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August 8, 2018 Leave a Comment

Best Camping Tents Buying Guide

Best Camping Tents: a tent set up on the fields
Tents are an essential part of a camping trip, and we want to make sure you have the absolute best camping tents possible for your outings, so we’ve reviewed ten different tents that are on the market right now. If you find yourself stressing over which tent you should bring to your family outing or an expedition with your friends, then take a look at the different tents we’ve reviewed.
Quick Navigation
Product FAQ
How We Reviewed
Overall Price Range of Camping Tents
Best Camping Tents
The Verdict

Product FAQ

1. What Is a Tent?

A tent is like a portable home, but instead of comprising wood, stone, or metal, they’re generally made out of nylon which is very effective at keeping the rain out should it ever rain while you are in it. Generally, people bring tents with them to go camping so they don’t have to sleep in the elements, and so that if it ends up raining, they won’t be drenched thanks to shelter from the rain.

2. What Does a Tent Do?

A tent provides those that will do something outdoors overnight a place of temporary shelter to remain safe from the elements, allowing them to sleep more peacefully. Some tents even have functions that will help keep heat in better than some of their other counterparts, which makes them more suitable for trips that occur in colder climates.

3. How Does a Tent Work?

A tent is generally a pre-made structure of nylon that is missing the things that make it stand up straight. There are poles which you have to insert yourself, which makes it easier to move and set the tent up in a location that is more desirable. There are some people that enjoy constructing their own sleeping areas out of tarps, rope, and other various items. We would not recommend this, though, since those tents may not be as effective as the pre-made tents that are available.

4. Where Can You Buy a Tent?

You can find all the best camping tents we mention in this article online at various retailers. Most notably, sites like Amazon are a good way to find the desirable tents for a camping trip. You may also be able to find these tents in a store that has a large camping section, such as Walmart or a retailer that is more focused on the outdoors than some of their other main market competitors.

5. When Is the Best Time to Use These Tents?

Anytime that you want to go camping is the best time to use them! You may want to get away from the stress that the city brings or you jmay just want to go on an adventure somewhere that you’ve never before been. You can also go camping alone, or you can bring some of your friends to enjoy the camping trip with you. You could even bring your family and loved ones with you, providing everyone with a fun and relaxing adventure for an abundance of smiles and laughs.

How We Reviewed

We reviewed and assembled our list of best camping tents by looking online, in stores, asking experts, and finally by actually testing the tents themselves so that you would be able to get our unbiased opinion on what we thought of every single tent that is on this list. We reviewed them based on their price, and what we noticed about the tents, so that everyone can find a tent that is perfect for what they need out of one, whether you are new to camping or a veteran to the activity.

Best Camping tents

Overall Price Range of Camping Tents

The cheapest tent we reviewed is one that are most sought by customers. The most expensive tent causes this one to pale in comparison to the one that most sought by customers, which overshadows it with how high the quality of the materials are and how effective ventilation is. The cheaper tent is made of cheap materials that, if too much strain is put onto, will tear. The fabric may even tear if the tent is placed on a rock at a bad angle.

Best Camping Tents

The following are our reviews for all of these tents belonging on this list of best camping tents. There should be at least one tent on this list that fits any person’s specific needs. Whether that be a cheap tent, an expensive tent, or one that is in the middle, there are all kinds of tents on this list, so that we can ensure that there is something for everyone.

Marmot Halo 6

Marmot Halo 6 Person Family Camping Tent
Marmot Halo 6 Person Family Camping Tent
  • One super-sized double door and one side D shaped door
  • Large front vestibule for gear storage
  • Interior pockets for small gear organization
Shop now at Amazon.com

The best feature of the Marmot Halo 6, and the reason that we added it to the list, is the fact that it is amazing for camping during hot weather and for stargazing at night, as the top has an amazing amount of mesh that makes the night sky highly visible while also providing some much-needed ventilation that some of its competitors severely lack. 

Coleman Sundome 6

Coleman Dome Tent for Camping | Sundome Tent with Easy Setup
Coleman Dome Tent for Camping | Sundome Tent with Easy Setup
Shop now at Amazon.com

The Coleman Sundome 6 is one of the most expensive tents on our list, but that does not make it perfect. It is severely lacking in many areas due to it being made from very cheap feeling materials. However, if all that you need for convincing is a midrange price tent and don’t care about anything else, then look no further on this list. 

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This tent is possibly one of the best tents on the list for camping during harsher weather. We comfortably camped in the snow with it, out in the dry heat, and during a thunderstorm. The Big Agnes Flying Diamond persevered through it all, which left quite the impression on us, earning its spot onto our list of best camping tents. Our only complaints are that it took a long time to set up due to it having more poles than normal tents, and it had a low ceiling (around 5 1/2′ tall), which did not please many of us that were tall. 

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The selling point for this tent is in its name, as it includes the word “instant”, which is usually just fluff by the company. However in this case, it was as close to instant as possible with a tent that fit into such a small bag. This is why the Coleman Person Camping 6 earned its place on our list of best camping tents. If you’re ever hiking, and it’s about to rain, you want this tent with you. We got it set up in just over a minute at our fastest time, which is more than enough to beat any sudden rains you might face. 

Tensleep Station

Big Agnes Tensleep Station Tent: 6-Person 3-Season
Big Agnes Tensleep Station Tent: 6-Person 3-Season
  • Material: [fly] polyester ripstop, PU coating (1500mm) [floor] polyester, PU coating (1500mm) [body] polyester ripstop,...
  • Capacity: 6-person
  • Season: 3-season
Shop now at Amazon.com

This tent is also one that sets up quickly, though sadly not as fast as the Coleman Instant Tent 6. However we were able to set it up faster than many other tents on this list, coming in at about 10 minutes to be set up completely. It also has one of our favorite features, which is its storage bag. Usually storage bags are the worst part of taking a tent down, but not for the Tensleep Station. It was such a pleasure to put away we were disappointed all tents aren’t like that. This is precisely why the Tensleep Station has earned a spot on our list. 

MSR Hubba Hubba

MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2-Person Lightweight Backpacking Tent, Without...
MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2-Person Lightweight Backpacking Tent, Without...
  • 3-season, 2-person backpacking tent that offers the most livable accommodations in a lightweight freestanding design
  • Pole geometry maximizes space with 29 sq. feet of floor area, interior peak height of 39 inches, plus 17. 5 sq. feet of...
  • Complete setup weighs 3. 9 lbs. and packs down to 18x6 inches; minimalist setup option uses footprint, poles, and...
Shop now at Amazon.com

The most impressive part of the MSR Hubba Hubba is that it is a perfect tent for going backpacking due to how light, yet durable, it is. It is durable enough to withstand storms you might encounter. However, you may want to have additional stakes for a bad storm so it doesn’t get blown away. Speaking of storms, if one catches you, you need to set up the tent quickly. Otherwise the mesh up top will let a lot of rain in. Other than that, this tent definitely deserves to be on our list of the best camping tents. 

Big Agnes Big House 6 Deluxe

Big Agnes Big House Deluxe Camping Tent
Big Agnes Big House Deluxe Camping Tent
  • Packed Weight: 13lb 11oz / 6.21kg
  • Packed Size:8 " x 12.5" x 24" / 20 x 32 x 61cm
  • Two large, smooth opening doors featuring widows with two closure options. Mesh only for ventilation or zip up the...
Shop now at Amazon.com

The first thing we noticed about this tent was that it is neon orange, so if you have a problem with that color then this should already give you an idea that you don’t want this tent. The next thing we noticed about it was its large interior. The Big Agnes Big House 6 Deluxe offers so much interior space when compared to its competitors. Also, we felt that it was very well ventilated, as we did not feel stuffy, especially with the large atmosphere. Although it did not seem to fare as well in harsher environments, it still deserves a spot on our best camping tents list. 

Kelty Discovery 4

Kelty Discovery 4-Person Tent
Kelty Discovery 4-Person Tent
  • Freestanding design makes it simple to move the tent around to find the ideal spot; easy-clip poles make setup and...
  • Full-coverage rainfly with sealed seams won't sag when wet, and adjustable webbing / side-release buckles attach rainfly...
  • Large single door simplifies entry and exit; single vestibule keeps the door dry and stores gear out of the rain
Shop now at Amazon.com

The Kelty Discovery 4 is one of the cheaper tents on this list, but compared to the other cheap tents, it has notable improvements in its design that we noticed. It had excellent ventilation, as well as a cover that went over all the showing mesh, which kept out much of the rain we experienced. We also noticed that its poles are made of fiberglass, which when under rough conditions tend to not last as long as other poles available with competing tents. Despite this, we still felt its ability earned it the title of one our best camping tents. 

REI Camp Dome

REI Camp Dome 2 Person Tent, Outdoor, Camping, Hiking, Campground,...
REI Camp Dome 2 Person Tent, Outdoor, Camping, Hiking, Campground,...
Shop now at Amazon.com

Compared to a similar tent, the REI Camp Dome, this one is lacking in size. However, it is much more durable and is still easy to use like the Kingdom 6 tent. We felt that when you combine it with the fact it has superior ventilation, which so many tents on the market are lacking in, it is a clear candidate for our list of the best camping tents. 

Yakima SkyRise 3 Rooftop Tent

YAKIMA SkyRise Rooftop Tent - Poler Edition - 8007432
YAKIMA SkyRise Rooftop Tent - Poler Edition - 8007432
Shop now at Amazon.com

The Yakima SkyRise 3 Rooftop Tent is the most expensive tent on this list, but the tent more than makes up for its price with what it offers for its users. However, to use it well, you need to have a car with a rack on top of your roof to mount it onto, or you need a truck with a somewhat spacious bed that can house it. If you can meet these conditions, this tent is amazing. In it, you will be camping on a suspended surface, which to us felt comfortable and we were in a hammock and felt more stable. This is why it belongs on our best camping tents list. 

PRODUCT

Image

rating

Price

Marmot Halo 6

Marmot Halo 6 Person Family Camping Tent

Shop now at Amazon.com

Coleman Sundome 6

Coleman Dome Tent for Camping | Sundome Tent with Easy Setup

Shop now at Amazon.com

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Tensleep Station

Big Agnes Tensleep Station Tent: 6-Person 3-Season

Shop now at Amazon.com

MSR Hubba Hubba

MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2-Person Lightweight Backpacking Tent, Without...

Shop now at Amazon.com

Big Agnes Big House 6 Deluxe

Big Agnes Big House Deluxe Camping Tent

Shop now at Amazon.com

Kelty Discovery 4

Kelty Discovery 4-Person Tent

Shop now at Amazon.com

REI Camp Dome

REI Camp Dome 2 Person Tent, Outdoor, Camping, Hiking, Campground,...

Shop now at Amazon.com

Yakima SkyRise 3 Rooftop Tent

YAKIMA SkyRise Rooftop Tent - Poler Edition - 8007432

Shop now at Amazon.com

The Verdict

The best tent on our list is the Tensleep Station 6, as it was so pleasurable for us to set up, put away, and it made us feel extremely comfortable as we braved the weather throughout different conditions and environments we experienced on our trips. So we recommend that you purchase this tent if you can afford it. If you need a good tent for general camping purposes that can fit a multitude of uses while still being durable, then this is the perfect tent for you. If what you need is a tent made for backpacking, then the MSR Hubba Hubba is the best tent for you. This tent will last a long time, as well. If what you need is a cheap tent, then we would recommend avoiding purchasing the cheapest tent and instead buying the Coleman Person Camping 6 due to how fast it is able to be assembled and its low price. You will no doubt be happy with your purchase no matter what tent you decide to choose from our list.

Last update on 2021-04-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Filed Under: Best Family Tent

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