The best pop-up tents 2025: Top-notch backpacking and camping tents that you can pitch in a flash

Collage of the best pop-up tents
(Image credit: Future)

The best pop-up tents are great for hassle-free camping, pitching in a matter of minutes, so you can sit back and enjoy your time outdoors. Although they're not as sturdy as some dedicated backpacking tents and four-season tents, these easy-to-use models have gotten tougher in recent years and can hold their own in all manner of tricky conditions.

They also tend to be cheaper, so you can save your pennies and get yourself an effective shelter without breaking the bank.

Here at Advnture, we've put loads of different pop-up tents to the test in multiple reviews. Our experts have tested various models in all manner of challenging conditions, to see how they cope when howling winds and relentless rainfall close in.

For seriously tough outdoor expeditions, you should check out our picks for the best camping tents. But if you're looking for something a little cheaper and easier to use for a festival or gentle camping weekend, then one of these pop-up tents could be the one for you.

The quick list

Here's our quick list, a brief look at the very best pop-up tents. For more on each shelter, navigate to the detailed reviews further down this guide.

Pop-up tents comparison table

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Tent

Weight

Capacity

Best use

Night Cat Backpacking Tent

4.4lb / 2kg

Two people

3 season use: backpacking, car camping

Coleman Galiano

5lb 8.2oz / 2.5kg (2-person) or 7lb 4.4oz / 3.3kg (4-person)

Two or four people

3 season use: car camping and festivals

Teton Sports Vista Quick

4lb 9.6oz / 1.9kg

One person

3 season use: backpacking, car camping

Decathlon 2 Seconds Easy Fresh&Black

10lb 5.8oz / 4.7kg

Two people

3 season use: backpacking, car camping

Regatta Malawi 2

5lb 8oz / 2.5kg

Two people

2 season use: car camping, festivals

Moon Lence Instant

10.25lb / 4.7kg

Five people

2 season use: beach, car camping, festivals

The best pop-up tents we recommend in 2025

You can trust Advnture Our expert reviewers spend days testing and comparing gear so you know how it will perform out in the real world. Find out more about how we test and compare products.

The best pop-up tent overall

The Night Cat Backpacking Tent

A single-skin lightweight adventure tent, ready to take on the prowl (Image credit: Night Cat)

1. Night Cat Backpacking Tent

The best pop-up tent overall

Specifications

Capacity: 1 or 2 people
Weight: 4lb 6.4oz / 2kg
Pack size: 16.5 x 4.7 x 4.7in / 42 x 12 x 12cm
Dimensions: 86.5 x 47in / 220 x 120cm
Max headroom: 48in / 122cm
Doors & vestibules: 1 door, 0 vestibules
Compatibility: 3 season

Reasons to buy

+
Light
+
Sturdy fiberglass poles
+
Snug size

Reasons to avoid

-
Little capacity
-
Lack of vestibule for cooking in the rain

Set-up in a minute or less, we found the Night Cat is a sturdy, stable, single-layer shelter that's light and easy enough to take out on the trails, and big enough (just) to take two people. It is primarily designed for solo backpackers and the floor plan is roomy enough for a single air mattress. Fiberglass poles deliver strength, durability and stand-up to windy breezes, but remain light to carry. Waterproof fabrics and waterproof tape on all seams keeps the water out and comfort in. Small storage bags kept our poles, stakes and guy lines untangled and organized.

If you’re not backpacking, the Nightcat can still come in very handy at festivals and garden sleepovers. An inexpensive model, the Night Cat could be the perfect den away from home for recalcitrant teenagers who no longer want to share a shelter with their parents of their siblings.

The best budget pop-up tent

The Coleman Galiano tent

A simple, popular pop-up design in two sizes, one ideal for couples (shown here) and one aimed at families (Image credit: Coleman)
The best budget pop-up tent

Specifications

Capacity: 2 or 4 people
Weight: 5lb 8.2oz / 2.5kg (2-person) or 7lb 4.4oz / 3.3kg (4-person)
Packed size: 30.3in / 77cm diameter (2-person) or 35.4in / 90cm diameter (4-person)
Waterproofing: 2,000mm
Compatibility: Works well for summer camping holidays for couples or families with smaller children, with enough protection from the occasional rain shower.

Reasons to buy

+
Breathable
+
Sets up in a few seconds
+
Two handy sizes

Reasons to avoid

-
Single skin
-
Not enough guy ropes

Coleman’s popular Galiano tent is available as both a 2-person and a 4-person tent, and we’d recommend both as two of the best pop-up tents on the market if you just want a simple tent without bells and whistles. Like most pop-ups on our list, they erect as soon as they’re freed from their circular bag; all we had to do was peg in the reflective guy lines.

Inside, a thick nylon groundsheet kept us dry and wide vents in the roof help with airflow. Taped seams and a flysheet waterproofed to 2,000mm offer enough protection from the kind of weather we were expecting from a British summer, although this is a single skin design, so won’t be tough enough for other seasons. There are also only two guy ropes, which isn’t enough to fight off strong winds. In terms of size, we’d recommend the two-person tent for one or two people and the 4-person for three adults or a family with two smaller children.

Expert reviewer Sian Lewis described the Galiano tent as a: "simple, popular pop-up tunnel tent design in two sizes, one ideal for couples and one aimed at families."

It's often available at a steep discount during sales events like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday.

Read our full Coleman Galiano tent review

The best one-person pop-up tent

The Teton Sports Vista Quick Tent

Quick and comfortable solo shelter, light enough to take backpacking (Image credit: TETON Sports)

3. Teton Sports Vista Quick

The best one-person pop-up tent

Specifications

Capacity: 1 person
Weight: 4.6lb / 1.9kg
Pack size: 27 x 7 x 7in / 69 x 18 x 18cm
Dimensions: 80 x 34in / 203 x 86cm
Max headroom: 37in / 94cm
Compatibility: 3 season
Colors: Brown / Green / Yellow

Reasons to buy

+
Minimal weight
+
Handy gear loft
+
Two-way zippers
+
Effective locking system
+
Lifetime warranty

Reasons to avoid

-
Comes without full coverage rainfly

After a long day on the trails, when you’re hungry, thirsty and tired, the last thing you want to deal with is complicated, time-consuming tent set-up operation. Welcome to the Vista Quick, a rare breed pop-up tent that’s lightweight enough to take backpacking. Using a locking hub and pole system, we found that the Vista Quick lives up to its name.

Ready in seconds, the pop-up tent has two-way zippers to offer fine adjustments for ventilation and entry. Slide in a Teton Sports Camp Cot, get comfortable and ponder the blue skies through mesh ceiling panels. A gear loft kept our headlamp, smartphone and keys in a safe place. When the weather turned, the rainfly kept us dry. An optional rainfly offers more coverage if you want more protection.

The best blackout pop-up tent

Decathlon 2 Seconds Easy Fresh&Black pop-up tent on white background

This clever tent uses a drawstring to pop open into a comfy two-person shelter complete with blackout bedroom (Image credit: Quechua)

4. Decathlon 2 Seconds Easy Fresh&Black

The best blackout pop-up tent

Specifications

Capacity: 2 people
Weight: 10lb 5.8oz / 4.7kg
Packed size: 23 x 8 x 8in / 58.4 x 20.3 x 20.3cm
Waterproofing: 2,000mm
Compatibility: A nice size for a couple, and the rectangular pack makes it easier to take off the beaten track

Reasons to buy

+
Quick and simple pitching
+
Blackout bedroom keeps sun out
+
Can be carried in a pack

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive

Despite testing it out on a weekend in the wild, we still don’t really understand how this clever tent erects – it’s a bit of a magic trick. Pull the 2 Seconds Easy Freshblack (it has a bit of a mouthful of a name) out of its bag, pull two cords tight and it springs into shape, then you just peg it down and you’re ready to camp. To dismantle, you click a release button and then gather the tent into its bag, which is also the work of minutes. It's as easy as using an umbrella.

Inside, there’s a bedroom suitable for two plus backpacks and lined with effective blackout material, plus handy pockets and a lantern hook. Although this tent can’t be classed as lightweight, it’s still just small and portable enough to be useable for wild camping and backpacking at a pinch, as it folds down into a compact rectangle rather than a bulkier circle, and fits in a backpack.

The best pop-up tent for festivals

The Regatta Malawi 2 pop-up tent

A simple, easy to erect model is one of the best pop-up tents for solo campers at festivals (Image credit: Regatta)

5. Regatta Malawi 2

The best pop-up tent for festivals

Specifications

Capacity: 2 people
Weight: 5lb 8oz / 2.5kg
Packed size: : 31.5 x 31.5 x iIn / 80 x 80 x 5cm
Waterproofing: 3,000mm
Compatibility: Suitable for one person – can withstand rain and lighter wind

Reasons to buy

+
Compact, light build
+
Plenty of airflow
+
Affordable

Reasons to avoid

-
Overpriced

Firmly aimed at beginner campers and the festival crowd, this is the archetypal pop-up – we found it to be a nice light weight, a compact and easy-to-store size and it pops up instantly and folds down quickly into a circular carry bag. It may be described as a 2-person, but we’d only use it for one person unless you were just bunking in for the night, as it’s pretty dinky inside.

Pegging in the corners and the four reflective guy ropes offers some protection from wind, and the outer material holds up against light rain. Good vents that can be propped open and a mesh inner door make this a great little tent to hang out in, especially in hot weather. We’d have liked big inner pockets rather than the frustratingly small ones inside, however, and for the price you might be able to get something a bit more ambitious and better quality for your money.

The best pop-up tent for the beach

The Moon Lence Instant pop-up tent on white background

No need to orbit this party pod for too long; it can be set up in a matter of minutes (Image credit: Moon Lence)

6. Moon Lence Instant

The best pop-up tent for the beach

Specifications

Capacity: 4 to 5 people
Weight: 10lb 4oz / 4.65kg
Pack size: 32.7 x 7.1 x 7.1in / 83x 18 x 18cm
Dimensions: 114.2 x 121.3in / 290 x 308cm
Max headroom: 52.4in / 133cm
Doors & vestibules: 1 door
Compatibility: 2 season

Reasons to buy

+
Space for a group
+
Plenty of windows
+
Freestanding
+
Effective rainfly
+
Simple set-up and breakdown

Reasons to avoid

-
Lacks vestibule
-
Unsuited to bad weather
-
Heavy compared to other models

A tent big enough for a pop-up party, the freestanding Moon Lence tent uses a fiberglass pole system, 10 steel stakes and 5 guy lines to create a spacious and stable shelter that we found can be put up in seconds and has room to accommodate four or even five adults. The large entry door can be unzipped, rolled down and toggled out of the way. Dual door zippers and four large mesh windows allowed us to tailor ventilation to match weather conditions. The wall pockets keep gear off the floor and a lantern hook createed a cozy atmosphere for our late night card games.

If the weather turns sour, waterproof materials and a small ‘top of the tent’ rainfly will keep you dry and comfortable. And the best thing – everyone who uses it sings about how easy it is to take down and pack away (not something you hear about all pop-up tents).

How we test pop-up tents

At Advnture we endeavor to test every product we feature extensively in the field. That means one of our team of reviewers and writers – all experienced outdoor specialists active across the US, UK, Europe and Australasia – taking it out into the terrain and climatic conditions that it’s designed for. If, for any reason, this isn’t possible, we’ll say so in our buying guides and reviews.

Our reviewers test pop-up tents overnight in outdoor conditions, temperatures and terrain appropriate to the rating assigned to the product by the manufacturers/ brand. Specific features (weight, zip quality, headroom, ventilation, vestibules, awnings, ease of assembly/packing and so on) are tested against claims made by the brand.

Meet the testers

Sian Lewis
Sian Lewis

Sian is an avid camper who loves nothing more than getting back to nature, whether on a wild camp or a glamping retreat. Life as a camping, wild-swimming and hiking adventure writer has taken her around the world and she's pitching up in all kinds of wild and wonderful places. Her blog, The Girl Outdoors, champions accessible adventures.

best hiking pants: Lou Dzierzak
Lou Dzierzak

A journalist specializing in outdoor recreation, Lou has covered product design innovations, participation trends and environmentally sustainable manufacturing for over 20 years. On the other hand, he’s had some less than successful outdoor adventures: once, completely spent after a hard day on the trail, he managed to set a vintage MSR Whisperlite stove ablaze before accidentally kicking the burning contraption into a lake.

How to choose a pop-up tent

Pop-up tents are a popular choice for summer campers, festival-goers and parents of kids who like garden sleep-outs, and there is a wide array of models available. The best pop-up tent for you will depend on what adventures you and your crew have planned. To help you choose, we've compiled all the key features to consider.

Remember that, wherever you camp, to protect the environment for future generations it is vitally important to leave no trace.

Easy pitching and packing up

The whole point of the best pop-up tents is that they take the stress out of tent pitching – just take the tent out of its carry bag and the whole structure will spring open into a tent shape in seconds. Some pop-up tents require a few straps undoing and other pitching steps in order to fully erect them, but they all usually take less than under a minute if they’re labelled ‘pop-up’.

Things vary more when it comes to packing down the tents – some are quick and simple, others can be fiddly to squeeze back down into the right shape. We recommend having a look at instructions or a YouTube tutorial before you pack your tent down again – it’s a good idea to have a go in the back garden before you take it on a camping weekend or to a festival.

Pop-up tents are ‘standalone’ tents, which means that once they’re erected you can use them instantly, but it’s best to peg in their corners and guy ropes if there’s any chance of the wind picking up.

Couple relaxing in a pop-up tent at a festival

The best pop-up tents have enough living space to be comfortable for those heady festival afternoons (Image credit: Getty)

Living space

Most pop-up tents have one bedroom, and may also feature a small porch area where you can store backpacks, boots and other belongings. They don’t usually have more than one room or a living room – if you need space to hang out in at a festival or to store more kit, consider bringing a second tent or a gazebo. A few of the best pop-up tents have gear lofts or side pockets for storing things like phones, portable chargers, your best headlamp, flashlight, insect repellent and binoculars.

Some of the best pop-up tents have bedrooms lined with ‘blackout’ material, which stops light getting in and keeps them cooler and darker – these are perfect if you’re a light sleeper, or for making sure that children sleep through the night in the summer. Check your tent has ventilation flaps, too. Tent doors with a breathable mesh inner door are also useful for keeping bugs out while ensuring good airflow.

Waterproofing and wind resistance 

Pop-up tents may be at the more affordable, casual end of the tent market, but they still need to be able to resist bad weather. Ideally your tent should be ‘twin skin’ – a tent with both an inner layer and a separate, waterproof outer flysheet layer – to reduce the chance of rain seeping in. Look for the waterproof rating of your tent.

If you’re planning on using it in bad weather, you don't want to sleep in a puddle and see all of your best camping tech ruined. So, it’s best to avoid a tent that is just labelled as ‘water-resistant’ – look instead for the tent’s Hydrostatic Head rating and pick a tent with 1,500mm or more to ensure it can withstand a storm. Good tents have tough waterproof nylon groundsheets too, to stop any wet seeping in from the ground below you.

Even the best pop-up tents aren’t usually as wind resistant as dome and tunnel-style tents, as they’re not designed for adventures off the beaten track, but a pop-up tent with lots of guy ropes you can peg out and pull tight will help offer some resistance from the wind.

Weight, size and capacity

Tents are usually categorised by how many adults they’ll sleep, so you’ll see models listed as ‘two-person’, ‘four-person’ and so on. Sometimes this is accurate, but often, this means how many people the tent will sleep at an absolute push, and if you’re going to be camping for any length of time, you’d be best off picking a tent with a bigger capacity than you really need – a four-person tent, for example, gives two people lots of space to sleep with room to spare for camping gear.

If you’re camping with kids, consider two separate two-person pop-up tents, one for you and one for the kids – children love pop-up tents as they can easily erect them themselves, and they also double up nicely as quick tents to play in when you're in the back garden.

Check the weight and pack size of your tent before you buy. If you have to carry your tent any distance, for example at a festival, aim for one that weighs under five kilos. If you’re going to be camping right next to the car, weight is less important.

The best pop-up tents are designed to fold down neatly, making them some of the easiest tents to store at home or stick in the car boot. Tents that fold into a circular carry case can easily slotted under the bed, while tents that fold down into rectangles are easier to carry in a backpack.

FAQs

Got your eye on a new pop-up tent? There are probably a few things you want to consider before making the investment. To clear things up, we've answered some of the most frequently asked questions about pop-up tents.

How does a pop-up tent work?

The magic of the best pop-up tents is in their fiberglass poles, which remain integrated with the main tent fabric at all times. The poles are designed to be flexible enough that you don't need to remove them when taking the tent down. The tent folds into its packed shape and is zipped away into its carry sack.

When pitching, all that you usually have to do is open it up and stake the the corners and any guylines into the ground.

Can one person put up a pop-up tent?

Most pop-up tents are so straightforward to pitch that they can easily be done by a solo camper. Getting them back in their bag when you want to decamp can be a little more challenging and you may need a second pair of hands for this.

best pop-up tents: Decathlon Quechua 2 Seconds Easy Fresh&Black lifestyle shot

Less time setting up, more time enjoying the outdoors (Image credit: Decathlon)

Should I buy a pop-up tent for the family?

You may be thinking: should I buy a pop-up tent for the family? Most of our featured pop-up tents are a little on the small side for big family trips and won't fit all the items on your camping checklist, let alone your kids.

The best family tent will suit your needs and serve you much better during the shoulder seasons, as pop-up tents generally do not perform as well in the weather that early spring and late fall experience.

Are pop-up tents suitable for the mountains?

If you're heading high into the mountains on a wild camping trip, pop-up tents do not combine the lightweight and weather resistant qualities you are going to need. If this sounds like you, we advise you to take a look at our guides to the best one-person tents and the best two-person tents.

Will Symons
Staff Writer

Will Symons developed his love of the outdoors as a student, exploring every inch of Sussex’s South Downs national park and swimming off the Brighton seafront. Now a staff writer for Advnture, Will previously worked as a freelance journalist and writer, covering everything from cricket to ancient history. Like most Advnture staff, Will’s free time is rarely spent indoors, he can often be found hiking, open water swimming or playing cricket.