There are a number of things to consider when purchasing a beach pod.
If you’re taking the whole family on holiday then a large cabana with
lots of storage space is likely to appeal but if it’s purely for babies
use, a smaller, more practical pod that offers a high level of UV protection
is a better option.
Beach pods come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and our parent panel
found quite a few differences between the ones on test – particularly
when it came to quality, space and accessories. Read the parent panel
reviews and look at the results table below for a full view on how each
pod performed.
Our parent panel comments on the following:
If it’s a simple and easy to use cabana you’re after, then the Prince
Lionheart Pop n Play certainly won’t disappoint. Our panel found it ‘very
simple to erect’ with built in instructions that were ‘easy to read and
follow’. Similarly, the Worlds Apart Sun Tent scored well on ease of use
with the panel describing it as ‘a simple, versatile product that can
also be used as an indoor play tent’.
Our panel found the Travelling with Children Mini Beach Shade Plus and
Koolsun Jacshade quite similar in terms of construction and they liked
the ‘automatic pop-up and twist-fold action’ that ‘took seconds to put
up and fold away’. However, some felt that the pods ‘were a bit wobbly’
when upright, with ‘ground stakes that were quite difficult to push into
the ground’.
The Jo Jo Maman Bebe was a ‘tad on the large side and a bit of a handful
to put up’, our panel also agreed that you needed ‘two people to put it
up effectively’ and although it ‘pops up easily’, ‘collapsing it is quite
tricky’. This is an issue you’re likely to face with a lot of family sized
shelters as they are bigger and therefore, take longer to construct and
take down.
The Worlds Apart Sun Tent scored well on practicality due to its ‘large
opening that made it easy to squeeze everyone in!’ Our panel also loved
the fact that it simply ‘popped up and snapped into place’, without the
need for pegs to secure it – ‘a bonus for busy parents who don’t want
to spend ages searching for a soft, but sturdy patch of soil!’
Our panel liked the extra front groundsheet that came with the Koolsun
Jacshade as it could be ‘pulled up to make a little play den’ and is ‘very
useful for sleepy babies or mums who don’t want to breastfeed in public’.
The Jo Jo Maman Bebe Family Beach Shelter was found to be ‘practical
for families who are spending long periods of time on the beach’ but for
shorter trips out, ‘it’s too much hassle’. The Koolsun Jacshade is a slightly
smaller option and our panel found it ‘much more practical for trips to
the park as it’s lighter, quicker to use and still fits the family in’.
Our parent panel fell in love with the Prince Lionheart’s ‘colourful
fabrics’ and ‘super shape’ and most of our mums even admitted to trying
it out for themselves. They also liked the style of the Worlds Apart,
whilst the Koolsun Jacshade scored points for its ‘brilliant colour that’s
perfect for both boys and girls’.
The Jo Jo Maman Bebe Family Shelter was described as having a ‘sleek
and simple style that will suit any family’ whereas the Travelling with
Children Mini Beach Shade ‘looked a tad on the flimsy side when erected’.
The Koolsun Jacshade scored well on space and our panel liked the fact
that it had room for ‘at least four toddlers and a selection of toys’.
All agreed that the Prince Lionheart was ‘deceivingly larger on the inside
than it looked’ and they liked the cosy interior of the Worlds Apart.
Being the only family sized pod in the test, the Jo Jo Maman Bebe tent
was the largest of the bunch and our panel felt that it ‘offered a generous
amount of space that you could happily use for playing, feeding, sleeping
and relaxing in’. The Travelling with children Mini Beach Shade Plus was
‘probably the smallest of the lot, but offered a nice little space for
baby and toys’ and is ‘a great option for younger babies’.
Sun protection was at the top of the checklist with all of our parent
panel members who felt ‘very reassured with the SPF50 fabric on the Prince
Lionheart and Worlds Apart tents’. The Mini Beach Shade and Koolsun Jacshade
also block up to 97% of the sun’s harmful rays and our panel liked the
way it kept the ‘interior nice and cool for baby’. Despite being unsure
of the level of protection offered by the Jo Jo Maman Bebe Family Tent,
our testers liked the ‘silver coated material on the top of the tent that
reflects heat and stops the inside from getting too hot’.
The Travelling with Children Mini Beach Shade and Koolsun Jacshade are
both equipped with mosquito-proof fabrics. Our panel also loved the white
meshed zippered front on the Prince Lionheart which ‘effectively kept
out insects’ and ‘ensured the inside remained nice and clean’.
Our mums were most impressed with the play pad that comes with the Prince
Lionheart as ‘it made the inside nice and soft for baby and strengthened
it into a good shape’. They also liked the lip on the front of the Travelling
with Children Mini Beach Shade that’s ‘great for playballs and keeping
everything inside the tent’.
The Prince Lionheart is equipped with built-in pockets on the side walls
that are great for ‘storing things in and weighing the pod down to feel
more secure’. The Jo Jo Maman Bebe Family Tent also has built in ‘sand
or stone pockets that weigh it down’ although our testers found that it
still ‘felt a bit wobbly, even when pegged into the ground’.
The Prince Lionheart scored points for its ‘smooth, high-quality fabric’
that ‘doesn’t crease’ and ‘looks as though it will last for years’. The
material on the Jo Jo Maman Bebe tent was slightly more flimsy but offered
a ‘nice and airy space if constructed properly’.
All agreed that the Travelling with Children Mini Beach Shade and Koolsun
Jacshade had relatively good fabrics, but the Worlds Apart ‘looked a bit
cheaper’ than the others in the test.
The Prince Lionheart comes with its own carry case which our panel loved.
Most of the other tents come with a carry bag which you fold the tent
into, but our panel sometimes found them ‘difficult to squeeze back in
- especially if they’d been up for a while’.
|
Beach |
Prince
Lionheart Cabana |
Worlds
Apart sun tent |
Koolsun
Jacshade |
Travelling
with children mini shade |
Jo Jo
Maman Bebe family tent |
| Ease of use |
4.5
|
4
|
4.5
|
4
|
4
|
| Practiclaity |
4.5
|
4
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
| Looks |
5
|
4
|
3.5
|
3.5
|
3
|
| Space /accessories |
4
|
5
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
| Quality |
4.5
|
3
|
3.5
|
3
|
4
|
| Value
for money |
4.5
|
3
|
3
|
3.5
|
2
|
| Total
score |
27/30
|
23/30
|
22.5/30
|
20/30
|
19/30
|
|
|
Got something to say? If you’re a long-term user of one of the beach
pods in our test and want to add your opinion, visit our individual parent
panel reviews using the links below and share your views with other babyworld
mums.
Where to next:
- Back to the beach pods main
test page - Read the parent panel reviews:
Jo
Jo Maman Bebe Family Size Pop up Sun Shade
Koolsun
Jacshade Beach Tent
Prince
Lionheart Pop n Play Cabana
Travelling
with Children Mini Beach Shade Plus
Worlds
Apart Sun Shade - Visit the babyworld shop
- Become a parent panel member
