Tents

Tents

We'll focus on tents for car camping here, but it also helps to understand the full range of tent categories:

• Camping tents: When choosing a car camping tent, weight isn't an issue since your vehicle carries the weight. Focus on roominess and other features.
• Roof-top tents: Kind of treehouse/tent combo, it lets you stack sleeping and parking in one spot. When picking a rooftop tent, make sure it fits on your roof rack.
• Backpacking tents: Balance weight, capacity, weather and comfort when choosing a backpacking tent to carry into the backcountry. These backpacking tents are some of our favorites.
• Shelters: Covers everything from sun canopies and bug refuges to tarps and minimalist shelters for ultralight backpacking.
• Hammock tents: Combine a hammock with weather and/or bug protection and you get another type of ultralight shelter.

For quick picks, read Best Camping Tents of 2023. Below are some additional factors to think about.

Tent Sleeping Capacity

Seems simple: Going with one friend? Get a 2-person tent. If you're a family of 4, then get a 4-person model. Keep in mind, though, that these designations don't allow much elbow room. So a lot of people upsize, getting, say, a 6-person tent for their group of four. If you're between group sizes, go bigger.

Tent Living Capacity

• Roominess: If spaciousness matters to you, compare the floor area and floor dimensions between tents you're considering. This information helps you visualize how you might set up sleeping bags and other gear inside.
• Headroom: If you want to stand up inside the tent, then make sure the peak height is taller than you.
• Shape: Rectangular floor plans offer more usable space than circular floors (such as in dome tents). Cabin-shaped tents also offer more wall-to-wall headroom than a dome.

Tent Season Ratings

When a tent is designated as 2-, 3- or 4-season, that simply hints at how sturdy it is and how sealed up it can be. A 3-season (spring/summer/fall) tent is designed for milder weather than a 4-season (spring/summer/fall and winter) tent.

Tent Features

• Doors, windows and vents: Every tent has one door; more doors will make it easier for campers to get in and out. Mesh windows help with ventilation, so you enjoy fresher air and less condensation buildup. A few tents also have additional vents to aid the cause.
• Vestibules: Some tents have covered storage areas that extend beyond the doors. Vestibules range from alcove niches to garagelike spaces. Room-size vestibules might also be available as an add-on accessory.
• Interior loops and pockets: Having places to stash or hang essentials—like toiletries and clothes—keeps things tidy. Accessories such as gear lofts give you even more storage space.
• Rainfly: This separate waterproof barrier covers the top of a tent. Some rainflies cover only the roof; others extend down the sides to guard against windblown rain.
• Guyout loops: Located midway up the sides of the outer walls, these loops let you attach guylines to secure the tent in strong winds.

Tent Accessories

You can find a wide variety of products to help make your tent a little homier and keep it in good shape.

• Footprint: This is a groundsheet that offers additional protection on the bottom of your tent, which gets more wear and tear than any other area. You can use a tarp for the same purpose, but each footprint is custom sized to fit a particular tent.
• Other tent accessories: These range from utilitarian (extra stakes, guylines or a repair kit) to decorative (mats and LED light strings).
• Fans and heaters: If you really want to glamp it up, you can get climate control products that are specifically designed for the confined sleeping space of a tent.

More Reasons to Shop at REI

REI carries top brands like Big Agnes, MSR, REI Co-op and NEMO. We also offer skills articles, care and repair articles and checklists to help you get ready to camp.