CoolCabanas - has anyone tried one?

[Bruce]

Has anyone tried one? Looks like this will be a good repalcement for the umbrella on our boat.

Actually this has become an example of impulse shopping while browsing Facebook. I saw the video and showed it to the family. We all thought it would be nice for Bimini next year. So I was planning to order one in the spring. But I clicked on their website and found a $50 off deal that is expiring tomorrow so I ended up ordering tonight. http://www.cool-cabanas.com

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Interesting product, I would love to hear how this works in real world usage. Beaches around here are too compacted and full of shells to allow poking a pole into the sand. I need screw in type poles. Just something to keep in mind if you are interested in purchasing.

 

[Bruce]

The other negative is the open size which is listed as; 2.5m (8' 4") measured diagonally, 1.70m (5' 7") to roof peak, 1.40m (4' 7") to roof edge.

They fail to mention the side dimensions but my geometry says that a square with a 100 inch diagonal is 71" (5'11") on each side.

I am not sure how well this would meet my need for shelter but it seems like a great place for the kids to play.

@Murf'n'surf, can you hammer the anchor into your local sand?

 

[Wayloncle]

I like the pockets in the "legs".

I took my 10'x10' EZ up to the beach once... That's all it took to teach me to never do it again! Legs got sand on them and wouldn't close, heavy to carry, stupid little anchors are worthless in sand, wind is not its friend....

I think those cabanas that look like an umbrella laying down are about the best design for the beach, sun is only directly above you for a short amount of time!

 

[OCMD]

I've seen similar products flying down the beach with umbrellas when the wind picked up. No way that stays put in a high wind with the "stock" anchoring.

 

[Bruce]

I've seen similar products flying down the beach with umbrellas when the wind picked up. No way that stays put in a high wind with the "stock" anchoring.

I will not know if it is bs or not but they claim they hold in wind. The top video demonstrates that and is supposed to be from a customer. They also have a number if reviews that say it holds.

We have been using a 6' umbrella style sun shade with a screw in anchor for Gavin to make sun castles under. Hopefully this is better or I wasted $100.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

You can hammer stakes into our sand as long as the stake is strong.

 

[Ronnie]

I think it you can make it work on the boat if your are willing to tie the legs down to the cleats and / or grab rails bow or stern. As far as it working on a windy beach, I wouldn't bet on it.

For the beach I have used easy ups successfully by weighing down the legs with sand bags or holding the legs down with tent spikes.

Two general observations:

Only one person was getting shade in the wind demonstration video and for the most part it was a dude ranch / sausage fest under the cabana, not a great way to promote such a product.

In the other video the cabana broke down into a nice compact package but it did seem to take more to deploy it than it would a comparably sized pop up/ easy up and the fact that the center pole detaches makes me think that it would be easy to lose, with out the bottom of the center pole you don't have much more than a really low easy up.

 

[Big Shasta]

I thought this topic was about cannabis ...then I reread the title.

 

[elcue]

Interested in your review once you use it. Sadly, I wont be using anything on the beach till June of next year. That pole in the middle looks like it makes that very small underneath.

 

[Gym]

I haven't seen the cabana type used due to the winds we sometimes get but I have seen these used with no problems. http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3986256
Just make sure the wind is at your back.

 

[Gym]

Kind a funny that nobody in the first video is in the shade with the exception of 1 guy who is half shaded.

 

[LTM1964]

I haven't seen the cabana type used due to the winds we sometimes get but I have seen these used with no problems. http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3986256
Just make sure the wind is at your back.

I have used a SportBrella at the lake on shale and in sand at the beach. You can get it secured so it won't blow away but it gets hot in there since you don't have the air flow of a cabana or umbrella.