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Sleeping under canvas is a childhood rite of passage, and you can’t beat family camping trips as a simple and affordable way to get outdoors in the summer holidays. A good camping or festival trip lives or dies by one thing, though: a decent tent. You need somewhere roomy, waterproof and comfortable to sleep and hang out in, especially if the weather isn’t looking so balmy.
Tents come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny one-person models aimed at wild campers to more palatial shelters that will sleep the whole family in different bedrooms. And even if you’re bringing a teeny-tiny tent backpacking, bikepacking or wild camping, it needs to be comfortable and weatherproof, with room for all your kit. I’ve selected 10 of the best camping tents to suit every adventure, from ultralight backpacking tents to more spacious family tents.
At a glance
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Best tent overall:
MSR Hubba Hubba NX
£476 at Cotswold Outdoors -
Best budget tent:
Easy Camp Sarek 2
£89.95 at Ligo -
Best family tent:
Outwell Montana 4 Air
£849.95 at Outdoor Action -
Best four-person tent:
Big Agnes Big House
£412.39 at Alpinetrek -
Best bell tent:
Boutique Camping Luna Bell
From £409 at Boutique Camping
Why you should trust me
I’m a seasoned camper. I love wild adventures on my own with a backpacking tent, but equally love long weekends spent in a palatial bell tent with family and friends in a sunny field, packing everything but the kitchen sink. I’m also a festival frequenter each summer. As an outdoors journalist, I’ve tested hundreds of tents in rain and shine over the years – and I think the options below are the best picks for every kind of camper.
How I tested
I put these tents through their paces over a few weeks in mercurial May weather. I slept in each tent for a few nights at campsites (and in my friend’s handy field) in a mixed bag of weather conditions. I looked for easy, quick pitching and simple-to-follow instructions, space inside each model for people and kit, and that perfect balance of good waterproofing to guard against wet weather and decent ventilation for more balmy days.
I also checked if each tent really could sleep the stated number of people it advertised in comfort. I had plenty of help from my husband, outdoorsy friends and my toddler, who rates all these tents as playrooms, and tested a few for durability too.
I’ve owned some of my top-recommended tents for years, so I can personally attest to their endurance. As well as recommending tents based on their quality, waterproofing and hardiness, I also looked for variety – I’ve included a great bell tent, backpacking tent, family tent and budget options to suit all sorts of adventures under canvas.
The best tents for camping
Best tent overall:
MSR Hubba Hubba NX
£476 at Cotswold Outdoors
£476 at Valley and Peak
MSR’s adventurous tents are a bit of a cult classic in the camping world for their light weight, durability and weatherproofing, and you’ll spot them everywhere from lonely mountain passes to moorland campsites. The brand’s bestselling Hubba Hubba is aimed firmly at backpackers – it’s lightweight and compact, but with plenty of space for two.
Why we love it
All the MSR tents I’ve tested over the years have proved well made and durable, and are worth the money if you’re looking for something that will see you through years of adventuring. The Hubba Hubba is my pick of its backpacking offerings, and this NX model is pleasingly quick and simple to pitch – even on your own – with poles that click together easily and hold their shape brilliantly, even in heavy winds.
The inside of the Hubba Hubba is roomy (the mesh material keeps bugs at bay), with plenty of space for two people plus gear, and the porch area provides even more space for spare kit or muddy boots. The whole thing is quick to pack down and fits easily into a rucksack. I’ve used the original Hubba Hubba for hundreds of nights under the stars, and it’s stood the test of time superbly. Top marks.
It’s a shame that … it’s expensive.
Tent size: two-person
Weight: 1.5kg
Dimensions packed: 46 x 15cm
Dimensions up: 100 x 120 x 210cm
Waterproofing: 1,200mm
Best budget tent:
Easy Camp Sarek 2
£89.95 at Ligo
£109.99 at John Lewis
Easy Camp’s Sarek 2 has been made with cyclists and backpackers in mind. Its compact pack size easily fits into panniers or a rucksack, and it includes thoughtful features such as a gear hook for bike helmets and even a drying line for wet clothing.
Why we love it
The Sarek 2 punches above its price point in lots of areas. It’s made of lightweight yet durable polyester fabrics, and boasts robust 3,000mm waterproofing, which I found kept the rain at bay reliably well – even during an all-night downpour. Colour-coded poles make setup quick and intuitive.
This tunnel-style tent has a low profile, and while it technically sleeps two, there’s limited room for kit, so it’s better suited for one person. Note too that head height is limited, with not much room inside for anything but sleeping. Nevertheless, if you’re travelling solo, the Sarek 2 is a good deal.
It’s a shame that … head height is limited.
Tent size: two-person
Weight: 2.2kg
Dimensions packed: 46 x 12cm
Dimensions up: 260 x 170 x 95cm
Waterproofing: 3,000mm
Best family tent:
Outwell Montana 4 Air
£849.95 at Outdoor Action
£849.99 at B&Q
Outwell’s Montana 4 Air has proven popular with families since its launch, thanks to inflatable poles, lots of living space and a highly waterproof outer fly.
Why we love it
Recreate your home sitting room inside the roomy Montana, which has an airy living space to hang out in as well as two blackout bedrooms. These work well when shared by a family of four, keeping little campers in the dark well past daybreak. Big windows and a porch made this tent far less claustrophobic to spend time in during spells of bad weather than most models I tested. I also liked the wide main door and additional side door for ventilation on warm days and easy coming and going.
I found pitching the Montana 4 Air fiddly – it’s best attempted by two people – and it’s heavy at 23kg, despite the inflatable “air” poles. This tent had one of the highest waterproof ratings I tested at 6,000mm, and it was reassuringly waterproof in heavy rain. It also felt reasonably windproof considering its larger size.
It’s a shame that … putting it up is a little fiddly.
Tent size: four-person
Weight: 23kg
Dimensions packed: 97 x 47 x 43cm
Dimensions up: 510 x 220 x 350cm
Waterproofing: 6,000mm
Best four-person tent:
Big Agnes Big House
All-American brand Big Agnes (it’s named after a mountain in Colorado) created the Big House for car campers who are packing all their weekend’s kit in the boot. This family-friendly, four-person tent is lightweight and portable, with enough headroom to stand fully upright in.
Why we love it
Big Agnes’s tents and outdoor gear might be expensive, but it shows in the quality of its looks and finish. Pitching is quick and easy, thanks to three intuitive poles that clip together and hold their shape well. While a porch for storing kit would have been useful, there are plenty of pockets inside for bits and bobs – plus you get proper standing height here, which feels revolutionary for a compact tent. At 5.7kg, this tent is too heavy for backpacking, although the carry case is helpful for lugging it from the car to where you might be pitching.
Its 1,500mm of waterproofing kept me dry in wet May weather, while the mesh kept air moving in hot spells. This tent is marketed as four-person, but we’d say it’s more comfortable for three if camping for more than a night or two. Go for the six-person if there are four of you. All in all, a nice all-rounder for weekends away, car camping and festivals.
It’s a shame that … if it’s more than a few nights, it will be a bit of a squeeze for four.
Tent size: four-person
Weight: 5.7kg
Dimensions packed: 18 x 41 x 66cm
Dimensions up: 230 x 220 x 180cm
Waterproofing: 1,500mm
Best bell tent:
Boutique Camping Luna Bell
From £409 at Boutique Camping
£421 at Mountain Warehouse
Boutique Camping stocks a range of canvas and polycotton glamping tents and tipis, with the Luna Bell among its most popular designs. It has wide windows, lots of headroom and enough space for a proper bed, if kipping on the ground isn’t your thing.
Why we love it
For years now, my own Luna Bell has been a constant companion at festivals, weddings and family camps over summer. This tipi-style tent offers lots of room for three or four campers to share, with tons of head space and big circular windows that give it a light and airy feel inside.
It’s made from weather-resistant polycotton, which means it’s not fully waterproof, and so is best used in summer – and if it does get wet, you’ll need to ensure it’s properly dry before storing. The Luna Bell is heavy, and it will require two people to put up; but good guy ropes and aluminium poles make the whole thing feel reassuringly sturdy once it is up. I own the four-metre Luna Bell, but five-, six- and seven-metre versions are also available.
It’s a shame that … it’s heavy and bulky, plus there’s only one room.
Tent size: 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 best of the rest
Eurohike Genus 400
£229 at Ultimate Outdoors
£254 at Millets
Best for: an affordable inflatable tent
Inflatable tents can be life-changing for family camping trips – instead of fiddling for hours with heavy canvas and unwieldy poles, you can just inflate the beams of your new portable palace and then relax. The downside is that “air” tents can be pretty pricey, but Easy Camp’s Genus 400 can currently be picked up for the reduced price of £229. This four-person tent is big and roomy, but its weight is perfectly portable. Plus, it’s simple to pitch – on test, it took about 25 minutes to get it up and ready for use with the included pump.
Step inside and you’ll find a large bedroom, a living area with big windows, and a porch. Only the living room offers standing height, and it’s a pity the bedroom can’t be divided so that kids can have their own room. Nevertheless, this is still a good-quality air tent if you fancy giving inflatable tents a try without blowing your budget.
It didn’t make the final cut because … there’s only one bedroom.
Tent size: 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
Best for: a six-person tent
I’ve always found that Vango tents offer decent bang for your buck, and the Savannah Air is one of the best larger inflatable tents around. Once inflated with the included pump, you’ll have a roomy tent with three blackout bedrooms, plus a central living space and a big porch. It took me about 20 minutes to pitch, although you’ll need two people to lug it all into place.
This tent sleeps six in three bedrooms, although it would prove nice and spacious for a family of four or five, with room to spare for all your belongings. I love the huge windows, which make the Savannah comfy to hang out in, even on rainy days.
It didn’t make the final cut because … it’s bulky and heavy, so only suitable for longer family holidays.
Tent size: 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 Fresh&Black
Best for: a pop-up tent
Hate putting up tents? Then get yourself a pop-up one. Decathlon’s 2 Seconds is surprisingly sturdy, offers decent waterproofing, and really does take only a few seconds to pop up and peg into place. Free this circular design of its straps, and it springs into shape instantly, forming a roomy tent for one or two. It’s lined with blackout material, which keeps the tent cool and dark for longer – great for lie-ins at festivals, or for attempting to stop little ones from waking up at the crack of dawn.
If only it were as easy to take down as it is to put up – I had to watch the instruction video multiple times to get the folding technique down. Note, too, that pop-up tents are less windproof and durable than traditional designs.
It didn’t make the final cut because … space is limited, and it’s tricky to fold down.
Tent size: 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
Best for: a festival
The rather futuristic-looking Coleman Cortes Octagon is as fun to camp in as it looks, although it can be fiddly to put up until you’ve pitched it a few times. Inside, one huge octagonal room offers up an airy living space – although this might make it unsuitable for families where individuals need their own space.
Those who aren’t fans of dark, cramped tents will love this tent’s generous standing room and wall-to-wall windows, which can be fully opened and offer a 360-degree view. The Octagon also works brilliantly as a playhouse in the garden or as a beach shelter. It’s heavy at 20.7kg, but its carry case has handy wheels for easy transportation.
It didn’t make the final cut because … it’s fiddly to put up, and has only one room.
Tent size: 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
Best for: a luxury tent
The Settler Sky is the most expensive tent in this roundup – but you do get the quality you pay for. This eye-catching tipi-style tent sleeps up to 10 in one huge central space, and there’s plenty of head height. The polycotton material looks like canvas but is breathable and fully waterproof (unlike most glamping-style tents, which are often just water-resistant), and it has huge windows with mesh panels and privacy curtains, so you can let the light in during the day or even do a spot of stargazing at night.
Pitching this behemoth was surprisingly easy, but do note that it’s heavy to transport and cumbersome to store. For glampers, bell tent gatherings in the back garden or festival fun in groups, the Settler Sky would be worth the splurge.
It didn’t make the final cut because … it’s eye-wateringly expensive.
Tent size: 10-person; weight: 26.3kg; dimensions packed: 33 x 33 x 95cm; dimensions up: 500 x 460cm; waterproofing: 10,000mm
What you need to know
How can I tell if a tent is waterproof?
Bad weather can make or break a camping trip, so it’s important to pay attention to the specs when making your choice. Look for a “twin skin” tent – this means it has a separate inner layer and an outer “flysheet” layer – and pick a model that has a fully waterproof fly (outer layer).
The waterproof rating will sometimes be listed as a “hydrostatic head” (HH) rating, a measure of how waterproof a tent’s fabric is. It’s expressed in millimetres (as listed underneath each product above) and indicates the amount of water pressure the fabric can withstand before it starts to leak. For example, a 1,500mm HH rating means the fabric can hold a 1.5-metre column of water before leaking. Generally, 1,000–1,500mm is suitable for light rain, 1,500mm is waterproof and above 3,000mm is highly waterproof and more suitable for winter or mountain conditions.
If you’re buying a canvas tent, look for one that’s made with water-resistant polycotton. Good tents have built-in waterproof nylon groundsheets, which stop any wet seeping in from the ground.
What features should I look for?
Think about how and where you want to use your new tent. For a multi-week family camping trip with the car, the size and weight of a large tent with multiple rooms or a canvas glamping tent will be worth the roomy living space you’ll get in return. Big family tents have traditionally been a nightmare to erect, but there are now more “air” tents coming on to the market, which you can inflate with a pump. Those with children might be better going for a two-bedroom tent, to ensure you all get a good night’s sleep, and one made with blackout material to stop little ones waking up at dawn. If you’re just off for a weekend, look for more compact models, and if you want to carry your tent any distance backpacking or bikepacking, pick something that weighs 4kg or less.
How many people does a tent really sleep?
Be wary of the number of people a tent claims to sleep – I’d advise you halve that number if you don’t fancy sleeping like sardines. Solo campers will find a one- or two-person tent fine, while a six-person model will make a good fit for a family of two adults and two or three children, with plenty of space left over for cooking gear and clothing. If you’re shopping for a family tent, look for multiple bedrooms and a roomy porch, so there’s plenty of space for storing kit or to sit under shelter.
How to clean and store your tent to make it last longer – and recycle it when it’s time to replace
Store your tent indoors somewhere cool and dry when not in use. Tents can go mouldy or end up smelling musty in storage, so make sure they’re bone-dry before packing away. If you’ve just returned from a swampy trip to Glastonbury, scrub off any mud and dirt with a damp, soapy sponge, then hand-wash your tent’s outer and inner flies in a bath filled with warm water, using a technical tent wash such as this one from Nikwax. Rinse well, then erect your tent outdoors on a warm day, out of direct sunlight, and leave until fully dry. If you own a canvas glamping tent, consider sending it off for a professional clean every few years.
When you get to the point of replacement, recycle your current tent at a household waste centre, or if it’s still functional, donate it to charity or give it away on a local freebie group such as Freecycle. If you buy a Decathlon brand tent this summer, such as the Quecha pop-up featured above, you’ll be able to return it at any point until 14 September as part of the brand’s No Tent Left Behind campaign – useful for any festivals.
Sian Lewis is an award-winning outdoors and travel journalist and author who loves putting adventure kit through its paces while hiking, swimming and wild camping. She also shares her adventures at @sianannalewis and thegirloutdoors.com
