Camping tents can be expensive, and if you’re going to spend your hard-earned money on one, you want to make sure it’s going to be a quality investment with all the features you need for a comfortable camping experience.
Since 2012, our team has reviewed hundreds of tents, including the top 18 car camping options in this review. We put these tents to the test across some pretty rugged terrain and the complicated environment of a family, teenagers, and two moderately trained dogs. With the help of our years of experience, we’ve gathered all the information you’ll need to pick the perfect tent for your next outdoor adventure.
The best tent we tested is the Wawona 6 from The North Face. It’s a family-friendly 6-person tent that’s spacious and comfortable, with a vestibule large enough to serve as a front porch. If you’re looking for a spacious tent on a budget, check out the Coleman Skydome XL 8. For a smaller tent, we love the 3-person Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 3, which is easy to pitch and offers great stargazing opportunities when you roll the fly back.
Our in-depth reviews also encompass all the camping gear you need to set up the ultimate base camp. Starting bright and early, we’ve tested camping stoves and top-rated camping coffee makers to get breakfast cranking to the best lanterns to read by in your tent at night.
Editor’s Note: Our camping tent review was updated on May 13, 2025, after adding the Air Tent from Zempire to our impressive lineup of award winners.
| 1.Zempire Evo TM V2 Inflatable Air Tent | 2.The North Face Wawona 6 | 3.REI Co-op Base Camp 6 | 4.MSR Habitude 4 | 5.NEMO Aurora Highrise 6 | 6.Kelty Tallboy 4 | |
| Awards | Our Choice for Your Basecamp | Best Overall Camping Tent | Best Tent For Bad Weather | Best 4-Person Tent | ||
| Price | $1,000 List Check Price at REI |
$412.49 at REI Compare at 2 sellers |
$549 List $384.29 at REI |
$600 List | $374.89 at REI Compare at 2 sellers |
$127.46 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers |
| Pros | Rugged, tons of head room, lots of natural light, great venting, huge vestibule, private quarters, two doors, easy-clean flooring, massive | Spacious, great layout, durable, very family friendly, high value | Sturdy, weatherproof, tons of features, large vestibules, two doors, excellent venting system, color-coded poles, reinforced rainfly, vehicle connector attacement | Quality materials, great height, perfectly sized vestibule | Huge interior, massive front door, stylish design | Simple, quick to set up, lightweight |
| Cons | Expensive, very heavy, longer setup time, massive packed size, hard to roll up, not self-standing | Not the easiest to pitch, odd bag | Slightly cumbersome setup, more expensive, relies heavily on ground stakes for stability, door zippers stick | Hubbed poles, single door, awkward bag | Setup is a two-person job, windows are cheap, light on pockets | Cheap poles, bad door zippers, small footprint |
| Bottom Line | This massive tunnel-like structure uses air tubes, instead of metal poles, to create a pleasant, rock-solid, home away from home | This tent has one of the best uses of space we have ever seen, a great choice for families or campers with lots of gear | A multifaceted shelter that takes camping to a entirely new level with the option of connecting your car to your tent | An ultra high-quality 4-person tent that makes great use of space with quality components | A roomy, quality tent, with big doors and a nice vestibule with some style to boot | A classic lightweight 4-person dome tent that gives a little extra headroom and has a few nice features |
| Rating Categories | Zempire Evo TM V2 I… | The North Face Wawo… | REI Co-op Base Camp 6 | MSR Habitude 4 | NEMO Aurora Highrise 6 | Kelty Tallboy 4 |
| Specifications | Zempire Evo TM V2 I… | The North Face Wawo… | REI Co-op Base Camp 6 | MSR Habitude 4 | NEMO Aurora Highrise 6 | Kelty Tallboy 4 |
| Measured Weight | 53.6 lbs | 21.9 lbs | 20.8 lbs | 12.0 lbs | 18.9 lbs | 11.0 lbs |
| Max Inside Height | 6′ 11″ | 6′ 4″ | 6′ 2″ | 6′ 1″ | 6′ 5″ | 5′ 10″ |
| Floor Dimensions | 13′ 1.2″ x 10′ | 10′ x 8′ | 9′ 2″ x 9′ 2″ | 7′ 11″ x 7′ 11″ | 8′ 4″ x 10′ | 7′ 1″ x 8′ |
