Clam Outdoors Quick-Set Escape Review

The Escape is large enough to fit 5-7 people and their dogs — and an entire picnic table. It folds down into a long thin bundle, but when expanded, it's one of the largest fully enclosed shelters we've seen. We used ours during several weeks of testing and never grew tired of setting it up. Setting up is actually fun.

Performance Comparison

Functionality

We awarded the Escape high marks for its overall functionality because we were amazed at its results with just a small amount of effort. When deployed, this tent feels gargantuan, offers a ton of headroom, and has many neat features that make it very usable and livable. The most impressive feature of the Escape is that it's self-contained and ready to go right out of the box, no assembly required.

Instantly noticeable on the Escape is its six-sided, hexagon shape. Each wall is completely screened in with quality mesh but can be unzipped and tied into place if needed. Likewise, the zippered entrance can be pulled back and secured with straps if a more permanent passage is desired. Additionally, zippers for the entrance and each window are accessible from the inside or outside, making the entire structure very convenient and safe.

When deployed, the Escape offers nearly 100 feet of floor space and 7.5 feet of maximum head clearance. Despite being fully enclosed, the see-through design is very comfortable. We never felt confined or claustrophobic, and it was common to find us sitting under its protection all day playing cards, reading, or taking a cool mountain snooze. The Escape's thick poly-oxford roof blocks out the sun very well, providing plenty of shade throughout the day. Additionally, its mesh walls effectively take the edge off hard daylight without blocking the breeze. This creates a very comfortable place to relax.

Measuring a little more than 11 feet from point to point, we feel the Escape can easily house 5-7 people along with dogs, coolers, gear, and even a portable table. We unfolded ours directly over an 8-foot picnic table, and there was still room for a few chairs or other gear. The only place we feel the Escape misses the boat is by not having a few small, built-in pockets to place keys or other personal items. We also wish it had one or two built-in hooks.

Ease of Set Up

During our first setup, we found the Escape quite intimidating. Initially, we didn't feel this canopy was intuitive and struggled to follow its setup instructions. There's a lot of fabric intertwined with multiple spider-like legs that appear to make no sense, giving us the premature inclination to start shelling out lower scores for this metric. Luckily, we had the patience to accomplish our first setup, and we found the learning curve to be much smaller than we expected.

At first, we approached our setup with the tent upside-down. However, after a few hits and misses, we quickly became good enough that one person could set up and fully stake down our Escape in less than two minutes. A two-person setup takes between 30-40 seconds. Even after several weeks of use, we were still stunned when we compared the sheer size of this canopy with how easy it is to deploy. We are impressed.

As we've said, right out of the bag, there are a lot of spidery legs. To erect the Escape, just pinpoint the longest legs, which come together at a distinct point. After finding that, pick up the Escape and place the entire shelter on this point. Then just let go. Much like a flower, the shelter will naturally fall open. From there, find the exterior straps attached to each wall and pull each individually. Watching how the entire structure pops into place right before your eyes is fun. To finish the process, step inside and push up on the ceiling to lock it into place. We love this setup process and feel it's one of the easiest we've ever seen for such a massive canopy. Our only complaint is the instructions which we wish were a bit clearer and easier to read.

Protection

We don't hand them out very often, but we were happy to give the Escape a perfect score in our protection metric. Not only does it provide excellent shade, but it can withstand wind and rain. Additionally, it keeps out bugs when fully zipped, making this tent our favorite canopy for camping. We also love the full-length accessory walls available from the manufacturer, which attach to the canopy to further block out sun, rain, or wind.

In addition to a 50+ UV rating, the 210-denier, poly-oxford fabric is double stitched and sealed with weather tape, which helps keep you dry when Mother Nature decides to send rain. During our water-resistance testing, we doused the Escape for 5 minutes and never saw a drop seep inside. Additionally, this shelter's screened-in walls do an excellent job of preventing blowing rain from entering.

Wind is not a problem for the Escape either. If not secured properly, it can take flight during higher gusts; however, when we staked ours down, its strong fiberglass frame handled the wind exceptionally well. Additionally, the entire structure is surrounded by a 10-inch wide ground skirt. During a trip to some local dunes, we buried the full skirt in the sand and were very pleased with how well it performed without using stakes. The skirt alone also provides additional protection from bugs and is a deterrent to small critters.

Craftsmanship

The Escape would be even more impressive if it incorporated metal in its framework. However, given its size, we feel it would be too heavy to maneuver if this were the case. In the end, we think its fiberglass frame is plenty adequate. The canopy fabric is reinforced at its junctions, and all seams are double-stitched and weather-taped.

After weeks of use in dirt, sand, and grass, we saw no evidence of wear and tear, and we feel this is a high-quality product that can be trusted to keep you protected. We also awarded the Escape high marks for its quality zippers and sturdy screen material. Additionally, we appreciate that the ground-staking tabs are reinforced with large metal grommets.

Portability

A packed weight of 34 pounds puts the Escape on the heavier side of canopy tents we've tested, but it's far from the heaviest. One person with average strength can lift it without much effort. That said, actually carrying this beast may be another story — it's similar to carrying a pair of skis in a ski bag.

Measuring more than 6 feet in length, the Escape can be a little awkward to transport. The bag only offers two long, gym-bag-style hand straps. The product is a little too long to be carried over the shoulder; likewise, having it to the side is a little cumbersome. Some of our testers preferred to carry it backpack style, which in some cases proved to be the easiest — as long as their height wasn't an issue. All considered, the Escape would have received higher marks for portability if it had one handle on either end of the carry bag. This would allow two people to transport with greater ease.

The massive packed length also comes into play if you drive a medium- or compact-sized vehicle. It's very similar to fitting a pair of skis into your car. While not impossible, we occasionally found it challenging to maneuver the Escape into place, especially in vehicles where the back seats don't have fold-down trunk access.

Should You Buy the Clam Outdoors Quick-Set Escape?

We feel the Escape would be an excellent canopy choice for just about any outdoor activity. Its comprehensive protection from sun, wind, rain, and bugs makes it perfect for everything from beach parties to backyard barbeques, though we find it most ideal for a camping environment. So if you enjoy heading for the hills for a weekend camping trip or longer, we highly recommend taking the Quick-Set Escape along for the ride. While pricey, you can't beat its protection, size, quality, and ease of use.

What Other Canopy Tents Should You Consider?

The Quick-Set Escape may be a little more difficult to use as a sideline canopy for a show or sporting event. Its mesh walls and crisscross frame make it difficult to see all of the action. Likewise, its enclosed design isn't very accommodating for a backyard party where people are mulling about. So if you need a quality canopy for outdoor sports, backyard parties, or farmers markets, we recommend the Eurmax Standard 10x10 or the E-Z UP Pyramid. Both are high-quality tents that are excellent at keeping out the sun. We feel the E-Z Up excels on the field due to its effective roller bag with very large wheels. The quality of the Eurmax is unsurpassed, making it an excellent choice for just about anything, but especially for more commercial environments like farmers' markets or trade shows. If the Quick-Set Escape's fully enclosed design appeals to you but you need something more portable, we highly suggest the REI Co-op Screen House Shelter. It's lighter, thinner, and it packs up much smaller, making it an excellent choice for adventures limited by size and weight.