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Sports Shade Pop-Up Shade

Neat New & Basic

writer: Mark Salot
photographer: 4-Wheel & Off-Road Staff

It will soon be getting really warm in a lot of places, and when you're not moving around it's nice to have a little shade over your head to keep the heat and ultraviolet rays off the noggin. When it's time to ull over and take a break r have a quick lunch, we found that having a cover like this new sports shade really makes a big difference in our comfort levels.

It's a bit tough to haul in your Jeep at about 6 feet long when packed up, but it only weighs 9 pounds. so if you can fit it in or put it on top, it won't add much weight to your rig.


The front banner of the sports shade doubles as a wrap for the unit in transit/ storage. the aluminum pole legs have catches that easily unclip from each other as you fold them out. We think the legs, which are lightweight to reduce the overall weight, might be a tad inadequate for holding the roller up during really windy conditions.
The front banner of the sports shade doubles as a wrap for the unit in transit/ storage. the aluminum pole legs have catches that easily unclip from each other as you fold them out. We think the legs, which are lightweight to reduce the overall weight, might be a tad inadequate for holding the roller up during really windy conditions.
In our model's hand is one of the attached stakes on retractable strings. Once the straps of the awning are attached to a vehicle, tree, or fence, the awning pulls out, the legs support the roller's side of the sports shade, and the stakes on strings keep the legs of the sports shade upright and planted.
In our model's hand is one of the attached stakes on retractable strings. Once the straps of the awning are attached to a vehicle, tree, or fence, the awning pulls out, the legs support the roller's side of the sports shade, and the stakes on strings keep the legs of the sports shade upright and planted.
The awning is made of a water-resistant polyester fabric and has a silver coating to reflect heat and uV rays. It measures around 6x8 feet and gives enough coverage for a family to comfortably sit and relax for a few minutes out of the sun. the awning is attached to a torsional roller encased in an aluminum housing.
The awning is made of a water-resistant polyester fabric and has a silver coating to reflect heat and uV rays. It measures around 6x8 feet and gives enough coverage for a family to comfortably sit and relax for a few minutes out of the sun. the awning is attached to a torsional roller encased in an aluminum housing.

Life is a little nicer once ou're out of the heat. We were able to relax and even check out the local scenery in semicomfort, even in 100-plus degree heat. We did have some problems with the unit in the high winds of the desert where we were trying it out. We highly suggest putting a rock for weight or the optional bags you can fill with sand over the stakes on strings so the unit does not blow off the legs. At about $100 per unit, we wish the sports shade would have a little more girth n the legs, but the extra girthwould have most likely added weight to the unit, making it not as easily portable.


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