Why We Built the Salty Cabana (And What We Learned Along the Way)
By the Salty Seats team
If you've ever sat under a beach umbrella and watched the shade slowly creep away from you, you already know why we built the Salty Cabana.
We started Salty Seats with our beach chairs. Comfy, portable seats that you could actually carry on your back. But every time we'd set up at the beach, the same problem came up: shade. Umbrellas blow over. Pop-up tents turn into saunas. And those massive gazebo setups? You need three people and half an hour just to get them standing.
We figured there had to be something better. So we spent over two years designing, testing and refining what eventually became the Salty Cabana.
The problem with most beach shade
Here's what frustrated us about the options out there.
Beach umbrellas give you a tiny circle of shade that moves with the sun, so you're constantly repositioning. One decent gust and they're tumbling down the beach. We've all seen it happen, and we've all been that person chasing one.
Pop-up tents block the breeze and the view. You end up sitting inside a hot box, unable to see the kids in the water. They're shelters, not shade. There's a difference.
Gazebos and marquees are great if you're setting up a market stall, but dragging one across soft sand with a family in tow isn't realistic for a casual beach day.
We wanted something that gave you genuine shade coverage, handled the wind, kept the airflow going, and still let you actually enjoy the beach. Not just hide from it.
What we landed on
The Salty Cabana is essentially a 2m x 2m shade canopy with an included side wall that you can roll down for extra coverage or roll up when you don't need it. Think of it like an umbrella with legs and walls, but way more stable.
A few of the design decisions we're most happy with:
The side wall with mesh. This was a big one. The wall has a 43cm mesh section in the middle, which lets wind pass through without overloading the frame. It also means you're not staring at a fabric wall. You've still got visibility. When the afternoon sun drops low, you just rotate the cabana so the wall faces the sun and you've got full shade without moving your whole setup.
Sand pocket anchoring. Instead of pegs that pull out of soft sand, each corner has pockets you fill with sand. It's simple, it works, and you don't need to bring any extra anchoring gear. The side wall has its own sand pockets at the base too.
Ash wood pole with fiberglass ribs. We went with an ash wood main pole because it looks and feels premium. This isn't a $50 Kmart job. The canopy ribs are fiberglass, which gives them flexibility in the wind rather than snapping. The whole thing is UPF 50+, blocking over 98% of UV.
One-person setup. You screw in the base pole, attach the top canopy, extend it out and fill the corner pockets with sand. That's it. First time might take you five minutes while you figure out the parts, but after that it's a couple of minutes.
What we'd tell you honestly
The cabana weighs 12kg. That's not nothing. It packs down to about 111cm long and comes with a carry bag, but if you're trekking a long way from the car, you'll feel it. For most beach days where you're parking reasonably close, it's fine. But we're not going to pretend it's as light as chucking an umbrella over your shoulder.
We also recommend packing it down if winds get above 30 km/h. It handles normal coastal breezes well, much better than an umbrella, but it's not engineered for a storm. You'll know when it's time to call it. If you don't want to be at the beach, neither does your cabana.
This is our first production run. We're proud of it, but we're also paying close attention to feedback because we want to keep improving. If you grab one and think something could be better, genuinely let us know at hello@saltyseats.com. That's how we made our Salty Seat v2 so much better than v1. Real customers telling us what worked and what didn't.
Who it's actually for
The Salty Cabana works best for families or groups of 2 to 4 who want proper shade without the hassle. If you're doing half-day or full-day beach sessions, it's a game changer compared to an umbrella. Pair it with a couple of Salty Seats and you've got a genuinely comfortable setup that takes minutes.
If you're a solo beachgoer who just wants to read a book for an hour, it's probably overkill. Grab a good umbrella. But if you're setting up camp with the family and want shade you don't have to think about for the rest of the day, that's what we built this for.
A couple of tips once you've got one
Practice at home first. Seriously. Unfold it in the backyard once before your first beach trip so you're not figuring it out with sandy hands and impatient kids.
Leave the side wall down. We designed it so you can roll it up, but honestly, most people end up leaving it down once they realise how much extra shade it gives you. It's stitched at the top with two tie points if you do want it rolled.
Rinse it after saltwater exposure. A quick hose-down at home keeps it looking good and extends the life of the fabric. Let it dry before you store it.
The Salty Cabana is $249 and ships from Sydney with 2 to 5 day delivery Australia-wide. Every cabana comes with the side wall and carry bag included, plus a 2-year warranty. Check it out here.