One of the best family activities is camping in a tent. It brings the whole family together to enjoy nature, play around, eat campfire foods, and have a tremendous time. To ensure an adventure like this remains the most joyous experience, a good family tent is crucial. If you seek the best tent for a family of 4 then you are in the right place. It is critical to choose the characteristics and size that are most suitable for your family’s needs then you can gather the kids and spouse, load up your car, and get on the road for some outdoor explorations.
Best Tents for Family Of 4
With the family tent market so massive, it can get rather overwhelming when it comes to deciding which tent would be best. We have narrowed down a list of the best 4-person tents that will be your perfect partner in your outdoor family adventure.
Table could not be displayed.5. Coleman Rocky Mountain Blackout Tent
This blackout tent is designed to give your family the best sleeping time. It has a water evaluation of 4500mm, which is three times the average making it truly safe in any weather scenario. This is a five-person model, so it is perfectly fit for a four-member family size and expansive enough for two beds leaving abundant space for roaming around the tent. Its original Blackout fabric assures that the tent is dark and stays cool as you nap, and the bedroom space, which can be halved into two with the use of an additional sheet, is suitable for parents who want to put their kids to bed early. There is considerable room to stand up without slouching and a ton of wet-weather space for a table and chairs.
Pros
- Easy assembly
- Lots of storage space
Cons
- Bulky
SPF 50+: Family tents feature special traits to ensure every member is cared for. This tent takes things up a notch as SPF 50+ UV protection is integrated into the fabric of this tent during production, so you do not have to worry about water and sun protection during your trip. With an aerodynamic layout and its signature tunnel shape, it keeps you more comfortable.
4. ALPS Camp Creek Tent 4
ALPS Mountaineering Camp Creek 4 is a pleasantly built, tall, and roomy cabin style tent for a family. The tent also comes fully freestanding, so you can pitch it on any terrain in no time. Its fiberglass poles are 11 mm in diameter and the corner steel poles are 19 mm turning it into a robust construction. They are sheathings on the roof keeping the roof poles in place.
It is made with a 75D-185T polyester and is waterproof with a covering, which also repels UV damage and it can withstand harsh weather conditions. The floor is very durable 150D polyester oxford and all seams are closed. While it does not come with storage space, you can use bunk cots to stow your things.
Pros
- Sturdy
- Full-featured
Cons
- The door zipper is not smooth
Plenty of Openings: This tent gives ample ventilation and airflow and that is one of the most crucial aspects when you are out camping with family members. It offers openings on all sides; the windows are the dual-layer type with mesh and waterproof sheets for family protection and privacy. There is only one door and with the size of this thing, it seems to be enough. You get plenty of room to roam around the tent.
3. Big Agnes Big House Tent 4
The Big House is one spacious tent with steep walls. There are two doors, one on the front area with a tiny canopy, and the second one is on the back of the tent. Mesh panels on the side and top of the interior of the tent keep the air flowing, while the smaller vents feature zippered flaps on each door for opening and closing to let more airflow, or to afford a quick look outside.
Pros
- Mesh pockets
- Heavy-duty
Cons
- It accumulates a lot of dust and mud
Reinforced Build: The wind safety and wind stability are very good seeing the height and spaciousness of the tent. Its sturdy construction shows its premium quality. The tent is designed from 1500mm layered polyester, with four huge yet lightweight aluminum poles to establish the structure. The poles are dense, heavy aluminum that withstands buckling or bending, and the tent stakes are lightweight aluminum that handles hard terrains well. The clips all over the tent can stand up to repeated usage with zero marks of wear.
2. The REI Co-op Kingdom 4
An amazing tent with more than six feet of vertical area at its peak and around seventy square feet of floor space, the REI Kingdom 4 is all set to house almost any activity, from sleeping four-family members to playing board games with the children. Kingdom 4 is very user-friendly, providing ample space and storage without the features feeling overly complex. It has a back door that is useful when the weather is dry as a quick way in and out of the tent, and there is an additional second door, too.
Pros
- Robust
- Quick setup
Cons
- Poor ventilation
Pockets Galore: One of the best aspects of this tent is how the door flap-folds away into a dedicated pocket above the door keeping it safe and out of the way. These simple, yet helpful design workings show REI put a lot of thought into creating this product. There are mesh pockets sewn along the entire length of both sides of the tent to keep ends structured and the tent is tall enough to accommodate tall people. In addition, on the inside three walls, there are pockets all the way around on the bottom half of the tent. You can stow your things away and access them easily.
1. Kelty Grand Mesa 4
Kelty offers this as a four-person sturdy tent that will deal with most weather conditions, but it is not constructed to shield from heavy winds. It is a double-walled tent and the poles connect to the interior of the tent, giving you the choice to leave off the door flap open. The top two-thirds of the canopy is mesh, so if you leave the fly off, you will get terrific ventilation while keeping any bugs out.
This is perfect if you are camping in nature with the family. This tent is very easy to put up and take down that even children can help. It is a typical dual-pole design: poke the poles in the eyelets, clip on the tent, and voila!
Pros
- Affordable
- Spacious
Cons
- Lack of storage space
High Durability: The Kelty Grand Mesa 4 does not announce to be a lightweight tent, which implies that the materials utilized in its making are a little heavier and more durable than many other tents. The design t of the tent will stand up to wet or rocky ground. The strong 68D PU-coated polyester floor and rainfly conserve the tent from wind and rain. It also has fully taped seams to further ensure weather protection. It features two lightweight aluminum poles to allow freestanding structure and long-term durability.
Buyer’s Guide
With so many options, it is crucial to understand what factors should be considered before you decide to buy a family tent. We have put together this guide to assist you to choose the perfect tent for your family.
Size
Naturally, this relies on the size of your family and the age varieties within it – the more people you need to house, the larger your tent needs to be. Nonetheless, a good rule is to always go with the manufacturer’s suggested person capacity. A four-person tent, for example, would be fine for a small family but a family with two juveniles will need a bit more space.
Family camping is all about relaxation, the size should be adequate to give all the family members a comfortable sleeping space and plenty of space to pace around. A family tent should also be tall enough so people with taller heights can stand and walk around easily without having to crouch down constantly.
Layout
There is no clear-cut principle for the precise tent layout as it is subjective. If you have grown-up children, getting in a tent with room divisions is a possibility will help. Tunnel tents create a feeling of space for everyone. Tents that come with detachable dividers will be your best option in all scenarios. Simply zip the bedroom in half and construct a two-person bedroom.
Parents with younger children will prefer to be close to their tiny campers to ensure safety. Therefore, tents with a sole master bedroom are the best option in such cases.
Windows and Doors
A significant aspect of family tents is ventilation. A good layout of windows and doors can help you not only enjoy the fresh wind but you can sit and gaze out at the beauty. Tents with one door keep weight to the lowest, while tents with multiple entrances offer better usage for families. Zipped tent doors usually accentuate a fine mesh layering to help keep bugs out and aid immensely in ventilation.
Some tents feature one window while some offer two. If some tents do not have a window then they provide some ventilation outlet features.
Storage Space
In general, family tents pay special attention to providing enough pockets so the family can store their things and camping gear. These pockets come sewn into the tents and can hold considerable weight due to the quality of strong material used in the tent’s construction. Storage spaces can be a blessing in tents as they allow you to stow things and have quick access to all your essentials without having to rummage through your bag constantly.
Poles
Poles should be simple enough to fasten to the tent; they should be foldable so they are easy to transport. Shock cords come connected with most poles so you will not lose any of your possessions in harsh weather. Strength is vital, and while metal and fiberglass poles may be inexpensive, aluminum is thicker and will not succumb to rust.
Many tents come freestanding — they are put up and maintained by their outer poles without the need for stakes. However, you must always stake your tents at the corners and sides, or the wind can blow them away. Go for tough materials of nylon netting and stakes of titanium or aluminum. High-quality tents will also feature guy-out loops so you can secure guy lines in rough weather conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do you keep the inside of the tent clean?
Place a tarp below the tent, and another fresh, clean tarp inside of it. The outside tarp maintains the tent extra dry and the inside one keeps the campsite tidy and makes it easy to pack up when your trip is done. Place a woven mat outside your tent entrance and always wipe your feet before you enter.
2. How to air out the tent?
Open it inside out then hang it on a pole, over a low branch, or set up a few high chairs on which you can lay the tent fully spread. If necessary, wipe the floor with a damp cloth, let it dry, spray the tent with fabric detergent and let it air out from morning until evening.
3. How long can tents remain waterproof?
When you get a new tent, they initially come with a waterproofing cover, but you may need to apply a new coat of waterproofing and UV protective spray every six to twelve months, you need to maintain your tent and check on it to carry out necessary repairs.
4. What are some family camping essentials?
Always make sure to have your essentials ready. Map, compass, sunscreen and sunglasses, extra clothes, flashlight, matches, first aid supplies, fire starters, plenty of food, and necessary utensils.
5. Can you sleep in a tent when it is raining?
Keep your tent at a high spot and dry while camping in the rain. Even if it is highly weatherproof, it is always smart to be extra cautious. Place your tent on a spot that is at the top of some slope, a place where water is unlikely to collect.
Final Words
Family camping can be immensely blissful and with the right tent and equipment, your trip will go by smoothly. It is crucial to understand the important factors that go into buying a tent and ensuring you are making the right purchase. You must also be careful to have all the essentials for your family trip to avoid any hassles.