Whether your family is new to camping or seasoned veterans, the tent you choose makes a huge difference in your comfort level. It also impacts how easy it is to set up camp and what features your family needs.
Can you fit two people in a one person tent?
Glamping families will enjoy a large, sturdy wall tent or premium canvas bell tent. Families visiting traditional front-country campgrounds should consider a cabin tent.
1. Rooftop Tents
While standard tents require you to meticulously set up each piece of your sleep system once you reach camp, rooftop designs allow you to take shelter from the back of your vehicle while still enjoying a view and protection from ground moisture. They're also more affordable than trailers or camper vans and can be used to sleep anywhere camping is allowed—including designated campgrounds, national parks, and private land.
There are many different brands of roof tents to choose from, with some focusing on hardshell models, others catering to the overlanding crowd, and some offering both hard and soft shell options. Many models come with an awning and some offer add-ons like LED strip lights or telescoping ladders.
Most rooftop tents can be set up in a matter of minutes and are easy to pack down again for transport. You can find them online at companies like REI Co-op, where their generous return policy and ship-to-store pickup option are especially helpful, and at specialty websites for truck and Jeep accessories like Smittybilt or Rack Attack.
2. Cabin Tents
If you're looking to camp in harsh winter conditions, there are plenty of heavy canvas cabin tent options that come with stove jacks. These tents aren't for everyone, but they can be a great way to introduce non-campers to the outdoors and get them hooked on camping.
Designed for families and large groups, cabin tents are spacious tents that can be divided into multiple rooms with internal dividers. These tents also offer more height in the walls compared to bell tents and teepees, making it easy for guests of average height to stand up inside.
However, since they're based on frames and have vertical walls, they're quite heavy to carry and can take an hour or more for experienced campers to set up. They're also not ideal for backpacking as they add to your overall weight. Plus, they have high profiles that can easily be ripped off the ground by wind. A tent staked down incorrectly can also cause sagging of the fabric and water infiltration.
3. Multi-Room Tents
The best family tents feature lots of space for everyone to sleep and stretch out. They also have features like a tub-style tarp floor that is spill-safe, easy to clean and durable enough to withstand the wear and tear of kids and pets. And they have a mix of other design elements that pair form with function, such as large windows and dual vestibules.
Cabin tents offer a lot of vertical wall space, which is ideal for air mattress or cot use, plus they usually have more mesh ceiling space for better ventilation. Plus, they have larger multiple windows, so you can let in loads of natural light for stargazing.
Another benefit of cabin tents is they’re great for cold weather camping. If you plan on taking your family or group of campers on a winter backpacking adventure, these are the best tents for families to use. They’re slightly more durable than three-season models and can handle freezing temperatures and snowstorms.
4. Freestanding Tents
Choosing a tent is more than can you live in a tent just picking a shelter that fits your budget. Factors like the conditions you plan to camp in will determine which type of tent is best for you.
For example, a freestanding tent doesn’t need stakes to stay upright, which is a big deal if you end up camping on rocky ground that makes it difficult to drive in tent stakes. These types of tents also tend to be heavier than non-freestanding tents.
Another benefit of freestanding tents is the ability to convert them into a tarp. By connecting the corners of the inner tent with a tarp and using guylines to keep it taut, you have a waterproof tent that can be pitched in harsh weather without risking getting wet.
Is camping in a camper really camping?
