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Camping is a worthwhile leisure pursuit that can be done in your backyard or at your favorite local park. Whether going for a night, a weekend, or longer, camping is a great way to take time out from the burdens of regular life, sit back, and relax in nature with family or friends.
The tent is the most iconic piece of camping equipment and as it is designed to provide shelter, it is also the most important. You want to choose a tent that is large enough for your party, that is durable and will stand the test of time, and that is suitable for the weather you are camping in.
Four-person tents are rapidly increasing in popularity as it is a great way for a small family to take a comfortable, affordable camping trip, or it provides a couple with plenty of places for gear and to move around.
You can find four-person tents in a range of shapes and sizes. They come in different styles from traditional dome-style tents to instant or pop-up style tents. They are made from different materials, which will make some tents more suitable to the elements than others. Let’s take a look at our picks for the best 4-person tents available on the market.
Eureka is a trusted brand that makes a wide range of camping, backpacking, and other outdoor supplies, Their product line ranges from camping stoves and grills to four-person tents.
Their Copper Canyon tent is a cabin-style tent, which means it has near vertical walls and plenty of headroom. The tent can easily hold air mattresses or cots.
The tent is durable and well-made and is suitable for three-season camping. It is constructed from 9 poles and has a center height of 7′. The floor size is 8’x8′.
This tent is designed to withstand wind and rain and has high storage pockets and a gear loft to store all your stuff. The tent also features a zippered E! Port, which lets you bring in an outdoor power cord so you can charge electronics.
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Takeaway: If you want a well-made tent that is suitable for most weather conditions, this is a great choice. It is sturdy, durable, and will stand the test of time. It has high headroom and a lot of usable floor space, giving you room to spread out. The tent also features a gear loft and storage pockets so you can keep your gear and belongings organized without taking up valuable floor space.
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Coleman is a time-honored and trusted maker of a huge range of quality outdoor gear. They are known for combining quality and value into versatile and well-designed products. Their product line ranges from coolers to four-person tents.
Their Instant Tent is a unique tent that is perfect for beginning campers or those who don’t want to spend an hour putting a tent together. It is constructed from 150D polyester and features inverted seams and welded corners to help keep the tent dry and wind out.
The tent can be set up in as little as one minute and doesn’t require much in the way of assembly. It features an integrated rainfly, which will help keep the inside of the tent dry in the event of weather.
The tent has a center height of 4’11 and a large interior space that measures 8’x7′, giving you plenty of room for your gear and to move around. It is large enough to fit a queen-sized air mattress.
This tent also has dark room technology, which helps keep the interior of the tent cool by blocking as much as 90% of the sunlight. A one-year limited warranty is included for added peace of mind.
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Takeaway: For spring and summer camping, this is a great option for those who want to go car camping and not spend a ton of time setting the tent up. With preassembled poles. The tent is incredibly easy to put together. It has a large amount of interior space with plenty of room for your gear and is large enough that you can put a queen-sized air mattress in the tent and still have room to move around. If you are in a warmer climate, it boasts dark room technology, which helps keep the interior of the tent cooler during the hot summer months.
CORE is a trusted and reputable manufacturer that is known for making a wide range of outdoor equipment, gear, and accessories. They offer products ranging from instant canopies, chairs, sleeping bags, and even four-person tents.
Their 4-person instant dome tent is made from 100% polyester, so it is durably designed and constructed with high-quality materials meant to stand the test of time. Since it is a pop-up or instant tent, it comes pre assembled and can be set up in as little as a minute.
The tent is roomy enough to fit a queen-size mattress and still have extra room. It has a center height of 54″, giving you a decent amount of headroom.
Core’s tent also features H20 block technology and an adjustable ground vent, which gives you greater control over ventilation and helps you keep the temperature comfortable in the summertime.
It has a gear loft and storage pockets to help you keep your stuff organized and out of the way. It also has a gear loft hook, which makes it easy to hang a battery-powered lantern at night.
The tent also comes with a rain fly, tent stakes, and a carrying bag. A closeable electric cord access point gives you the option of bringing an outdoor-appropriate electrical cord for powered appliances or charging devices.
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Takeaway: This is a great option for beginning campers or those who struggle to assemble a traditional tent. It is well-made and perfectly suited for camping in spring and summer. It has a large amount of floor space and can fit a queen-sized air mattress with room to spare. With a gear loft and built-in pockets, you can easily keep your belongings organized and out of the way. The H20 block technology and ventilation help to keep you cool and dry during the summer. The built-in electrical cord access point allows you to bring appliances or charge devices, even in the middle of nowhere.
Teton is an up-and-coming brand that specializes in making high-end and high-quality outdoor gear and accessories. From camping pads to hammocks and four-person tents, Teton has pretty much anything you could need for your next outdoor adventure.
Their Ultra 4-person dome tent is durable and well-constructed, available in three different color options. The tent is lightweight and easy to set up. Since it doesn’t weigh a ton, it can be used for backpack camping.
It has a waterproof rainfly and a 360-degree ventilation system that keeps the inside of the tent cool and dry, even on a hot summer night. The tent has a full dome mesh top, which gives you an amazing view of the stars from within the tent. It is a three-season tent, so you can use it for spring, summer, or fall camping and it can withstand high winds.
The tent features a large gear loft and built-in pockets for easy storage and organization of your belongings.
The rainfly can be quickly attached to keep your tent dry and protected from the rain or to add enhanced privacy at night.
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Since Coleman is such a reputable and trusted brand, we couldn’t help but review another model of four-person tent they have on offer. Their 4-person Sundome tent is an affordable, well-built tent, available in two colors, and made from durable polyester.
The tent is waterproof and has inverted seams and welded corners which keep the inside of the tent dry and cool. It is wind and rain tested and can withstand winds in excess of 35 MPH.
It also has large windows and a ground vent for enhanced ventilation, which helps keep the inside of the tent cool during the heat of the summer. The tent is incredibly easy to assemble and can be set up in as little as 10 minutes.
This tent also features sewn-in storage pockets to keep your things organized and within reach. It also has an e-port, which allows you to use an outdoor-appropriate extension cord inside the tent.
The tent also comes with an attachable rainfly for added protection against wind and rain.
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Takeaway: If you are looking for an affordable, quality tent that is great for spring and summer camping, the Sundome is a great option. It is easy to assemble and is tested to be able to withstand wind and rain, while providing good ventilation to keep you comfortable, no matter how hot it gets. With built-in storage pockets, your belongings stay within reach, and the e-port gives you the option to bring in an extension cord.
Kelty is a high-end company that might be best known for making incredibly durable mountain climbing equipment. They offer products ranging from basecamp gear to sleeping bags to 4-person tents.
Their Grand Mesa tent is a lightweight, durable tent that is designed for backpack camping in mind. It is space-saving so it is easy to carry in your camping pack.
The tent has 53.3 square feet of living space, as well as a gear storage vestibule. There are mesh wall panels between the vestibule and the main area of the tent.
The tent features color-coded clips for easy assembly. Internal pockets and a gear loft make it easy to keep your gear and belongings organized. It has a center height of 55-inches, giving you a lot of headroom in the main portion of the tent.
The tent is made from polyester taffeta and is suitable for three-season camping.
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There are a few things you will want to consider when choosing the best 4-person tent for you. Firstly, you will want to consider your budget. Having this set at the outset will save you time looking at models that are outside your price range. Once you have your budget set, you will need to think about how many people are camping and how much room you wish to have inside the tent. Next, you will need to consider the type of camping you are doing. Will you be camping at a drive-up campsite or are you planning to hike to your campsite? The answers to these questions will also help guide your decision.
Tents aren’t all made from the same material and different materials are better suited for different weather and climatic conditions. Know the environment you are camping in as this will help you determine the best tent material for your needs, as well as the seasonality of the tent you will need.
While four-person tents come in a range of sizes, the average size is about 240×220 centimeters of floor space. They don’t often come much smaller than this, but you can find four-person tents that are larger. When it comes to headroom, the height of the center of the tent will vary from style and model.
If you are car camping, the weight of the tent isn’t much of an issue, but if you plan on hiking to your campsite, how much the tent weighs becomes incredibly important. You don’t want a super heavy and bulky tent if you plan to hike into a campground. For this type of camping, you will want a lightweight, compact type of tent.
If you are camping in spring-summer, chances are you will choose a tent that is made from nylon or polyester. These materials are durable, breathable, and can be easily waterproofed. However, if you are camping in an area that is prone to high winds, in colder conditions, or otherwise more extreme conditions, you may want to choose a heavier material, such as cotton or hybrid polycotton, as this works better for insulation and keeping the inside of the tent warm and dry.
Not all tents are suitable for all weather conditions. There are single season, two season, three season, and four season tents. These will be made out of different materials and constructed to withstand different climatic conditions. If you are camping in colder weather or a place that deals with extremes like high winds, you will need to make sure that the tent you choose is the proper seasonality for the type of camping you are doing.
Camping tents are made from a wide range of materials but are most commonly made from nylon or polyester. Some tents are made from cotton, canvas, or a hybrid material called polycotton.
Typically, nylon or polyester are used for durability and ease of waterproofing, but tents made from other materials may be better suited to camping in extreme environments or places where the temperatures drop precipitously.
There are some styles of tent, such as a trekker tent, that can be put up without the need for poles. You will simply need access to a stick or a tree to set this type of tent up. It should be noted, though, that this will not provide nearly as sturdy of a shelter. However, if you are hiking to your campsite, going this route can save you a lot of weight in gear.
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