Hiking and camping: what to take on your backpacking trip
Outdoor Activities | March 28, 2024
SAIL
March 28, 2023
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Is your desire for a family nature getaway rising along with the mercury? We hear you! But before heading out for some fresh air, there’s an essential step: choose your 4-person (or more!) camping tent. How can you find the best family tent? Depending on the size of your clan, your taste in camping types, or the level of comfort you want, options vary. Leaving the city for a weekend by the lake or embarking on a long hike with your teens both involve different needs. Cédric Charbin, camping specialist at SAIL, presents his selection of the best camping tents that will ensure you a comfortable stay under the stars, surrounded by your loved ones.
In this article, you will discover our 2023 selection of the best camping tents:
If you’re going camping with the family, target a family tent that sleeps four or more. 4-person tents made for expeditions or backpacking will be able to accommodate your family, but you may be a little cramped. Designed to be light and compact, they generally offer less space than recreational tents. Conversely, some recreational tents allow you to stand up. They are also more spacious, with larger vestibules. In short, if you want comfort, go for a family tent.
When shopping, there are certain criteria to observe first. Look at the poles and their material, as well as the waterproofing index (in millimetres) of the ground sheet and the flysheet. If you plan to camp in the summer, pay attention to the breathability and quality of the mosquito net as well. Also, favour models that are easy to assemble to be able to involve the whole family!
The North Face Wawona 4- or 6-person tent is arguably one of the best family camping tents. Freshly updated, this iconic model remains spacious and comfortable, well served by an optimal ceiling height. Its ease of assembly has been improved (thanks to a colour code), as have its arches which are now more solid. Gone is the single wall, replaced by a double one. The tent is waterproof and robust, thanks to the reinforcements welded to the critical points and the external guy lines. There is no doubt that you will like the many storage pockets as well as the huge vestibule.
If you’re a glamping fan, the Bunk House premium family tent by Big Agnes is a go-to model. Double-walled, two doors, two large vestibules… Everything has been thought out to offer you maximum comfort, making this model a “luxury” family tent. The height of the ceiling and the high-volume architecture will let its occupants move freely, once the tent is set up (with ease) thanks to the colour code. This 3-season tent also has high-quality materials, and it excels as far as waterproofness and versatility go. Once folded, the Bunk House tent is certainly not one of the lightest, but its “backpack” storage bag still makes it easy to transport.
The Kohana tent by Eureka is a great family camping tent. Its mission: keeping you warm and dry. Thanks to its high level of impermeability awning and its breathable mosquito net, the Kohana model certainly makes the ranking for best family tents. Its robust character, as well as the durability of the materials used, make this Eureka tent a shelter of choice, which will accompany you for a long time. Very easy to install, particularly due to its dome shape, it offers a comfortable floor space with enough room for four people. The two doors and the vestibule created by the flysheet are also very appreciable, as well as the integrated storage pockets. Rather light for a family tent and easy to carry in its bag, the Kohana will allow you to venture a little further than expected.
The Toundra tent by SAIL is one of the best value-for-money family camping tents. With its durable polyester canvas, sealed seams, and low weight, it is also a great backpacking tent. It is ideal if you are going to walk the trails as a group of three or four, especially since the Tundra is never a burden with its included carrying bag and good compressibility. It does not scare away from humidity and rain either, and once you get to your destination, it will be very easy to set up, which will give you even more time to enjoy the moment.
The Marmot Limestone tent is somewhat of a “luxury” family tent due to its dimensions and level of finish. With its comfortable height under the ceiling, huge door and wide vestibule, it will leave the necessary space for each of your family members and your equipment. Its simple and efficient design makes it both resistant to weather conditions and easy to assemble and disassemble. The flysheet that goes down to the ground and the many “small” details (lamp pocket, interior storage, etc.) are also very significant. In the end, the Marmot Limestone is a three-season tent of choice for couples who want space or families with one or two children who wish to live together under the same roof.
What if the best luxury family tent was a car roof tent? If you are more into car camping than backpacking, check out the Thule Approach tent. Spend nights outside without skimping on comfort: three-minute setup, panoramic windows to enjoy the view, modern shape to maximize space, etc. The included thick foam mattress will ensure restful nights for the two adults (or two adults and one child) who will find refuge on it. In terms of solidity, Thule does things well: 600D ripstop polyester, water resistance, aluminum tubes, etc. As this tent is a four-season model, it can even give you a taste of the joys of winter camping if the conditions are not too harsh.
This is it, you are now ready to choose a 4- or 6-person camping tent that will shelter your whole family. Whatever your tastes, preferences and needs, you now know which are the best family tents of 2023. All you must do is gather all the camping essentials, pack your bags and finally set sail for the campsite, which will delight young and old alike.
