The Best Camping Tents: Tested

Test Results: One tester dubbed this palatial tent his “party house,” and we couldn’t agree more. Not only is the 78-inch peak one of the tallest in our test, but this behemoth serves up more than 83 square feet of space—bigger than some brick-and-mortar bedrooms. To that end, the REI Co-op Wonderland 6 comes with a divider, so campers can create two rooms in the rectangular floor plan, each with its own entrance. Testers had no problem fitting three sleepers on each side, but we highly recommend turning the front room into a lounge with chairs and a card table if you’re not maxing out the capacity.

The tent doesn’t feature any true vestibules, but awnings on each side provide plenty of room for staying out of the rain while you take your boots off. On clear days, you can roll them back to soak up some sun. And unless you’re filling the Wonderland 6 to capacity, you’ll have plenty of room inside the main area for storage: One tester said that filling the tent with a half-dozen felt a little snug, but any less than that afforded plenty of elbow room. If you need a true vestibule, go all out: Connect the Wonderland Mud Room ($125, sold separately) to give yourself a 56-square-foot foyer. “It’s like our gear garage,” says one tester. “At night, we move our chairs, side table, firewood and the kids’ bikes inside. If it’s raining, we’ll even eat in there.” The Wonderland 6 performed well in extended precipitation and wind when properly guyed out, and testers reported no leaking, even when it was pitched on the lawn when the sprinklers went off (all in the name of research). Another tester was also impressed with the tent’s ventilation during sunny 90°F days camping at a Texas park. But note that a shelter this tall with near-vertical sidewalls won’t be the best option in high winds. If you’re planning to camp in more exposed terrain or extreme conditions, opt for a tent with a more aerodynamic profile. 

Of course, luxury like this isn’t compact. The Wonderland 6 packs down to a bundle the size of a toddler, though it still leaves plenty of room in your trunk for other gear. On the plus side, with a tent this big, you’ll likely have plenty of companions helping out. Setup crews will appreciate the color-coded poles, clips and sleeves that simplify the pitching process. 

Test Results: Sometimes, simpler is better. Take the Skyward 4 from REI Co-op, a no-frills shelter that does everything you want it to and nothing you don’t. An intuitive pole structure makes setup self-explanatory, even for new campers. True story: One tester was able to erect the Skyward 4 in just a few minutes on her first try (“sans instructions,” she points out). The separate cap-style fly clips on easily.

Inside the Skyward 4, it’s surprisingly roomy. The livability comes from its geometry; the Skyward 4 is more cube-like than pyramidal, with steep walls and a nearly square floor plan. The entire floor plan is usable—four adults could sleep comfortably head to toe on a group trip to Colorado’s Carter Lake—and campers shorter than 6 feet or so can stand and walk around without brushing against sloping walls. It’s the perfect size for a couple of festival-goers or campers waiting out the rain: “We rearranged our pads and sleeping bags to create a living room on one side, then positioned the iPad on the other for an A-plus movie-watching setup,” one tester says. Plan on guying the tent out in wind, though; it’s not aerodynamic. A large D-door, opposing oversize window and two vents provide ample ventilation.

True, you miss on on certain features with the Skyward 4 (like double doors, abundant pockets or pre-rigged guylines and tensioners), but it has everything you need. And at $349, the price is right.

Test Results: “One minute,” declares our editor. “That’s how quick this thing goes up.” Once you unroll the body, the T4 Hub from Gazelle pops up instantaneously. Stake it down, then you’re done. If you’re wondering why all tents aren’t built like this, there are downsides—namely weight (30 pounds) and packed size (8.6 inches by 67.5 inches—not a typo). That means you need ample storage space when it’s not in use, both in your home and vehicle. But, if you’re set there, enjoy the easy-breezy pop-up design. The T4 Hub is also surprisingly sturdy in 20 mph winds, thanks to its weight, hefty poles and 210-denier polyester fabric. Inside, there is enough space for most people to stand up in, plus double doors and plenty of pockets and windows.

Test Results: A six-person tent for less than $200 is a bit of a unicorn, especially when that tent weighs less than 14 pounds. But that’s exactly what you get with the Kelty Discovery Basecamp 6. Of course, at this price point you’re bound to lose a few bells and whistles. This shelter is admittedly far simpler than the feature-rich Wonderland 6, but sometimes the basics are all you need for a night under the stars.

During a test in eastern Kansas, the tent comfortably fit a family of six and stood up to a nighttime shower. It shed the two inches of rain that fell during the night, and the dome shape handled wind better than other similar-size tents in this lineup. Plus, it was easy to set up, even with just one person on the job. One tester’s biggest concern was the tent-door zipper that occasionally became stuck or snagged on the fabric—a problem he worried could worsen with use.

Test Results: Car camping doesn’t have to be an expensive adventure. The Coleman Skydome gives you most of the features and function you’d want from a more expensive tent, at a fraction of the price of some others on this list. You’ll notice one of these features right out of the bag: The poles are pre-attached to the body, making for an easier setup because you won’t have to fish them through sleeves. Additionally, the tent held tough through strong Colorado afternoon thunderstorms and didn’t spring one leak. “Where other floors can soak through in a heavy rain, I’d feel very comfortable with the Skydome for multiple wet days in a row,” one tester says. 

The tent may be a little more cramped than higher-end models: One New Hampshire-based tester said it would have been a tight squeeze for a family of four (even with two tweens), but three adults had plenty of room under the 4.5-foot dome. The shelter’s made with dark materials that make it easy to sleep in beyond early summer sunrises. Downside: You might need a headlamp or lantern if you’re playing cards on a rainy day.