Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

(Note: mine is the black PrivacyPop, not the blue.) First, keep in mind that there is only a 60-day return policy through PrivacyPop, so if you have any problems whatsoever, contact the company immediately and deal with them before you run out of time. In advance, let me just state that I've only had one issue with it thus far, and that has to do with re-folding it into the bag. It's a bit of a clumsy process, as it doesn't fold up for me nearly as smooth as the ten-second YouTube video shows. Maybe you'll have better luck. Just remember not to get overly frustrated with it and try to force it into the proper position. My backstory: A few years ago, when I found myself searching for a bed tent for my own use (I was sleeping in a bright, drafty space at the time), I couldn't find one that was either economical enough or of a decent size. Looking up "bed tents" online yielded images of kid's tents (complete with cartoon characters or race car numbers and curved at both ends), which barely allowing an adult enough head room to sit up in the middle of the bed... and turned out to be of absolutely no use as far as blocking the light. The child's tents also had no bottom/base to them, and hooked on to the corners of the mattress with flimsy elastic straps that broke easily. So I was very happy to find that the Privacy Pop unit offered a decent amount of head room, as well as a being a complete, enclosed unit. As far as using it, know that the thinner the mattress you have, the better the head room is. Put a thick pillow top in there and you lose space. While it is a bit of a challenge to make your bed, or at least to have tight sheets, it's not impossible. I recommend that you simply enjoy the zippered door to hide your messy bed! Be aware that this product does NOT provide you with a total blackout situation, and only filters light when in direct sunlight; at night, though, the material is thick enough to offer a good level of dimness for the average room. I used this product while attending college, and as you can see by Photo #2, I modified my Privacy Pop to make it warmer and to cut down on the light by putting a product called ShiftShade on it. ShiftShade, sold here on Amazon, is a solid light-blocking material (which blocks even direct sunlight!), and provides an excellent barrier against radiating cold (as in, the cinderblock wall that I slept next to). So I'd recommend purchasing ShiftShade to cover the top and/or sides, to provide a darker interior and aid you in achieving better sleep. A wise decision was to put screened windows at the head and foot of the unit, rather than on the top. Many child tents are designed with open, uncover-able screens overhead for ventilation and I was glad to see that idea did not translate into the adult bed tent version. A better idea would' have been if the company provided access to those particular window zippers from the inside. If you want to roll up or close them, you have to get out of the Privacy Pop to do so. Make sure you have your comfort level where you want it before retiring for the night. (Also, be careful zipping and unzipping the windows, as I've caught the netting in the zipper a few times.) If you've ever used pop-up window shades in your car for parking, that's basically what this is-- a thin wire frame that coils up and compacts the material around it, then expands to a given shape. Some people have complained about the set-up process, but I had no problems with either the opening-up or the insertion of the tent poles--just watch the video online, and it'll save you a lot of time and frustration in this regard. I don't know if this is just my tent or a manufacturing "we didn't think that part through" error on the part of the company, but the poles don't rest on the inside main seams at the top and bottom. Instead, they kind of press against the front and back of the tent (but not to the point where it looks like they'd rip the material, or at least I HOPE not); my opinion is that the seams in those areas should be made thicker and wider to cradle the poles properly. Right now, the pole ends are not seated anywhere inside. There have been complaints about the zippers not closing, but mine worked fine. Again, any problems should be reported to the company right away before the warranty expires. The zippers turned out to be more durable than I expected (given my experience with the cheap nylon and basic zippers of the bright orange "Jeff Gordon" race car-inspired tent that I briefly used). However, once the mattress is inserted, the curved bottom of the Privacy Pop does tend to pull the material tighter between the sides. Remember, NEVER force a zipper to close on this product. If it won't close, something is pulling the material too tight in one area. Do a little experimental tugging and try again. Having put a twin mattress in the "twin" version, I can see why some people would have an issue with the material tightening up, based on that inner curve. Perhaps ordering a slightly larger size, like a Twin XL, to use with a twin mattress would solve the problem. But I can't say for sure. All in all, some basic things have to be remembered to help extend the life of the Privacy Pop. This is not a play tent, and it is not durable enough to withstand being pushed or fallen against. Repeatedly taking it down and putting it up will put the same amount of stress on the product; if you don't have to disassemble it, leave it alone. Putting this on a standard bed frame is also going to up the odds of causing damage as you get in and out of it. Personally, I wouldn't recommend putting this on any open-spring box spring frame or bare plywood board, which could snag and tear the material. Remember: no product is perfect, and something that you are going to use on a daily basis (if not two or three times a day) is going to wear out in various ways eventually, so be gentle.