The Best Camping Tents for Your Next Adventure

By Ian McIntyre and Rebecca Carhart
Updated May 26, 2020
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Credit: Nick Ocean/Getty Images
Ask the most outdoorsy person you know about tents and you’ll hear story after story of busted zippers, pounding wind, deluging rain, and the frustration of trying to get all those poles into the right sleeves so the thing will stay up. Tents don’t have to be this hard.

While we can’t promise perfect weather, these high-quality tents will help make your next backcountry excursion more bearable. Whether you’re road-tripping America’s National Parks or packing up the van for the annual family camping trip, the trick is picking the right tent for your adventure. By taking destination, amount of people, and type of trip into account, you’re already well on your way.

RELATED: The 13 Best Folding Chairs to Bring on Your Next Camping Trip

However, if you’re new to camping — a beginner’s guide for you here — you’ll also need to know a little bit of tent terminology before reading on. A tent footprint is a large, tarp-like piece of fabric you place under the tent to protect it from abrasive ground textures like gravel. Double-walled tents include a main tent and a rain fly, which is a separate cover. Single-wall tents don’t have that separate rain fly; they’re just one piece. And finally, a tent vestibule is kind of like a porch; it’s outside of the main tent, usually above a door, and it provides coverage from the elements.

These are the best camping tents you can buy: 

Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 Tent
Marmot Bolt UL Tent
Stansport Scout 2-Person Nylon A-Frame Tent
L.L.Bean Dome 4-Person Tent
Coleman Elite Montana 8-Person Tent
Kelty Sequoia 6 Tent
Eddie Bauer Katabatic 3-Person Tent
Alps Mountaineering Tasmanian 3 Tent
Snugpak Scorpion 3 Tent
Marmot Limestone 8 Tent
EMS Refugio 2 Tent
The North Face Talus 3 Tent
Kelty Noah’s Tarp
ENO Singlenest Hammock
Freeport Park Avenelle Wilderness Canvas and Nylon Camping Hammock
Rab Ridge Raider 1-Person Bivi
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Ultralight Tents

Credit: Getty Images/First Light

Backpacking long distances? Ultralight is the way to go. Whether you’re gearing up for a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail or just want to lighten your load to save your knees from inevitable post-hike swelling, these feather-light tents will feel like nothing at all in your pack while still providing shelter.

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Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Tent

Credit: Courtesy of Big Agnes

The pole for this tent branches in three directions from a central hub, making set up a breeze. The Fly Creek HV UL2 also has three pockets inside the tent to help keep your gear organized.

To buy: ebags.com, $350

Weight: 1 lbs., 15 oz.

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Marmot Bolt UL Tent

Credit: Courtesy of eBags

The Bolt UL features a D-shaped door that is easy to get in and out of and a vestibule for storing gear. Along with a seam-taped flysheet that protects you from the elements, the tent also comes with a lampshade pocket that holds flashlights or lamps hands-free. 

To buy: ebags.com, $489

Weight: 3 lbs., 8 oz.

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Stansport Scout 2-Person Nylon A-Frame Tent

Credit: Courtesy of Amazon

Weighing less than four pounds, this hyper-light tent is big enough to fit two people at a time. The Stansport Scout’s mesh door provides added ventilation, while its simple design is a throwback to the A-frame tents of the past.

To buy: amazon.com, $29 (originally $35)

Weight: 3 lbs., 8 oz.

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Family-Friendly Tents

Credit: Getty Images/Johner RF

These tents are roomy enough for everyone and everything you want to fit into them—kids, friends, pets—you name it. You won’t have to worry about weight on a weekend car camping adventure, so there’s no shame in going all out.

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L.L.Bean Dome 4-Person Tent

Credit: Courtesy of L.L. Bean

Not only is the L.L.Bean Dome incredibly easy to put together, but it is also large enough to hold four people, plus all their gear. It even has several interior storage pockets built-in that might just be enough to actually keep your family organized.

To buy: llbean.com, $239

Weight: 10 lbs., 2 oz.

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Coleman Elite Montana 8-Person Tent

Credit: Courtesy of Amazon

This behemoth of a tent sleeps eight campers, and at 74 inches peak height, those of you who aren’t in the NBA can take turns standing up without hunching over! The Coleman Elite Montana even comes with a built-in lighting system that has three settings: high, low, and nightlight. 

To buy: amazon.com, $228 (originally $280)

Weight: 27 lbs., 4 oz.

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Kelty Sequoia 6 Tent

Credit: Courtesy of eBags

While the Kelty Sequoia 6 has mesh walls to keep you cool throughout the night, it also comes with a removable waterproof tarp to protect you from rain. Its large size gives you additional space to store gear or hang out, and it comes with a lifetime guarantee against any defects.

To buy: ebags.com, $400

Weight: 23 lbs., 14 oz.

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Four-Season Tents

Credit: Getty Images/First Light

These tents designed for mountaineering will keep you sheltered from just about any storm. They’re engineered to stand up to gusty winds and snow so deep you’ll have to dig your way out in the morning. Multiple crisscrossing poles, reinforced nylon, and dozens of tie-down points will keep you safe through the night.

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Eddie Bauer Katabatic 3-Person Tent

Credit: Courtesy of Katabatic

The Katabatic three-person tent is from Eddie Bauer’s First Ascent line, which is both designed and used by world-class mountaineering guides. With six poles — plus one for the fly, this tent will hold against the strongest winds without buckling.

To buy: eddiebauer.com, $599 (originally $699)

Weight: 10 lbs., 5 oz.

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Alps Mountaineering Tasmanian 3 Tent

Credit: Courtesy of Amazon

A base camp staple of mountaineering expeditions everywhere, the Tasmanian 3 comes with a weatherproof shock cord and sturdy aluminum poles to keep it in place. The spacious tent sleeps three, and it boasts two doors, two windows, and two vestibules.

To buy: amazon.com, $273 (originally $400)

Weight: 9 lbs., 4 oz.

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Snugpak Scorpion 3 Tent

Credit: Courtesy of Target

Made from a durable polyester RipStop fabric, the Scorpion 3 tent is both waterproof and windproof, making it a great option to use in all four seasons. The sturdy featherlite poles will stay put through strong gusts of wind, while the tent’s mesh lining will keep out pesky bugs. 

To buy: target.com, $370

Weight: 7 lbs., 5 oz.

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Multipurpose Tents

Credit: Getty Images/Cultura RF

These tents are light enough to be taken backpacking, roomy enough to keep you from feeling claustrophobic, and sturdy enough to hold up against your average rainstorm.

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Marmot Limestone 8 Tent

Credit: Courtesy of eBags

Boasting a tunnel design more common in Europe than the United States, this top-of-the-line Marmot tent is made with high-quality tear-resistant polyester fabric. The Limestone 8 features two entry points and comes with a removable room divider.

To buy: ebags.com, $656

Weight: 20 lbs., 4 oz.

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EMS® Refugio 2 Tent

Credit: Courtesy of Eastern Mountain Sports

The EMS Refugio 2 has a six-way pole hub, which makes setting it up a piece of cake. Plus, the spreader pole makes the inside feel nice and roomy.

To buy: ems.com, $175 (originally $249)

Weight: 5 lbs., 13 oz.

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North Face Talus 3 Tent

Credit: Courtesy of The North Face

The North Face Talus 3 features a tried and true design, and the included footprint and gear loft — a mesh shelf that hangs at the top of the tent to add overhead storage — make it a great value pick.

To buy: thenorthface.com, $249

Weight: 6 lbs., 1 oz.

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Tent Alternatives

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Traditional tents aren’t the only type of portable walls you can put between you and the wilderness. Tarps, hammocks, tree tents, and bivy sacks all offer alternative sleeping arrangements.

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Kelty Upslope Tarp

Credit: Courtesy of eBags

Sleeping under a tarp can be unnerving the first few times, but it will bring you closer to the nature you set out to see. The Noah's Tarp will keep you out of the sun, shield you from the wind, and is quick to set up.

To buy: ebags.com, $60

Weight: 2lb., 3 oz.

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ENO Singlenest Hammock

Credit: Courtesy of ENO

Forget about sleeping on the hard ground; hang from the trees instead. With a few accessories like a bug netting and tarp — both available from ENO, the ENO Singlenest can completely replace your tent.

To buy: dickssportinggoods.com, $50

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Freeport Park Avenelle Wilderness Canvas and Nylon Camping Hammock

Credit: Courtesy of Wayfair

The Freeport Park Avenelle Wilderness Hammock combines the hanging abilities of a hammock with the security of a tent. It consists of three parts: a floor, a mesh middle, and a nylon roof, all suspended from nearby trees with heavy-duty straps. It’s like a portable treehouse for one.

To buy: wayfair.com, $55

Weight: 4 lbs.

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Rab Ridge Raider 1-Person Bivi

Credit: Courtesy of EMS

Claustrophobic? Feel free to skip this one. Bivy sacks are little more than tents the size of your sleeping bag, so don’t expect much room to move around. These extremely lightweight, wind-resistant, and waterproof shelters have been favored by alpinists for many years as they tackle the world's toughest climbs, and the Rab Ridge Raider is a classic.

To buy: ems.com, $375

Weight: 37 oz.

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Now Get Out There!

Credit: Nick Ocean/Getty Images

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By Ian McIntyre and Rebecca Carhart