Sun Protective Solutions - What to look for in a beach tent.

There are many ways that you can protect your children from the sun whilst on the beach.  Sunscreen, Sun protective clothing and hats all play their part but the ultimate sun protection is SHADE.

Great – if you are in a park, or your backyard or even round the Cricket Oval but not so practical on a beach where the nearest tree is back in the car park!

The next best thing for shade is, of course, a Beach Tent – but all beach tents are not the same and do not all offer the same sun protection, so there are a few questions you need to ask yourself before you invest in a beach tent.

 1.       How many people does the tent need to hold?  If you just want to keep baby out of the sun then one of the small, pop up tents will be most suitable.  If you are looking for a family tent, make sure you check out the actual dimensions before you buy, as photographs can be misleading.

 2.       Does it need to be waterproof? If you are going to use the tent in your backyard or in a park it is probably worth considering a water resistant base, as grass can be damp and you don’t want your towels or clothing to become damp also. 

 3.       How sturdy does it need to be?  Sometimes even the hottest day can be extremely windy on an Australian beach, and in this case the flexible pop-up tents often fair better as there are no poles to snap or bend.  However, these can become very hot inside, so if wind isn’t an issue the more open, easy-to-erect pole designs are ideal.

 4.       Do you require it to be UV protective?  There are many beach shelters on the market that are not certified as UV protective and therefore they will not be Sun Protective either.  They will provide some shade and might be fine for use as a play tent in the back garden, but they will not prevent harmful UV rays from reaching your skin.  If you want your tent to block these rays you must look for one that has the ‘UPF 50+’ symbol.

 5.       How heavy or large can it be?  If you are travelling and want to take your beach tent with you – check the size.  Many airlines (especially the European airlines) now restrict passengers to one piece of luggage only, so a lightweight tent that can fit in a suitcase is a must if you don’t want to pay excess baggage.    The large, heavier designs are more suitable for the back garden or boot of the car.

 6.       How much do you want to pay?  This really depends on how long you want the tent to last. There are beach tents, and there are beach tents and they are definitely not all the same.  The cheaper tents that are often found on markets can often be made from thinner fabric and with thinner poles.  They will do the job, but not for as long as a good quality brand purchased from a quality retailer.  They do cost more, but they will still be providing sun protection years after you make your initial investment.

 Today you decide what their skin will be tomorrow – Look after it!