Whether you are car camping at a national park campsite or thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, your choice of camping tent plays a crucial role in the overall enjoyment of your chosen outdoor adventure. The best camping tents not only protect you and your gear from the elements, but also provide comfort, organization and a peaceful place to rest, regardless of whether you’re out for one night or for weeks at a time. Your camping tent should feel like your home away from home.
To narrow down the best camping tents for any sojourn, we enlisted the help of two outdoors experts: Tessa McCrackin, CMO for Northgate Resorts and head of marketplace marketing at Campspot; and Eric Bergdoll, an AMGA single pitch instructor, WMA wilderness first responder (and leave no trace master educator) and head of Island Mountain Guides in Hawaii. Whether you’re soloing the summit of a 14er or spending a weekend in the wilderness with the whole family, you’ll find a tent to suit your adventure below. (And while you’re gearing up for your next trip, check out our other camping and hiking gear picks, from the best coolers to the best camping stoves.)
Capacity: 4 people | Weight: 16.87 pounds | Floor Area: 59.7 square feet | Peak Height: 60 inches
We get it: There are tons of tenting options out there and it can be hard to decide which one is right for you. But when you’re searching high and low for a tent that checks all the boxes, consider the REI Co-op Base Camp 4 Tent a catch-all. Its dome shape is designed to be a sturdy and rugged structure while also allowing for enough internal space to move around comfortably. Weighing just under 17 pounds, it’s a fairly reasonable lift for a tent that can accommodate four people in all four seasons. And best of all, it’s simple to set up, so even if you don’t find yourself getting into the great outdoors very often, you’re not going to need to re-learn how to pitch your tent each time you use it.
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Capacity: 4 people | Weight: 4 pounds | Floor Area: 63 square feet | Peak Height: 59 inches
When you close your eyes and picture a camping tent, it probably looks a lot like the Coleman Sundome, one of the most popular tents you’ll find. And there’s little mystery as to why: Relatively quick to set up, suitable for use in moderate rain and wind, and available in two-, three-, four- and six-person sizes, this is a fine tent for any casual campout.
And of course, there’s no denying that the very reasonable price tag—ranging from $25 to $130 for the above-mentioned sizes—seals the deal. But make no mistake, this tent isn’t cheaply made. In fact, with thousands of global reviews posted on Amazon, the Coleman Sundome manages to maintain a respectable 4.7-star rating after over a decade on the market.
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Capacity: 6 people | Weight: 13.38 pounds | Floor Area: 83 square feet | Peak Height: 77 inches
When it comes to camping with the family, space and durability matter most, and since you likely don’t need to travel far to your campsite with little ones in tow, it’s okay to go with a heavier tent. You want to make sure your camping tent can stand up to the rigors that both your children and Mother Nature will throw at it. The MSR Habitude checks both those boxes and comes packed with clever features designed to make camping with kids less stressful.
The high, standing-height ceiling and vertical sidewalls ensure everyone (even those over 6 foot) can freely move around in order to change clothes or come in and out of the tent without waking the kids.
Creature comforts include a front vestibule for storing wet and dirty gear, a porch light for easy entry after dark, and plenty of organizational pockets for everyone to stash clothes, electronics, headlamps, toiletries, and more.
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Capacity: 4 people | Weight: 13 pounds | Floor Area: 58 square feet | Peak Height: 68 inches
When you’re shopping for a four-person tent—whether you want to camp with friends, family or a pack of pups—it’s important to consider not just floor space, but overall volume. The North Face Wawona is roomy enough that most people can stand fairly comfortably inside, so there’s plenty of space for your whole crew and their assorted gear.
The vestibule is also large enough that you can set up camp chairs, making it a perfect spot for a morning coffee or good book without bothering tent mates if you’re the first to wake in the morning. And though it’s meant for four people, it’s easily set up by just two.
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Capacity: 2 people | Weight: 2.68 pounds | Floor Area: 29 square feet | Peak Height: 40 inches
This trail-ready tent is a new addition to the fleet of the award-winning Copper Spur Series. The biggest difference? How much extra leg room there is. We’re talking an additional eight inches of length, perfect for campers who are particularly tall (or perhaps traveling with a dog or a lot of gear). There’s also an additional four inches of height, making it easier to sit up when the time comes to rise in the morning (or sneak away for a late night bathroom break).
Beyond the improved dimensions, the tent has two awning-style vestibules and features an ultralight construction, so you’ll barely notice its there as you haul it from one destination to the next.
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Capacity: 1 person | Weight: 1.9 pounds | Floor Area: 18.9 square feet | Peak Height: 38 inches
The freestanding Quarter Dome SL1 from REI Co-op may be featherlight at less than two pounds but still offers plenty of livability thanks to vertical sidewalls and ample headroom so you can sit up and comfortably change clothes inside. Almost 10-square-feet of vestibule space means you can store your gear outside without the fear of it getting wet, while a variety of pockets and hang loops inside help you further organize small items. All in all, this is a great rig for roughing it on your own.
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Capacity: 4 people | Weight: 7.43 pounds | Floor Area: 54.5 square feet | Peak Height: 56 inches
As opposed to backpacking, when every inch and ounce counts, with car camping—where you drive up to the campsite rather than hike—you can go bigger and heavier with your equipment than you otherwise might. Even so, at roughly 7.5 pounds, the Kelty Grand Mesa 4 is far from backbreaking. But McCrackin recommends it as an upgrade for solos and couples on car camping trips.
Essentially, it’s a two-pole dome tent with one door and a single vestibule. Just assemble the aluminum tent poles, snap them into the color-coded corners, hoist up the body and clip it to the poles, then throw on a rainfly if you like. Although it may be a bit tight for four, it’s certainly roomy for two adventurers hauling decent-sized bags.
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Capacity: 2 people | Weight: 2.6 pounds | Floor Area: 29 square feet | Peak Height: 40 inches
Compact and ultralight is the name of the game in backpacking as you need to be able to fit everything inside of your backpack and carry the weight on your back mile after mile, day after day. The Cooper Spur 2 Platinum is Big Agnes’ lightest freestanding tent with two doors and doesn’t skimp on the features.
The floor area is large enough to comfortably accommodate two people and gear, while also being tall enough to sit fully upright in the center. In fact, according to McCrackin, it’s “the best tent out there for overall space, quality and weight.”
Additionally, it features four mesh ceiling pockets as well as internal hang points for drying socks or hanging headlamps. The full mesh inner tent is great for stargazing and ventilation on hot nights, or throw on the rainfly to keep warm and dry when the wind or thunderstorms come rolling through.
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Capacity: 2 people | Weight: 20.8 pounds | Floor Area: 52 square feet | Peak Height: 36 inches
Usually when you get to a campground, the first thing you need to do is spot a flat, level piece of ground that seems reasonably free from water, rocks and other typical terrestrial hazards. But not so with tree tents. Strung between three trees and suspended off the ground, they can be pitched in a wide variety of terrain. After spending a couple of nights in one, Bergdoll recalls, “I slept like a rock and have wanted one ever since.”
More versatile than a simple hammock, the four-season Connect 3.0 tree tent from Tentsile is roomy enough for two people (and a dog or two) with a weight capacity of 880 pounds.
Seatbelt webbing running underneath the floor not only offers reinforcement but also keeps each person from rolling into the center of the tent at night. A three point ratchet system is quick and easy to set up and enables you to get the right amount of tension for a comfortable night’s sleep. In dry weather you can remove the rainfly, sleeping with just the insect mesh and allowing you to experience a night under the stars.
With ample headroom, an 8-foot long bed, numerous internal pockets and underneath storage, the tree tent makes a comfortable home in the outdoors.
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Capacity: 2 people | Weight: 108 pounds | Floor Area: 27.4 square feet | Peak Height: 38 inches
Whereas traditional car camping simply refers to how you get there, rooftop tents take vehicle-based camping to a whole new level. Bergdoll admits, “In the past, I’ve been a little critical of rooftop tents. But now a big part of me wants one. The technology is just starting to get really good.”
The 108-pound Thule Tepui Foothill folds down into an aerodynamic, compact package leaving room for bikes, kayaks, or other cargo on your roof.
Once you reach camp, the telescopic internal frame poles allow for easy, one-person setup and breakdown. When folded out, the three-season tent offers plenty of head room and protection from the elements with a panoramic rear window and skylights for unobscured views of the nature around you. A wide door and attached step ladder make for easy entry and exit, while the 4-cm-thick foam mattress ensures a comfortable night’s sleep.
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Capacity: 2 people | Weight: 11.06 pounds | Floor Area: 34 square feet | Peak Height: 54 inches in tent, 68 inches in vestibule
For a simple bikepacking overnighter, weight isn’t always a mission critical issue, especially when you split the load between two people. The Wyoming Trail 2 bikepacking tent from Big Agnes not only offers plenty of sleeping room for two people, but the oversized vestibule provides overnight shelter for your bikes and all your other gear. The monstrous vestibule also doubles as a covered shelter for you and your biking companion to hangout in or cook meals should the weather turn sour.
As with all Big Agnes bikepacking tents, the poles break down into 19-inch segments, ideal for packing onto handlebars or stuffing into panniers and other bike bags. To cut down on weight for longer adventures, the Fast Fly set up creates a spacious shelter by just using the poles, fly, and footprint (sold separately).
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Capacity: 6 people | Weight: 24.62 pounds | Floor Area: 90 square feet | Peak Height: 72 inches
Assume, for a moment, that you’ve found a decently priced tent that’s reasonable to carry to the campsite and that promises to offer maximal space and durability. That all falls flat if you can’t quickly and easily get the tent pitched in a pinch.
While truly “instant” tents do exist—they literally spring out of your hands and pop into form in a matter of seconds—they don’t tend to pass the durability test if you’re doing much more than resting on the trail or staying shaded at the beach. Especially for families, McCrackin recommends the Coleman Cabin Tent with Instant Set Up. According to her, it’s “extremely affordable, provides tons of space, and goes up in only 2 minutes,” a fact to which many YouTubers have attested. But despite the quick pitch time—achievable by just one person, but certainly easier with two—it’s sturdy, weatherproof and offers plenty of space. (The 6-person version is 6 feet tall at its center point and can fit two queen-size air beds.)
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Capacity: 2 people | Weight: 3.25 pounds | Floor Area: 28 square feet | Peak Height: 43.5 inches
The versatility of this ultralight backpacking tent starts with the fact that its modest heft (less than 4 pounds) can be split into three storage sacks. Once the freestanding tent is set up, two of those sacks convert into gear storage pockets, while a translucent diffuser built into the third cleverly provides illumination when you drop your headlamp into it. In addition to its color-coded two-hub pole set, the Telos TR2 (and its big brother, the TR3) sports a special Tension Ridge pole system that angles up the walls, offering both easier entry and a greater volume once inside. Vents in the baseline and at the apex efficiently manage airflow, humidity and condensation while a waterproof, 6-inch tub helps keep you and any floor-bound gear dry.
When not being used as protection for the tent, the Telos’s rainfly can be assembled with the help of two trekking poles as a separate, semi-open shelter. So in that way, this three-season system provides two structures in one. All in all, it’s one of the most well-rounded, ingeniously designed and highly functional tents out there.
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Capacity: 2 people | Weight: 9.62 pounds | Floor Area: 40 square feet | Peak Height: 38 inches
It’s nearly impossible to find one tent that performs equally well in both mild and challenging conditions throughout all four seasons. And not just because you’ll encounter a world of variance in the weather, from windy and rainy to snowy to blindingly sunny. You also need to consider how much time you plan to be hunkering down. Is it for a whole week along the tree line, a couple of days at basecamp or a quick respite before summiting at high elevation?
Beyond the typical comfort and weatherproofing also expected of their three-season counterparts, four-season shelters must also provide long-term performance and top-notch durability. And that’s where the double-walled Trango 2 shines. DAC Featherlite aluminum poles, 70-denier nylon taffeta floor and rainfly fabric, welded corners and guy clip anchors plus fully taped fly and perimeter seams equal the best possible protection from all the elements.
Outside the 40 square feet of internal floorspace, a large dry-entry vestibule offers ample head room and gear storage. In addition to tent access, the small rear vestibule acts as an overflow storage area. And an internal guy system and line tensioners help steady the whole caboodle. Naturally, all these features come at the expense of weight, which tops out at over 9.5 pounds. But for peace of mind in a multitude of situations, the Trango’s worth it.
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Capacity: 2 cats or small pets | Weight: 5.2 pounds | Floor Area: 5 square feet | Peak Height: 36 inches
Would we actually bring this (and our cats) camping with us? Possibly! This small mesh tent lets your indoor cat safely enjoy the outdoors, whether it’s simply your backyard or the family campsite. Quick and easy to set up, the freestanding cat tent provides plenty of space for two cats (or a small dog) to play, with a rain fly for extra protection from the elements and two zippered side doors that accommodate cat tunnel accessories.
Set it up in your house first to get your feline friend used to the idea of hanging out in the tent, with some of their favorite toys to make it feel more like home.
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As you might expect, it makes the most sense to tackle the practical questions initially. McCrackin suggests you start by considering how much internal space you need, as well as how much weight you’re willing to carry on your back while getting the tent to its destination. Don’t discount ease of set up (especially if you’ll be using the tent alone or need to set it up quickly in the rain), what kind of ventilation you want, materials used and durability—how much abuse will it need to endure? Another critical question: What conditions and season(s) will you use it? From there, the key is prioritizing. For instance, if you plan to do mostly car camping from late spring to early fall, you might be okay with a heavier setup that offers better ventilation.
Some less important factors to consider, but might be helpful if you’re deciding between a couple of similar tents: does it have space to store your gear (either in integral pockets or in a vestibule) and what extras does it come with (like a footprint)?
According to Bergdoll, it’s “going too big.” Beyond the heft factor, larger tents tend to be taller and therefore at greater risk of falling prey to gusty winds. He suggests that “if you do go big in a breezy spot, remember to put big rocks in the corners because having a flat tent is better than a runaway.”
You may see either or both of these common terms listed in the tent’s specifications, so it’s important to understand how they compare. The trail weight (a.k.a. the minimum weight) is lighter for any tent, since it only factors in the body, poles and rainfly. The packed weight includes stakes, guy lines, stuff sacks and any other accessories.
Depending on the kind of weather you plan to camp in, you might want a tent which has a rainfly that just partially covers the main body of your tent, or you might want one that offers total coverage.
Bergdoll recounts a particular trip to the southwest in which full coverage came in handy: “I’ve been flash flooded out in the Grand Canyon and my six-year-old tent (pitched in a high spot, not in a wash) was surprisingly dry at the end of it all, even with sheets of rain falling from the sky.” Of course, more material means more weight, and a harder hike in. But an added benefit Bergdoll points out, “A full-coverage rainfly also allows room for gear outside the bug net of the tent, almost doubling its footprint.”
It is also worth looking for a tent with a more sloped shape. It helps water slide off the tent rather than letting it pool. Even though rain flies have high resistance levels to water, it can still get through if enough collects.
A footprint is a piece of groundcloth that is custom-fitted to each tent, but is often sold separately. It goes between the tent floor and the ground. The thought is, because the forest floor can be rough on a tent (it may be rocky, covered with twigs, wet, etc.) it helps protect the tent floor. If it gets a little beat up, no worries—it’s generally far cheaper to replace a footprint than it is to replace a whole tent.
Think of vestibules like your front and back porch. It’s a covered space that is attached to your tent and it plays a huge role in how comfortable your tent is. Why? Because it’s typically where campers store items that they don’t want in the tent (like large backpacks and wet shoes) or left out in the elements (like coolers or bicycles). They also make your home away from home feel bigger—if you open the doors, you can really sprawl out.
So maybe you have a heavy-duty tent that is meant for car camping—should you also get a tent specifically designed for backpacking? If you camp a lot, it may very well be worth investing in different tents that meet the activity for the sake of ease. Really though, it all comes down to your budget, storage space, and whether or not you can make do with what you already have.