Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First - let me start off by stating that this is not the same commercial grade tent that you'd get from a party rental place. It looks similar, but it's not nearly as industrial-strength. The poles are a thin tubular metal, and the material is very lightweight. That said, for the price - it's tough to beat what you get here. In searching for tent options for a large family backyard event, we were unsure if we even wanted tents, particularly considering that the weather was questionable. Rental companies wanted around $200 for the same size tent, which was non-refundable, even if we had to reschedule for heavy rain. For what this tent costs, it was exactly what we needed. For far less than the cost of a one or two-day rental, we had our own tent that would be available whenever it was needed. By taking a little bit of care, one can maximize the value they get from it. I don't know which reviewer was first to mention it, but the purchase of a roll of white duct tape is critical to your sanity. Taping the poles at all the joints will keep the structure from sliding apart while you put it together - particularly where they connect with the slippery plastic corner sockets. Also - it doesn't come with much in the way of instructions. (See attached picture) If you were particularly good with Lego or Erector sets in your youth, what they sent might suffice, but I think a few important tips might help: * Build the roof first on the ground where to intend to set it up. (See attached picture) Tape all your joints. Once the roof is built, you can put the fabric on too while it's still on the ground. It's just easier to do it now. * With a second person, choose one long side of the roof, and lift it by the crossbar near each corner, just high enough to put the corner pole in the plastic joint. While one person continues to support the crossbar, the other can go attach the center pole for that side. * Repeat on the other long side, and your tent is up. Attach the flaps that cover the poles to the hooks by the feet. This method prevents you from having any real work to do that involves hold things up over your head. It's also good for a situation where you can only get someone to help for a few minutes, which is the lifting portion. You can build the whole roof yourself while it's on the ground. Two final tips: If you want to set it up in advance but are worried about wind or rain, you can leave the poles assembled and take off the fabric. It's light enough to quickly drape on and off the frame even while assembled. Short of falling branches or other debris, the rain and wind (unless very severe) probably won't affect the frame. Lastly, if you have poles that end up being in high-traffic areas, particularly on concrete, you can lower the trip hazard they pose by taping them to a cooler, drink bucket, or other heavy serving vessel. It will also help anchor the pole if it's not on ground you can drive stakes into. With a little TLC, I expect to be able to get a good number of uses out of this tent. I think the key is in how careful you are when assembling and disassembling it, because the poles are thin and easily bent. Once it's up, as long as nature or guests don't knock it down, it's pretty solid. Hope this helps.