Bugs are one of the worst enemies of campers, and they are very hard to avoid. This problem comes to fruition, especially when camping in summer when hot temperatures attract more bugs. They can be pretty annoying, which may drive many campers to avoid camping in areas crawling with bugs. Today, we will provide you with the best screen house for camping list that may solve the bug problem for you!
While screen houses aren’t as sturdy as a regular tent, they can be used as a protective surface for your main tent, as they are quite spacious. Other than that, you can also use them as a separate area for relaxation in your camp.
Unquestionably, screen houses can be a great addition to your campsite, especially in areas crawling with bugs.
Without further ado, let’s begin with our list!
1) Alvantor Screen House Camping Tent
We’re kicking off our best screen house for camping list with this freestanding tent that is quite easy to set up due to its instant pop-up design.
The base variant of this screen house can fit 4-6 people in its 100 square feet (9,3 square meters) area. It also has a 7 feet tall ceiling (213 cm), which should accommodate even taller individuals.
Alvantor Screen House is suitable for backpacking, as it is quite lightweight, with the weight being 15 lbs (6,8 kg). That’s primarily due to its frame being made of lightweight fiberglass.
Its six mesh walls are divided by steel poles that provide ample bug and wind protection. There are two zippered doors on the front and back for easier access.
Keep in mind that the ceiling of this screen house is plain. That means that the water will accumulate on the top. Draining it might prove to be an issue, so make sure to invest in a rainfly so the water can flow down the sides of the screen house.
Also, folding the tent back might be a bit frustrating due to the folding mechanism of the poles. All things considered, the Alvantor Screen House is awesome for all the campers out there who don’t want too much time to set up the screen house.
2) Coleman Instant Screen House
This screen house from Coleman is quite spacious, with an area size of 195 square feet (18 square meters) and a peak height of 7 feet (213 cm). It has a pyramid shape, so it won’t have as much space as a straight-walled screen house. A great addition are the collapsible poles that allow size adjustment for smaller kids if needed.
This screen house is simple to set up for one person. Just make sure that you carefully follow the setup instructions if you don’t want to mess up!
Along with the mesh walls, a roof is made of polyguard dual-layered fabric for increased water resistance. The two zippered mesh doors are located on each side for more convenience. As a bonus, this screen house has a hook to hang your light source on.
Even though the freestanding structure is sturdy enough for light weather conditions, don’t use this tent in heavy rain and wind. It has no wind panels and no sealed seams, so it might not be the most durable in such conditions.
3) Ozark Trail Instant Screen House
This durable outing from Ozark Trail is one of the best screen houses for camping. It has an area size of 100 square feet (9,3 square meters) and a center height of 7 feet (213 cm). Overall, it is very similar to the previous screen house from Coleman. Also, its shipping weight is 17,5 lbs (around 8 kg).
Its tough polyester mesh is tear-resistant, and it offers good wind resistance. Don’t pitch this screen house in heavy rain, though, as the pyramidal shape can let in water through the mesh. Still, this one will be good for light rain. For easier access, there are two zippered doors on the front and the back.
Overall, this screen house is fairly easy to pitch due to its pre-attached steel frames. If looking for one of the best instant setup screen houses that will keep the annoying bugs at bay, this one is the one to get!
4) Browning Camping Screen House
With an area size of 120 square feet (11 square meters) and a freestanding structure, with steel and fiberglass poles, the Browning Camping Screen House is quite a decent choice.
Keep in mind that its setup process won’t be the most simple if doing it alone, as the instructions are not that accurate. Also, there is no side panel that can prevent the wind from coming into the screen room.
To increase its overall wind resistance, make sure to stake the corners. If there is light rain, this screen house will withstand it due to the water-resistant roof panel.
Like with other screen houses on this list, the Browning Camping screen house has two zippered doors from the front and back to ramp up the convenience.
This screen house might not be the best choice for backpacking, as it weighs 17,85 lbs (8,1 kg). Still, it’s a decent choice if you want a bug-free and peaceful camping experience.
5) Ever Advanced Screen House Tent
This fully freestanding screen house tent can fit from 8-10 people with its area of 120 square feet (11 square meters). It’s fairly easy to set up, even though its instructions could be written much better.
The Ever Advanced Screen House Tent is composed of six mesh wall panels. They provide some great views and provide decent ventilation to keep the cozy afternoons that much cozier. The mesh walls will keep the small insects out of the screen room, with the flapped bottom providing even more bug protection.
As expected from this type of tent, the two large zippered doors are located on the front and the back.
If we had to find a downside to this tent, it would be its weight. It weighs 21,6 lbs (9,8 kg), which will not be suitable for backpacking.
Thankfully, this screen house is quite durable, proving quite sturdy in high winds. On top of that, it has a water-resistant roof.
6) E-Z UP Screen Walls
This screen house is unconventional as it features two zippered windows, as it is designed as a festival tent for serving drinks and food. Still, this screen house is quite well-designed for camping due to some design choices.
First of all, this screen house has an area size of 100 square feet (9,3 square meters) and is 86 inches tall (218 cm). Also, it’s quite simple to set up.
E-Z UP screen house features four mesh walls. It has two plain wall panels, one wall panel with the door, one wall panel with two zippered windows. Each wall has a black panel along the bottom for even better bug protection.
Overall, this screen house is quite sturdy, as you can tie the wall frames to keep them in place during the high winds. Also, it has a water-resistant roof for rainy days.
Obviously, we think this screen tent would be better for camping if it had another door instead of windows. Along with that, the top to the bottom zipper on the door makes it hard to open and close. You will need two hands for that. That design choice makes it difficult when you are bringing things in and out of the tent.
7) YDYL Screen House
The final entry on our best screen house for camping list is absolutely the best pick for backpacking, as it weighs only 13 lbs (5,9 kg). Even though it’s fairly lightweight, it offers plenty of space – with an area size of 117 square feet (11 square meters) and a center height of 6,9 feet (210 cm). It will easily fit 6-8 people inside.
Its freestanding structure is made possible by a combination of fiberglass and steel poles. This screen house is fairly easy to set up too! Just make sure to stake it after setting it up to keep the structure sturdy.
Still, this isn’t the best screen house for heavy rain and high winds, as the poles can break in such circumstances. To decrease the chances of that happening, attach the guy lines to pole connectors.
Its four mesh walls keep the bugs away, and the flaps on the base of the walls increase the bug protection further. The polyester roof doesn’t provide the best water protection, but it provides much-needed shade.
Following conventional design, this screen house has two zippered doors on the front and back. The dual zippers allow you to open the doors from inside and outside, which is very convenient. Make sure to stake one of the door flaps so that it is easier to open the doors with one hand.
Things To Know Before Buying The Best Screen House For Camping – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a screen house?
A screen house is a large shelter composed of mesh walls. It usually has some kind of fabric on the roof to prevent water leakages and to provide shade. This type of shelter is great for camping in hot weather, as it will offer awesome ventilation and keep the bugs away. Also, screen houses are good for stargazing as they are almost fully transparent. With that in mind, screen houses aren’t the best for rainy and cold weather, as they don’t have fabric that will protect you against harsh weather.
What is the best usage scenario for a screen house?
Other than camping, screen houses enjoy a variety of use cases. Most people also use them for outdoor events (weddings and festivals mostly), picnics, and bug protection on the porch.
How easy is it to pitch a screen house?
Pitching a screen house is quite simple. That’s because most screen houses come in instant setup and pop-up variants.
If you get an instant setup screen house, the frames will mostly come pre-attached. This will allow for effortless pitching in a few minutes. Just pay extra attention to the instructions!
Pop-up screen houses pitch immediately after you unpack them. They might be a bit harder to assemble back in the packaging but are pretty convenient with their truly instant setup.
Closing Words
Here you have it, the best of the best screen houses for camping! With one of these on your campsite, you can rest assured that the area inside will be a bug-free zone if you ever get annoyed by them. And believe us, you will!
As always, we wish you a safe and pleasant camping experience. We hope that you found this guide valuable for your next camping trip!
