How to Choose the Best Family Tent

Family camping trips are the best way to spend some quality time with your loving ones. For a successful family camping trip, selecting a perfect tent shelter is a very important step. If you are looking for a complete detailed guide on how to choose the best family tent then you have landed on the right article. Below, we have a detailed discussion on how to select the best family tent.

Your perfect tent selection will give the best comfort to your family on a camping weekend. Below, we have discussed the important points to consider while choosing a family tent for camping. Before that let’s begin with the types of tents for family camping.

Types of Tents

Mainly, two types of tents are good for family camping. They are Cabin style tents and dome style tents.

Cabin Style Tents: These types of tents have straight vertical walls. They are quite boxy in shape. Therefore, cabin style tents provide more space inside and good standing space for taller members of the family. There are several good cabin style family tents available from manufacturers.

However, there is a downside with a cabin-style tent. Their vertical walls and boxy structure are not good in high winds. Their high walls act as a restriction against the high flow of wind. If you are selecting a cabin style tent then make sure to also invest in best quality tent poles and long stakes. Perfectly staking your tent to the ground will increase the stability of your tent.

Dome Style Tents: You can say the best alternative of cabin style tents is the dome style tents. These tents have aerodynamic structure and they have sloping curves. Therefore, they are quieter than cabin style tents in a high winds environment. Keep in mind that they provide less interior space than cabin style tents but they are lightweight and easier to transport to the camping site.

It is worthy to mention that the height of the dome-style tents are at peak in the center and decline when you move to the sides. Therefore, you will need to bend your knees at the sides of the tent. Those who need a tent primarily for sleeping, dome-style tents can be a good choice.

1. Size of the Tent:

The size of your tent matters a lot especially when you are on a family camping trip. Make sure to consider a tent which completely fits the size of the tent. Those who need a tent primarily for sleeping, 20 sq. ft. area per each person is recommended. Because you are looking for a family camping tent then there will be lots of bags, camping equipment, and other essentials. You will need to store them inside the tent. Therefore, consider a tent with more area than standard because your camping equipment will be with you.

As per our vast camping experience and many forums, it has been found that 30 to 40 sq. ft. area per person is a good measurement for the best family camping tents. You can also look for a tent that offers multiple rooms. It will be a good option for privacy. Those who want to go with cabin-style tents can take bunking cots for kids as it will save some space inside. 

2. Vestibules:

Vestibules become an important feature when it comes to a family camping tent. The vestibules provide a good area to store your camping equipment and bags when you have more people to sleep inside. If it is raining outside then you can use the vestibule as a mudroom. You can leave your dirty shoes here when you come from a walk. It will help you to keep your tent interior clean and adequate for sleeping.

Most of the family camping tents come with vestibules for convenience. Some of the tents provide overhead protection while some tents also come with a floor extension.

3. Ventilation:

While selecting a family tent, make sure that your tent offers a good number of windows and doors. A large number of windows will contribute to excellent ventilation throughout the tent. Also, the mesh windows will keep the mosquitoes and flies outside the tent. The large tent doors will allow campers to get easily in and out of the tent.

It will be a suspicious advantage if your tent has air intake vents. You can close your zippered windows and doors while keeping the vents open to maintain the ventilation. These openings will also prevent the condensation build up inside the tent. Most of the cabin style family tents also come with a mesh roof allowing proper airflow inside and they are also good for stargazing.

4. Ease of Setup:

While on a family camping trip, we don’t want to waste lots of tents just pitching the tent. Therefore, it becomes very important to select a tent with less tent setup time. Most of the larger tents consume more time for tent setup. Tents like the Ozark Trail 6P instant cabin tent take less than a minute for setup completion.

The Ozark Trail 12 person 3 room instant cabin tent with screen room takes not more than two minutes for setup. It is recommended to practice the tent setup in the backyard before heading to the camping site. Your family members and kids will also help you in pitching the tent completely.

5. Additional Features:

There are several additional features that come with most of the family tents. It is always better if your family tent has lots of mesh storage pockets. You can use these to store flashlights, keys, smartphone, and other small equipment. A gear loft is also recommended for a family camping tent that enhances the storage capability of your tent. A lantern hanging loop is a good option that will allow you to take the lantern and use it when it’s dark outside.

A screen room stands as a good option for enjoying the wilderness of nature without leaving your tent. Also, make sure that high-quality material is used in your tent. It will work in weather resistance. Your family tent must have good waterproof ratings to keep your family and your camping equipment dry.

You can find a good list of tents over at camperlists.

Family Camping is Fun

Here, we discussed some important points that you must consider while selecting the best family tent for camping. Family camping is full of fun and learning. Don’t restrict your kids to have fun but make sure to prepare completely because you are getting outside of your home. Don’t forget to carry lots of nutritious food and water. You can share your valuable thoughts with us in the comments section below. Have fun!