QUIK SHADE CORPORATE 10
Price £150
Tel 0800 3893063 or 0870 1417313
Web www.recarda.co.uk
Size 3 x 3m
Weight 14kg
Ease of assembly and superb build make the Quik Shade a top choice. Simply open the folding frame part-way, attach the canopy using the Velcro tabs, then fully open the aluminium frame and drop down the legs; after use it can be folded up with the canopy still attached and packed into its smart wheelie bag. Instructions are detailed yet clear, and while the joints were rather stiff on our test model these should ease up with use.
The canopy itself is made from durable polyester, with an aluminium backing that's designed to reflect heat. The all-in-one construction means there are no pieces to lose, and while it's easy to trap fingers in concertina frames, the Quik Shade marks its poles to show you the best places to grip to prevent this.
The high price might put off budget-conscious caravanners, but for your money you get a solid and well-engineered gazebo. The concertina frame adds a bit of extra weight, but this means it is less affected by wind than other gazebos on test. Side panels are available separately and it comes in various colours.
Verdict You'll get years of use from the Quik Shade, making it well worth the expense.
Rating * * * * *
*** EDITOR'S CHOICE ***

ARGOS GAZEBO 650/2210
Price £12.99
Tel 0870 6001010
Web www.argos.co.uk
Size 2.7 x 2.7m
Weight 10kg
Despite being the cheapest model on test, this gazebo was easy to assemble and has a quality pole-and-connector steel frame.
Its three bags of poles pack away, with some difficulty, into a drawstring bag. Each pole and its corresponding connector is numbered, which, in conjunction with step-by-step instructions and clear diagrams, means you'll never be in doubt as to what goes where.
All the poles fitted snugly into their connectors and remained in place, even when the frame was bent and twisted as other parts were added during assembly The connectors are made from good quality plastic and the poles are very sturdy. But what lets this gazebo down is its cheap-looking translucent plastic canopy. While it will protect you from light showers, it won't give you much shade from the sun.
This product's light weight means it won't add much to your payload. However, it is prone to being blown over by gusts of wind even, as we found, if you use the guy ropes supplied with it.
Verdict Good value for money, but it's let down by the cheap material used to make the canopy.
Rating * * *

G44 TOWSURE GAZEBO
Price £31.95
Tel 0870 6090070
Web www.towsure.com
Size 3 x 3m
Weight 8kg
This pole-and-connector framed gazebo isn't the easiest of our models to assemble, despite its clear pictorial instructions. It tries to solve the problem of poles popping out of their connectors by providing metal clips to hold everything in place. On test, however, we found that the system just didn't work and the poles often popped out. Having said that, the addition of Velcro tabs make attaching the canopy to the frame very straightforward.
Made from good quality polyester, the G44 canopy looks very smart and will shade you properly from the sun. But the connectors are made from a low-grade, brittle plastic that looks as if it could shatter over time. The steel poles are sturdy enough, although the enamel finish on our model was patchy, with bare metals showing through. The frame and canopy can all be packed away into a standard drawstring bag.
Once erected the gazebo seemed secure, although its caravanner-friendly low weight means it should always be anchored with the pegs provided.
Verdict This quality lightweight gazebo is let down by its below-average, hard-to-assemble frame.
Rating * *

EG1 TOWSURE ENGLAND GAZEBO Price £59.95
Tel 0870 609 0070
Web www.towsure.com
Size 2.4m x 2.4m
Weight 10kg
By far the easiest of our test models to construct, and certainly the lightest of the concertina models we tested, this gazebo is ideal for touring. It stows away into a really neat and compact drawstring bag and its folding frame means that there are no small parts that can go missing. Concertina frames can often add weight, but since the EG1's poles are made from lightweight aluminium, this is not a problem.
You assemble the EG1 in exactly the same way as the Quik Shade Corporate 10 (reviewed on p140), and this takes mere minutes to complete. The canopy can be left in place when you are taking the gazebo down. The instructions are clearly written and come with useful diagrams and unlike the Corporate 10, all the EG1's joints move smoothly. The canopy provided will shade you properly from the sun, and offers the usual protection from light showers. But because it is so lightweight, this gazebo can easily be blown away. It's for this reason that you should always use the guy ropes and pegs supplied with it.
Verdict It's not the sturdiest model on test, but the EG1's compact size, low weight and equally low price make it ideal for caravanners.
Rating * * * * *
*** BUDGET CHOICE ***

ARGUS 3x3 GAZEBO 650/3484
Price £29.99
Tel 0870 6001010
Web www.argos.co.uk
Size 3m x 3m
Weight 11.5kg
Assembling this pole-and-connector type gazebo was quite a challenge, despite clear and detailed instructions. The steel poles are lettered instead of being numbered, to enable you to find the matching connector, but even with two people working together, the poles kept popping out of the connectors. Yet when disassembling the frame, the poles and connectors locked together: it took a lot of brute force to disconnect them.
Once erected, this was the smartest looking gazebo of the six. Its strong polyester canopy has a decorative valance, and drain holes set towards its edge prevent rain water from collecting and causing the canopy to sag. It provided a decent amount of shade from the sun, and remained steady in strong breezes. Even so, you should still use the guy ropes supplied to keep it anchored to the ground. It packs away into a standard drawstring bag and panels are available separately.
Verdict Although we struggled with the assembly, the end result looked good and was very sturdy.
Rating * * *

AJM GALA SHADE
Price £119
Tel 0870 4994256
Web www.ajmshopping.co.uk
Size 2.5 x 2.5m
Weight 21kgA At 21kg, this is the heaviest gazebo we tested but it's also the best built with hardwearing nylon joints and a sturdy steel frame. It's easily assembled in the same way as the Quik Shade, but boasts a clever extra in the form of a button mechanism that you turn to lower the legs. This reduces the risk of trapped fingers. The Gala collapsed back down again with ease, although it was difficult to pack into the wheelie bag supplied.
The polyester canopy roof is seam-sealed for improved water resistance, and is strengthened by a brace with four height settings. But the brace is set lower than the canopy's peak, and even on its highest setting, people over six feet tall will bump their heads on it. Guy ropes and pegs are provided for anchorage, yet even without these the Gala is remarkably wind-resistant. Side panels are available separately.
Verdict A top quality gazebo, but the high price and heavy weight might put off some caravanners.
Rating * * * *