Growing up in Alaska I’d always get so jealous when I saw people on TV or hear about family and friends in the lower 48 hanging out in their backyard watching movies under the stars.
Now that I live in north Texas, I have the opportunity to start enjoying some outdoor cinema, so I started doing a little research on screens…specifically inflatable movie screens.
These screens can be set up anywhere that has enough space, they’re easy to transport and store, plus you don’t need any special skills to operate them!
I know there are other options, so I thought I’d put together the answers to some questions that I had when I was researching and share it all here.
Are Inflatable Movie Screens Any Good?
In general, the screen on an inflatable movie screen is going to be very similar to a standard projector screen, so you’ll get a similar picture quality. Best of all, inflatable screens are typically easier to set up and tear down, especially if you’re using a self-inflating screen.
The main difference is going to be the frame and stand. A typical movie screen will need to have a frame that it stretches across. These frames are usually made of lightweight materials like aluminum. While not overly heavy to carry, on average they weigh around 30lbs, but they are cumbersome to put together.
Inflatable screens, on the other hand, have a heavy-duty PVC-coated nylon shell with a built-in blower fan. The overall weight of an inflatable screen can be as little as 15 lbs! That makes transporting and storing much easier because you won’t need any tools or hardware to break it down into a more compact form.
Both styles of outdoor screens have their fans, but taking a quick look through various sites where confirmed purchasers…like Amazon, for instance… have left feedback and ratings, inflatable screens carry better overall ratings.
How Much Are Inflatable Movie Screens?
On average, you can expect to pay around $150 for a 12 to 16-foot inflatable screen. Size and design are going to make this number fluctuate quite a bit with cheaper screens running around $100 and upwards of $800 for a consumer-grade model.
I say consumer-grade there because you can pay thousands for extremely large screens…but these are generally used at screenings, party’s, or entertainment venues.
You may be tempted to pay a few dollars less for a screen because it’s bigger…but consider a few things first.
- What is going to fit best in your yard?
- What size screen/distance does your projector recommend?
- How breezy is it in your area? (really consider this one)
I’m sure there are other things too, but that should get you started. Once again, I’ll mention that you should consider how much cross-breeze your yard gets. I was tempted to get one model because it was a little cheaper and had a bigger screen…but the base didn’t look like it would hold the screen up if a strong gust of wind hit it from the back.
In the end, I went with a VivoHome 14-foot screen. It was 2 feet smaller than the other model and cost $30 more BUT it has some chunky feet that extend in front and behind the center of the screen and…you guessed it…stand up great to breezy weather and occasional gusts of wind.
I think the smaller model will also be a little easier to manage if I ever take it on a road trip with me.
For more info on this model to see if it’s the right screen for you, check it out on Amazon.
Are Inflatable Movie Screens Better Than Other Options?
In general, an inflatable movie screen is going to give you the most flexibility for enjoying movies outdoors. They are set up more quickly than screens that require a frame and will have a better picture quality compared to using a flat, white surface like a bed sheet or wall.
The least expensive option is to use white sheets but due to, at least partially, the sheer quality of sheets a lot of the light will go through, leading to a dull picture. A typical sheet can also be difficult to get very smooth.
You’ll have similar difficulties using the side of the house or fence…the surface won’t be perfectly smooth and honestly, how often do you clean the outside walls of your home. All of this will lead to a skewed picture with a lot of dirt and grime showing up.
You can also use a standard outdoor movie screen, and this would be a perfectly good choice since it will deliver a similar quality of the picture as an inflatable model. The downside with one of these is that they are heavier, more cumbersome to put up and takedown, and require tools.
How Much Does An Inflatable Movie Screen Weigh?
In general, the overall weight of an inflatable screen can be as little as 15 lbs! Of course, size will affect this number with larger screens weighing up to 20lbs.
Like I mentioned above, a typical outdoor movie screen requires an aluminum frame. While aluminum is lightweight, average models still weigh around 30 pounds. In addition, you may have to bring a few tools in case you have to loosen or tighten any connections…inflatable screens don’t require any tools.
Thanks to their lightweight, inflatable models are ideal for road trips. They pack down and can fit in a trunk or in the cargo hold of an RV.
What Are The Pros And Cons To Inflatable Movie Screens?
So now that I’ve talked about the basic features and answered some questions about inflatable screens, let’s discuss some of their pros and cons:
PROS:
- Inflatable models are exceptionally easy to set up since you don’t need any tools.
- Inflatable models have the best picture quality of any portable screen due to their design. They are made from PVC and can achieve up to 16:09 aspect ratios with no black bars showing at all! This is awesome for watching widescreen movies, but keep in mind that you will need an HD projector to get the best viewing experience.
- Very easy to keep clean, which I go into details about over in this article.
CONS:
- Picture quality can be a little fuzzy, but that’s only if you choose an inexpensive screen and use it with a cheaper projector. Of course, other factors like ambient light will also affect clarity of picture…you’ll need as much darkness as possible for watching movies at night!
- Inflatable models are the noisiest of all portable screens. In addition, they have a higher price tag than most other options at this size range…There are ways to mitigate this noise, which I covered in this article.
- While they’re easy to clean they do require regular maintenance to stay in good shape and can be damaged by sharp objects like rocks since these punctures could lead to leaks.
Final Thoughts
For me, the answers to all of these questions brought me back to an inflatable movie screen. I like the easy setup and tear-down, the lightweight and portable nature of them, and after scouring through dozens of reviews most people agreed that an inflatable model had the better picture.
No matter what you decide, you can’t go wrong with an outdoor movie screen. Set up some snack tables, put out some blankets and pillows, invite some friends over and have a movie marathon…such a great way to spend a summer evening!