The 6 Best Camping Tents for 2023 Reviews by Wirecutter

And there are air vents at the top that allow for some extra overnight ventilation. Window covers paired with weather protection double-thick fabric should also keep the rain at bay, and that’s all without the additional rainfly. coleman instant tent And seeing as this tent is actually kind of perfect for those sort of trips, it could be good value for you. You can take the savings you get from buying a tent without a rain fly to invest in other camping gear.

Though the Wireless’s fly kept water out of the tent’s interior, it took longer to fully dry once the rain stopped than some others we tested. If you don’t have time to let the fly dry before you pack the Wireless in its duffle, we recommend laying it out when you get home so it doesn’t mildew in storage. Like most dome-style tents, the Wireless 6 withstands wind like a champ—it fared noticeably better than the Camp Creek 6 in 15-mph gusts. The continuous curve of the dome shape allows for wind to pass over and around it.

It will allow you and up to 2 other friends to share some really enjoyable time exploring the great outdoors. We found a decent amount of pros about the tent that you can check out above. The Base Camp tents include a low side vent and multiple stuff pockets on the walls and ceiling, which are made of 75D polyester treated with 1500mm of polyurethane waterproofing. Note that these tents are strictly meant for car camping; the Base Camp 4 and the Base Camp 6 weigh 16 and 21 pounds, respectively, so you won’t want to carry either one very far. Both come with storage sacks that you sling over one shoulder. The separate fly, which covers the upper half of the tent, uses a third, shorter “brow” pole to form protective peaks over the door and the back window.

You don’t want to get to your campsite and realize that you’re too short to attach the rainfly. You still have to stake the tent, then equip the rain fly over the top of the tent. If you make this a two or more person job, you’ll speed things along, but it’s still not a long setup process. Coleman Instant tents are where it’s at.If you’re 4 people, get a 6 person tent. My SO and I share a 4 person and it’s enough for us to sleep in and store all our clothes.

Two large vestibules add nearly 40 square feet combined—that is, 18.75 square feet on either side. This is also a 3-season tent designed for mild conditions, and it is a cabin type as well. So the meaning of the former is that you would not use it in very a harsh environment. Being so tall and with such huge windows and without a fly, it would not coleman sundome do well in very strong rains and winds. There are waterproof panels on all windows and on the door, and the zippers there are covered by storm flaps, but without a full-coverage fly this is not a completely waterproof design. The Instant Tent 6 is also lacking a couple of other features that would help it compete with several similar tents.

MSR’s Habitude 6 is also a good tent, but it costs about $200 more. Unfortunately, you have to buy a separate groundsheet for the Wawona 6 and for most other tents its size as well. Our only quibble with the Mineral King 3 is that it comes with only six stakes. (Our runner-up pick comes with eight.) Six is enough to secure the tent and fly but not to fully secure the tent’s extra lines in very windy conditions. This shouldn’t be an issue in most situations, but if you’re headed into a particularly windy place or simply want some backup, we suggest picking up four extra tent stakes at your local outdoor shop or online.