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Best windbreaks 2023, tried and tested for camping and beach trips

Don’t let the wind or rain get in the way of summer fun with these top-rated windbreaks

Liz Dodd
Tuesday 06 June 2023 12:22 BST
<p>We’ve tested a range of the windbreaks, screens and tarps in 40mph-plus winds on exposed hillsides</p>

We’ve tested a range of the windbreaks, screens and tarps in 40mph-plus winds on exposed hillsides

A sturdy windbreak is an absolute essential for late-season camping – they’re so much more than just a flimsy sheet that you bring along to the seaside.

A windbreak can protect you from everything that camping in bad weather can throw at you – from sideways rain that soaks your fire pit and gusts that stop your stove from lighting to icy breezes that cut through your layers while you stargaze.

The kind of windbreak or windscreen you need depends on your camping set-up: for large scale family camping, with multiple tents, cars or caravans, and where you know you’ll stay on one pitch for a while, it’s worth investing in one of the larger, pricier options.  

For smaller pitches and fewer tents, look for a more traditional multi-panel, poled screen. These are robust, dependable and portable; unless you expect to take them anywhere really adventurous, don’t worry about specs like hydrostatic head or denier. Even basic polyester will make a solid difference in a cold wind.

There are even options for hikers, bikers and ultralightweight travellers: one of our favourite windbreaks is a trusty Decathlon tarp that stows down into an ordinary pack. The smallest screen we tested was the size of a gas stove, which was just the job if you’re struggling to get the kettle going in strong winds.

Rigging most windbreaks is fairly simple, but there are a few tips to bear in mind for tarps. Look for reinforced loops and guy ropes, which will help you fix the tarp to the strongest, steady point – your car, for example, or trekking poles in an emergency. In very high winds rig it low to the ground and use extra tent pegs to keep it there – the last thing you want is the sound of billowing canvas keeping you awake when you're snug and warm in your tent.

How we tested

We never set off on a camping trip without one, so have tested a range of windbreaks, screens and tarps in 40mph-plus winds on exposed hillsides. We’ve also trialled them in gentle summer breezes, and on family trips where speed of set up and take down (for the inevitable rush to the beach on a nice day) is the priority over weather resistance.

The best windbreaks for 2023 are:

  • Best windbreak overall – Outwell windscreen air: £499.99, Outwell.com
  • Best windbreak for overhead shelter – Quechua tarp fresh: £44.99, Decathlon.co.uk
  • Best lightweight windbreak – Robens windshield: £23.99, Robens.de
  • Best windbreak for easy set-up – Easy Camp windscreen: £57.99, Easycamp.com
  • Best inflatable windbreak – Vango airbeam modular windbreak: £348.92, Amazon.co.uk

Outwell windscreen air

Outwell_Windscreen Air_Main INDYBEST.jpg
  • Best: Windbreaker overall
  • Capacity: 7 people
  • Type: Inflatable
  • Features: Mesh window, easy to inflate/deflate

The ultimate windscreen if your camping set-up tends to sprawl away from your tent or caravan. This huge, sturdy windbreak can shield your cooking area, lounging area and fire pit in one go. It’s incredibly easy to set up thanks to the air poles (you’ll need a pump for these), although – at 8m long – it’s a two-person job. It withstood moderate wind with ease in our testing. The guy lines are hefty straps and could handle much worse conditions than the usual late summer British weather.

Because you can pitch it in a semi-circular shape, a bit like a roof-less yurt, it provides wrap-around protection from bad weather and real warmth. Our favourite feature was the mesh window: if conditions turn sour, at least you can still enjoy a bit of a view. Perfect for large groups and families, caravans and car campers.

  1. £499 from Outwell.com
Prices may vary
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Quechua tarp fresh

Quechua tarp fresh indybest windbreak
  • Best: Windshield for overhead shelter
  • Capacity: 8 sqm of sheltered surface
  • Type: Tarp
  • Features: UV protection, waterproof, heat reduction

This unassuming tarp has saved many of our camping trips from becoming disasters. Decathlon says it can give you up to 8sqm of sheltered space: strung to an awning or tent, we’ve managed more than that.

If you want to create a whole shelter, it comes with poles and straps, but the most effective way to use it as a windscreen is to fasten it vertically like a shield, attached to something sturdy (like your car or a strong tent). Best of all it is light and small (about 1kg without the poles), so you can bring it along for emergencies without sacrificing a lot of space.

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Robens windshield

Robens_Windshield_Main photo1.jpg
  • Best: Lightweight windshield
  • Capacity: 21 x 58 cm
  • Type: Foldable screen
  • Features: High enough to shelter a burner mounted on a gas cartridge

Don’t rule out packing a windshield if you’re a lightweight camper: a small, foldable screen like this one can rescue your dinner or your morning cup of coffee. Small enough to fit in the pocket of your rucksack, it’s still tall enough to shield a medium-height gas stove and is a lifesaver in strong winds.

It’s much tougher and more durable than the foil shields many stoves come with, and it weighs less than 2kg. Brilliant for hiking or bike packing in bad weather or if you’re spendinb the night somewhere exposed.

  1. £23 from Robens.de
Prices may vary
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Easy Camp windscreen

indybestEasycamp_Windscreen Grey_Main photo1.jpg
  • Best: Windbreak for easy set-up
  • Capacity: 5m long
  • Type: Windscreen
  • Features: Easy to pitch

A lightweight windscreen with excellent coverage, this tall fence-like windshield is also a great way to mark the edge of your site (good for wandering kids) and gives you have a bit of extra privacy. It’s easy to put up and take down and perfectly fine for moderate weather, although it isn’t designed for full-on gale-force winds. At 5m long, it’s enough protection for your camp kitchen or to screen the wind from your fire pit.

  1. £57 from Easycamp.com
Prices may vary
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Vango airbeam modular windbreak

Vango modular airbeam indybest.jpg
  • Best: Inflatable windbreak
  • Capacity: 490 x 125 x 10 cm
  • Type: Inflatable
  • Features: Easy to inflate/deflate, customisable

A lovely, lightweight but sturdy screen that’s ideal for smaller campsites. The three tall panels – with a strip of mesh window on each – are really easy to mould to your site, allowing you to create a horseshoe shape or a long fence, depending on your needs and the weather. We found this was perfect for two tents and a central cooking/living area, or one larger car/caravan pitch – but if you want a little more sheltered space, you can buy extra panels to clip on.

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Olpro beach huts windbreak

windbreaks-camping-beach-windbreak-beach-huts-5-pole-windbreak-wooden-poles-4847770009690_1400x indybest.jpg
  • Best: Windbreak for beach days
  • Capacity: 480 x 125 x 130cm
  • Type: Polyester screen
  • Features: Colourful, long length

Eye-catching, gorgeously vintage and easy to set up and take down, Olpro does our favourite colourful, cheerful camping windbreaks. Think English seaside: the fabric, a strong polyester, is stretched across wooden, steel tipped poles to create a classic but effective windscreen. It isn’t designed for super strong wind, but it is perfectly sturdy for seasonal camping. At almost 5m in length, it will shield even the biggest family campsite.

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Argos three section windbreak

argos windberak
  • Best: Windbreak for day trips
  • Capacity: 100 x 375cm
  • Type: Panel screen
  • Features: Easy to set up, carriable size, retro design

A simple, lightweight and inexpensive windbreak, this is perfect for camping trips that might involve an afternoon at the seaside. The three-panel screen (in brilliantly retro red, white and blue stripes) is good for gentle gusts, a little bit of privacy around your site, or a bit of extra protection for your camp kitchen. It packs down to a carry-able size and is incredibly easy to put up or take down, making it ideal for day trips where it can double as a shade or changing area.

  1. £20 from Argos.co.uk
Prices may vary
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The verdict: Windbreaks 

Outwell’s windscreen air is a full-blown, weatherproof shelter that can shield even the largest campsite. At the other end of the scale, the endlessly versatile Quechua tarp fresh is brilliant in an emergency.

For a brilliant night’s sleep while you’re camping, read our review of the best air beds

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