Gemmy Deluxe Inflatable Movie Screen
Bottom Line: The low cost, light weight, small storage footprint, and huge screen make the [easyazon_link identifier=”B00DH5FS3Y” locale=”US” tag=”backyardmov05-20″]Gemmy Deluxe Outdoor Inflatable Screen[/easyazon_link] one of the best outdoor movie screens on the market. Don’t hesitate to buy one.
The fantastic year round weather of Hawaii caused me to rapidly improve the quality of my outdoor movie theater setup, each showing highlighted something that could be done better or more comfortably. The result is I eventually worked my way up to the [easyazon_link identifier=”B00DH5FS3Y” locale=”US” tag=”backyardmov05-20″]Gemmy Deluxe Outdoor Inflatable Screen[/easyazon_link] and boy do I love it.
The [easyazon_link identifier=”B00DH5FS3Y” locale=”US” tag=”backyardmov05-20″]Gemmy Deluxe Outdoor Inflatable Screen[/easyazon_link]features a 12ft screen and packs into a duffle that is approximately 21”X16”X15” and weighs approximately 20lbs. This means that the screen is perfect for taking on the road (camping, family reunion, etc.), you can pretty much take it anywhere! However, you need to ensure that power is available.
Construction:
Gemmy is a company that manufacturers Halloween and Christmas inflatable decorations. This screen uses a similar material and offers a similar level of construction. We have used ours regularly for over about a year and a half and it is still going strong. The rigidity of the structure does seem to be getting a little softer, but there may be some other variables impacting that (i.e. grass length under the blowers). It is rigid enough to handle a stiff breeze without bowing to the wind. That being said, this is definitely a consumer grade product and not intended for commercial rentals.
The total set up is broken into two parts, the screen itself and the inflatable frame. The screen and frame attach to one another using clips that are sewn onto them. The female clip is on the frame and the male clip is on the screen. The frame also has two heavy duty canvas X-mounts sewn into each side, this is where you can clip your tethers to secure the screen. The screen comes with 8 tethers, 4 long ones for connecting the top and 4 short ones for connecting the bottom.
Each foot has a built in blower that turns on when the screen frame gets plugged in, the blowers themselves have little plastic feet that ensure the blower is kept off the ground to ensure proper access to air and prevent the blower from burning out. Generally speaking though, the blowers do a very good job and are adequate for the screen. We are even able use the screen in a light-moderate rain, the positive pressure from the blowers keeps the water from soaking in.
The plug to the screen is fairly short though and you will most likely require an extension chord to connect it to power. The chord is not a grounded plug.
Screen:
The screen is only suitable for projection from the front. It is a thick heavy duty material that feels very durable. It is uniformly white and is not a high gain material (doesn’t reflect a lot of light). Our screen has experienced a little bit of staining from things that have fallen out of the trees, bugs, etc. these stains have proven difficult to remove. Fortunately, these stains are not visible during the movie. Also, a common complaint with this screen is that it is wrinkled and impossible to get the wrinkles out. You will only notice the wrinkles if you are closely looking for them. The screen is easy to fold up and fit into the bag.
Noise:
The blowers from the screen does make a noise, as the screen requires constant pressure from the blowers to operate. However, even with the variety of sound options we have used, we have never noticed the noise during a movie. There shouldn’t be any concern with disturbing your neighbors, the blowers are fairly quiet.
Setup and Tear Down:
The quick setup of this projector is probably its greatest advantages! Having set this screen up several times, I can have it up in a little under 10 minutes if I am really hustling. I like to pull it out of the bag and lay it out, with the logo facing up. I then plug it in and within 3-5 minutes it is fully inflated and laying on its back. While it is still laying down, I install the screen by clipping it in. When the screen is installed, I erect the screen, which is easy to do by myself because it is so light. When I use tethers I usually only use the top two.
Tip: Use 5 Gallon buckets filled with water vs. stakes for anchoring the screen. I tie the tethers off to the bucket handles and I can easily move the buckets to reposition the screen or ensure I have the right amount of tension.
When I tear it down, I lay the screen down on its back, and unclip the screen. I fold up the screen and put it in the bottom of the duffle bag as a base. I unplug the screen and allow it to deflate. When the majority of the screen has deflated, I start with the upper right corner and stuff the screen frame into the bag, ensuring the feet with the blowers are the last items in the bag. This allows an exit for any air left in the screen as I stuff it into the bag, the blowers serve as a weight to tamp the material down. The tear down does require some maneuvering, but can be done in about 10 minutes.
You have to ensure the screen and frame are completely dry before putting it away, it will mildew. If it does get wet, we keep it inflated until it dries out completely.
My wife was really impressed with the small footprint it takes up in our garage when not in use.
Conclusion: This screen provides a tremendous value and I wouldn’t hesitate to get a second one. I do wish I could do rear-projection with it, but that is probably my only complaint. For my family, it is the perfect movie screen solution for showing backyard movies with a DIY outdoor movie theater setup.
Have you had experiences with this screen? Please share them in the comment section below.
Pros:
Packs up very small
Lightweight
Blowers are self-contained
Relatively Quiet
Fast Setup
Huge Screen
Cons:
Screen stain easily
Front Projection Only
Acceptable Build Quality
Susceptible to wind
Screen is wrinkled
[easyazon_infoblock align=”none” identifier=”B00DH5FS3Y” locale=”US” tag=”backyardmov05-20″]
Disclosure: Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. If you click on the link and make a purchase, I receive a small percentage of the sale. My goal is to provide you with my personal experience with products whenever possible and I will always disclose whether or not my knowledgeable is based on the input of others.
BackyardMovies is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.