Sleeping below canvas is a childhood ceremony of passage, and you’ll’t beat household tenting journeys as a easy and reasonably priced method to get outside in the summertime holidays. A superb tenting or competition journey lives or dies by one factor, although: a good tent. You want someplace roomy, waterproof and cozy to sleep and hand around in, particularly if the climate isn’t trying so balmy.
Tents are available in all sizes and styles, from tiny one-person fashions aimed toward wild campers to extra palatial shelters that may sleep the entire household in several bedrooms. And even for those who’re bringing a teeny-tiny tent backpacking, bikepacking or wild tenting, it must be comfy and weatherproof, with room for all of your package. I’ve chosen 10 of the very best tenting tents to swimsuit each journey, from ultralight backpacking tents to extra spacious household tents.
At a look
Why it’s best to belief me
I’m a seasoned camper. I like wild adventures alone with a backpacking tent, however equally love lengthy weekends spent in a palatial bell tent with household and pals in a sunny discipline, packing all the pieces however the kitchen sink. I’m additionally a competition frequenter every summer season. As an outside journalist, I’ve examined lots of of tents in rain and shine over time – and I believe the choices under are the very best picks for each form of camper.
How I examined
I put these tents by their paces over a couple of weeks in mercurial Could climate. I slept in every tent for a couple of nights at campsites (and in my pal’s helpful discipline) in a combined bag of climate circumstances. I regarded for simple, fast pitching and simple-to-follow directions, area inside every mannequin for individuals and package, and that good steadiness of excellent waterproofing to protect in opposition to moist climate and first rate air flow for extra balmy days.
I additionally checked if every tent actually might sleep the acknowledged variety of individuals it marketed in consolation. I had loads of assist from my husband, outdoorsy pals and my toddler, who charges all these tents as playrooms, and examined a couple of for sturdiness too.
I’ve owned a few of my top-recommended tents for years, so I can personally attest to their endurance. In addition to recommending tents based mostly on their high quality, waterproofing and hardiness, I additionally regarded for selection – I’ve included a fantastic bell tent, backpacking tent, household tent and finances choices to swimsuit all types of adventures below canvas.
The perfect tents for tenting
Greatest tent general:
MSR Hubba Hubba NX
£476 at Cotswold Outdoors
£476 at Valley and Peak
MSR’s adventurous tents are a little bit of a cult basic within the tenting world for his or her mild weight, sturdiness and weatherproofing, and also you’ll spot them all over the place from lonely mountain passes to moorland campsites. The model’s bestselling Hubba Hubba is aimed firmly at backpackers – it’s light-weight and compact, however with loads of area for 2.
Why we adore it
All of the MSR tents I’ve examined over time have proved effectively made and sturdy, and are definitely worth the cash for those who’re on the lookout for one thing that may see you thru years of adventuring. The Hubba Hubba is my decide of its backpacking choices, and this NX mannequin is pleasingly fast and easy to pitch – even by yourself – with poles that click on collectively simply and maintain their form brilliantly, even in heavy winds.
The within of the Hubba Hubba is roomy (the mesh materials retains bugs at bay), with loads of area for 2 individuals plus gear, and the porch space supplies much more area for spare package or muddy boots. The entire thing is fast to pack down and suits simply right into a rucksack. I’ve used the unique Hubba Hubba for lots of of nights below the celebrities, and it’s stood the check of time beautifully. Prime marks.
It’s a disgrace that … it’s costly.
Tent dimension: two-person
Weight: 1.5kg
Dimensions packed: 46 x 15cm
Dimensions up: 100 x 120 x 210cm
Waterproofing: 1,200mm
Greatest finances tent:
Straightforward Camp Sarek 2
£89.95 at Ligo
£109.99 at John Lewis
Straightforward Camp’s Sarek 2 has been made with cyclists and backpackers in thoughts. Its compact pack dimension simply suits into panniers or a rucksack, and it contains considerate options corresponding to a gear hook for bike helmets and even a drying line for moist clothes.
Why we adore it
The Sarek 2 punches above its value level in numerous areas. It’s product of light-weight but sturdy polyester materials, and boasts strong 3,000mm waterproofing, which I discovered stored the rain at bay reliably effectively – even throughout an all-night downpour. Color-coded poles make setup fast and intuitive.
This tunnel-style tent has a low profile, and whereas it technically sleeps two, there’s restricted room for package, so it’s higher suited to one individual. Notice too that head peak is restricted, with not a lot room inside for something however sleeping. However, for those who’re travelling solo, the Sarek 2 is an efficient deal.
It’s a disgrace that … head peak is restricted.
Tent dimension: two-person
Weight: 2.2kg
Dimensions packed: 46 x 12cm
Dimensions up: 260 x 170 x 95cm
Waterproofing: 3,000mm
Greatest household tent:
Outwell Montana 4 Air
£849.95 at Outdoor Action
£849.99 at B&Q
Outwell’s Montana 4 Air has confirmed common with households since its launch, due to inflatable poles, numerous dwelling area and a extremely waterproof outer fly.
Why we adore it
Recreate your house sitting room contained in the roomy Montana, which has an ethereal dwelling area to hang around in in addition to two blackout bedrooms. These work effectively when shared by a household of 4, protecting little campers at nighttime effectively previous dawn. Massive home windows and a porch made this tent far much less claustrophobic to spend time in throughout spells of unhealthy climate than most fashions I examined. I additionally appreciated the huge predominant door and extra facet door for air flow on heat days and simple coming and going.
I discovered pitching the Montana 4 Air fiddly – it’s finest tried by two individuals – and it’s heavy at 23kg, regardless of the inflatable “air” poles. This tent had one of many highest waterproof rankings I examined at 6,000mm, and it was reassuringly waterproof in heavy rain. It additionally felt fairly windproof contemplating its bigger dimension.
It’s a disgrace that … placing it up is a little bit fiddly.
Tent dimension: four-person
Weight: 23kg
Dimensions packed: 97 x 47 x 43cm
Dimensions up: 510 x 220 x 350cm
Waterproofing: 6,000mm
Greatest four-person tent:
Massive Agnes Massive Home
All-American model Massive Agnes (it’s named after a mountain in Colorado) created the Massive Home for automobile campers who’re packing all their weekend’s package within the boot. This family-friendly, four-person tent is light-weight and moveable, with sufficient headroom to face totally upright in.
Why we adore it
Massive Agnes’s tents and outside gear may be costly, but it surely reveals within the high quality of its seems to be and end. Pitching is fast and simple, thanks to 3 intuitive poles that clip collectively and maintain their form effectively. Whereas a porch for storing package would have been helpful, there are many pockets inside for fine details – plus you get correct standing peak right here, which feels revolutionary for a compact tent. At 5.7kg, this tent is just too heavy for backpacking, though the carry case is useful for lugging it from the automobile to the place you may be pitching.
Its 1,500mm of waterproofing stored me dry in moist Could climate, whereas the mesh stored air transferring in scorching spells. This tent is marketed as four-person, however we’d say it’s extra comfy for 3 if tenting for greater than an evening or two. Go for the six-person if there are 4 of you. All in all, a pleasant all-rounder for weekends away, automobile tenting and festivals.
It’s a disgrace that … if it’s quite a lot of nights, will probably be a little bit of a squeeze for 4.
Tent dimension: four-person
Weight: 5.7kg
Dimensions packed: 18 x 41 x 66cm
Dimensions up: 230 x 220 x 180cm
Waterproofing: 1,500mm
Greatest bell tent:
Boutique Tenting Luna Bell
From £409 at Boutique Camping
£421 at Mountain Warehouse
Boutique Tenting shares a variety of canvas and polycotton glamping tents and tipis, with the Luna Bell amongst its hottest designs. It has huge home windows, numerous headroom and sufficient area for a correct mattress, if kipping on the bottom isn’t your factor.
Why we adore it
For years now, my very own Luna Bell has been a continuing companion at festivals, weddings and household camps over summer season. This tipi-style tent presents numerous room for 3 or 4 campers to share, with tons of head area and large round home windows that give it a lightweight and ethereal really feel inside.
It’s constructed from weather-resistant polycotton, which suggests it’s not totally waterproof, and so is finest utilized in summer season – and if it does get moist, you’ll want to make sure it’s correctly dry earlier than storing. The Luna Bell is heavy, and it’ll require two individuals to place up; however good man ropes and aluminium poles make the entire thing really feel reassuringly sturdy as soon as it’s up. I personal the four-metre Luna Bell, however five-, six- and seven-metre variations are additionally obtainable.
It’s a disgrace that … it’s heavy and hulking, plus there’s just one room.
Tent dimension: four-person
Weight: 16kg
Dimensions packed: 95 x 28 x 28cm
Dimensions up: 250 x 400cm
Waterproofing: water resistant polycotton
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The perfect of the remainder
Eurohike Genus 400
£229 at Ultimate Outdoors
£254 at Millets
Greatest for: an reasonably priced inflatable tent
Inflatable tents may be life-changing for household tenting journeys – as an alternative of fiddling for hours with heavy canvas and unwieldy poles, you’ll be able to simply inflate the beams of your new moveable palace after which calm down. The draw back is that “air” tents may be fairly expensive, however Straightforward Camp’s Genus 400 can presently be picked up for the decreased value of £229. This four-person tent is large and roomy, however its weight is completely moveable. Plus, it’s easy to pitch – on check, it took about 25 minutes to get it up and prepared to be used with the included pump.
Step inside and also you’ll discover a big bed room, a dwelling space with large home windows, and a porch. Solely the lounge presents standing peak, and it’s a pity the bed room can’t be divided so that youngsters can have their very own room. However, that is nonetheless a good-quality air tent for those who fancy giving inflatable tents a attempt with out blowing your finances.
It didn’t make the ultimate lower as a result of … there’s just one bed room.
Tent dimension: four-person; weight: 9.8kg; dimensions packed: 73 x 35 x 28cm; dimensions up: 450 x 190 x 250cm; waterproofing: 3,000mm
Vango Savannah Air 600XL
£899.95 at Outdoor Action
£899.99 at Decathlon
Greatest for: a six-person tent
I’ve all the time discovered that Vango tents provide first rate bang on your buck, and the Savannah Air is likely one of the finest bigger inflatable tents round. As soon as inflated with the included pump, you’ll have a roomy tent with three blackout bedrooms, plus a central dwelling area and a giant porch. It took me about 20 minutes to pitch, though you’ll want two individuals to lug all of it into place.
This tent sleeps six in three bedrooms, though it could show good and spacious for a household of 4 or 5, with room to spare for all of your belongings. I like the massive home windows, which make the Savannah comfortable to hang around in, even on wet days.
It didn’t make the ultimate lower as a result of … it’s cumbersome and heavy, so solely appropriate for longer household holidays.
Tent dimension: six-person; weight: 31.7kg; dimensions packed: 80 x 50 x 50cm; dimensions up: 715 x 385 x 21ocm; waterproofing: 4,000mm
Quechua 2 Seconds Contemporary&Black
Greatest for: a pop-up tent
Hate placing up tents? Then get your self a pop-up one. Decathlon’s 2 Seconds is surprisingly sturdy, presents first rate waterproofing, and actually does take just a few seconds to pop up and peg into place. Free this round design of its straps, and it springs into form immediately, forming a roomy tent for one or two. It’s lined with blackout materials, which retains the tent cool and darkish for longer – nice for lie-ins at festivals, or for making an attempt to cease little ones from waking up on the first light.
If solely it had been as simple to take down as it’s to place up – I needed to watch the instruction video a number of instances to get the folding approach down. Notice, too, that pop-up tents are much less windproof and sturdy than conventional designs.
It didn’t make the ultimate lower as a result of … area is restricted, and it’s difficult to fold down.
Tent dimension: three-person; weight: 4.9kg; dimensions packed: 86 x 10cm; dimensions up: 109 x 88 x 180cm; waterproofing: 2,000mm
Coleman Cortes Octagon
£250 at Halfords
From £224.98 at Amazon
Greatest for: a competition
The moderately futuristic-looking Coleman Cortes Octagon is as enjoyable to camp in because it seems to be, though it may be fiddly to place up till you’ve pitched it a couple of instances. Inside, one enormous octagonal room presents up an ethereal dwelling area – though this may make it unsuitable for households the place people want their very own area.
Those that aren’t followers of darkish, cramped tents will love this tent’s beneficiant standing room and wall-to-wall home windows, which may be totally opened and provide a 360-degree view. The Octagon additionally works brilliantly as a playhouse within the backyard or as a seashore shelter. It’s heavy at 20.7kg, however its carry case has helpful wheels for simple transportation.
It didn’t make the ultimate lower as a result of … it’s fiddly to place up, and has just one room.
Tent dimension: eight-person; weight: 20.7kg; dimensions packed: 85 x 30 x 30cm; dimensions up: 429 x 396 x 215cm; waterproofing: 2,000mm
Robens Settler Sky
Greatest for: a luxurious tent
The Settler Sky is the costliest tent on this roundup – however you do get the standard you pay for. This eye-catching tipi-style tent sleeps as much as 10 in a single enormous central area, and there’s loads of head peak. The polycotton materials seems to be like canvas however is breathable and totally waterproof (in contrast to most glamping-style tents, which are sometimes simply water resistant), and it has enormous home windows with mesh panels and privateness curtains, so you’ll be able to let the sunshine in in the course of the day and even do a spot of stargazing at evening.
Pitching this behemoth was surprisingly simple, however do be aware that it’s heavy to move and cumbersome to retailer. For glampers, bell tent gatherings within the again backyard or competition enjoyable in teams, the Settler Sky can be definitely worth the splurge.
It didn’t make the ultimate lower as a result of … it’s eye-wateringly costly.
Tent dimension: 10-person; weight: 26.3kg; dimensions packed: 33 x 33 x 95cm; dimensions up: 500 x 460cm; waterproofing: 10,000mm
What you have to know
How can I inform if a tent is waterproof?
Dangerous climate could make or break a tenting journey, so it’s essential to concentrate to the specs when making your selection. Search for a “twin pores and skin” tent – this implies it has a separate internal layer and an outer “flysheet” layer – and decide a mannequin that has a completely waterproof fly (outer layer).
The waterproof score will typically be listed as a “hydrostatic head” (HH) score, a measure of how waterproof a tent’s cloth is. It’s expressed in millimetres (as listed beneath every product above) and signifies the quantity of water stress the material can face up to earlier than it begins to leak. For instance, a 1,500mm HH score means the material can maintain a 1.5-metre column of water earlier than leaking. Typically, 1,000–1,500mm is appropriate for mild rain, 1,500mm is waterproof and above 3,000mm is very waterproof and extra appropriate for winter or mountain circumstances.
If you happen to’re shopping for a canvas tent, search for one which’s made with water resistant polycotton. Good tents have built-in waterproof nylon groundsheets, which cease any moist seeping in from the bottom.
What options ought to I search for?
Take into consideration how and the place you wish to use your new tent. For a multi-week household tenting journey with the automobile, the dimensions and weight of a big tent with a number of rooms or a canvas glamping tent might be definitely worth the roomy dwelling area you’ll get in return. Massive household tents have historically been a nightmare to erect, however there are actually extra “air” tents approaching to the market, which you’ll inflate with a pump. These with youngsters may be higher going for a two-bedroom tent, to make sure you all get a very good evening’s sleep, and one made with blackout materials to cease little ones waking up at daybreak. If you happen to’re simply off for a weekend, search for extra compact fashions, and if you wish to carry your tent any distance backpacking or bikepacking, decide one thing that weighs 4kg or much less.
How many individuals does a tent actually sleep?
Be cautious of the variety of individuals a tent claims to sleep – I’d advise you halve that quantity for those who don’t fancy sleeping like sardines. Solo campers will discover a one- or two-person tent positive, whereas a six-person mannequin will make a very good match for a household of two adults and two or three youngsters, with loads of area left over for cooking gear and clothes. If you happen to’re purchasing for a household tent, search for a number of bedrooms and a roomy porch, so there’s loads of area for storing package or to sit down below shelter.
Find out how to clear and retailer your tent to make it last more – and recycle it when it’s time to interchange
Retailer your tent indoors someplace cool and dry when not in use. Tents can go mouldy or find yourself smelling musty in storage, so be certain they’re bone-dry earlier than packing away. If you happen to’ve simply returned from a swampy journey to Glastonbury, scrub off any mud and grime with a humid, soapy sponge, then hand-wash your tent’s outer and internal flies in a shower full of heat water, utilizing a technical tent wash such as this one from Nikwax. Rinse effectively, then erect your tent outside on a heat day, out of direct daylight, and go away till totally dry. If you happen to personal a canvas glamping tent, think about sending it off for an expert clear each few years.
If you get to the purpose of substitute, recycle your present tent at a family waste centre, or if it’s nonetheless practical, donate it to charity or give it away on a neighborhood freebie group corresponding to Freecycle. If you happen to purchase a Decathlon model tent this summer season, such because the Quecha pop-up featured above, you’ll be capable to return it at any level till 14 September as a part of the model’s No Tent Left Behind campaign – helpful for any festivals.
Sian Lewis is an award-winning outside and journey journalist and creator who loves placing journey package by its paces whereas mountaineering, swimming and wild tenting. She additionally shares her adventures at @sianannalewis and thegirloutdoors.com