

Originally posted at

2021-03-29T20:00:00

We bought one of the original sunshades decades ago and used it for river trips and camping for years. When it finally gave up the ghost, we tried to replace it, only to find that they had been discontinued. There must have been enough other fans asking for it, because Kelty eventually brought it back. We immediately bought the new version. The new version has larger pole sleeves and is much easier to set up. We have used it during two camping seasons and are as pleased with the shade, water repellance, and wind resistance as we were with the originial. HOWEVER, the poles are much poorer quality. On our second camping trip, two poles split at the end and we had to duct tape them to prevent the splits from traveling all the way down the poles. With tape on them, the poles were almost impossible to slip through the sleeves. When we examined the poles carefully, we found that several had begun to split and had to be taped. Kelty replaced the broken segments for free, which was great. HOWEVER, we just returned from a trip during which two more pole segments have split at the ends, one so badly we were afraid to use it. We always travel with our sunshade, but at some point we will have to stop because we will be tired of sending poles for repair after every camping trip.

Tom

Originally posted at

2020-09-23T20:00:00

We've used this at the beach, camping, and at a winery. It catches wind really good at the beach but it has plenty of anchor points. Provides lots of shade and covers a large foot print. Set up is a little much as it requires a bigger foot print and you have to thread the poles through the sleeves but once it's up, its great to have.

Jordan K.

Originally posted at

2020-09-07T20:00:00

This is a quality piece of equipment and came packaged ready to use. The packed weight, at first, felt cumbersome but didn’t when I stared to use the over the shoulder sling or after continued used. Setting up single handed is a bit challenging, but can be done. Once up, it needs to be secured for wind. The included No Bendium stakes worked well with the included fixed guide lines. Kept sunshade up for multiple days, and worked as expected. Used during the day as a shady spot to cover the babies pool, and later to cover a table for eating - plenty of room to move around with both uses. There are plenty of places to hook lights (or a string of lights) which helped light up the place and finding the way back in the dark. Recommendations 1) have additional sand stakes on hand for wind gusts of 15/20+ mph. 2) provide carabiner (or something similar) for additional guy lines and tent steaks.

Daniel F.

Originally posted at

2020-09-01T20:00:00

We set the sunshade up on a day that ended with some pretty steady winds and this product performed very well. The included tents stakes aren't great for sand so we brought along some old school plastic stakes which we could anchor a bit deeper. With one at each corner the shade stayed in place and took quite a bit of abuse for a good hour. Four adults fit comfortably underneath with plenty of room. Easy to setup and tear down. I highly recommend this product.

Travis G.

Originally posted at

2020-09-01T20:00:00

Got to set it up and it was a breeze. Ample space for 3-4 people at once. Just what I need.

Cristian M.

Originally posted at

2020-08-31T20:00:00

Great product. Versatile and sturdy. Suitable for a variety of uses. We purchased two sunshades and grouped both side walls on a single sunshade with some ad hoc fabric hangings on the third side to create a private bathhouse for a recent trip. Too heavy for backpacking but great for car camping.

Nancy C.

Originally posted at

2020-08-30T20:00:00

I love this sunshade and it has faired well over the summer with about 8 windy beach trips under it’s belt. I’ve had several poles (3-4) split at the ends. I have been able to successfully mend them when I got home with some fishing line, super glue and plastic tube cut in half. since repairing I haven’t had a pole break again. Overall the upkeep is a small price to pay for a great quality shade

Steven S.

Originally posted at

2020-08-15T20:00:00

It's easy to set up, works well

Bryan L.

Originally posted at

2020-08-13T20:00:00

This is a great shade very large. We put it in our 15’ pool and it fit perfect.

CJK

Originally posted at

2020-08-07T20:00:00

Works great and not very difficult to set up. We used it for our beach trip. I had to bury sandbags on the three corners for stakes and it held up very well.

lance l.

Originally posted at

2020-08-01T20:00:00

This sunshade is seriously awesome! The guy lines storing right in little pockets on the shade is genius! I had so many people ask me about it and where to get it! The side wall and the level the shade sits works so well to block wind, sun, and rain. I’ve used it to camp under and for outdoor events and I love it!

Ian W.

Originally posted at

2020-07-01T20:00:00

Great for beach or yard. Larger than you would think. Easy to assemble with a little practice

CURREN P.

Originally posted at