Swiss Gear Screen House on Sale

[Thomas G.]

I've been watching for a deal on a canopy with screen sides and was attracted to the Swiss Gear model, as it got good reviews on Amazon. I subscribe to Camelcamelcamel, a service that tracks prices and alerts you to a drop in price. This screen house varies in price from $200 to $119. Right now it is at $129 with free shipping - close enough for me to order it.

Here is the current link:

Amazon.com: Swiss Gear Smart Shade 10- by 10-Foot Screenhouse: Sports & Outdoors

[Donna D.]

My neighbors at the last Oregon Gathering had a Swiss Gear Screen house. It went up fast and looked very well made.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

My neighbors at the last Oregon Gathering had a Swiss Gear Screen house. It went up fast and looked very well made.

That is encouraging. Most of the negative reviews on Amazon tended to be from wind damage, but that seems universal for these canopies.

[mary and bob]

Those reviews drive me nuts cause somebody always seems to have a problem with something no matter how good it is. I bought a Swiss Gear screen house for our daughter about 4 years ago. It has worked out very well, the main issue being that it sheds water great, it doesn't pool up on the top like the canopy without screens that we got from Walmart. The Walmart one ended up bending because of the water building up during the night. The Swiss Gear unit that I bought has screens that detach, so it can be used either way, as a screen house or just a canopy. Privacy panels were also available. For the price I would highly recommend it. We bought a couple years ago a Eureka Northern Breeze screen house that we really like, it has an external frame, solid flaps that can be put down to close it in or use them as awnings, and the screens can be unzipped and rolled up too. However it is kind of expensive at $400, but we are very happy with it. If the weather is cool we can heat it with a Mr Heater Buddy heater. Bob

[john warren]

beleave i can add something here. i have a ten by ten swissgear.

it sets up and takes down pretty easy.

i got the screen and that is easy to set up too.

i also got 3 side wind panels, nice when its breezy, and added privacy too.

in windy conditions i add extra tie downs i made up, and it seems to really help. of course you have to use common sense and take it down if the wind is really huffing. but we had it up in some pretty good wind last spring and with the extr tie downs didn't have a single problem.

p.s. extra tiedowns are easy to make, and so handy you sould really have som on hand anyway.
i use a 1" dowel rod, cut in 4 inch pieces. drill a 1/4 inch hole threw each end. get some 3/16 inch nylon cord. cut a good lenght say ten foot ,
tie a loop on one end. pass the other end thre both hole in the dowel and tie a knot in the end to keep it from comming out.now you can attach the looped end to what ever you want, drive in a ten peg, slide the dowel a little ways up the cord. and loop the tent peg. then you simply slide the dowel up the cord to tighten it.
i carry 8 of these extras, and use them for every thing from the swissgear, to temporary clothes lines.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by john warren

beleave i can add something here. i have a ten by ten swissgear.

it sets up and takes down pretty easy.

i got the screen and that is easy to set up too.

i also got 3 side wind panels, nice when its breezy, and added privacy too.

in windy conditions i add extra tie downs i made up, and it seems to really help. of course you have to use common sense and take it down if the wind is really huffing. but we had it up in some pretty good wind last spring and with the extr tie downs didn't have a single problem.

p.s. extra tiedowns are easy to make, and so handy you sould really have som on hand anyway.
i use a 1" dowel rod, cut in 4 inch pieces. drill a 1/4 inch hole threw each end. get some 3/16 inch nylon cord. cut a good lenght say ten foot ,
tie a loop on one end. pass the other end thre both hole in the dowel and tie a knot in the end to keep it from comming out.now you can attach the looped end to what ever you want, drive in a ten peg, slide the dowel a little ways up the cord. and loop the tent peg. then you simply slide the dowel up the cord to tighten it.
i carry 8 of these extras, and use them for every thing from the swissgear, to temporary clothes lines.

Great tip. Thanks.

[john warren]

ok here is the only picture i could find of a line tensioner.
same as what i was talking about, except i use a dowel rod, cause its pertier.

[CindyL]

We have had great luck with the FirstUp from Walmart. Not sure if this is the one referred to in the previous posting.

Another thing we do with tie-downs is to wrap them in rope light (Orange of course, for Uhaul, clearance-priced after Halloween). It prevents you from strangling yourself when you set up the screenhouses.

CindyL

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by CindyL

We have had great luck with the FirstUp from Walmart. Not sure if this is the one referred to in the previous posting.

Another thing we do with tie-downs is to wrap them in rope light (Orange of course, for Uhaul, clearance-priced after Halloween). It prevents you from strangling yourself when you set up the screenhouses.

CindyL

Great idea with the rope lights (orange of course).

I was looking for another sale on the First Up when this opportunity came along.

[freddo411]

This is great info. Thanks for sharing.

I'm planning on getting a Swiss Gear now.

[mary and bob]

We are not the only ones that had the water pooling up on the top problem with Walmarts first-up. Another camper told us to get some special fabric clamps, put them in the center of the bottom edges, and hang a water filled milk jug on them to hold the roof fabric tight so that the water will run off. Water still laid on top, causing some of the framework to bend. I fixed it, but don't use it in the rain. As for line tensioners, I've seen various home made ones, but I bought the plastic ones made by Coghlans, $2.99 for two, with the rope, from Campmor. Walmart used to have them but can't find them there lately, only the Coghlans clothes line which has two of the tensioners but one long rope. I also like Campmor's tent stakes, #23502, they are fairly heavy duty. For real hard ground I have some I made out of 1" steel angle with a 1/4" rod hook. I think Campmor has a reflective rope for use as guy ropes, but couldn't find it just now doing a quick search.
Bob

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

..........I also like Campmor's tent stakes, #23502, they are fairly heavy duty. For real hard ground I have some I made out of 1" steel angle with a 1/4" rod hook. I think Campmor has a reflective rope for use as guy ropes, but couldn't find it just now doing a quick search.
Bob

I was wondering about tent stakes. Are the dog tie-out twisty ones any good, or do you prefer to pound them in?

[mary and bob]

I haven't tried the twisty stakes, I suppose they would be good for certain type soil conditions, like maybe loose or sandy soil. The only time we had a big problem with tent stakes was at Assateague State Park in Maryland, right by the beach, all sand, and it rained a lot. The wind blew over a hexagon shape screen house we had and bent a couple poles. We had bought it at Campmor, called them to see if replacement parts were available. They said to send it back and they sent us a new one. There really wasn't a defect in the screen house that caused it to blow over, it was weather problems, but they gave us a new one, now that's great customer service!!! Another couple there was trying to set up a tent using those little plastic stakes and they just wouldn't stay in the sand. We helped hold down the tent while the guy ran to the local store and got long sand stakes. When we set up the Swiss Gear screen house I stake it down at the feet and use 4 guy ropes off each corner at the top. I think we may buy one just to use over our back yard patio, almost too good a price to pass it up. Bob

[idiotsniff]

Tom,

this looks perfect, I'm was going to start looking for one of these real soon, might be the time to get one, but its not coming up at $129 its showing $169.99

how do you get it for $129?

please let me know,

thanks,

[mary and bob]

Joel: I think we missed the boat!! Looks like the $129 price deal is over. Maybe Tom will let us know if it drops back. Tom, did you get one? Bob

[idiotsniff]

Bob, that link was just posted this morning tho.... usually sales don't end middle of the day...

what a bummer

[freddo411]

Wow, saw this at 129 this morning, but it is 169 now.

Worth monitoring for another price drop

[Thomas G.]

Wow, that was fast! Mine is supposed to be delivered today. I'll post comments on what I see.

As mentioned before, I track prices at Amazon with Camelcamelcamel. They give you a notification when prices drop on a given item and also a price history.

Amazon Products | camelcamelcamel.com

[mary and bob]

Amazon does have the Northern Breeze screen house on sale for 359.97. Usually $400, we have one and really like it, it's expensive but well worth it. Only complaint is that it comes with only three poles for using the flaps as an awning so only one flap can be put up like that. I bought some extra poles and made some extras too.

[Thomas G.]

It was delivered this AM. Appears to be of good quality with a nice wheeled carrying case, though I can see that I will struggle to get it back inside once unfolded. The steel frame is heavy- over 40 lbs.

It was made in China - here I thought it was Swiss.