Custom canopies are our best selling promotional products and thats because of how effective they are at taking outdoor marketing campaigns to the next level. Whether you are installing it out in the sun, rain, or even snow (light snow, we do not recommend unsafe situations like blizzards) custom canopies represent you anywhere you go. With a custom canopy you can place as much printing as you find necessary all over the canopy top and if you are unsure what the best way to go about it is then let us know since we have in-house designers that make the magic happen as long as you provide the artwork.
So, where to start?
We have a simple process and all you have to do is help us help you. First and foremost we need to know if you are going to need printing on your canopy. Second, we need to know if you have artwork for us to print onto your canopy and we need to verify that it is ready to print. Once you provide us with your artwork we will be able to create a mock up rendering that will serve as a visual aid for you to imaging how the canopy will look. Sometimes we receive artwork that is rather small and it will definitely not work for us to print onto a tent because the prints tend to be large. After that we help you decide which frame you need for your canopy. Now, there are a couple of frame options and we will outline them beneath for you to get a better idea of how they compare to each other.
Choosing a frame-
When choosing a frame there are two main things to consider. One of them is what your frame is made of. There are two types of metals the tent canopy frame can be made of and they are steel and aluminum. The second thing to consider is the warranty they come with. We have four different collapsible frames to choose from for canopies and they all come with absolutely different warranties. These warranties range from two years to ten years depending on the frame you decide to purchase. Aluminum is beautiful to work with because it is lighter, it doesn't rust and the aluminum finish looks nice. Steel on the other hand is prone to rust, it is very heavy and it is powder coated (which in this case is necessary or else it will rust badly.) Now, we offer a couple of pop up tent frame options which include one steel frame and three aluminum frames in the frame lineup. The cheapest frame that we offer is the Econo-Max and it is made of steel with white powder coating, but since it is steel it is very heavy. Our most popular frame is the Dura-max and it is a lightweight aluminum collapsible frame that does not rust and is the cheapest option in our aluminum frame lineup. Aside from the mentioned frames we have two more frames that are made of aluminum and they are extremely heavy duty. So, what frame has what features and what kind of warranty does it come with? Here is a breakdown below.
- Econo Max- Our Econo Max frame is built to be better than any disposable frame (EZ-Up, Buyshade, Caravan). It is made of white powder coated steel that is protected against the elements. Rain, snow and other fog will not affect it although it is made of steel. If the paint chips then it just makes sense that it would happen, but it will be a while before that happens.
- Dura Max- This pop up canopy frame accounts for 80% of our custom canopy sales because it comes with an incredible 8 year warranty and it is a huge upgrade from the steel frame for only a hundred more dollars. The Dura-max, as with all of our aluminum tent frames, is made of T-6061 aircraft grade aluminum, which is aircraft grade. It is also the cheaper frame from the lightweight aluminum frames we offer but it is at least ten times better than a disposable frame.
- Rhino Max- Next in line in the aluminum lineup is our Rhino Max frame and it is beefier than our Dura-Max because all of the parts are thicker and the corner connectors are a little simpler to operate. The Rhino and Gorilla canopy frames come with metal connectors that are able to withstand rougher handling. The Rhino comes with a nine year warranty and it is truly meant to be a heavy duty frame.
- Gorilla Max- So why make an even stronger frame? Well, because we can and because we have customers who require extreme heavy duty items. We believe that no other company can offer a frame as strong and durable as this. Because of this belief we have gone ahead and given this frame a terrific ten year warranty. This frame is one of our greatest achievements because of how incredible it is. Let us put it to you this way, we work with canopy frames every day, but we are still amazed at the Gorilla every time we work with one.
So how do I choose a frame? Well if you are new to canopies and frames we always suggest going with the Dura Max, but we do understand that sometimes marketing teams and planners have a budget to work with which is why we also have the Econo Max. The Econo may be cheaper than all of our other frames but it is not to be underestimated at all. It is built to be a heavy duty frame. The Dura, as mentioned before, is our most popular frame because it offers great bang for your buck. The Rhino and Gorilla are meant for those looking for extremely heavy duty frames. They are in a category of their own when it comes to build and quality because they were created to be the best of the best. The crème de la crème, no question about it.
Now that you've selected a frame you might be wondering how you can further customize a canopy, well... here is where the fun begins. Canopies usually come with just a tent top but we go beyond that. Did you know that you can add flags, banners and windows to a custom canopy? Yup, that’s just the tip of the iceberg though. There are many other accessories with which you can customize a canopy. You can add styling tools to your canopy like a back wall or side-walls that will give your canopy a bit of flair. You can also add many different types of accessories like lights, flags, and short skirts or you can decide to purchase a package with many of these accessories. We also have five different packages that can be further customized while offering you, the user, a ten percent discount. We placed a video below about our package with the best value, the Titanium Package. The Titanium Package is a great option because it includes many accessories in it and these accessories can be installed whenever necessary onto your canopy tent, or they can be excluded and the canopy will still look good. Now, we know the Titanium Package is not for everyone so we have more packages that can accommodate your budget, design preferences, and of course canopy needs.
There are many canopy options but we have whittled it down to two main options. These options are a vinyl and polyester material from which the canopy can be manufactured. Polyester is usually cheaper because it it is not that durable, whereas vinyl tends to last longer because it is a heavy duty vinyl that is going to be able to absorb the print we impregnate it with. The vinyl print is then coated with a U.V. inhibitor that protects the printed tent top from fading and scratching. There is an upside to polyester though. Polyester is cheaper, lighter, and there is no shine to it since it is a fabric that had no glossy shine to it. Whereas for vinyl, it is a little bit heavier, more expensive and it tends to have a “shine” because it is a glossy vinyl. With vinyl you do have the option of coating it with a matte coating or a gloss coating to either diminish the shine or to give it a beautiful gloss finish. Selecting a canopy is definitely not easy and the tips above are basic guides for you to have an idea on how to select a pop up canopy. If you have any further questions we would gladly be able to help you out. Just shoot us an email and we will provide anything you need from us, or you can give us a call and we will have one of our account executives guide you through the process of customizing a canopy while helping you decide which size you need and what accessories you might need for it.
