Buzz off: this pop-up screen shelter provides a safe retreat from bugs and mosquitoes

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When I lived in Arizona, I used to think mosquitoes were a minor annoyance. Then I moved to Nova Scotia.

Blanketed with lakes, rivers and streams, Canada’s east coast is also thick with mosquitoes, biting gnats and flies of every size. My wife Tracey grew up here and rarely gets bitten. When I step outside, bugs swarm me like frantic paparazzi. Worse, I’m slightly allergic, so mosquito bites quickly swell into itchy lumps that linger for a week.

For years, I tried to outsmart them with picaridin, lemon eucalyptus, and other less effective natural repellents, including lemongrass, mint, lavender, garlic and tea tree oil. They helped, but mosquitoes found every missed spot. They bit through thin clothing and thicker layers became unbearable in summer heat. Cartoonish mesh mosquito suits failed wherever the mesh touched my skin. Every experiment ended with another collection of maddening welts.

Finally, I discovered the Alvantor 6-ft pop-up screen tent, an impenetrable mosquito fortress that springs open in seconds, giving me the breeze, sights and sounds of nature without the bites.

Keeping bugs at bay

The Alvantor uses flexible fiberglass ribs, so there are no poles to assemble: it springs from a flat 43-inch disc , to a 6x6-ft shelter in under 30 seconds. I can unfold and fold it alone, though Tracey’s help makes it faster.

Despite being Alvantor’s smallest model, it still feels roomy for two. We can fit two full-size camp chairs comfortably, stand without stooping (I’m 6ft tall), and even lay out a tarp or sleeping bag. For larger groups, Alvantor makes models up to 15x15ft.

The black mesh is so fine that it nearly disappears from inside, only slightly shading my view. I can still see and photograph wildlife, water, trees and sky through it, while the UPF 50+ roof provides protection from direct sun.

Its light weight of under 10lb is both a perk when you’re carrying it, and a limitation when the wind picks up and tries to carry it away. The tent comes with stakes, guylines and sandbags to secure it to the ground, but I still wouldn’t leave it unattended in gusty weather.

In particularly buggy areas, I wear a windbreaker and pop-up mosquito-net hat while setting up camp. To keep bugs from infiltrating when the door is open, I also place a small battery-powered BougeRV fan pointing out, which also cools us off on a warm day.

When you’re done, just collapse the sides together, form a figure 8 with the fiberglass rods and fold it in half.

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Picnicking in peace

For picnics, camping and just an afternoon in the woods, I prefer this bug-free sanctuary to layers of clothing or constant spraying.

On a recent trip to a scenic cove on the Atlantic coast, Tracey and I set it up on the grass near the water, where we could hear waves rolling gently against the beach. Sun warmed the roof, cool air moved through the mesh and several insects buzzed over to investigate.

I watched two hornets and several smaller bugs bump into the screen and fly away. For once, I didn’t have to wonder what was circling my ankles or landing on my neck. I could relax, listen to the waves and enjoy the breeze.