The best 4-person tents for your next camping trip

This REI Co-op classic is highly rated for a reason. This dome-like tent can be used in summer and winter alike, with a full rain cover and strong aluminum poles ready to protect campers from the elements. With a spacious vestibule and ample pockets, campers can easily keep their gear dry. This tent also boasts about 60 square feet of floor space and a peak height of five feet, allowing campers to stretch out and get comfortable. This tent is also easy to set up, with color-coded features.

Weighing in at 16 pounds 14 ounces, this tent is more suitable for car camping than backpacking. Unlike most of REI Co-op’s other tent options, this one doesn’t feature open mesh, meaning you will have to do your stargazing from your camping hammock strung outside. On the bright side, the lack of mesh allows for greater privacy and protection from wind and other weather conditions. REI Co-op also has the option to size up to the Base Camp 6 Tent, which — at 84 square feet — allows more space to spread out.

Get the best bang for your buck with this Kelty four-person tent. This reliable dome-shaped option is held up by two main poles with quick-twist connectors, making the setup quick and painless. The tent includes two doors and a rain fly which creates vestibules on either side to store belongings. Coverage-wise, this tent features the best of both worlds: Half of the ceiling is covered with see-through mesh for stargazing and the other half has dark fabric for privacy. Made with durable material, this tent provides protection across the seasons.

With the cheaper price comes some sacrifices. Some reviewers report the fiberglass poles as less durable than what comes with pricier tent options. The tent also doesn’t have much ventilation with the rainfly on, so it can get a bit toasty inside. This option technically can fit four sleepers, but if you are car camping and looking to spread out a bit, try to keep the headcount to three or upgrade to the Kelty Wireless 6 Tent, which has a larger floor plan.

For those looking to step up their camping game, Marmot’s four-person Limestone tent is a great choice. This option is durable and high-quality, built to withstand against the elements. At just over five feet, the Limestone will hold firm against wind, and a full-coverage rain fly keeps campers warm and dry. A full mesh roof also makes this tent great for warm weather, with superior ventilation. Two large doors also make the tent feel spacious, despite its relatively low height, and pockets throughout the tent provide ample storage space. Although the poles do have to go through sleeves, the setup for this tent is quick and easy.

The Limestone is better for campers looking to cut a little weight and prioritize durability than those looking to take a leisurely family trip. This tent isn’t as spacious as some other options reviewed here, but if you are looking to take the next step in your camping career, this tent is a great option. For a higher price, consider upgrading to Marmot’s Limestone 6-Person Tent for extra comfort.

Another favorite from REI Co-op, this highly rated tent is spacious enough to meet all your car camping needs. At over six feet, this rectangle-like tent allows for standing and can comfortably fit a family of four. Two large doors allow campers to easily enter and exit the tent, and a large vestibule and pockets provide ample storage space. The tent is made almost entirely of mesh, giving it great ventilation, and a full-coverage rain cover allows for cold-weather camping.

Since this tent boasts extra space, it is quite heavy, weighing in at more than 18 pounds. You won’t want to backpack or walk long distances with this one, but it’s perfect to set up next to your car. While REI Co-op claims this is a three-season tent, reviewers say rain can leak through the air vents in the rainfly, so stick to warmer weather. For additional storage space, look towards the REI Co-op Kingdom Mud Room, which adds a covered entry point to the tent, perfect for storing big gear or using as a sunroom on nice days.

This quality North Face tent is a great option for your summer family camping trip at the nearby lake. At over six feet, its interior is tall and spacious, and, with a tall front door, it’s easy to move in and out of without hunching. Additionally, the tent features nine pockets, so each camper can have their own storage space. The vestibule is also large enough to fit all your gear, and the tent is easy to set up, even when you’re alone. A full mesh ceiling allows for great views and ventilation, and reviewers reported the rain fly holding up well against downpours and wind.

On the downside, some online reviews claimed the tent poles are cheap and could bend in strong winds. Others mentioned that the footprint — which, unlike most other tents, is included — moves around under the tent. The tent is also relatively heavy, so stick to casual car camping. But, overall, this tent is durable and will last you many seasons.

There are many reasons this Big Agnes tent is a leader in the backpacking world. Packing down to be just over five pounds, the Copper Spur tent is easy to throw on your pack or divide up its parts between multiple people. It’s also more comfortable than most backpacking tents, easily fitting four people and their belongings between two vestibules and various pockets. The setup is easy with color-coding, and the poles are light and strong — built to withstand extreme conditions. This tent holds strong against high winds, rain, and even snow. You can even use this one in warm weather, with a mesh exterior built to prevent condensation.

We should note that at its current price, you are paying more for less weight with this tent option. The Copper Spur may also not be the best option for those looking to sprawl out while car camping. With a peak height of just over four feet, this tent is much shorter than the more luxurious four-person tent options. Some reviewers have also deemed the vestibules small, though it is impressive for a backpacking tent to even have this storage feature.

This budget Coleman tent is great for beginners looking to dive into camping for a low cost. It’s a good choice for family camping trips, and it could even be a good addition for the more seasoned camper looking to buy a casual car camping tent without breaking the bank. Costing under $100, this simple dome-like tent has a great value. It’s easy to set up, with a single door, and ventilation is not a problem, with mesh windows and floor vents that prevent condensation. This Coleman tent is also relatively lightweight, compared to other cheap four-person tent options.

With this cheap tent, you do get what you pay for. The Sundome is not meant to last forever, built with cheaper, less durable materials than pricier tent options. The rainfly is also small and the materials are not built to hold up in extreme weather conditions, so stick to summer camping with this one. This tent also doesn’t include any vestibules for gear storage, so you’ll have to take up more space inside for gear storage — or leave your belongings in the car.

One of the pricier tents on the market, this Mountain Hardwear tent is built to keep you warm and dry during all four seasons. It’s advertised as a mountaineering tent, able to shelter up to four climbers in snowy, alpine conditions, and reviewers reported using it at base camps before summiting high peaks. It features high-quality materials, such as nylon taffeta rated 10,000 mm waterproof, and it includes a large vestibule to keep all your gear dry. The setup is also easy, since it’s not as large as some other four-person tent options.

The main downside of this tent is the price, nearing close to $1,000. Additionally, since being a four-season tent requires sturdy materials, the tent is quite heavy. The tent also sacrifices some space, and while you can fit four sleepers, it will be quite cozy. Reviewers also reported problems with ventilation, since the rain fly comes almost all the way to the ground on all sides, but that’s the price you pay to have four-season protection.

This NEMO tent feels like a fortress. With a peak height of nearly seven feet, everyone except NBA players will be able to effortlessly stand in this tent. The tent area is also quite spacious, with 70 square feet of floor area. Despite this large size, setup is simple, requiring just two large poles. This tent also uses durable materials, built to withstand extreme conditions, A huge vestibule will keep all your gear dry, and huge windows provide views galore.

You’ll notice that this tent is a bit pricey, but it is an upgrade in quality from many similarly priced options. It also weighs over 20 pounds, so limit its use to car camping. It also doesn’t feature a mesh top for stargazing, though the large windows do provide great nighttime views. If you’re looking to make this massive tent even more luxurious, try pairing it with the NEMO Victory Blanket, which provides a soft carpet inside your NEMO tent.

Another great baseline tent, this box-like Eureka option is great for families looking to car camp in warm weather, all for a reasonable price. The tent itself is extremely tall, standing at seven feet, and the interior comfortably fits air mattresses for your luxury camping needs. The Copper Canyon also features a zippered powerpoint hole so you can easily run an extension cord inside to keep all gadgets charged. Setup is effortless, and the tent’s materials are durable. A mesh ceiling allows campers to sleep under the stars in warm weather, and walls made of darker fabric, along with mesh windows, allow for a good balance of privacy and connection to the outdoors.

If you are looking to camp in more extreme weather conditions, we recommend looking elsewhere. This tent is not great at fending off the elements, since its boxy shape can be knocked down by high winds if not properly weighted down. Additionally, this tent doesn’t include a vestibule for storage, so plan to leave your belongings in the car.

The final option we will mention from REI Co-op feels more like a cabin than a tent, with near vertical walls allowing campers to stand and stretch out inside. This tent also has a great value, including many usable features for an affordable price. It includes two tall doors, ample pockets, and a vestibule ideal for storage. The rain fly will also keep campers dry in inclement weather, though this is more of a summer tent.

With high vertical walls, this tent doesn’t stand up very well against heavy winds. It also features a pole hub system, where all poles are connected in the top at the middle of the tent. While this allows the tent to stand up tall, rather than taking on a dome shape, the hub system makes setup a bit more complicated compared to other tents and allows for more points of failure. Regardless, this tent still has a great value for car campers looking for lots of space.