The Clam Venture screen tent is what I grabbed for the trips where the bigger shelters felt like overkill: a two-night tailgate, a couple’s weekend at a lake, and a long walk from the parking lot to a walk-in site. Following my earlier tests of the Mars Explo, a stylish spring room built for patios, I wanted a compact shelter that would set up just as fast but handle a breezy campsite with more confidence. The Venture did exactly that, and it did it while weighing 11 pounds less than its big sibling.
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The Venture is a five-sided hub shelter from Clam’s Quick-Set line, a 9×9 pentagon with a taped 210D poly-oxford roof, no-see-um mesh, and the same pop-out wall hubs as the larger Escape. It holds the highest star rating in this hub, and in my pop up screen tent guide I named it the best compact pick. Here is the full review.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
| Rating Question | Score (Out of 5) |
|---|---|
| How easy was it to set up alone? | 4.8 |
| How easy was it to carry from the car? | 4.4 |
| How well did the mesh keep bugs out? | 4.7 |
| How much room did it give two to four people? | 4.3 |
| How steady was it in wind once staked? | 4.5 |
| How well did the roof handle light rain? | 4.4 |
| How well did it fit tailgates and beach days? | 4.5 |
What Are the Primary Pros and Cons of the Clam Venture Screen Tent?
The primary pros of the Clam Venture screen tent are its fast hub setup, 26-pound weight, taped roof, and no-see-um mesh, backed by the best star rating in this hub, while the main cons are a 9×9 footprint that fits four rather than six, a premium price for its size, and wind panels sold separately. It is a premium shelter scaled for small crews.
Pros
| 1. Hub setup in about a minute, solo |
| 2. 26 pounds, the lightest hub shelter in this hub |
| 3. 4.7 stars from 850+ ratings, the best average here |
| 4. Taped 210D poly-oxford roof sheds light rain |
| 5. No-see-um mesh with an extra-wide skirt |
| 6. UV protection listed for the fabric |
| 7. Brown, gray, or green color options |
Cons
| 1. 9×9 footprint fits four with chairs, not six |
| 2. Will not cover a picnic table with walk-around room |
| 3. Premium price for its size |
| 4. Wind panels sold separately |
| 5. Long 63-inch packed bag |
| 6. Only one door |
| 7. Shorter than the Escape at the peak |
The pros show why owners love it: it is everything good about the Clam hub design, in a package one person can carry comfortably. The cons are the honest cost of going smaller. If your group regularly tops four, the space math stops working. For the full field, my best pop up screen tents guide compares it against the other nine shelters.
The Specs of the Clam Venture Screen Tent
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Brand and model | CLAM Quick-Set Venture, model 12875 |
| Shape | 5-sided hub pentagon |
| Footprint | 108 x 108 inches (9 x 9 ft) |
| Floor area | 63.5 square feet |
| Peak height | About 82 inches (6.8 ft) |
| Capacity | 4 people with chairs |
| Weight | 26 pounds |
| Packed size | 63 x 12 x 12 inches |
| Roof fabric | 210D poly-oxford with taped seams, water resistant |
| Frame | Fiberglass hub poles |
| Mesh | No-see-um mesh with extra-wide skirt |
| Guylines | 4 |
| Doors | 1 |
| Included | Stakes, tie-down ropes, carry bag |
| Colors | Brown, Gray, Green |
The weight is the headline spec. At 26 pounds, the Venture is 11 pounds lighter than the Escape and noticeably easier to carry, which is the whole reason to choose it.
How Fast Does the Clam Venture Screen Tent Set Up?
The Clam Venture screen tent sets up in about a minute once you know the hub routine, which makes it one of the fastest shelters in this hub. Stand it on its roof hub, open it, pull out each of the five walls by its center handle, and push the roof up from inside.
With one fewer wall than the six-sided hubs, the Venture is even quicker to pop out. My first setup took a couple of minutes while I relearned which side faced up; after that, the shelter itself took about a minute, plus a few minutes for stakes and the four guylines.
Spring-open rooms like the Alvantor screen house open faster still, but they flex and fight in wind, and folding them takes practice. The Venture opens a wall at a time and folds with no drama: pull the roof hub down, push each wall hub in, roll, and bag. For tailgates where you set up and pack down the same day, that easy takedown matters more than raw opening speed.
Pick a level, durable spot before you open it. Leave No Trace’s advice to camp on durable surfaces is good practice for any screen house, and the Venture’s smaller footprint fits established tent pads that a 12×12 would overrun.
How Much Room Is Inside the Clam Venture Screen Tent?
The Clam Venture screen tent gives you 63.5 square feet inside a 9×9 pentagon, which comfortably fits four people in camp chairs around a small table. It is a cozy shelter for couples, small families, and tailgate crews, not a dining hall for a big group.
In my test, four camp chairs and a 4-foot folding table fit with room to reach the cooler. Six chairs technically fit, but knees were touching and nobody could get up without a shuffle. It also will not cover a full campground picnic table with room to walk around the benches.
If you need more room in the same style, the 12×12 hexagons are the next step up. The VEVOR screen tent and the Aoxun gazebo both include six wind cloths and fit eight people, though they weigh well over 30 pounds. For a patio room with straight walls instead, the East Oak screen house tent pop up gives you more floor at a lighter weight, but it is a fair-weather spring frame.
For tailgates, the Venture is a natural partner to a canopy. My pop up canopy tent guide covers straight-leg canopies, and I often ran one over the grill with the Venture beside it as the bug-free seating area.
How Does the Clam Venture Screen Tent Handle Wind, Rain and Bugs?
The Clam Venture screen tent handles bugs excellently, light rain well, and moderate wind well once staked, thanks to the same no-see-um mesh, taped 210D roof, and hub frame as the larger Clam shelters. Its lower profile also catches a little less wind than the tall hexagons.
Bugs were a non-issue. With the door zipped and the wide skirt staked flat, gnats and mosquitoes stayed outside at a buggy lake site. I still used repellent walking to and from the car; the EPA’s repellent finder helps you choose a registered repellent by active ingredient and protection time.
Rain was handled well under the roof. Water beaded and ran off the taped 210D fabric during a passing shower, and the table stayed dry. As with every mesh shelter, blowing rain still reaches the edges, and Clam’s optional Quick-Set wind panels fix that on the weather side.
When storms build beyond a shower, the screen house is not the place to be. The National Weather Service’s lightning safety tips are clear that open shelters do not protect you, so I head for the car at the first rumble.
If rain is your main concern, the Gazelle G6 lists a 2000mm waterproof roof, the only specific waterproof rating in this hub. For a lighter, cheaper tailgate option, the Coleman Skylodge portable screenhouse sets up like a canopy and weighs about 16 pounds.
How Does the Clam Venture Screen Tent Compare to Other Premium Hubs?
The Clam Venture screen tent compares as the compact, lighter alternative to the premium hub shelters, trading floor space for an easier carry and the best rating in this hub. The Clam Escape screen tent gives you a bigger hexagon for about the same price, and the Gazelle G6 adds the best rain rating, but both are heavier.
| Premium Hub | Footprint | Weight | Packed Length | Capacity | Star Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clam Venture | 9 x 9 ft, 63.5 sq ft | 26 lb | 63 in. | 4 with chairs | 4.7 |
| Clam Escape | 11.5 x 11.5 ft, 94 sq ft | 37 lb | 72 in. | 6 with table | 4.6 |
| Gazelle G6 | 124 in. across, 85 sq ft | 34 lb | Long cylinder bag | 8 with table | 4.6 |
My take: if you are two to four people and carry your gear any distance, the Venture is the smartest premium hub in this hub. If you regularly host six or more, the Escape is the better value at nearly the same price. For a crowd around a long table, the pole-built DMH Outdoors tent is the space champion.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Clam Venture Screen Tent
How many people fit in the Clam Venture screen tent?
The Clam Venture screen tent fits four people comfortably in camp chairs around a small table, which matches Clam’s listing. Six can squeeze in for a short stay, but it gets tight. The 63.5-square-foot floor and five-sided shape suit couples, small families, and tailgate groups rather than big gatherings.
Does the Clam Venture screen tent come with wind panels?
No, wind panels are sold separately. Clam’s Quick-Set wind panels attach to the walls to block wind, blowing rain, and sun, or to add privacy. Stake every guyline before you attach panels, because solid walls catch far more wind than mesh. If you want walls included in the box, the 12×12 VEVOR and Aoxun hexagons each ship with six wind cloths.
Is the Clam Venture screen tent waterproof?
The roof is water resistant, made of 210D poly-oxford with taped seams, and it shed a passing shower well in my testing. The mesh walls let blowing rain through, so add Clam’s optional wind panels on the weather side if showers are likely. In heavy rain or thunderstorms, take shelter in a vehicle or building instead.
How heavy is the Clam Venture screen tent?
It weighs 26 pounds and packs into a bag about 63 inches long, making it the lightest hub shelter in this hub. That is 11 pounds lighter than the Clam Escape, and it was a comfortable one-person carry on a walk-in campsite. The long bag still needs trunk length, so measure before a road trip in a small car.
Clam Venture vs Clam Escape: which should you buy?
Choose the Venture if you are usually two to four people, carry your gear any distance, or want a smaller footprint for tailgates and tight sites. Choose the Escape if you regularly host six, want to cover a full picnic table with walking room, or camp at sites where you park beside your shelter. Both use the same hub design, mesh, and roof fabric.
Helpful Guides
- How to Fold a Pop Up Screen Tent
- How to Set Up a Screen House Tent
- Do Screen House Tents Let Dust In?
- How to Clean Mold from a Tent Screen
- How to Put Up a Pop Up Canopy Tent
Should You Buy the Clam Venture Screen Tent?
Yes, buy the Clam Venture screen tent if you camp, tailgate, or picnic as a group of two to four and want a premium hub shelter that sets up in a minute and carries easily. It has the best rating in this hub for a reason: it does everything the bigger Clam does, in a lighter package.
Skip it if you host six or more, want to cover a full picnic table, or want walls in the box. The Clam Escape or a 12×12 hexagon will serve you better, and my pop up screen tent guide compares every option.
