How to choose a family tent
Buying a tent is not something you rush out and do on the spur of the moment. Well, you could but it’s not a great option if you haven’t done some homework on the tent of your choice beforehand.
We know about this because, like you, we have had to hunt around for the perfect tent for a family.
Our first family tent (a long time ago) was the Black Wolf Turbo Tent Lite 240, and with a young family, this tent was our choice after doing homework. Since then, so many other great tents have come onto the market, so the choice seems so much bigger (and harder).
When we first started looking, we were overwhelmed by the options when it came to family tents, and we had to narrow those choices to find the tent that would suit family camping (and how we wanted to camp - frequent, short camping trips such a weekends away in a bush setting).
We didn’t want to make the wrong choice and regret our purchase.
The speed of putting up the tent was a deal breaker for us. And a lot of tents just failed that “ease of putting up” test fairly early on in our investigations.
Who wants to spend hours at a campsite, trying to work out which pole goes where? Not me that’s for sure. We recommend you read top 10 tips to buying any tent - whether you are looking for a tent for 2 people, or for 6 people, these tips apply to you. Read that story first!!!
When it comes to buying a tent, we were, and remain, firm believers in a couple of points
- You get what you pay for
- Do your homework before you buy
So what did we look for in our family tent, and what should YOU consider when buying a tent for the family?
1) How many people are you going to want in one tent?
It’s probably the number one decision you need to make when purchasing a tent. How are you all going to fit in, and fit in comfortably?
We always recommend using the manufacturer “number of people who can sleep in tent” as a guide only. It always seems a little ambitious to fit in all the number of people they suggest.
As a family of 4, we looked at a tent that could sleep at least 6.
With children, you need to think about how much space you need in the tent. You want to all sleep comfortably and have some room left for storage because travelling with children means a lot more gear than you ever imagined coming along on a camping trip with you. Going lightweight and minimalistic with children is a bit of a dream….
Expanding your family in the future?
Remember to buy the tent that suits you for a few years in the future, not just your immediate needs. So whilst a 4 man tent suits you now, a 6 man tent would be a better option for family and storage. You don’t want to have to upgrade in your first year! If you have small children they don’t take up too much room initially – but they grow, and grow fast.
Suggestion for a family tent
On the cheaper side of family tents, you have the Coleman Instant Up 10 Tent Gold Series (images below). Not that I would want 10 people in this tent (would be unbearable) I think you would use it for say a family of 4-5 and use the extra space for belongings and lounging around.
It is heavy when packed up (30kg) and with instant tents, when they say they are ready in 2-3 minutes, that doesn't include all the extra bits you need to do to stabilise, add fly etc. so don't get too hung up on that idea you will be sitting around in under 5 mins. This is a good beginner family tent with additional add-ons available.
Available via Tentworld for around $500 (frequently on sale, reduced from $800)
We always recommend using the manufacturer “number of people who can sleep in tent” as a guide only. It always seems a little ambitious to fit in all the number of people they suggest.
As a family of 4, we looked at a tent that could sleep at least 6.
With children, you need to think about how much space you need in the tent. You want to all sleep comfortably and have some room left for storage because travelling with children means a lot more gear than you ever imagined coming along on a camping trip with you. Going lightweight and minimalistic with children is a bit of a dream….
Expanding your family in the future?
Remember to buy the tent that suits you for a few years in the future, not just your immediate needs. So whilst a 4 man tent suits you now, a 6 man tent would be a better option for family and storage. You don’t want to have to upgrade in your first year! If you have small children they don’t take up too much room initially – but they grow, and grow fast.
Suggestion for a family tent
On the cheaper side of family tents, you have the Coleman Instant Up 10 Tent Gold Series (images below). Not that I would want 10 people in this tent (would be unbearable) I think you would use it for say a family of 4-5 and use the extra space for belongings and lounging around.
It is heavy when packed up (30kg) and with instant tents, when they say they are ready in 2-3 minutes, that doesn't include all the extra bits you need to do to stabilise, add fly etc. so don't get too hung up on that idea you will be sitting around in under 5 mins. This is a good beginner family tent with additional add-ons available.
Available via Tentworld for around $500 (frequently on sale, reduced from $800)
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Suggestion for a family tent
If you are wanting something a bit different from the average looking tent, say for up to 4 people (maybe the more rugged family who are keen on exploring rather than sitting in their tent in a caravan park) then we recommend you see the tent below, the Northstar 6 by The North Face. This geodesic design has been around for ages (and many have copied its design which shows there are some excellent features) and even with all the new tents on the market, this one still is a reliable and fast set up option.
It says its a 6 person tent (but I think 4 would be better) you can stand up in it fully at the peak of it, and has poled vestibules and good ventilation. It is a heavy tent, so definitely for the car campers (though to look at it, you would think it wasn't a family tent). Weight of around 10kg (but considerably lighter than the Coleman tent mentioned).
It's not cheap, but will last a long time and probably the only family tent you will ever buy.
Buy it here via The North Face (free delivery too)
Why we like this as a family tent? Because it will withstand any weather it faces (this does include snow) comfortable for 4 people and good size vestibule for storing extra gear. Lots of ventilation which is a big positive for us. And yes, you can stand up in it - just because its a dome doesn't mean you are hunched over. Additional reason to buy - the quality of North Face products with a lifetime warranty.
The North Face - Northstar 6
2) Extra room options
Sometimes all those extra rooms that tents have look fantastic. You can put children or gear in one section, and you in another! But be a little wary with multiple roomed tents - they require a lot more work to put up, and considerably more patience.
If your tent is like a big Meccano puzzle, then camping set up will be a chore.
We as a family didn’t really want the hassle of more poles (read more in the next point on this), but it was nice to have some separation from the kids when we were in the tent.
Our first tent had an extra section (built in to the main tent structure), which could be divided from the main tent with a zip up curtain divider, made of the same material as the rest of the tent. We put the children in the back of the tent, and then used the divider to separate them, from us, when they were sleeping. If not everyone was camping, the back section of our tent could be used as a storage area.
When choosing our tent, we wanted that extra space but not extra hassle. When you are looking at having more than one area in a tent, dividers will often suffice. But your needs might just need that extra room addition, so you need to remember that this may impact on speed (and ease of set up).
Downside to some of the larger tents with more rooms/add ons is that your set up time could increase.
Suggestion for a family tent:
Black Wolf was one of our first family tents, so we have a bit of a soft spot for this tent. This Turbo Lite Twin features the extra room option without having to add on all extras. Turbo Lite Twin has a room on each side with a gusseted window and rollback vented curtain dividers which allows you to split the space into 3 rooms or enjoy one big space. Large front door, roof vents and gusseted side windows for excellent ventilation in all weather conditions as you need good ventilation in any tent you buy (make that a priority feature in any tent you end up buying). Black Wolf come with additional accessories (extra cost) to help make more of your tent use via awnings.
Once again, its heavy to lift. Weighing 30kg. Another factor is that with some of these shapes, your ground sheet needs to fit the shape of the tent and all its rooms. You can buy the range of groundsheets here if you want less hassle in making your own to suit the tent size, but buying a manufacturers specific groundsheet will cost you extra, so you need to factor that into the price of your tent. You may choose to use something else to keep the cost down.
See more of this tent here (pricing and availability)
If your tent is like a big Meccano puzzle, then camping set up will be a chore.
We as a family didn’t really want the hassle of more poles (read more in the next point on this), but it was nice to have some separation from the kids when we were in the tent.
Our first tent had an extra section (built in to the main tent structure), which could be divided from the main tent with a zip up curtain divider, made of the same material as the rest of the tent. We put the children in the back of the tent, and then used the divider to separate them, from us, when they were sleeping. If not everyone was camping, the back section of our tent could be used as a storage area.
When choosing our tent, we wanted that extra space but not extra hassle. When you are looking at having more than one area in a tent, dividers will often suffice. But your needs might just need that extra room addition, so you need to remember that this may impact on speed (and ease of set up).
Downside to some of the larger tents with more rooms/add ons is that your set up time could increase.
Suggestion for a family tent:
Black Wolf was one of our first family tents, so we have a bit of a soft spot for this tent. This Turbo Lite Twin features the extra room option without having to add on all extras. Turbo Lite Twin has a room on each side with a gusseted window and rollback vented curtain dividers which allows you to split the space into 3 rooms or enjoy one big space. Large front door, roof vents and gusseted side windows for excellent ventilation in all weather conditions as you need good ventilation in any tent you buy (make that a priority feature in any tent you end up buying). Black Wolf come with additional accessories (extra cost) to help make more of your tent use via awnings.
Once again, its heavy to lift. Weighing 30kg. Another factor is that with some of these shapes, your ground sheet needs to fit the shape of the tent and all its rooms. You can buy the range of groundsheets here if you want less hassle in making your own to suit the tent size, but buying a manufacturers specific groundsheet will cost you extra, so you need to factor that into the price of your tent. You may choose to use something else to keep the cost down.
See more of this tent here (pricing and availability)
Black Wolf Turbo Lite Twin 240
3) Ease of use
Putting up a tent gets easier the more you do it, but having sat and watched countless people struggle with multiple tent poles, we were not going to want to deal with that. We aimed for a fast set up.
We looked at ease of set up especially after a bit of practice in the backyard when we first purchased it.
If you have plenty of time on your hands at a campsite and like the challenge of dealing with a lot of tent poles whilst the skies darken, then a fast set up tent or inflatable tent may not be for you. But if you want to get your camping set up done quickly, so you can sit down and enjoy yourself, then you need to look at tent set up closely. As mentioned above, with more rooms in a tent, the time to set up will increase. It may be unavoidable.
4) Price
That’s the big decider when buying any tent - family or single tent.
Work out your budget and see what is available in that price range.
See the tent you love but it’s out of your price range? Try to wait for sales, especially for discontinued models, or look at second hand tents. How to buy a used tent is a story you should read here.
Also, if you think the canvas tent is a bit more than you can afford, that’s OK – look at the nylon versions.
More information to help you making a decision on material for your tent is this story: choosing nylon or canvas. That story will weigh up the pro's and con's of material in a tent, and is worth reading to give you something else to consider.
Sometimes outlaying a bit extra will make sure you get the tent that will last you for a long time.
Cheap tents are often cheap for a reason, so be wary of the mega-cheap tent as it’s durability and reliability will disappoint you after a short period of time.
Our affiliate, Tentworld, has a range of family tents at all prices. You might want to see the range here, and also see how much prices differ between tents. It's a big decision, but our recommendation is to stay away from any tent that promises a lot for very little amount of money.
Zempire Aerodome II Pro Air tent - inflatable tent
5) Extras to consider
With all tent purchases, see what extras are available should you wish to purchase them now, or in the future to help maximize the use of your tent. With a family tent, this may be a little more important to you.
These extras can include:
These extras increase the versatility of your tent and with a family, helps provide options so you are not all necessarily stuck together all the time!
You may not want these features at time of your initial outlay on the tent, but do see what is available should you wish to buy in the future. Don’t feel you have to buy everything straight away. Try out your tent for a while, and then work out your needs after a period of time has passed (or wait for another sale). NOTE: Many tents do not come with the extra options, so it's not that easy to find.
If your tent can grow with your family and your needs, then it might save you having to upgrade your tent for many years.
Suggestion for a family tent:
Oztent RX 5 Touring tent is a tent that is based on Oztent's 30 second tent, but has 2 distinct areas for sleeping and living. A canvas tent, designed to last a long time and fully waterproof. You will pay more for this sort of tent but with care, it will outlast nylon.
Full details and pricing on this range - see here at Tentworld They have a large range of accessories and tent in this style, so see them here (and free delivery too). These are the canvas tents and if you are looking at a touring tent, there are many on offer.
These extras can include:
- Awnings
- Extended awnings
- Extra panels (which create extra rooms or provide shelter outside the main tent vestibule)
- Screen rooms
- Extras such as gutters and joiners to ensure there is no leakage when additional rooms are added
These extras increase the versatility of your tent and with a family, helps provide options so you are not all necessarily stuck together all the time!
You may not want these features at time of your initial outlay on the tent, but do see what is available should you wish to buy in the future. Don’t feel you have to buy everything straight away. Try out your tent for a while, and then work out your needs after a period of time has passed (or wait for another sale). NOTE: Many tents do not come with the extra options, so it's not that easy to find.
If your tent can grow with your family and your needs, then it might save you having to upgrade your tent for many years.
Suggestion for a family tent:
Oztent RX 5 Touring tent is a tent that is based on Oztent's 30 second tent, but has 2 distinct areas for sleeping and living. A canvas tent, designed to last a long time and fully waterproof. You will pay more for this sort of tent but with care, it will outlast nylon.
Full details and pricing on this range - see here at Tentworld They have a large range of accessories and tent in this style, so see them here (and free delivery too). These are the canvas tents and if you are looking at a touring tent, there are many on offer.
Conclusion
Buying a tent that is going to suit your family is a big decision as you want to have many enjoyable camping trips in it together – rain, hail or shine. Being in a tent that is leaking and collapsing on you during a storm is a particularly miserable experience and of course that has happened to us when we took a cheaper (and crappier tent). Don't buy a tent just for sunny days because chances are you won't always be camping in perfect weather.
When you look at some of the family tents available in the market place, you will see that some of the tents you come across, won't meet the key criteria of this story or in general, the 10 tips to choose a tent . If that is the case, choose wisely and don't rush in to a purchase of a tent that doesn't meet most of our tips.
Looking for a tent options ?
Inflatable tents have grown in popularity and ease of use has improved. Read about what's on the market at our story on Inflatable Tents.
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