Pacific Breeze Easy Up Review

The Pacific Breeze Easy Up is a small, self-contained, half-dome canopy that pops open with the pull of a string. It's a great accessory for a beach trip, but we feel it's more of a conversation piece than a bonafide canopy. In short, it's a small waterfront hub where you can get out of the sun, store your gear and valuables, or use to signal to other beachgoers where you've staked your claim.

Performance Comparison

Functionality

The Easy Up is a stylish and fun accessory for any shoreline adventure. It's easy to use and visually appealing, but when it comes to functionality, it didn't receive our highest marks. The manufacturer states it can accommodate up to three people, but trust us — you'd be packed like sardines. We feel it can comfortably house one person with a dog or two adults with a small cooler.

We love the look and overall concept of the Easy Up, but in addition to being small, it isn't very breezy (despite the name), so the inside of the tent gets a bit toasty. It's very similar to entering a backpacking tent on a hot day. Yes, you're out of the direct sun, but that doesn't always mean you're cool and relaxed. We certainly aren't saying this shelter is too hot to sit in — we simply want to convey that its shade isn't as cool and refreshing as larger, more open canopies on the market.

The Pacific is only about 4 feet deep, so in most cases, if you want to shield your feet, ankles, and calves from the sun, you may be required to sit cross-legged. Likewise, typical camp chairs are completely out of the question — you'll need to sit on the ground or use ground-level loungers.

Basically, the Easy Up is an open, dome-style tent with a tarp floor. It offers a floor space about 7 feet wide and 4 feet deep when deployed. We feel its shell-shaped design makes it feel a little on the small side. We like the idea of having a built-in floor; it's a nice divider between you and the ground. However, we are still a little divided on the concept. During our tests, we noticed that the tarp-like fabric absorbs heat, sticks to sweaty legs, and easily collects sand and dirt. Likewise, the flooring material is waterproof. This is excellent if you are on wet grass or a soggy shoreline; however, it's also problematic if a drink is spilled inside the tent or Mother Nature decides it's time for a rain shower. There's really nowhere for liquids to go.

The shell-like shape of the Easy Up gives excellent sun protection throughout most of the day, and as the sun moves, the canopy can be easily repositioned. We also like the interior mesh pockets that can store wallets, phones, or keys above the ground.

Despite many caveats, we still think the Easy Up is fun, easy to use, and stylish. We envision this canopy as kind of a beach base camp where you can shield gear or coolers from the sun, and it can provide temporary relief to a tired dog or a sun-baked little one. For larger groups or families, we think it would be fun to have one Easy Up per person and place them in a circle on the beach.

Ease of Set Up

The Easy Up received some of its highest marks for its quick and easy set-up process. It arrives pre-assembled and ready to go, utilizing a unique hub system similar to opening an umbrella, but in reverse. Instead of pushing the device open, the frame expands by pulling. Simply pull on the provided cord while pushing down on the hub, and the Easy Up pops open. Our fastest set-up time was less than 30 seconds.

Despite this praise, we held back on giving the Easy Up a higher score for this metric for a few reasons. It requires a bit of muscle to deploy, and we feel some users may have trouble opening it if they have physical limits related to age, strength, or dexterity. Additionally, this tent is visually complicated. Before being opened, it appears to be a bundle of misshapen spider legs. Even after setting it up a few times, we still felt slightly confused about how to place the Easy Up on the ground before pulling the cord. However, once properly situated, it truly is a breeze to set up.

Four generously sized plastic stakes are included and do an adequate job at staking down the canopy. No guy lines are provided with this tent, but five external sand pouches are directly attached to its bottom. We were pleased with how well they function in keeping the canopy firmly stationed on sandy terrain.

Protection

The fiberglass frame and dome shape keep the Easy Up very sturdy in the wind. We rarely saw it bend or sway, though it did occasionally lift off the ground and tug at the stakes. This happens much less when the built-in anchor bags are filled to the brim with sand or rocks. Given its cupped design, we do feel that the Easy Up has the potential to become air-born during very strong wind gusts, but it performs very well during normal wind fluctuations.

Relying on this canopy during a healthy rain storm would not be a pleasant experience. We realize the primary purpose of a canopy tent is to shield the sun, but we also feel it's important to test how each canopy performs in the rain. The Easy Up earned low marks in our water-resistance tests. Although nicely double-stitched, the seams are not weather-taped, and the result is you getting wet during a steady rainstorm. Additionally, the tent's open design allows rain to enter instantly, depending on the storm's direction.

The drapes on either side of the tent are loosely held in place with small Velcro strips. This allows water to easily pass through the mesh windows and onto the canopy's floor. Furthermore, the flooring is waterproof, so any rainwater that does enter begins to pool quickly, creating an uncomfortable seat.

When it comes to blocking sunshine, the Easy Up performs very well, especially when the sun is behind the tent or directly overhead. As afternoon sun angles change, it's very easy to reposition the Pacific for continuous protection. The tent's polyester fabric has a 50+ SPF rating for extra protection against harmful sun rays.

Craftsmanship

After weeks of examination, we gave the Easy Up lower scores for its overall craftsmanship. It's not really designed for repeated aggressive use. In fact, we envision it more as a fun accessory, like sand toys or snorkeling gear — things you bring along because they're fun.

Considering its simple appearance, the frame of the Easy Up is quite complicated, consisting of an array of moving parts that are plastic and fiberglass with the potential to wear out. The main support poles are held in place by mesh sleeves instead of full fabric, and we feel the mesh isn't hardy enough for repeated use. The Velcro connections are small, the stitching is average, and the tent material is basic. Nothing about this canopy screams high-end craftsmanship. That said, we haven't noted any wear and tear issues to date, and we feel with proper care and light use, this canopy is worth its price tag.

Portability

Weighing in at a little more than 5 pounds, the Easy Up is one of the lightest canopy tents we've studied, and it thusly scores well in this metric. It packs up small and can be shoved into a 3.5-foot drawstring stuff sack.

When stowed, this canopy can be carried with the help of a long shoulder strap, enabling hands-free walking, hiking, paddling, or biking. It fits easily into a trunk or backseat and is lightweight enough to throw into a sailboat, canoe, or side-by-side ATV.

Should You Buy the Pacific Breeze Easy Up?

If fun, unique accessories are your thing, you'll enjoy the Easy Up. We see it as a quirky conversation piece for the beach. However, we also feel this product has some legitimate applications as well. It isn't as big or rugged as other canopy tents on our list, but it still provides acceptable shelter from the sun. It isn't a canopy we would enjoy sitting under all day, but it is perfect for an occasional respite from the sun, and for keeping gear and valuables shaded. We think you'll love this product if you're simply looking for a small, inexpensive sunshade for the beach. If you're planning a shoreline visit with a group of friends or family, we think it would be fun to purchase one for each person and really make a splash. Additionally, this is a fun gift for a young child or teen.

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