Recommendations Needed: Sun Protection Canopies for Sporting Events

Is it really worth it to drag out and set up a canopy for a kids one hour soccer game? Unless it was an all day tournament I never saw anyone do that. We just took chairs, hats, water and sunscreen.

Baseball tournament mom here. I got a 10x12 canopy at the local sporting goods store. In my area, they are on sale this time of year. It works great.

I prefer the straight leg canopies over the slant leg ones. There is more shade because a 10x10 slant leg one will only have 8x8 of shade but a 10x10 straight leg gives 10x10 of shade, because they measure the size by the distance between the legs not by the size of the roof. The slant leg 10x10 will have an 8x8 top, the straight leg 10x10 will have a 10x10 top. Also, people tend to trip over the slant legs more.

If you get one, I suggest weights like these for windy days. http://m.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?product...

Downside of a canopy - they are super easy to get up and down with 4 people. Possible but not as easy for 2. Impossible for 1. An easy way to make friends of other parents on the team is to ask them if they will help you put it up and down and in return they can share your shade to watch the game. :)

Granted it has been ten years since my daughter played soccer but I don't recall anyone bringing large tents with them. The coaches usually had a canopy tent for the players because they are actually running around and could get overheated but not the families.

Is this the new norm or what you think is a good idea? I ask because there is limited seating and I would imagine the other parents wouldn't appreciate you taking a large chunk of that due to your comfort. When my younger two were babies I just parked my van as close as I could and we stayed there.

We have a Nantucket Beach Hut tent that is very light and portable with SPF 50 protection and 2 zipper windows (allow for air circulation and help prevent it from blowing over in a breeze), and it accommodates 2 beach chairs (the low kind, not camp chairs) as well as a cooler and a bag of toys/diapers if you need that. It's about 6 feet across the open front, and about 4 feet deep, on a curve. But it's not the easiest thing in the world to set up, especially in a breeze with one person watching a baby. And it definitely blocks the view of the other parents/spectators. If your baby is very young and not crawling, he/she would fit in it fine. Here's a link for Sears: http://www.sears.com/nantucket-beach-hut-cabana-tent-shad...
This one is 59.00 and I'm sure we paid $40 for ours at Christmas Tree Shop or Ocean State Job Lot (Not sure if you have those around you but maybe you can buy on line.) There will be bargains now IF you can find anyone who has them in stock.

I imagine the "EZ-Up" tents are around but I don't think they are "EZ" to manage at all - they are heavy (even on wheels) and take 2 strong and organized people to raise them up. And they will either be in the way of other spectators or you'll have to set them up far away from the action and deal with people (especially other kids) wanting to be in them, thinking they are a team tent. They usually come with 1-2 side panels that help in the wind especially with the baby, but again, those will block people more, so you will have to sit/hang out pretty far from where your son is playing. You'll also need a tarp or heavy blanket that resists the ground moisture, plus chairs. That's a lot to haul.

I'm surprised that you need that much sun protection in the fall with the waning daylight and the sun lower in the sky, and without the heat that makes long sleeves and a sun hat uncomfortable, but maybe there are issues you don't state.

Good luck.

We got a golf umbrella at a garage sale for a few dollars. It is huge and covers 2-3 chairs easily. It also keeps frigid winds off us and keeps the sun's rays off our bodies.

I stuck it through the rods in our chairs and slanted it at whatever angle I needed. I've even just put my arms around it and held it with the help of the chair.

Hats - everyone wear one that has a nice sized brim.
It does a lot to save your face and neck.
And sun screen is good too.
See even with a pop up sun shade tent thing - depending on the angle of the sun you're still not going to be in the shade as much as you think you are.

Can't say I've ever seen one used here - but then it's not near as warm as where you are.

We have something like a beach hut (got it at LL Bean) that we used when our youngest was little when we were at the beach. Personally I found it a pain to set up and kind of warm to sit in - so we used it very sparingly.

If you had to, I would think those canopies that you set up would be easier but I'd be thinking they'd be cumbersome and a bit over the top at kids' soccer. There are chairs you can get that have small personal sized sun umbrellas/shades attached, or you can buy small umbrellas that attach to the back of folding chairs. I'd be more inclined to sit off to the side (so you wouldn't be blocking people's view) and use those over a big canopy.

Doesn't high UV lotion and hats provide enough protection? If getting out of the heat is a part of the reason for getting a tent like device, you'll be even more uncomfortable. Something with sides and a top will trap the heat. And as others have said, using something like that will reduce other parents ability to see.

You could use a canopy as the coach provides for the players. That is less likely to cause difficulty for others. Whether or not it helps depends on where the sun is at. A canopy is inexpensive at a local store.

Before we had air connditioning, my grand parents used a block of dry ice and a fan. That would not protect you from ultraviolet rays.

If you're mostly concerned about your baby, you can block the sun with a blanket as an improvised shade. I've often seen that at games. It also helps to sit with your backs to the sun.

In the past, I've used a wind break meant for the beach. I doubt that it would be large enough for all of you. It is low to the ground which would be better for others ability to see past you. Depending on the sun's position it might not protect you.

I've sat on the opposing team's side to get away from the sun in my eyes. Of course I didn't have as a good of view of my team's actions.

A wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen. Enjoy the great outdoors!

People in OC use these: https://www.amazon.com/E-Z-UP-Instant-Shelter-Canopy/dp/B...

The plus is that it offers a decent amount of shade. They do have several downfalls though:

They are kind of a pain to set up because you need at least two (and ideally four) people to set it up and take it down.
On extremely hot days, they actually trap so much heat underneath them that it's worse than being in the sun
Depending on the position of the sun, sometimes only 1/2 or less is in the shade and the rest of the shade is actually cast behind it

We bought chairs with built-in umbrellas and I think those are much better and less cumbersome. Sometimes you cannot position the umbrella to offer shade if the sun is in the wrong spot, but I still think they are better than the EZ Up.We have this one: https://www.amazon.com/Sport-Brella-Recliner-Chair-Midnig...

Golf umbrellas work well if you need coverage.