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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
140 of 141 found the following review helpful:
 Company does not honor warranty Jun 17, 2009
By Al S.
I ordered this canopy on May 1, 2009 and had been using it for less than a month. One of the cross bars bent at the end where it attaches to the next one. I called customer service twice on Monday to resolve the problem. Each time I was told someone would have to call me back. Wednesday, after no one had called, I called a third time. Customer service said that it "must have been the weather". They would not honor the "10 Year Warranty" and could not sell me a part to repair it. I liked the canopy, but apparently it is not very durable.
129 of 130 found the following review helpful:
 Good canopy for its price range Jul 13, 2008
By B. Farrell
I attend a lot of outdoor dog agility trials during the year up here in the northeast. At dog shows it's always bring-your-own shade. I need something that is not too heavy to lug from the van, easy to setup and take down, shade me & the dogs from the sun and hold up to the elements (rain & wind).
I was replacing an old, heavy, EZ-Up after the canopy ripped and one of the release buttons "got lost" inside the leg.
I have used the Swiss Gear canopy 5 times now in intense sun, heavy rain, and LIGHT wind. It is very easy to setup and take down - love the fact that there are no steel buttons to push in (and pinch your fingers) when you are releasing the canopy downwards. The duffel bag is designed well and expands a little, making it easy to stuff the canopy back into it. (Note, like all canopies, it's still going to take 2 people to set it up and take it down.)
The coated canopy keeps the inside MUCH cooler than standard white canopies. I always use the guyouts to tiedown the canopy and stake down the legs - it has stood up well to light wind and heavy rain, but the steel frame doesn't seem sturdy enough to trust it in heavier winds. (The EZ-Up stood up well in high winds)
I think this is an excellent product for this price category. In this price range it seems to be better made and sturdier than most other "cheap" ones I see at the shows. If you don't mind looking like you're the first-aid station (the red cross) - go for it!
95 of 95 found the following review helpful:
Excellent choice for inclement weather Jun 21, 2009
By corliss
"Corliss"
I bought this item after reading user reviews about this and competitive products. We were planning a trip to Hart Mountain Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, and expected rain storms for several days. We wanted a shelter/canopy that would stand up to heavy rain and wind conditions. We were not disappointed. This canopy sheds rain like a duck's back.
In regard to setup. I set this up myself while my wife went to register the campsite. I had it up and was fastening the lanyards before she returned in only a few minutes. Although some of the reviews say not to attempt this by yourself, I found that I could walk from corner to corner, pulling the edges out until I had it expanded all the way. Also, the directions say to put the top on before fully expanding it. This is probably the better way to do it, but I found this unnecessary. I simply expanded it and then stretched the top on. This unit comes with pre-attached velcro tabs that securely attach the awning to the skeleton structure so that the wind does not rattle the awning. Very cool. One thing to remember is to attach the velcro tabs all around the inside before telescoping the legs up, otherwise you may not be able to reach the velcro tabs on the ceiling after it is fully up.
Another great thing about this design is that it comes with batwing lanyards at each corner with pre-attached cords. So it is easy to put the guy wires out for added security against the wind. Very convenient design.
We gave it a good test. It rained hard on and off for four days and this baby did not leak any water. After four days of rain, the only moisture I could find was a tiny bit on the name tag that is sewn through the canopy, and there the water wicked through, but did not drip at all.
The overall design is excellent. If you look closely, you will see many features that shout "good design" all over. I have been in product design for 20 years, so I know what is garbage and what has been thought through. This unit is well done.
The only things I would change are: (1) put rings on the ceiling for hanging wet clothing and towels (2) make the sides about two inches wider from top to bottom (all the awnings have this problem), (3) make the guy wire stakes with rings at the end instead of "nail heads," so you can pull them out easier, and (4) make the stuff sack 5% bigger. (Why don't outdoor gear manufacturers understand this?? Sheesh!)
Overall, highly recommended!
37 of 37 found the following review helpful:
Slightly better than close competitors for casual use Jul 30, 2009
By chesterh
I bought this canopy mainly for use at dog shows. Another reviewer using their Swiss Gear in the same environment noted that, because of the Red Cross emblem, you may be mistaken for the first aid tent. Very true.
My purchase decision was based on generally good reviews and a few claims which seemed to set the Swiss Gear apart from its closest competitors:
"Easy-release buttons that don't pinch fingers" - It is true that the buttons won't pinch your fingers, but if you aren't careful about how you position your hands during set-up and take-down, the folding mechanism will just about slice them off. You will hopefully learn from the inevitable first experience, and you should strongly caution well-intentioned but inexperienced helpers.
"Slanted legs increase stability" - Possibly (see next point), but if you acquire the optional side curtains (and you will almost certainly want at least one), they are cut in such a way as to force you to straighten the legs in a way that feels "wrong".
"Batwings and guyouts for added stability in windy conditions" - Good idea, lacking on most comparable canopies. You will want to stake the unit in all but the gentlest conditions, as a sudden gust will induce lift-off. Some canopies have a pressure relief flap, allowing a gust to vent out the top. In a side-by-side comparison, those canopies performed better than the Swiss Gear in breezy conditions, without staking.
"Dual stabilizer arms in each corner provide added eave support" - I had hoped this meant that the frame of the Swiss Gear would be markedly better than the flimsy construction evident on competing units. It isn't. The frame construction is very similar to all the other low-cost canopies I've seen. It is a marvel of minimalist engineering, built just strong enough to survive the rigors of set-up and the ravages of gravity. There are many probable points of failure, and lack of caution during set-up, sudden weather conditions, or time will undoubtedly cause some marginal component to break earlier than you'd wish.
"Canopy is enhanced with a special fade- and UV-resistant coating to ensure durability" - The canopy is white, so I'm curious to know how fade resistance comes into play. The material does have a slightly reflective coating on one side, and the canopy is notably cooler in direct sun than many I've seen. Darker colors are popular with competing canopies, so the Swiss Gear's white top is an advantage anyway.
"Canopy packs in an expandable wheeled duffel bag" - True enough. The bag is identical to those supplied with competing canopies. They probably come from the same source, which means that the same engineering defect is present no matter which brand you buy. Thankfully, the bag has wheels. It also has a large pocket for storing the canopy fabric on the exterior. Unfortunately, this pocket is on the same side as the wheels. If you can picture it, this means that if you wheel the bag to a position and lay it down (it will only stand upright on a perfectly level surface), the bulging pocket causes the whole thing to roll over onto its back like a submissive dog. Cute, but it means that you have to perform a 40 lb dead lift to get it back onto its wheels. A simple design oversight, but very inconvenient when loading and unloading from the back of a van, for instance.
When I purchased this canopy, there was a shortage of the aforementioned optional side curtains. I waited 2 months to get mine. Besides not being compatible with the sloping legs, the curtains have a very fussy attachment system of tiny metal hooks and rings attached to elastic material. People who are good at threading sewing needles will think nothing of it, but the simple Velcro straps that the competition employs are much easier to use.
I'll give this product 4 stars and a slight advantage over its direct competition, which would get 3.5 stars. A 5 star rating is reserved for something like the "Fast Shade" canopy I saw at a recent dog show. It positively exuded quality, and at 3 times the price will probably last 10 times as long. They even solved the wheel/canopy pocket problem.
For our casual and careful use, I'm hopeful that the Swiss Gear will last a few years. If that's good enough for you, then it's a decent buy. For more rigorous use, prepare to spend a lot more.
28 of 28 found the following review helpful:
Swiss Gear 10x10' canopy Dec 08, 2008
By Shirley Jean
"SUNGLOW"
I am extremely pleased with the 10 x 10' canopy I ordered from Swiss Gear. It is very easy to set up (can be done alone, but is much easier with two people). It is great quality and comes with the stakes if you are using it on grass. I recommend purchasing 4 cinderblocks to use at the corners if there are extreme winds. It comes in an attractive rolling, zippered bag and lifts right out. The actual canopy material is high grade and has 8 velcro straps for extra protection around the horizontal poles at the top, once the canopy is on. It is just as easy to disassemble and put back into the rolling bag. Price is great and I'll enjoy using it for years to come.
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