We love tents. It’s not just the fact that you can’t go camping without one. A good tent is what lets you get away from it all into the great outdoors and sleep on the ground outside of your four walls, under the stars. It’s a sanctuary from the elements, a shelter that keeps the rain out, the sun off you and the wind at bay.
Which tent is right for you will depend on several factors. The main one is how big (or small) you want it and whether you need to be able to carry it on your back or just haul it from your car to your campsite. Tents are usually sized by how many people can sleep in them. A rule of thumb when buying one is to add an extra person to the size you need for bags and supplies. Another element to be aware of with size is how high you want your tent to be and whether you want to be able to stand up in it. Waterproofness is, of course, important but also look out for how well it stands up to wind and what the ventilation is like as tents can become oven-like in the sun. Here are the tents, of all shapes and sizes, we would recommend.
Coleman Sundome Tent
Dependable, durable design
This classic two-person dome tent won’t let you down in rain or wind. Its welded corners and inverted seams plus the included rainfly keep out water and the strong frame design can withstand 35+ MPH winds. Large windows and a ground vent improve airflow and set up only takes 10 minutes.
Clostnature Lightweight Backpacking Tent
Ultra-light with clever design
Tents don’t get much lighter than this one/two-person backpacking model. It weighs only 5.4lbs and easily fits in a pack thanks to interior mesh walls that also make for great ventilation. The rain is kept out by a 210T Polyester rain fly with sealed seams and bathtub groundsheet with PU 5000 coating. Easily set up with one person, the two D-shaped doors and side vestibules give you extra storage for shoes and bags.
CORE 9 Person Instant Cabin Tent
Huge and up in an instant
Big groups will love this monster tent that can sleep nine but it easy to put up in 60 seconds. The 14’ X 9’ floor plan has a room divider and storage pockets to help keep things tidy and there’s an electrical cord access port too. The advanced venting will help everyone stay cool and you can even enjoy views of the sky with a mesh ceiling, knowing the extra-wide removable rainfly is there when you need it.
ayamaya Pop Up Tents with Vestibule for 4-6 Persons
Well ventilated pop-up for four or more
This pop-up tent couldn’t easier to get up and into, thanks to pre-assembled poles. Four to Six people can then enjoy the two large front doors and four zippered mesh windows. Ventilation is aided by a double layer design and ground vents that prevent condensation. Constructed from PU3000 fabric with heat-sealed seams, rain won’t get through the integrated vented rainfly.
Bottom line
A good tent could become the most-loved item you own. It’s certainly going to be the most useful when you want to go camping so it’s important to get one that won’t let you down while being easy to put up. The tent we’d recommend to people who want to camp with one other person (or alone) is the Coleman Sundome Tent. Its classic dome design has been tested by countless campers and always gets the thumbs up. It’s dependable and durable and will see you through many seasons of enjoyable camping.
For bigger parties of campers, the CORE 9 Person Instant Cabin Tent is a good choice. It has to be the easiest tent of that size to put up. And once you do, a host of features and quality construction will help make your camping trip a success.
