Just remember not to ask your kids to take the fly off, as the locking mechanism requires some serious force to get out. It begs the question, how useful is the tent for a small group? Will it fit two dogs and a friend or three and still be comfortable? Though some of these aspects fall under other categories, we felt it was important to our readers to look at them again but with this viewpoint in mind. Several other tents scored among the best in the weather resistance category.
The Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 not only went up fast but also was a snap to tear down and get back into the bag. Add to that the simple fly deploy, perfectly sized bag, and intuitive center clip, and you have a hassle-free tent. While not our favorite, the hub also allows for easy solo pitching. It’s the only 3-person tent in our lineup and weighs in at only 7.1 pounds for the full package with a trail weight of 6.2 pounds — this tent is light enough to trek a few miles into the wild.
Starting bright and early, we have you covered with the best camping stoves and a top-rated camping coffee maker to get breakfast cranking to reading by a top-rated lantern in your tent at night. While this review focuses on car camping, we have also tested some of the best backpacking gear for those interested in ditching the car and the crowds. To find more tents, see our review covering the best tents of all kinds. Pop-up tents are meant to be easy, quick and a one-person operation. With a larger tent, like the Core 9-Person, you may need a hand or two, but even the four-person tents, like the Magellan Outdoors Pro SwiftRise 4-Person Hub Tent, only took one person to put up.
We were skeptical about the vestibule’s ability to handle wind, since it’s big and supported by a single pole, but it stood fast in 30 mph oceanside gusts and 15 mph hilltop winds. That mesh also keeps the tent feeling airy and cool in hot climates. Measuring 10 by 10 feet, the Sundome covers an area larger than that of our family-tent top pick though its lower roof leaves it with less headroom. But it’s one of the least expensive tents we found that had no significant drawbacks and will truly cover your bases for three-season camping. The tent also comes with its own footprint, a groundsheet that protects the tent from abrasion, which we recommend that you have.
In terms of flaws, there aren’t much to speak of with the Wawona 6, apart from the price. The North Face offers a limited lifetime warranty on the tent, and will repair most flaws and damage at its discretion. Throughout all our testing, we wanted to know how it felt to be inside the tents for long periods of time. If we had to spend a day in the tent during a storm, would it be comfortable?
The fly goes up and over the tent body, covering only the upper half of the mesh dome, and then forms the glorious vestibule with the aid of a third pole. Use the extra stakes and guy-lines provided to stabilize the vestibule as much as you need. At $500, this modified dome-style tent isn’t cheap, but it represents substantial value. Many tents with similar profiles—such as the Big Agnes Dog House 6—either cost more or require you buy the tent body and attachable vestibule separately. The Wawona doesn’t come with a footprint—few tents this size do—but it’s otherwise all-inclusive, and it is compact considering how much livable space you get. The price also reflects the high quality of the materials, such as the four reinforced aluminum poles, which weigh little yet result in a remarkably strong tent.
Keep yourself organized and connected with the four pockets and electrical port access. The Kelty Wireless 6 is a spacious tent that is easy to pitch, and it offers solid weather protection and durability for a reasonable price. Like the Mineral King 3, it has a simple, dome-style design that maximizes livability and minimize headaches.
The Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3 is the perfect choice for campsites or occasional short backpacking trips. It’s also great as a solid backup, sitting in the garage ready to toss into the car with a moment’s notice. We pitched it in an impressive 4 min 30 seconds and have improved on that time as we’ve learned the design. This tent has an all-mesh build for fantastic views, and the fly can be configured in multiple ways, allowing for both scenery and quick protection from the weather at any time. Our in-depth reviews also encompass all the camping gear you need to set up the ultimate base camp.
Like the MSR Habiscape, this one has a sideways opening (if not the same generous extra-large size), making this easier to deal with than vertical-open models. All in all, this was the fastest I had ever put away a camping tent, even though it was my first ozark trail canopy tent time doing so with this model. Another awesome feature of this instant cabin is the ability to have two divided rooms. This allows you to fit two queen air mattresses comfortably. You can also make one room a screen room for air to cool the main cabin.