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.

Space

We awarded the Escape high marks for overall space and functionality because we were amazed by its results with minimal effort. When deployed, this tent feels gargantuan, offers plenty of headroom, and has many neat features that make it 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.

The Escape is instantly noticeable for its six-sided, hexagonal 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 you want a more permanent opening. Additionally, the entrance and each window have zippers accessible from the inside or outside, making the entire structure convenient and safe.

During the day, the Escape's entrance can be unzipped and tied back for greater ease of movement. As evening falls and the bugs come out, it can be easily re-zipped for a perfect barrier.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

We love having dual-sided access to every zipper. The front entrance as well as every window can be unzipped from the inside or the outside.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

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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 we often found ourselves 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. Its mesh walls also soften harsh 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 think the Escape can easily house 5-7 people, plus 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 that it doesn't have a few small, built-in pockets for 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. At first, we didn't find the canopy intuitive and struggled to follow the setup instructions. A lot of fabric intertwined with multiple spider-like legs that seemed to make no sense gave us the premature inclination to start shelling out lower scores for this metric. Luckily, we had the patience to complete our first setup, and we found the learning curve much smaller than we expected.

At first, we approached the 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 by the sheer size of this canopy and how easy it is to deploy. We are impressed.

First place the Escape on its longest point, then let go.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

After letting go, the walls fall to the side exposing the roof top.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

Simply walk around the edges, find the handle attached at each one of the six sides, and pull. One by one, the tent's walls pop into place.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

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As we've said, right out of the bag, there are a lot of spidery legs. To erect the Escape, pinpoint the longest legs, which meet at a distinct point. Once you find that point, pick up the Escape and place the entire shelter on it. 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, 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. It provides excellent shade and 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. The entire structure is also 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 also provides extra protection from bugs and deters small critters.

The ground skirt purpose is two-fold. It acts as an additional seal to protect against bugs, but it also can be weighted down with sand. This effectively keeps the canopy in place during windy conditions when ground stakes are ineffective.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

Even the X-shaped frames suggest protection. They symbolically say “keep out” to sun, rain, wind, and bugs.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

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Craftsmanship

The Escape would be even more impressive if it incorporated metal in its framework. However, given its size, we think it would be too heavy to maneuver. In the end, we think its fiberglass frame is more than 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 you can trust 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.

Every key joint is reinforced. We couldn't find a single key component on the Escape that wasn't reinforced in one way or another.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

This canopy is a fortress. There is very little about it that doesn't scream quality.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

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Portability

At 34 pounds, the Escape is on the heavier side of canopy tents we've tested, but far from the heaviest. One person with average strength can lift it without much effort. That said, 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 carry over the shoulder; likewise, carrying it at your side is a little cumbersome. Some of our testers preferred to carry it backpack-style, which in some cases proved easiest—as long as their height wasn't an issue. All in all, the Escape would have earned higher marks for portability if it had a handle on either end of the carry bag. That would let two people carry it more easily.

The massive packed length also matters 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 fold down to access the trunk.

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 ideal for camping. So if you enjoy heading for the hills for a weekend camping trip or longer, we highly recommend taking the Quick-Set Escape along. 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 milling 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 keep out the sun. We feel the E-Z Up excels in the field because of its effective roller bag and 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.