Best 8 Person Tent For Family Camping
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Our Picks
BEST QUALITY Browning Camping Big Horn
BEST FOR SCREEN ROOM Wenzel 8 Person Klondike Tent
BEST BUDGET Core 9 Person Extended Dome Tent
Getting a tent to fit everyone in your camping party is not always easy. You need to keep everyone comfortable and dry even through stormy weather. Having a 8 person tent also makes a great place for slumber parties , if your kids want to have their friends stay over for the night.
If you are a beginner camper, you may like something affordable and yet be able to fulfill the basic need of an 8 person tent. The Core 9 Person Extended Dome Tent is one of the best 8 person tents in the beginners category. This tent provides the basic needs of space, and comfort. You will absolutely appreciate its H2O Block technology, where the seams are heat sealed from the rainfly to the floor so that water does not get in. Best of all, it is the most lightweight tent among all the tents we have reviewed.
If you are looking for the absolute best high quality 6 man tent and budget is not an issue, then you cannot go wrong with Browning Camping Big Horn Tent. This tent is one of the best waterproof tents. It is constructed with heavy duty materials to withstand torrential weathers. It is super spacious and high enough to move around in it like an apartment.
If you are looking for a screen room tent that fits 8 persons, you will love the Wenzel 8 Person Klondike Tent. With the extra screen room space, you can separate your stinky shoes from your main room. It keeps your main living area clean and comfortable. Otherwise, the screen room can be converted to allow people to sleep in that area too. The wonderful thing which sets this tent apart from others is, the screens can be zipped up like the other windows in the tent. This prevents rain from coming in.
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Why Trust Us
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 gear, 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 so that you can make a better choice for the best 8 person tent for camping with your family.
We can confidently say that you are definitely at the right place. We have reviewed various types of tent, from cabin tents to dome tents so you can save the trouble of reviewing it yourself. In this guide, we have listed down 5 picks for the Best 8 Person Tent.
Best 8 Person Tent
This tent is very spacious, just like walking into an apartment. The tent’s center height is high at 7 ft 3 in, which is the highest among all the tents we have reviewed. This means you will have plenty of room to move around.
There are 2 rooms in this tent, and it comes with a zippered divider panel to separate both rooms. Doors are conveniently located in each room, so you can access your room directly from outside.
This tent has great ventilation, with 4 windows and 2 doors. There is a mesh roof above to allow air to flow through. Because it has straight side walls, it provides extra space to sit your tent cots.
The tent will hold up to strong winds and rain, and yet it remains dry inside. The tent quality is superior. It uses heavy duty 75D 185T Polyester fly, which are secured using weatherproof buckles. The floor is generally thicker than other tents, as it is constructed with a 150D polyester oxford floor with 2000mm coating to keep you dry inside.
This is a standup tent. It does not need to be staked to the ground unless you are facing torrential weather. The instructions were very clear, and you can find them sewn directly onto the storage bag, so you will not lose them. If you are looking for a larger tent with separate rooms and space to fit your gear, this is the tent for you.
Pros
High ceiling
Very spacious
Weatherproof
Good ventilation
High quality materials
Stand up tent
Cons
Heavy
Less affordable
This tent has an area measuring 16 X 7 ft which is spacious enough to fit up to 8 persons. The center height measures at 6 ft 2 in, giving ample headroom to stand up fully. Officially it can fit 8 sleeping pads side by side, but there will be no room left for any gear. It is a single room tent, but it can accommodate up to 3 queen size airbeds. So if you are looking for comfort, then this tent is comfortable for 4 to 5 persons with ample space for gear.
As it is a 3 season tent, it is designed to be breathable. At the same time, it still gives you protection from the wind and rain. Its 3 windows contribute to good ventilation within the tent. There are 2 windows at the two far ends of the sides that provide cross-breeze while sleeping. These windows can be closed if the temperature drops at night. The third window is at the door.
It even has a 68D polyester mesh at the top allowing constant air flow throughout your tent. You will love the auto-roll windows that neatly roll down when you unzip them. There are 2 hanging storage pockets to hold your water bottles.
The tent packs down into a carry bag, measuring only 27.5 x 9.25 x 9 in. It is important to observe how the tent was packaged when you are unpacking it. This is so that you will know how to pack it back in a way that will fit snugly back into the carry bag. This portable size bag makes it easier to transport around , even on a bike.
The tent is designed with its patented Coleman WeatherTec System, which comes with weather resistant features. Its wind responsive frame made of 11mm fibreglass poles performs exceptionally well under high winds. The tents are anchored strongly to the ground due to its redesigned poles and guy-out triangles. Its inverted leak free seams and protected zippers blocks sideway rainwater from seeping in, giving any camper a piece of mind.
Another handy feature that many other tents do not have, is its built-in LED lighting system that comes with six built-in CPX LED. The lighting is wired in a way that is integrated into the tent. This allows you to move around comfortably at night without shining your torch around. You can control the brightness using the high (100 lumens), low (42 lumens) or nightlight (5 lumens) modes.
You can power it with four D batteries or CPX 6 rechargeable power cartridge (which you have to get separately). With batteries it should last you 1 to 3 days depending on your usage. You can put the kids down leaving a night light on, and they will fall asleep easily.
Check here for more in depth review of this tent.
Pros
- Roomy and enough headroom to stand up
- Built in LED lighting
- Hinged door
- Patented Coleman WeatherTec System
- Auto-roll windows
Cons
- need to replace the stakes with better stakes
- narrow at 7 feet wide, better with 8 feet
- no dividers available to split into smaller rooms
- would be better with more windows and doors
Wenzel 8 Person Klondike Tent is a cabin style tent, meaning the walls are high and steep down. So, you can place your tent cots or air mattress without any issues.
This tent is perfect in grassy land, sand, mud, dunes and rugged surfaces. The tent holds strong in thunderstorms and is water tight even in small floods. The roof cover works very well keeping the tent dry.
The main area of the tent is very roomy at 16 x 11 ft. And above all, it has a high ceiling at 6.5 feet. The screen area which measures 60 sq ft can be closed up, allows people to sleep in that area too. The screens can be zipped up like the other windows in the tent. This stops rain from coming into the screen area, keeping your shoes and storage items dry.
In hot summers, it can get pretty warm inside. But this can be easily solved by unzipping all the windows allowing great airflow to circulate through the mesh. It has a rear mesh vent to allow air to pass through. You can get beautiful views of the outside while being inside. It does feel like you are sleeping in a hotel outside.
Setup may be easier with 2 persons as it is quite a large tent. It is best to try to set it up before going on your trip, so that you can figure out how the tent parts go together. And do ensure before you go, that your campsite has sufficient space to erect your tent.
Pros
- Comes with screen room
- Screen Room can be converted into a 2nd bedroom
- Mesh walls allowing great view of the outdoors
- Very well ventilated
- Large floor area
Cons
- Not free standing tent, needs to be staked down
This is an extended dome style tent. It is a perfect tent for a family with kids as it is quite spacious at 17 X 10 ft. This tent features removal tent walls, so that you can have the option to set up 3 separate rooms.
With its 6 foot ceiling in center height, you can stand upright in the center for dressing. With the separate walls, you can have some degree of privacy. If you are camping with a smaller family, if it rains, your kids will have space to play inside.
This tent comes with a large door for easy entry. You will notice the door is higher than the ground. This helps prevent dirt from coming into the tent. It has thick floors which helps protect the tent from rough surfaces. And the floors wrap up a few inches up each side. In case there is a small flooding around your tent, your tent will not be soaked wet.There is a removal door mat which you can detach to clean it when it gets too muddy.
This tent is very well ventilated with Variflo adjustable venting system and Cool-Air port. Its mesh roofing will keep your tent very cool. Even with the rainfly on, there is a little overhang in the front and back. This keeps the rain out but yet allows the air to circulate throughout the tent. There are 2 large mesh windows at the side to allow lots of light to come in.
This tent is designed with WeatherTec system with inverted seams which helps improve its water resistance. It will not leak as the hiding needle holes are inside the tent. Its frames are engineered to be wind responsive frames, so it can definitely handle heavy usage, from strong winds to torrential downpour. Pitching this tent is 50% easier than other tents, as it has color-coded poles and hubs to help you identify how to put them together.
A little inconvenience that comes with this tent is that it does not have an electrical port. So you may need to bring in the cord through the front door.
Pros
- Multi-room tent
- Great ventilation even with rainfly on
- Color coded poles and hubs
- Affordable
- Weather resistant
Cons
- No electrical port
- Only 1 door
This is an extended dome tent with 2 extensions at the sides. It is a massively huge tent, with 144 sq ft of space. It will fit in 3 queen sized air mattresses. You can stand in this tent as the center height measures at 6 feet high. So getting dressed in this tent is so easy.
It can definitely fit in 8 persons comfortably and yet have space for your gear. However, there is no vestibule for you to park your shoes. For such a big tent, the tent is very lightweight at only 18.21 lbs. And it packs down to only 27 X 9 X 9 inches. You can even motorbike camp with this tent.
It is a solid tent and you will be satisfied with the performance of this tent. This tent uses fiberglass poles, which are known to be very lightweight. It features sturdy fiberglass poles which will keep your tent rooted in stormy weather. There are several places to hang your lights, making your tent feel more comfortable.
Ventilation is great with its screens and door flaps opened. There is a vent at the bottom so it would be possible to attach a tent air conditioner. Otherwise, it is used to take in the fresh air from outside and hot air is dispensed from the mesh ceiling. The rainfly is very large and covers most parts of the tent. With the rainfly removed, you can get tons of airflow through the full mesh roof.
It uses H2O Block technology where the seams are heat sealed from the rainfly to the floor so that water does not get in. Its material is built with 68D polyester, making it remarkable in strength against the elements of the outdoors.
There is an electric cord point to allow you to pull in electricity into your tent. You can set up your tent heater or tent conditioner if the outdoors gets too cold or hot.
Pros
- Electric cord point
- H20 Block technology
- 68D polyester fabric
- Very lightweight
Cons
- 1 door only
- No vestibule
Buying Guide
Protection from elements
Rain protection is one of the most important features to keep you dry. 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.
The first thing to keep in mind when choosing a tent, is to look for a floor base that is of waterproof material. It should come a few inches up the sides before it attaches to the tent walls. Having the bathtub floor version is helpful as it creates no opportunity for water to seep in.
Most people go for camping activities in spring, summer or autumn. Thus, choosing a 3 season tent tends to be the favorite choice. It is usually made to be lightweight and cooler for warm weather.
Ventilation
You would want ventilation as your top priority if you are living in hot weather conditions. You would not want to end up sleeping in an oven, where it will be stuffy and sweaty as the air cannot get out of the tent. Especially so when someone farts in the tent!
Ventilation features to look for in a tent are like mesh walls, windows and doors. Meshes on the tent helps block out hungry mosquitoes. Double check that the vents are in areas where air can still flow while the rainfly is on. You can install tent air conditioners or tent heaters through these vents for extra comfort. A tent with great ventilation features minimizes condensation. It allows air to flow through and keep you cooler during warm nights.
Access
A tent with multiple doors allows easy access, so that you will not disturb others during your night breaks for the washroom. For families with kids or older folks, you will appreciate the full drop down doors which allow pram or wheelchair access.
Setup speed
Especially when coming back from a long day of hiking, you will not want to find yourself spending hours figuring out how to set up a tent.
That said, usually with a larger tent, you will have a companion with you to assist you when pitching up the tent. So setup speed may be faster.
Ceiling height
Most 8 person tents allow you to stand upright in the middle of the tent. Cabin version tents would allow you to have more standing room as it usually has straight side walls. It will also allow you more space for tent cots inside.
Room design
As the tents are large, you will find some tents come with room dividers so you can have more privacy between the kids and adults. Having a spacious vestibule is advantageous. You can use it to place your bikes to avoid being wet or cook your camp meals. This will help keep the main living area clean and comfortable.
Summary
If you still cannot decide and need a final recommendation, then we would recommend Browning Camping Big Horn Tent to elevate your camping experience. This tent is one of the best waterproof tents as it is constructed with heavy duty materials to withstand torrential weathers. It is super spacious and high enough to move around in it like an apartment.
It is generally less affordable compared to other models. But if you want a solid tent that would last you for years, you should consider getting this tent.
What’s Next
If you are looking for reliable stakes to replace your standard stakes, you can check out the Best Tent Stakes for Camping.
If you are more interested in getting backpacking tents, then check out our reviews for the
I hope you enjoyed this review and if you have questions about any of the Best 8 Person Tent, 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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