Deciding on what tent to get for your camping trip may seem like a big deal, and it is! But it doesn’t have to be difficult. There are lots of options, but they can be narrowed down with a few simple decision trees.
The first question you may be asking is:
Do I need a tent?
9 times out of 10 the answer is yes. Here is the exception that I might go with for that 1 time. Is it a short camping trip – like 1 night, can you store all your gear in your vehicle, and do you have a all weather sleeping bag like the one I mentioned in The Best Sleeping Bags for Near Freezing Weather?
For the other 9 times you want a tent, even if you don’t sleep in it. It can be used to keep your gear dry if it rains. It can be used as a place to change clothes – changing in your car is just a pain! It can also be used to provide shade during the day. So there are lots of reasons to have a tent.
Lets go over some of basic questions to ask when getting a tent.
- How many people need to fit in the tent?
Remember to use the rule of 1.5 * number of people camping to get a tent that is actually big enough. - What is your budget?
There are tents that can be cheap or expensive, usually you are buying for how long you want it to last, but also it might include what types of features are on the tent. - How long will you be camping for?
Short trips vs long trips, some tents have different advantages.
Below are some examples of tents that will fit for different answers to the questions.
Dream House Canvas Tent for 10
Let me start with a nice big tent. This one is very spacious and fits 10. Personally thought I would use this tent to fit 2-4 and also keep a table and a chair or two in it. Then it is more like an apartment than a tent. This is a great solutions for a long camping trip. It is a lot of work to set up for 1 day and canvas tents are quite heavy. So if you are pulling out the big tent, then you want to stay for a while. The price is on the upper end of most people’s budget, around $700. But with a canvas tent you can expect it to last for many years.
If you do a yearly camping trip for a week or two, this is a great solution. It will last you for many, many years. Another good thing about a canvas tent is that it does an amazing job of keeping out the cold. In cold weather I much prefer canvas to nylon.
3 question review of the Dream House Canvas Tent – Best for:
- How many people fit: 10
- What is your budget: $700+
- How long is your trip: 3 days+
KAZOO Family Tipi Tent for 8
This is a different style of tent than most people are used to. This looks like a big Tipi, but is made with a mesh inner and a rainfly for the cover. The nice thing about Tipi style tents is that you can stand up in the middle of the tent without having to bend over. Most dome tents are not tall enough to stand up in.
This tent is technically made for 8, but that is only if you are sleeping in a specific arrangement and enter and exit the tent in order. If you wake up in the middle of the night and have to get out, you will most likely be stepping on at least 1 or 2 people. I would use this tent if there was 4 adults or maybe a family of 5 (with 3 kids). Then there is enough space to walk around.
Because of the mesh with the rainfly cover I would not suggest this tent for snow camping. But it is a great solution for the more temperate climates or summer camping. With how easy it is to set up and take down, basically one center pole, it is a great solution for a quick get away for the night, or a weekend. If there is a lot of people sleeping it, then I would not want it for a long camping trip. But that is because I like to have my space.
3 question review of the KAZOO Family Tipi Tent – Best for:
- How many people fit: 8
- What is your budget: $200+
- How long is your trip: 3 days or less
Coleman Popup Tent for 2
This one is amazing if you want to just run and get out without having to worry about setting up a tent. It is literally a tent that will just pop up and is ready to go. You can set it up in about 30 seconds and take down is about 60 seconds. You just pull it out of the bag and it pops open like magic.
This is a great solution if you are a minimalist when you camp. There is no room in the tent for anything but sleeping. It is barely tall enough to sit up in, so if you use it to change your clothes, you will be laying down as you pull your pants on.
It claims it is for two, but if you want to keep you gear in the tent with you, it will be much for comfortable for 1. Personally I would love this for a 1-2 day outing. But when you go out for more than that I like to have a bit more living space. I love how it folds up flat. You could easily hang it on a wall or throw it on the top shelf in the garage and it would be out of the way for storage.
If you like to buy trusted brands, then this is a good choice. Coleman has been making camping gear for years and I have yet to be disappointed by anything they have made. And this tent comes in at a very reasonable price.
3 question review of the Coleman Popup Tent – Best for:
- How many people fit: 2
- What is your budget: < $100
- How long is your trip: 1-2 days
Coleman Dome Tent for 4
This is the tried and true traditional tent. I grew up using a tent just like this. It will let 4 people sleep in it as long as you like to sleep close. I like this as a 2 person tent. That gives you enough room for your sleeping bags and your gear. Also when you get 4 people sleeping in the same tent, you know at least one of them is going to snore!
This tent is a good multi use tent. It can be for quick get aways or for week long trips. It is inexpensive and will last reasonable well if you take good care of it. Typically the problems come from the pole breaking when kids are setting up or taking it down.
I would encourage this as an excellent choice for an entry level tent if you are just starting to get into camping. It will teach you basics of a tent and you can then decide if you want to go for a bigger more robust tent like a canvas tent, or the more minimalist tent like a 2 person tent.
3 question review of the Coleman Dome Tent – Best for:
- How many people fit: 4
- What is your budget: < $100
- How long is your trip: 1-7 days
What is the best tent?
This question really comes down to what you like and what you want. I provided a few options and suggestions on how to decide what is best FOR YOU. The best tent is one that meets your needs and allows you to have fun camping.
