Best 4 Person Tent for Car Camping
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A 4 man tent is very popular, especially with parents, as it fits a family of 2 adults and 2 children. For a solo camper, it would be very comfortable to put in a queen size air bed, with storage space for your camping gears. This type of 4 man tent is great for all purposes, hiking trips or family camping holidays.
Buying a tent is like purchasing your own home. It is important to get it right the first time. As there are so many options out there, we have narrowed the selection to the top five 4 person camping tents. If you are hard pressed for time, and want to get the best 4 person tent. We recommend the Coleman Sundome Tent as the best choice in the market.
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Jules and Ken
We are Jules and Ken. We are outdoor lovers, travellers and writers all rolled into one. You have seen our posts here reviewing lots of different types of outdoor gears, camping equipment, kayaking to cycling. Our reviews are guided by our years of experience being outdoors. We are happy to share our knowledge with you to make a better choice when you are outdoors.
As there are so many choices out there, finding the perfect tent can be confusing. At Outdoormagnet, we have performed hours of detailed research and have narrowed down 5 tents as our top picks for Best 4 Person Tent.
Best 4 person tent
Factors to take into consideration
Protection from elements
Keeping you dry is one of the key functions of rain protection. It is necessary especially in the mountains where the weather changes in an instant. An interesting fact is that not all tents are waterproof. Majority tents are water resistant. This means it resists and slows down the penetration of rain. Areas to check for water proofing are its seams and zippers.
When selecting a tent, it’s crucial to prioritize a waterproof floor base that extends a few inches up the sides before attaching to the tent walls. Opting for a bathtub floor version is particularly useful, as it eliminates the risk of water seeping in.
Camping activities are commonly pursued in the spring, summer, or autumn seasons, making the 3-season tent a popular choice. These tents are typically designed to be lightweight and cooler, ideal for warmer weather.
Weight
For car camping, weight may not be a significant concern. However, if you plan to hike or bike to your camping destination, the weight of your tent is an important factor to consider. Carrying a heavy tent while climbing a mountain peak is nobody’s idea of a good time.
While ultralight tents are a fantastic option for those looking to minimize weight, they often come with fewer features. On the other hand, selecting a more spacious tent can result in added weight. Therefore, choosing a backpacking tent requires balancing trade-offs. It’s important to select a tent that best suits your camping style and needs.
Ventilation
If you’re living in hot weather conditions, ensuring adequate ventilation should be your top priority. Sleeping in a tent that feels like an oven due to stuffy, sweaty air can be uncomfortable and unpleasant, especially if someone passes gas inside the tent.
When selecting a tent, it’s important to consider its ventilation features, such as mesh walls, windows, and doors. Mesh panels can help prevent mosquitoes from entering the tent, and it’s crucial to ensure that the vents are placed strategically to allow for adequate airflow even with the rainfly on. Furthermore, vents can be used to install tent air conditioners or heaters for extra comfort. A tent with excellent ventilation features can help reduce condensation, allowing air to circulate and keep you cooler during warm nights.
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This tent is suitable for camping in spring, summer, and autumn. It does great in warm climates, as keeps everything cool and comfortable. It has large windows, and a ground vent for enhanced airflow. Even though it has a mesh vent on top, with a cover, it does not leak.
One of the best things about this brand is Coleman’s unique WeatherTec feature. It offers extra weather protection, keeping you dry whatever the weather. Its waterproof bathtub is with welded corners and inverted seams. This prevents rainwater from getting in. It is also equipped with a leak-free rainfly which does not come with many other brands. Its water resistant fabric and weather protected zipper helps keep your gears safe.
Coleman Sundome Tent has a strong frame design with 11mm shock-corded fiberglass poles. It can withstand 35+ mph winds. So camping in the rain would not be a problem.
This setup of this tent takes only 10 minutes. This saves you time for other camping activities. If you are setting the tent up on your own, it is good practice to set this up at home first. Get a helper to assist you before you try it out in the wild.
The design of the tent is so simple yet it is packed with well thought features. There are mesh pockets sewn into the tent walls to store small essentials. This tent helps you to stay connected with an E-Port. It makes it easy to bring electrical power inside the tent.
There are separate storage bags for stakes, poles and tent. It comes along with easy to follow instructions. The instructions are sewn right into the carry bag, so you will never lose them. You do not need to buy any tent kit. Bring an extra mallet, extra tent stakes, and a tarp for putting the tent on.
This affordable pop up tent has a roomy interior of 9 x 7 ft. with 4 ft. 11 in. in center height. It fits 1 queen-size air bed or 4 standard sleeping pads.
Pros
- Budget friendly and popular
- WeatherTec system
- Great ventilation
- Spacious
- Does well in warmer climates
Cons
- Thin metal stakes, should be replaced with proper stakes
PROS
CONS
- Budget friendly and popular
- WeatherTec system
- Great ventilation
- Spacious
- Does well in warmer climates
- Thin metal stakes, should be replaced with proper stakes
It has a huge space of 8 x 7 ft. with 4 ft. 11 in. center height. It is an ideal tent to fit a bed, and 2 backpacks.
Coleman Cabin Tent has some amazing features. Coleman’s Dark Room Technology blocks 90% of sunlight coming into the tent. This technology performs well and stands out from other competitors. It lets you get some sleep while the sun is still up and reduces temperature buildup up to 10%. This backpacking tent uses rugged Polyguard 2X double-thick fabric. The fabric is able to withstand outside elements. The thickness also acts as an insulation by cutting down wind on a breezy and chilly night.
This camping tent is well designed with a solid WeatherTec system. It features patented welded floors and inverted seams to keep you dry. The floors are tough enough for you to place your folding cots inside the tent.
It is easier to pitch this tent compared to a dome tent. You basically shake it and it expands. Click the elbows of the poles and attach the spongy string with plastic hooks for the fly. To put back into the bag, just fold the tent poles back towards the center to collapse it. It easily fits into the carry bag , which is expandable.
Some remarkable features is that it has 1 door and 3 windows. It provides great ventilation with breathable window screens on each side. It has a second zipper to open a window on the door when closed.
Pros
- Spacious and has more standing room
- Pop up tent, easy to assemble and disassemble
- Dark room technology, keeps temperature down
- Great value
- Does well in cooler climates
Cons
- Inadequate rain fly, only covers the top of the tent
PROS
CONS
- Spacious and has more standing room
- Pop up tent, easy to assemble and disassemble
- Dark room technology, keeps temperature down
- Great value
- Does well in cooler climates
- Inadequate rain fly, only covers the top of the tent
Super easy to set up, that it can even be done by a supervised kid. Unlatch the straps and throw it in the air. Watch it open itself in seconds. Say bye to the hassle of setting up stakes and poles. Its frames are easy to set up as it is made of durable round fiberglass poles. If it is windy, stake the tent to the ground with Hogan Hook stakes, that comes with the tent.
This tent is useful for general camping in clear weather. Its material is made of 190TPU polyester and 210D oxford fabric. It is designed to last wears and tears. The base of the tent is made out of water resistant PE floor material, keeping your tent dry in mild rains. While it is water resistant, this tent may not withstand heavy rain or sand storms.
Another amazing feature is the fabric coated with UPF50+ sun protection. So you can feel safe while your kids play in the tent as they will be fully shielded from UV rays. If you have no idea what to get your grandkids for Christmas, then this tent also works as a great gift for them. They can turn it into a playhouse in your backyard.
One thing great about this tent is the amount of ventilation. There are 2 windows and 2 large D doors for air circulation. The roof cover can be removed, which means you can enjoy stargazing at night. There is a mesh screen installed at all openings, which blocks out annoying insects.
It is very spacious with a pop up size of 95 x 71 x 39 in. It easily fits a queen size mattress. It is large enough for a family, accommodating 2 adults and 2 children comfortably. Its center height is 40 in, which is not very high. So this may be a crawl-in tent.
It is super lightweight at only 5 pounds, which makes this tent portable. When you fold it, it packs into a disc, at 80 cm in diameter. This makes it convenient to store and lug it around.
Pros
- Hassle free setup, pops up in seconds
- Great ventilation
- Spacious
- High quality material
- Blocks UV rays
Cons
- Larger packaging
- Difficulty in packing up. Watch the video a few times to master folding back.
- May not hold up well in extreme weather
PROS
CONS
- Hassle free setup, pops up in seconds
- Great ventilation
- Spacious
- High quality material
- Blocks UV rays
- Larger packaging
- Difficulty in packing up. Watch the video a few times to master folding back.
- May not hold up well in extreme weather
If you are tired from struggling with collapsible poles, this is the tent for you. It takes only 60 seconds to assemble this pop up tent. Your friends will envy that you finish setting up in a minute while theirs take 10 minutes or more. There is a special green webbing as color coding, to make it easier for you to position the rainfly.
This tent performs really well in the rain. The tent is very waterproof with PU taping for both rainfly seams and inner tent seams. During the development and production of the tent, it was able to withstand the rain test. It was conducted with 50 gallons for 30 minutes. Its flooring is made out of durable 125gsm PE with welded corners. This keeps the inside of the tent absolutely dry during heavy rains.
It is spacious with 8 ft. X 8 ft. floor. It sleeps up to 4 adults in sleeping bags or 1 Queen airbed along with your camping gear. However this is a crawl in tent with a ceiling height of 59 in.
It was recently upgraded with a unique Ventilation System. You can adjust the inside temperature using the adjustable ground vent. This impressive feature ensures that there would not be condensation water at night. There are plenty of screen windows to help keep you cool.
The tent is well constructed with its sturdy tent poles made out of telescoping steel. This explains the weight of the tent at 16.75 pounds. This may not be what you want to carry for a hiking trip. Within the tent, the top storage bag can hold a phone and tablet which allows you to lie down and enjoy a movie. It comes with a rainfly, an inside storage bag, foot mat, 9 fixed stakes ,and a huge carry bag. This makes it easier to store when you take it down.
Pros
- Affordable
- Instant set up
- Very waterproof
- Spacious
Cons
- Heavy
PROS
CONS
- Affordable
- Instant set up
- Very waterproof
- Spacious
- Heavy
The tent comes with a high quality rainfly which is 75D 3mm Ripstop 3000mm PU . There is air ventilation at the top to allow air flow even during thunderstorms. You will no longer need to worry about the weather wrecking your weekend. It features a high walled oxford bathtub floor. It is reinforced with heat-taped corners and seams. It is effective in keeping water out of the tent. You will not end up wet and miserable as you are fully covered. Its 150D Oxford footprint, provides an extra barrier of protection against the elements.
Another innovative feature is in its inner micro mesh, which provides adequate ventilation. This feature is most appealing, as you can take the rainfly off to give you a 360 degrees see through view of your surroundings. Imagine how wonderful it is to sleep under the stars without all of the bugs. It is also great during dusk when mosquitoes come hunting.
There are 2 doors, one on each side where the rain fly zips open. The product is extremely well packaged with ground stakes, guy lines, and a footprint.
Its T6 Aluminum Cross and Ridge Pole aluminum makes this tent extraordinarily strong. When properly staked down, it does well in winds up to 50 or 60mph. The Mountain Ultra series is designed as a 3 season tent. Thus, it may not be able to withstand harsh seasons.
What is so loved about this tent is, it is lightweight at 9.8 pounds. It makes a great tent for hiking trips as it is easy to carry around. When it’s time to head home, the Mountain Ultra Tent packs up effortlessly.
Pros
- Straight forward setup
- Extremely well ventilated
- Ultralight, portable
- Rainfly and Footprint included
- Affordable
Cons
- Not able to withstand harsh seasons
PROS
CONS
- Straight forward setup
- Extremely well ventilated
- Ultralight, portable
- Rainfly and Footprint included
- Affordable
- Not able to withstand harsh seasons
Conclusion
Considering the durability of the tent and its great ventilation features, it makes Coleman Sundome Tent our top pick for the best 4 person camping tent. Its superior Coleman’s WeatherTec feature blocks rain effectively and yet is able to maintain its breathability. We find this tent is reasonably affordable without compromising its safety features. Thus, it is not surprising that it comes out as one of the most popular and trusted tents in the camping community.
What's next
If you are looking for larger tents, then check out our recommendations for 12 persons tent or 8 persons tent. Or if you are looking for a smaller tent itself that comes with cot, see our suggested tent cots.
I hope you enjoyed this review and if you have questions about any of the top five 4 Person tents, or want to leave your own personal review, feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you.
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