'Amazing' $79 CoolCabana dupe with $171 saving: 'Provides more shade'

If you're an Aussie beach-goer, you've probably noticed the influx of cabanas taking up sand space across the coastlines, with the easy set-up shade tents growing exponentially in popularity over the last few years. Now more and more dupes of the original CoolCabana are popping up in stores country-wide, retailing at cheaper prices than the original model, which is often priced anywhere between $189 - $399.

Mitre 10 has recently advertised a sale on their CoolCabana dupe and told Yahoo Lifestyle that there's been a whopping 147% increase in sales when it comes to beach cabanas in 2025 compared to 2024. "The popularity continues to soar nationwide as temperatures only continue to rise," Mitre 10 spokesperson Kath Carroll said."On 4 January 2025 alone, we saw an astounding +147% increase in sales for our Cabana Beach Shade, compared to the previous year."

So while cabanas are growing in popularity, they've also become highly divisive — anyone who enjoys an ocean frolic has an opinion about beach cabanas now and whether they're taking up far too much space. Even Australia's prime minister Anthony Albanese has waded into the debate (no pun intended) saying that a spot on the beach is something every Aussie "owns".

When asked about people setting their cabanas up in prime beach spots, only to vacate them for some time, Albanese said: "[The beach] is a place where every Australian is equal. And that's a breach of that principle, really, to think that you can reserve a little spot as just yours."

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While not everyone is a fan of the cabanas blocking some peoples' ocean views, for many Aussies it's now come down to a simple rule: if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. And many retailers — from Kmart to Aldi and now Mitre 10 — have jumped on board with their own, cheaper dupes of the infamous CoolCabana.

Save $170 with Mitre 10's CoolCabana dupe

Mitre 10 has announced their dupe of the $250 CoolCabana is now on sale for $79, saving shoppers a fair chunk of cash while fulfilling their shelter dreams.

Online, the product has had favourable reviews, with the rating sitting at a 3.8/5 stars.

"I would have given five stars if it folded down smaller & was lighter as I rely on public transport so it can be difficult to lug around with me," one person shared. "The extra shade panel is amazing & I can lean back on its sand pockets rather than have to bring a chair. It provides significantly more shade than the Cool Cabanas that surrounded me at the beach, thanks to the extra back panel."

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Others, however, weren't as sold, with one saying the Mitre 10 product wasn't "stable in mild winds".

"We had the old style where the height was adjustable. This new one the height does not adjust, very inconvenient," someone reviewed. "Just pay the extra $100 and get a real CoolCabana."

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