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Best Canopy Weights

Updated June 2022
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
US Weight Tailgater Canopy Weights
US Weight
Tailgater Canopy Weights
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Maximum Safety
Bottom Line

A win-win for safety; weights keep your canopy in place, and the no-pinch design helps prevent fingers from getting caught between the plates.

Pros

Includes four 7.5-pound weights for a total of 30 pounds. Exterior is made from recycled plastic with cement filling. No-pinch design makes for easy, safe installation and removal of weights. Interlocking weights. Fits canopy poles up to 1.25 inches wide.

Cons

Legs may slide through slits. For best security, use 2 weights with slits on opposing sides.

Best Bang for the Buck
ABCCANOPY Industrial Grade Weights for Pop up Canopy
ABCCANOPY
Industrial Grade Weights for Pop up Canopy
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Flexible & Waterproof
Bottom Line

These bags can be attached to the canopy legs themselves, rather than propped against them.

Pros

Set of 4 weight bags for canopies with leg sizes from 15 mm to 50 mm. Bags hold up to 25 pounds of sand, rock, or dirt. Waterproof, 1680D polyester fabric coating with PVC is 300% stronger then most other weight bags. Length of 13.4" and width of 16".

Cons

Best on dirt or grass. If you need to use on concrete, consider placing a barrier between ground and bags to prevent holes from developing.

Eurmax Leg Weights for Pop up Canopies
Eurmax
Leg Weights for Pop up Canopies
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Most Portable
Bottom Line

These professional-looking weights are designed for easy transport and fit square legs very well.

Pros

Set of 4 plastic, rectangular weights that can be filled with water, sand, snow, pebbles, or concrete. Outfitted with carrying handle and straps to attach to legs. Set weighs a combined 88 pounds when filled with water and 124 pounds filled with sand.

Cons

A handful of leaks when used with water. Water-filled weights may not keep your canopy completely still in the gustiest conditions.

US Weight The Ingot Canopy Weight
US Weight
The Ingot Canopy Weight
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Most Compact
Bottom Line

These slimline weights take up next to no room in your canopy, and sets can be stacked for extra stability.

Pros

Design takes up very little room inside the canopy and reduces the risk of tripping compared to other designs. Set of 4 slender ingot weights, each filled with 15 pounds of ferro cement. Weights strap onto canopy legs. No water, sand, rust, or leaks. Fits legs up to 2.5 inches in diameter.

Cons

Pricey. They're designed to be compact, so one set alone may not be effective in heavy winds.

Eurmax Weight Bags for Pop up Canopy Outdoor Shelter
Eurmax
Weight Bags for Pop up Canopy Outdoor Shelter
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Versatile Option
Bottom Line

No more struggling to transport heavy weights— these bags come empty and can be filled with sand, rocks, or whatever material is available.

Pros

Set of 4. Universal weight bags stabilize any brand of canopy. Lay flat against canopy legs. Can be filled with a variety of materials. Specially designed lock system ensures the weight bags stay securely attached to canopy legs. Made of durable, 600D, PVC-backed polyester. Bags weigh 30-35 pounds when filled with sand.

Cons

May only hold around 25 pounds of sand, but that's still a significant amount of stabilization.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
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Buying guide for best canopy weights

Canopies are coveted for the portable shelter they provide at the beach, ballfield, or craft show. But their lightweight design makes them vulnerable to wind gusts, especially on surfaces where they can’t be staked.

Canopy weights are tools that you secure around the legs of your canopy to add weight and stability to the frame. They affix to your canopy’s legs, so they won’t slide off when an updraft hits, unlike a cooler or tote propped against the frame. Many vendor venues require canopy weights to prevent your shelter from tipping, overturning, or blowing away.

Canopy weights come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. Which are best for your needs?

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Canopies are most at risk to the wind during setup and take down — when you’re distracted by your thoughts or in a hurry to move onto the next important task.

Key considerations

Pre-filled vs. empty weights

When you’re buying canopy weights, it’s important to think about where you use your shelter most often. If you can drive up to your spot, like at a vendor fair or farmers’ market, pre-filled weights are perfect. Most are plastic discs filled with cement or sand, molded with a slot that slips around the leg to hold it securely.

But if you must carry your canopy a distance, like to the beach or a campsite, you may prefer to  purchase empty weights and fill them with whatever’s available when you arrive. These durable, weatherproof bags can be filled with sand, water, rocks, and other objects. This style usually  straps onto your canopy’s legs.

Slot size

All canopies have slender legs, but some are more narrow than others. Before you buy, make sure the openings will fit your canopy legs snugly and securely. Most canopies have legs that measure between one and two inches.

Weight

While some venues dictate the amount of weight you need on each leg, others leave it vague. Most experts say that 40 pounds per leg is a safe bet, but this can be a tough — and expensive — number to hit if you’re not required. Pre-filled weights usually range from five to 10 pounds per disc. Fillable bags, on the other hand, usually hold 20 to 40 pounds of material. This allows you to carry light empty bags, but requires a large amount of filling to be available onsite. Decide whether this is a reasonable expectation at the location where you use your canopy, and be sure to pack a tool for filling.

Casing

Most hard-sided pre-filled weights have a hard plastic exterior. This style lends itself to hard, unstake-able surfaces like sidewalks and parking lots. They don’t have any give or flex to meet soft ground or sand.

Fillable weights are usually made from heavy-duty polyester or oxford cloth and reinforced with PVC. Many are water-resistant or waterproof, but can be prone to developing holes if dragged across rough surfaces. Look for models with double stitching to keep the filling inside. Check individual models for water resistance — and whether water or snow can be used to fill them. Regardless of what you use to fill, make sure your bags are fully dry before storing them.

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Caution
Never use gallon water jugs as canopy weights. A gallon of water weighs around eight pounds — which is one-fifth of the standard recommended amount.
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Features

Interlocking

Plastic-coated plates are prone to sliding when they’re stacked. Interlocking plates can solve that problem by including grooves and tabs to hold them in place when they’re resting on top of one another. The small space these tabs create between the weights can also prevent finger pinches.

Straps

Weights that don’t have slots and interlocking tabs often attach around the canopy leg with Velcro straps. These are more adjustable and can be used with a variety of canopy leg widths. Whether it’s slots or straps, canopy weights must attach to the legs somehow, otherwise they are at risk for sliding out of place in gusty conditions.

Handles

Weights are notoriously awkward to move, but a handle can make it easier. Some slip through the center to allow you to carry a stack. Others have handles on each individual weight. If you’re looking for a set with handles, make sure the amount of weight is practical for you to carry — especially if it’s designed to carry several at once.

Grommet holes

Weights often block access to your canopy’s original staking mechanism. Some weights — especially fabric ones — have grommeted holes that let you stake your canopy to the ground. This added level of security can help keep the upper part of your canopy more stable and prevent damage in gusty conditions.

Accessories

Canopy weight prices

Inexpensive: You can find inexpensive canopy weights starting around $16 for a four-leg set. At this price, you’ll be getting unfilled bags that will hold 20 to 25 pounds of material, which you will need to locate. Bags will be made from sturdy fabric and likely have a plasticized coating.

Mid-range: Better canopy weights will likely cost $18 to $20 for a four-leg set. These weights will likely be unfilled bags made with thicker, higher-quality material and hold 30 to 35 pounds of filling material. Once again, you will need to obtain the filling for the weights.

Expensive: The priciest weights come prefilled and usually cost about $1 per pound. That means 20 pounds of weights will cost around $20, 40 pounds of weights will cost you around $40, and so on. This can add up quickly, but saves you the time and effort of filling your own bags and possibly purchasing filler materials.

Tips

  • If you choose fillable weights, be sure to pack a tool for filling your bags.

  • Fabric bags can be prone to holes. Consider putting rough filling material in the bag or another container before placing them in the weight. You can also use a barrier between these weights and rough ground surfaces to reduce friction.

  • Make sure your canopy weights don’t pose a trip hazard when in use.

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Weights have been known to damage canopies during use in high winds. If the forecast is so blustery you feel this is a risk, it may be best to change your plans.

FAQ

Q. Do I need to use both stakes and weights?

A. No. Canopy weights are meant to be used in areas where you can’t use stakes or to provide a layer of security if your stakes fail. In either situation, they are expected to work without stakes. You can stake if you want to — assuming you have the space. Stakes attached to guy lines may help to stabilize the top of your tent, preventing wear and tear. But the weights themselves should be enough to keep your tent from flipping.

Q. Why do vendor fairs require canopy weights?

A. It’s a safety and liability issue. The weights are there to keep your canopy down, but the concern isn’t really your canopy. It’s the people and property around you — the shoppers, the inventory at neighboring tents, the plate-glass window of the nearby business — all of these could suffer damage if your canopy blows away. You don’t want to be held responsible for chaos like this — or worse, if your canopy injures someone or blows into the street and causes an auto accident. This is not a hypothetical — it has happened. A little bit of cash up front can save you a lot of money, pain, and negative publicity for your business down the road.

Q. How much weight do I need?

A. While a few venues we’ve seen mandate 25 pounds per canopy leg, many event organizers require between 40 and 50 pounds. These guidelines are for canopies measuring 8 x 8 feet or 10 x 10 feet. Canopies measuring 10 x 20 feet should be secured with 50 pounds on each leg. Canopies measuring 12 x 12 feet and 14 x 14 feet should also have 50 pounds per leg.