I don’t really like the outdoors.  I mean, I love fresh air and sun and having my kids run around and get tired out, but I HATE BUGS.  Crawling bugs.  Flying bugs.  Buzzing bugs.  ALL BUGS.  And it is worse in the evening when you can hear them but you can’t see them.  CREEPY.

And then there are the mosquitoes.  They bite and can carry diseases!  I’ve even had one fly into my ear once and it had to be flushed out by my doctor (lucky me – he had medical students in his office that day too).

I’ve always thought about how great it would be to sit outside and enjoy reading a book in the fresh air and not have to worry about bugs.  When my kids were little, I spent half my time swatting bugs away from them, but the fresh air was good for them so I endured it even though I was afraid they would get bitten or stung.

With the SansBug pop-up tent, I now have a solution that helps me enjoy the great outdoors every day without being BUGGED!

About:

The original SansBug pop-up tent provides the ultimate camping experience – from the desert to the tropics and everywhere in-between. So easy-to-use, even a teen could pitch it for a thrilling backyard camp-out, though we do recommend parental supervision. Innovative, durable and cost-efficient, the SansBug is essential gear for hobbyists, avid campers and earthquake or emergency preparedness kits.

Choose from three generous tent sizes designed for single, double or triple occupancy. Features include an oversized, single-zip, easy-access entry, durable mesh freestanding walls, tough polyethylene flooring, two pegs for extra stability and a water-resistant carrying case. We’ve used fiberglass poles in place of steel rods to thwart corrosion while dramatically boosting portability and durability. Untreated, the SansBug is quite possibly the most eco-friendly bug hut on the market today.

I was sent a SansBug III to review.  The SansBug III is the largest of the SansBug tents, big enough for 3 people to sleep, or we can fit 2 of our outdoor chairs inside to sit and relax outdoors sans-bugs.

When we first received the tent, it was still unseasonably cold outside here, so I gave in to my kids demands to set the tent up in our living room.  The SansBug comes folded down into a 34 inch disc inside a zippered carrying bag that has a handle and 2 straps to allow you to wear it on your back.  Convenient if you were going to use it camping, or if you are trying to get the tent, 2 kids, drinks, and toys into the backyard.

After you take the tent out of the carrying bag, it pretty much sets itself up the second you let go of it.  It pops-up completely and it is ready to use.  It is light and easy to move around to it’s exact position.  Folded up inside the carrying bag, this tent only weighs 4.4 lbs!

The SansBug is well put together and seems quite durable.  When you close the zipper, you are completely enclosed with no way for bugs or creepy-crawlies to get in.  The large amount of mesh area makes it light and airy inside and easy to see out, or in, depending upon if you are protecting yourself from bugs, or your kids.

My son actually has been asking to camp out in our backyard with Daddy one night, and so far we haven’t had a non-school night with warm enough weather, but the other night, they did spend a little bit of time in the backyard looking at the moon waiting for the stars to come out.  Even though the top of the SansBug is a water-resistant non-mesh material, they could lay in the tent and have a nice view of the sky.

We also use the Sansbug outside during the day.  I like to sit inside and read while the kids play….but they do like to come visit me.

I will also be using my Sansbug tent on the 4th of July.  When you lay on the ground in it, you actually get a great shot of the entire sky on one side or the other.  So we will be bug-free as we enjoy the fireworks, and we will be able to see them clearly because of how fine the mesh is.  Below are a couple of shots from INSIDE the Sansbug.

The biggest concern I had with this tent was that I was afraid I would get it and not be able to fold it back up.  We’ve had small pop-up kids tents that I could never get back into their little bags because I couldn’t figure out how to fold them down.  The SansBug comes with a paper with step-by-step diagrams indicating exactly how to fold it, and the video above has an illustration  showing how easy it.  The first time I tried to fold it, it took me a few tries, but I got it.  Each time I fold it, I get better at it.

The SansBug is an affordable way to have a tent that is useful not only for camping, but for a family’s daily life.  The 1-person SansBug is $34.99, the 2-person SansBug is $42.99 and the 3-person SansBug is $48.99.  You can buy the SansBug online in their store. It is easy to fold, and with it’s carrying case, it is compact to store and easy to take with you where ever you need it.

And if you buy it before FRIDAY JUNE 11, 2010 at midnight, you can get 20% off with the coupon code: summerbug

I think the next use of our SansBug will be a picnic at the park!  PB&J anyone?

SansBug provided a SansBug III tent for my review.  opinions expressed are my own.