What Undercover does

Undercover (legal entity Next Level Resource Partners, d.b.a. Undercover) is a family-owned US manufacturer of pop-up canopies and instant tents, founded in 1985 by Steve Mallookis and currently led with his son Stav Mallookis as a father-and-son team across three generations. The company operates three branded product lines: UNDERCOVER Commercial (heavy-duty steel-frame canopies for professional vendors and event operators), POPUP-SHADE Recreational (compact, lightweight canopies for casual outdoor use), and APEX Camping (modular canopy and dome-tent hybrids for festivals, glamping, and camping). Product technology centers on a proprietary Sil-X heat-reflective oxford polyester fabric certified to NFPA-701 and CPAI-84 fire retardancy standards, a solid-core steel frame with patented nylon reinforcements at high-stress points, a CRS clip-and-slide curtain wall enclosure system, and a TILT-N-GO wheeled transport bag. The catalog spans 10'x10' and 10'x20' canopies, replacement parts (frames, tops, leg assemblies, truss bars), accessories (curtain walls, window walls, anchoring systems, rain gutters), and custom dye-sublimation printing services for branded canopies. Pricing runs from $49 for replacement components to $799 for fully custom-printed commercial canopies, with a 6-unit fleet bundle offered to commercial buyers.

Undercover sells exclusively direct-to-consumer through its own e-commerce storefront at getundercover.com, shipping from a Denver, Colorado warehouse with no third-party retail, wholesale, or marketplace distribution. Revenue is generated entirely from one-time unit purchases of canopies, tents, custom printing, and replacement parts; there is no recurring or subscription component. The customer base spans SMB commercial vendors (farmers markets, trade shows, catering, corporate events), recreational users (beach, tailgating, backyard events), and outdoor/camping enthusiasts, with the company citing 100,000+ users nationwide. Marketing is primarily digital, leveraging the Shade Seeker email newsletter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and the Shade Seekers blog/editorial section. The company is privately held with no institutional investors, no parent company, no M&A activity, and no disclosed revenue, and is differentiated principally by heat-reflective fabric performance, commercial-grade durability, and a comprehensive replacement parts program supporting full product lifecycle.

Name

Undercover

Legal name

Next Level Resource Partners

Website

https://getundercover.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Undercover is a family-owned US manufacturer founded in 1985 that designs and sells pop-up canopies, recreational shades, and modular camping tents directly to consumers via its e-commerce site, serving commercial vendors, event operators, and outdoor enthusiasts with a replacement-parts-supported product ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pop-Up Canopies and Tents

NAICS

Textile Bag and Canvas Mills (314910)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor Furniture & Shelter Systems (Tents, Tarps, Hammocks) Retail (CRAMAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tents, Shelters & Sleep Systems Retail (CRAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Pop-up canopies
• Instant tents
• Outdoor shade equipment
• Commercial canopy tents
• Modular camping shelters

Headquarters

HQ city

Englewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Canopy and Tent Sales: Primary revenue from direct sales of pop-up canopies, instant tents, and camping equipment. Products are sold as one-time purchases with no recurring revenue component. Revenue is generated from commercial-grade canopies (UNDERCOVER brand), recreational canopies (POPUP-SHADE brand), and modular camping tents (APEX-CAMP brand).
2. Replacement Parts and Accessories: Revenue from selling individual replacement components including frames, truss bars, leg assemblies, peak poles, replacement tops, wheel bags, and anchoring systems. These are supplementary one-time purchase items that extend product lifecycle.
3. Custom Printing Services: Revenue from sublimation printing services applied to canopy tops, walls, rails, and flags. Customers can personalize canopies with custom logos and graphics for brand visibility at trade shows, festivals, and promotions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Undercover manufactures and sells pop-up canopies, instant tents, and modular camping shelters under three sub-brands: UNDERCOVER Commercial (heavy-duty steel-frame professional canopies for vendors and event operators), POPUPSHADE Recreational (lightweight compact canopies for casual outdoor users), and APEX Camping (modular canopy-dome hybrid tents for festivals and family camping). It also sells a full accessory and replacement-parts catalog (curtain walls, window walls, wheel-bags, frames, tops, leg assemblies, truss bars, anchor kits, rain gutters) plus custom dye-sublimation printed canopies, all sold direct-to-consumer via getundercover.com.

Product overview

Undercover is a family-owned manufacturer of pop-up canopies and tents founded in 1985, operating three core product lines: UNDERCOVER Commercial (heavy-duty steel-frame professional canopies for vendors and events), POPUPSHADE Recreational (lightweight compact canopies for casual outdoor use), and APEX Camping (modular canopy-dome hybrid tents for camping and festivals). The product portfolio centers on instant canopy tents available in 10'x10' and 10'x20' sizes, complemented by extensive accessories including custom printing services, CRS curtain-wall enclosures, window wall kits, replacement parts (frames, tops, leg assemblies, truss bars), transport wheel-bags, and anchoring solutions. All products feature heat-reflective fabric technology and fire-retardant certifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• POPUP-SHADE: Recreational canopy line for casual and outdoor events, including beach days, backyard barbecues, and kids' soccer games. Features compact portability and affordability.
• UNDERCOVER Commercial
• APEX Camping

Products and services

• UNDERCOVER Commercial Canopies Commercial-grade instant canopy tents for professional vendors and event operators, featuring reinforced solid-core steel frames with nylon reinforcements, heat-reflective Sil-X fabric, CRS curtain-wall enclosure options, and the TILT-N-GO wheel-bag transport system. Available in 10'x10' and 10'x20' sizes and sold individually or in 6-unit fleet packages.
• POPUPSHADE Recreational Canopies Lightweight, compact recreational canopies for casual outdoor use including beach days, backyard barbecues, sports events, tailgating, and parties. Features Sil-X heat-reflective fabric (keeps users 20°F cooler) with TILT-N-GO wheel-bag and transport spikes.
• APEX Camping Modular Tents Modular camping solution combining canopy and dome tent features, adaptable for music festivals, sporting events, family camping, and glamping with connecting tents and versatile design.
• Custom Printed Canopies Custom-printed commercial canopies featuring full-color digital dye sublimation printing on 600-D polyester Oxford woven fabric for brand visibility at trade shows, festivals, and promotions. Weather-resistant, fade-resistant graphics covering peak, valances, and sidewalls.
• CRS Curtain-Wall Enclosure Kit Clip-and-slide curtain wall enclosure kit providing privacy and sun protection for UNDERCOVER commercial canopies. 150-D polyester with silver undercoating for heat reflection, CPAI-84 fire retardant certified.
• Window Wall Enclosure 4-piece zippered wall enclosure system with large clear window panels for POPUP-SHADE canopies. Waterproof, UV-protected, CPAI-84 fire retardant polyester with universal Velcro attachment and included tote bag.
• Wheel-Bag Transport System Heavy-duty wheeled carrying bags for canopy transport and storage. Rugged 600-D polyester construction with heavy-duty zippers, multiple handles for easy-lift, and available in commercial (65x12x12 in) and recreational (50x9x9 in) sizes.
• Replacement Leg Assemblies Replacement corner-leg and middle-leg assemblies for UNDERCOVER commercial canopy frames, including upper/lower leg tubes, mold fittings, locking sliders, and footplates; fits UC-2 X2, R3, X3, R3 10x10 or 10x20 frames.
• Replacement Canopy Tops Replacement canopy tops featuring heat-reflective Sil-X fabric, two-tiered vented peaks, X-Wing extended eave shade coverage, and rain-drain anti-pocketing grommets with 99% UV-block protection.
• Replacement Frames Complete frame assembly replacements for UNDERCOVER and POPUPSHADE canopies, including aluminum professional frames and steel commercial frames.
• Truss Bar Assemblies Replacement truss bar assemblies for X2 Professional and X3 Commercial canopies, including 4 bars plus 2 Xs for structural support.
• Gravity-Tube Anchor System All-terrain anchoring solution providing professional wind security, weighing 200 lbs with water/rock/sand EZ-access technology for securing canopies in various conditions.
• Gravity-Stake Anchor Kit Grass or dirt anchor kit for canopy anchoring, designed to protect investment and provide secure setup on natural surfaces.
• Rain Gutter Kit Rain gutter attachment for connecting multiple canopies together to manage water runoff during rainy conditions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ commercial and recreational users nationwide
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Coleman: Coleman is a large outdoor recreation brand with broad product lines including camping tents, canopies, and shelters. Its instant canopy line competes with POPUP-SHADE and APEX Camping in the recreational and outdoor events category.
• CORE Equipment: CORE Equipment sells instant canopies and instant tents through major retailers and online channels, competing in the recreational canopy and modular camping spaces alongside POPUP-SHADE and APEX Camping.

Direct peers

• Caravan Canopy Sports: Caravan is a major manufacturer of pop-up canopies, instant shelters, and accessories sold through retail and online channels, directly competing with both UNDERCOVER Commercial and POPUP-SHADE recreational lines.
• Eurmax: Eurmax sells commercial-grade pop-up canopies and custom-printed event shelters with comparable frame sizes and accessory ecosystems, directly competing with UNDERCOVER's commercial and custom-print offerings.
• EZ-Up: EZ-Up is the category-defining instant pop-up canopy brand and the closest direct competitor to UNDERCOVER's commercial-grade 10'x10' and 10'x20' product lines, serving the same vendor, trade show, and event customer base.
• ABC Canopy: ABC Canopy is a direct-to-consumer pop-up canopy and tent specialist offering commercial and recreational canopies, custom printing, and accessories — overlapping closely with UNDERCOVER's product portfolio and DTC channel strategy.
• Quik Shade: Quik Shade markets a comparable range of instant pop-up canopies and accessories to both consumer and commercial buyers at overlapping price points, making it a relevant direct competitor in the recreational canopy segment.

Emerging players

• Mastercanopy: Mastercanopy is a value-oriented pop-up canopy seller targeting both recreational and light commercial users via online channels, competing on price in the same product category as UNDERCOVER and POPUP-SHADE.
• Impact Canopies: Impact Canopies offers pop-up canopies, custom printing, and accessories via DTC and B2B channels, overlapping with UNDERCOVER's commercial line and custom sublimation service at similar price points.
• Gazelle: Gazelle produces portable pop-up hubs and shelters marketed to campers and outdoor enthusiasts, partially overlapping with APEX Camping's modular camping tent positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@UndercoverPopup-Shade
• Facebookfacebook.com/getundercover
• Instagraminstagram.com/undercoverpopupshades
• Xx.com/getundercover
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/undercover-popup-shade

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Undercover