Whether you have a big family, or just like a lot of room, sometimes you’ve just gotta get yourself a huge camping tent. I get it. I used to be happy in my cozy little one person, backpacking tent… but then came the boyfriend, and a couple of dogs (one of whom weighs a cool 150 pounds). Now I cherish a bit of legroom!
I’ve been hanging out in tents—of all sizes—my whole life. I grew up in an extremely outdoorsy family, camping all over the Midwest. I spent most of my 20s working as a National Park Ranger, rubbing elbows with some of the country’s foremost experts on large camping tents (okay, that’s an exaggeration, but if I’m going to take tent advice from anyone may as well be a park ranger)! Basically, I know the features to look for. Some of those features are simply nice to have, while others are absolute lifesavers.
I also noticed there was a lack of guides on big camping tents out there. Sure, the newest ultralight thru-hiking backcountry tent has about 50 in-depth online reviews. But what about folks in the market for a reliable, affordable family tent? And what about a group of friends going on a camping trip? What about the dog mom who wants to sleep in the woods with her entire pack?!
This guide will be a great resource for anyone in the market for a large camping tent, regardless of budget. I compiled the best of the best (i.e. no lower than 4.5/5 stars in customer reviews, at time of writing). I also grouped them into general categories based on how many people they fit (the “max” is a 12-person tent) and who/what they’re best for. Obviously I haven’t personally slept in every tent on this list—I just have done the research (a lot of research) so you don’t have to.
Planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park?
Check out my post on Best Tent Campgrounds in Yellowstone!
Choosing the Best Tent for You
All of the big camping tents in this post have their own strengths, but there are some metrics they all have in common. Namely, you’ll typically want to note the following when deciding between them:
- Fits (how many people can sleep in the tent)
- Price (the tents range from around $150 to $450—if you happen to catch them on sale, even less!)
- Weight (if you’re car camping this probably won’t matter, but something to consider for hike-in or backcountry camping)
- Max rooms (most large tents come with dividers so you can have one big room, or multiple smaller rooms)
- Features (e.g. waterproofing, extra rooms, hinging door, etc.)
Because that’s a little nitty-gritty, I also start each tent’s section with a title that I think describes it best! Let’s look at some tents.
List of Best Big Camping Tents!
Best Tent for a Quick Set-Up: Core Instant Cabin Tent
- Fits: 9
- Price: $270 (green) or $300 (wine)
- Weight: 30.5 lbs
- Max rooms: 2
- Set-up time: 60 seconds
This is a cabin-style tent, meaning higher ceilings and closer-to-vertical walls to make the space as roomy as possible. The best part about this tent is how ridiculously easy it is to set up, which is rare for a 9-person tent. The huge screen windows make the space look even more spacious—it could double as a shaded hangout spot. There’s also a handy electrical cord “port” which you can close when not in use, for when you’re camping somewhere with an electrical outlet. Buy the Core Instant Cabin Tent here!
Best Screened-In Porch Tent: Core Family Cabin Tent
- Fits: 11
- Price: $250 or $280, depending on color
- Weight: 33 lbs
- Max rooms: 2 (including screened in porch room)
- Set-up time: 5-10 minutes
If having a screened-in porch attached to your tent is a dealbreaker for you, look no further. It’s a really nice feature to have, either for rain or shade protection. You can even sleep out there (in fact, I know plenty of people who prefer it)! It’s also great to have such a large space to store muddy or dirty shoes/clothes/gear so you can air them out, while also keeping them out of the elements. If your campsite includes a picnic table, you can move it under the screened-in portion for a shaded, cozy dining room. Buy the Core Family Cabin Tent here!
Best Three-Room Tent: Ozark Trail Instant Cabin Tent
- Fits: 11
- Price: $253
- Weight: 33 lbs
- Max rooms: 3
- Set-up time: 5-10 minutes
Besides the typical included room divider to create two rooms, the Ozark Trail Instant Cabin offers an extra room. It’s the only tent on this list to include three rooms. The coolest part about it, though, is that this third room is optional. If you don’t have the space in your campsite or don’t need it, simply leave it down. That feature, plus the nifty extendable awning you see in the product image, make this tent one of the roomiest, homiest options. Buy the Ozark Trail Instant Cabin Tent here!
Best for Light Blocking/Sun Protection: Coleman Instant Setup Cabin Tent
- Sleeps: 10 (also comes in a 4 or 6-person version)
- Price: $316
- Weight: 42 lbs
- Max rooms: 2
- Set-up time: 60 seconds
Like to sleep in? This is the tent you’ve been looking for your whole life. There’s a lot to love about a Coleman tent, and this model is one of the coolest I’ve seen. Not only does it offer the excellent quality of a Coleman, a cool look, and crazy-fast set-up, but this model has neat “dark room” technology. Basically, the tent was designed to prioritize keeping the light out as much as possible until you decide to open your windows. Buy the Coleman Instant Setup Cabin Tent here!
Best for Group Hiking Trips: Marmot Limestone Camping Tent
- Fits: 6
- Price: $449
- Weight: 16.2 lbs
- Max rooms: 1
- Set-up time: 5-10 minutes
Marmot is one of the most reputable outdoor gear brands out there. With its reputation as a favorite of outdoorsmen-and-women, comes prestige, quality, and a slightly higher price tag. If you like your gear lightweight and elite, Marmot is the move. This tent would be best for extremely outdoorsy groups in hike-in or backcountry campsites, though it certainly will do the job (and then some) for car camping as well. Buy the Marmot Limestone Camping Tent here!
Best for Huge Groups on a Budget: Outbound Dome Tent
- Fits: 8 or 12
- Price: $129.99 – $169.99
- Weight: 17 lbs
- Max rooms: 1
- Set-up time:
The Outbound Dome tent 12-person model definitely gives you the most tent for your money. It fits more people than any other tent on this list, at an impressively reasonable price point. You do sacrifice a bit of weather-proofing for this bargain; it’s classified as a 3-season rather than all-season tent. Still, it has a bathroom style floor (basically, waterproof ridges to keep standing water out) and some waterproofing technology on the rainfly. It should do nicely for a big group’s summer camping trip! Buy the Outbound Dome tent here!
Best All-Around 8-Person Tents (Tie)
Hikergarden Campros All-Season Family Camping Tent
- Fits: 8
- Price: $169.99
- Weight: 17.4 lbs
- Max rooms: 2
- Set-up time: 5 minutes
If you haven’t heard of Hikergarden, you aren’t alone. They don’t exactly come to mind when you think of big tent brands. However, according to over 1,500 reviewers (!) the Campros is a 5-star tent. It’s lightweight for an 8-person tent, easy to set up, and can be made into two rooms. The almost cylindrical design of the tent makes it feel incredibly roomy—especially when the rainfly is off and a bunch of light comes in. The Campros tent is available in blue, green, or red. Buy the Hikergarden Campros All-Season Tent here!
Coleman Montana Tent
- Fits: 8
- Price: $160 to $230, depending on color (available in black, blue, and green)
- Weight: 22.3 lbs
- Max rooms: 1
- Set-up time: 15 minutes
Coleman is a really solid brand which has stood the test of time. If you want a big tent that won’t break the bank but has name recognition and reliable quality, you should seriously consider buying a Coleman. While the 8-person model only has one room (scroll down for the 2-room 10-person model!) this tent boasts fancy angled windows so you can have your windows open in the rain, as well as an extended awning space to put shoes and such. This tent is available in a snazzy black, ice blue, and lime green. Buy the Coleman Montana Tent here!
Best All-Around 10-Person Tent: Coleman WeatherMaster Tent
- Fits: 10 (also comes in a 6-person version)
- Price: $235
- Weight: 31 lbs
- Max rooms: 2
- Set-up time: 20 minutes
This is the newest model of my family’s childhood tent! My midwestern Dad swears by Coleman, and also swears by the ability to keep his (totally not obnoxious) kids one divider away. If you want an all-around reliable large tent from a respected brand—and want more room than the 8-roomer above—you cannot go wrong with the Coleman 10-person. As one reviewer so succinctly puts it: “This is an awesome tent. Stop reading this review, put it in your cart right now and buy it.” Buy the Coleman WeatherMaster Tent here!
That’s all she wrote. Thanks for reading, and happy camping!
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