Mar 21, 2023 10:00 AM

The Best Tents for Campers, Backpackers, and Families

The right shelter can make a big difference in how comfortable you are outdoors. Here are the ones we've tested and love.

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4 / 10

Camping is intense! No, really. If you're going camping, you probably need a tent. Hammock lovers might disagree—and we love sleeping under the stars when weather permits—but most of the time, finding and preparing adequate shelter for yourself, your family, or your pets is a nonnegotiable step toward being comfy in the great outdoors. There are as many kinds of tents as there are ways to go camping, and they range widely in price and features. To help you figure out the best tent for your next adventure, we've pooled our favorites from years of testing—whether you're getting away for the weekend with the family or soloing Mount Whitney.

Be sure to check out our buying guides, including the Best Rain Jackets, Best Hiking Gear, Best Camping Gear, and Best Barefoot Shoes.

Updated March 2023: We've added the Nemo Osmo Dagger, our experience with the 1-person Copper Spur, and updated prices throughout.

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Photograph: Coleman
Best Overall
Coleman Dome with Screen Room (6-Person)
Stroll through any campground in America and you'll see plenty of these no-frills Coleman tents for good reason. They're reasonably cheap, available just about anywhere, and get the job done. They're all you need, especially if you're only camping for a week or two a year.
This is our top pick for newcomers and the experienced alike. It's easy to set up, provides good rain protection and three-season comfort, and the price doesn't break the bank—although it has jumped nearly $50 in the past year. If you forgo the extra vestibule with the bug screen, the Coleman Sundome Tent is even cheaper. But living in the southern United States, I really appreciate the bug barrier (and the extra room to stash stuff).
$168 at Amazon
$153 at Target (8 Person)
$189 at Walmart
Photograph: MSR
Best Family Tent
MSR Habitude (6-Person)
If you're camping with a family, let senior associate reviews editor Adrienne So make an argument for backcountry camping. Paddling out to a distant shore might be preferable to figuring out how to keep a rambunctious dog or toddler from annoying everyone around them in a campground. If you're headed away from the car, you want a sturdy, more reliable tent like this MSR.
The Habitude is strong and light. It fits easily on a canoe or paddleboard and is easy to set up—the design is simple and the poles are color-coded. There's plenty of floor space for two adults, two toddlers, and a large-ish dog. It also has storage pockets, places to hang lights, and a vestibule. The only major downside is that it doesn't get quite as much airflow as our other picks. But otherwise, this is a good option if your family is ready to move past car camping but not quite prepared to snap the handles off everyone's toothbrushes and go full-on ultralight.
$700 at Moosejaw
$700 at MSR
$700 at Campmor
Photograph: Amazon
Best Budget Family Tent
Coleman Cabin Tent
If you only camp a few weekends a year and don't want to spend the $600 for our top family pick, this Coleman makes a good alternative. It offers 85 square feet of living space and is easy to set up quickly. At the center, it's a full six feet tall, though that does slope off toward the walls. Still, it's plenty roomy for my family of five and gear.
Coleman sells this tent without a rainfly, calling it waterproof as-is. I have yet to put it through a serious storm, but since the company does sell a rainfly separately ($30 on Amazon), I suggest grabbing it. The tent alone stands up to light rain, but I wouldn't want to be in a heavy downpour without a rainfly. I also suggest sealing the seams with some good seam sealer. See below for more details on how to waterproof your tent.
$199 at Amazon (6-Person)
$230 at Coleman
Photograph: REI
Best Two-Person Tent
REI Half Dome SL 2+ (2-Person)
REI's Half Dome tent series has been a popular choice with backpackers for many years. It's rugged, easy to set up, and offers generous living space for two with gear. The mesh design, when coupled with the rainfly and good staking, will stand up to storms and not roast you when camping in the midsummer heat. The dual doors with dual vestibules ensure you aren't climbing over your partner in the middle of the night. That said, the vestibules are on the small side—big enough for boots and an empty pack, but not much else.
The Half Dome isn't the lightest tent on this list (see the Copper Spur below), but at just under 4 pounds, it's not too heavy when split between two people. I also like that the rainfly is symmetrical—there's no "front" and "back," and the vestibules are identical—which makes setup easier.
$329 at REI

Photograph: Big Agnes
Best Ultralight Backpacking Tent
Big Agnes Copper Spur (2-Person)
When weight matters but you still want a freestanding tent, the Big Agnes Copper Spur series is tough to beat. I've used both the two-person and four-person models over the years, and Big Agnes has continually refined the design to the point that I have nothing left to complain about. We recently tried the updated one-person Copper Spur (8/10 WIRED Recommends) and loved it. If you can afford it, this is one of the best tents on the market. It's lightweight, easy to set up, and stable even in strong winds. The Copper Spur is also very livable, with interior mesh pockets and an ingenious "awning" design that makes getting in and out a snap.
My only criticism is that it can be a tight squeeze. For a long trip where your partner isn't your significant other, you might want to go with the next size up. The three-person could be a spacious, comfortable living space for two people with all their gear, and will still be lighter than most two-person tents. WIRED reviewer Matt Jancer owns this tent and has broken a pole section twice now. Make sure you bring a repair kit (after the fact, Big Agnes will replace your pole section for $5).
$550 at Amazon
$550 at REI
Photograph: Nemo
Best Super-Sturdy Backcountry Tent
Nemo Equipment Osmo Dagger 3P
Nemo's new Osmo fabric is the star of the show in the Dagger Osmo 3P (8/10, WIRED Recommends). The new fabric resists sagging in wet weather, which means even when the rain is coming down, the fly is not. It's also nice that the Osmo nylon-polyester blend is made with 100 percent recycled nylon and polyester yarns, with no flame-retardant chemicals or fluorinated water repellents (PFC and PFAS). Nemo is using this new fabric on all its backpacking tents.
While the new fabric does a great job, what I really love is how low to the ground and sturdy it is—it holds up really well in even strong (45 mph when I was testing) wind. Pair the sturdiness with large, spacious vestibules and a roomy interior with excellent stargazing potential thanks to the mesh roof, and you have a great backcountry tent. The only real downside is the weight. I find 4 pounds fine when split between two people, but the ultralight-obsessed will likely prefer Nemo’s Hornet or Dragonfly tents.
$600 at REI
$600 at Nemo
Photograph: MSR
Best Lightweight Family Tent
MSR Elixir 4 Tent
The MSR Elixir 4 tent isn't quite as pricey as the Big Agnes Copper Spur, but it's not much heavier. I used this with my three kids, and there was plenty of interior space. That said, three adults will be more comfortable than four. The mesh at the top provides great ventilation on warm summer nights (and leaving off the rainfly gave my kids and me a great view of the stars at night). It has double vestibules with enough room to keep boots and other gear out of the weather, and the crossover pole really helps keep the walls steep, but strong in the wind.
$364 at Amazon

Photograph: REI
For Going Solo
Sea to Summit Alto TR1
Sea to Summit's ultralight Alto (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is designed to keep weight down on your solo adventures. WIRED reviewer Matt Jancer recently took one to Hawaii, where he notes that despite the mere 33-ounce weight, it held up on the abrasive volcanic rock and heavy north shore winds on the Big Island and Kauai. The top's zippered vent should probably have mesh to keep the bugs from flying in between the tent’s inner and outer walls, but let's be honest—bugs will probably get in there anyway. You can use a tiny zipper to open and close the vent without leaving the tent. This tent and the Telos ($599) are Sea to Summit’s first tents, but the company nailed it. There's also a two-person TR2 model ($549) if you like the design but need more room.
$449 at Backcountry
$499 at Sea to Summit
Photograph: Decathalon
Best Pop-Up Tent
Decathlon Quechua (2-Person)
We're not saying Decathlon is lying, but if you can get this tent up in two seconds, you're doing better than we are. That said, it sets up plenty fast, far faster than anything else in this guide. It's freestanding, although for maximum ventilation you'll want to use the side guy ropes, which help open up some space for air to flow.
Aside from the quick and easy setup, what makes the Quechua special is the black fabric, which gets you pretty close to darkness even in broad daylight. That makes it a good choice for festivals or a day at the beach, or anywhere you want to take a nap or just get out of the sun for a while.
$229 at Decathlon
Photograph: Getty Images
How to Pick the Perfect Tent
Tent Buying Guide
There are hundreds of tents out there. If none of our top picks quite works for you, here are a few things to consider while doing your own research.
Keep the weather in mind. “Three-season” or “four-season” usually refers to how much ventilation (that is, mesh) the tent has. A three-season tent will offer better ventilation but will have a harder time retaining heat. For most people, a three-season tent is fine. But if you're planning to snowshoe into the backcountry, or if you live in northern climes and want some protection against the occasional early or late winter squall, then a four-season tent might be appropriate.
What specs are important?
Floor space: We look at all the dimensions, rather than the four-person or six-person designations. Those tend to assume that all campers are pint-sized people. Remember that you will probably want to keep spare clothes or a backpack in the tent itself and that you need it to be long enough to stretch out comfortably for your height.
Headroom: Can you stand up in the tent? How steep are the walls? The steeper the better, since that gives you more space to move around.
Vestibule: Does it have one? Is it big enough to store boots and other gear that you want to stay dry but don't want to have in the tent with you? If you're backpacking, is it big enough to safely cook under?
Materials: These days, most tents are made from nylon that's coated in polyurethane, silicone, or acrylic to help it shed water. Most, but not all, tents come seam sealed so water doesn't leak in, but if yours isn't, REI has a great guide to doing it yourself.
Less weight means more money. This isn't always true, but unfortunately, it usually is. If you want to go ultralight, you're going to have to spend more. But before you fork over the big bucks, ask yourself: Do I really care about saving 6 ounces? Are you going to notice those 6 ounces at the end of a 20-mile day? If the answer is yes, then rejoice. There is an internet subculture of people who obsess over saving ounces. The r/ultralight Reddit is a good place to start your research.

Scott Gilbertson is a senior writer for WIRED. He was previously a writer and editor for WIRED’s Webmonkey.com, covering the independent web and early internet culture. He studied at the University of Georgia. You can reach him at luxagraf.net.

Senior Writer and Reviewer

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