While there is a glut of budget camping tents on the market, too many have gone too far in trimming features and comfort. The Kelty Discovery Basecamp 4 ($120) isn’t one among them, however, and hits all of the bullet points I’m after, without also coming for your wallet. Done up in an instantly recognizable design, this tent doesn’t take many shortcuts.

Set up with a crossed-pole design, the Discovery Basecamp makes raising the roof easier, including ‘Quick Corners’ — which are short pole sleeves to secure the pole ends. From there, modern pole clips suspend the canopy, which, while not my favorite, helps to keep the price down. When testing in Joshua Tree National Park in early spring, I had little issue setting up the tent sans instructions.

Some other budget-minded tents (like the REI Co-op Campwell 4) attempt to shave ounces (and dollar signs) by hemming the rainfly up high and tight, exposing windows to wind-driven rain, but the Discovery Basecamp makes use of a brow pole to set the porch coverage back far and protect the door window. When fully staked and with the rainfly guyed out, this tent does a commendable job keeping its inhabitants dry, especially considering the price.

While it only has one door, that door is huge, so access is easy. Each side is lined with a few storage pockets, so you’ll have no problem staying organized and keeping the floor free of knick-knacks. While the Discovery Basecamp takes a more traditional approach, it isn’t the tallest tent, and those looking for more vertical should look to the Eureka Copper Canyon LX — a cabin-styled tent that trades weather protection for comfort.

Available in both a 4- and a 6-person size, the Discovery Basecamp 4 is an easy choice for folks looking for their first camping tent, or even just a beater you aren’t worried about leaving it up on the lawn. Don’t expect it to last forever at $120, but for the money, there are plenty of summers in this tent.

Recently updated, The North Face Wawona 4 ($450) got a second skin, going from a single- to double-wall design, and its poles have been re-engineered for easier setup — both worthy upgrades. The tent did just become $50 more expensive, which blunts the benefits a bit, but I still think it’s a solid shelter.

It’s the small things that make the Wawona (which, if you’re wondering, was the name of a famous giant sequoia in Yosemite National Park) tick. A unique hooped pole design kicks out the large vestibule to a comfy 28 square feet of space and provides plenty of dry room to shuffle gear about.

Then there are the interior features: A smaller rear door doubles as an organizational center, while an interior height of 68 inches allows for easy walking about inside the tent. I greatly appreciated the breathability built into the Wawona on a night camping in Washington’s San Juan Islands, where moisture from the sea can be heavy, and keeping air moving is a priority. 

I struggled with the rainfly the first go around, as it has an unusual shape that goes to the ground at the vestibule and then up to window height along the body of the tent. Once I figured out which way was up, snapping it into place was an (adjustable) breeze. 

The fly also doesn’t cover the rear door, although it does sport a waterproof zipper. My testing hasn’t shown this to be a weak point necessarily, but I have some doubts the tent would keep heavy rain entirely at bay. Because of this, the more weather-resistant REI Co-op Base Camp 6 ranks higher in our lineup.

For more fair weather conditions, however, the Wawona 4 offers a boatload of space for families that bring plenty along on their camping trips. Just consider what the weatherperson has in store for you.

Forget hunching over — the NEMO Aurora Highrise 4P Tent ($400) has got headroom to spare. Sporting a tent pole design that bumps out the exterior walls to near vertical, I had no issues with bumping around inside this tent, and no scrunching was needed. The Aurora Highrise does the most with its footprint, and I think it’s the most livable 4-person tent out there currently.

While the 75-inch peak height isn’t quite the tallest in our testing, this height extends far out from the interior, reports camping veteran Karuna Eberl. This allows for easy maneuvering for setting up a sleeping pad or just squeezing past a tentmate. A cabin-style tent like the Eureka Copper Canyon will have more headroom overall, but will suffer much more with high winds.

Behind the two doors (which can be folded away into what NEMO calls the Door Jamb pocket) is a full 62.5 sq. feet of floor space, which has been printed with a fun argyle pattern to lighten up the tent. It’s the little features like this that really up the livability, and after spending a week in the Aurora this spring in Joshua Tree National Park, we came to love our groovy space.

During testing, Eberl found the dual vestibules to provide plenty of space for storing equipment during the night, though not quite large enough to lounge under shade. The four-person version of this tent was perfectly sized for three testers, though I could easily see a family of four enjoying the space, or even a couple having a luxuriously large camping hideout.

While the large side windows do provide an excellent view (and plenty of ventilation), the rainfly does stop short of providing full coverage over them. While this won’t be an issue in typical rain, wind-driven rain will have the ability to soak into these seams. It’s for this reason that the Aurora Highrise doesn’t find itself higher on our list.

A family-sized tent that’s sized for everyone in the family, the Aurora Highrise is available in both a 4-person and 6-person offering.

Read Review: White Duck Regatta Bell Tent Review: Gettin’ Dirty, Sleepin’ Luxe

The White Duck Bell 13′ Regatta Tent ($770) is a large and in charge canvas shelter perfect for planting your stakes and entertaining for a long weekend (or two). If glamping is what you’re after, a wall tent like this is just the ticket.

Canvas wall tents aren’t anything new, but White Duck has dialed the Regatta Bell to be the perfect tent for living like you’re at home in the woods. There’s ample room to move around, use cots or chairs, and even set up a small wood stove (on specific fabric models). The overhead height in the 13′ version is 8’2″, meaning no stooping over.

We’ve used the Bell Regatta for almost everything, from Editorial Director Sean McCoy’s 10-day-long elk hunts in Colorado to my impromptu basecamp in Washington State while building a cabin below Mt. Rainier. The 13′ version is large enough to fit four camping cots and still have space for gear. With 132 square feet of internal space, it’s versatile enough to jam in up to six sleeping pads or go ultra-comfy and add some camp furniture (we recommend a camp couch like the Kelty Discovery Low Loveseat Nest).

The Bell Tent stands with only two poles, but they’re up to the task and are placed in the center and over the doorway. Otherwise, the setup is simple: stake out the groundsheet and the walls with the included guylines. Everything on this tent is overbuilt, and the stakes look like rebar. The ‘DYNATEK’ canvas is ultra robust in the hand, and even through a classic Cascades downpour and alpine Colorado storm, it didn’t leak a drop.

To establish this tent, you’ll need a large site and likely some assistance. Even getting the tent to the campsite will require a second set of hands, as it is 70 pounds and carried in a large duffel bag. $770 is also a heavy lift, but for the undeniable durability of this shelter, that investment should pay off over decades of use. If you want to spruce up your family camping nights, we think the Bell Regatta is the tent to do it with.

With 45(!) years under its belt, the REI Co-op Half Dome 2 Plus ($369) design has been around the campsite once or twice. Newly redesigned this year, the 2 Plus version adds extra room to this two-person shelter, and makes it the perfect do-it-most tent.

The Half Dome 2 Plus is sold as a backpacking tent, but after significant use, I think it lands smack dab between being carried in a pack and working as a stellar front country shelter. Editor Will Brendza (and his trusty pup) recently took this tent out into the early spring of Colorado, where it showed what 45 years of design get you.

Setup is a cinch, and the multi-hub pole design means there’s only one to wrangle here and get clipped into the tent body. Three minutes is about all the time Brendza needed to get the rest of the tent up and settled. From here, he admired the recent updates to the structure that bumped out the headspace, making this a true 2+ shelter.

The floor plan of this tent is 4” longer and wider than the 2-person version, and that (along with the extra 2” of height) makes it roomy enough to enjoy while camping. Other highlights included a bevy of internal pockets for organizing gear, as well as the ability to drop the top on the rainfly on dry evenings, which means stargazing is fully on the menu.

The 6-pound weight makes this a heavy backpacking tent, but a super light camping one. The 36 sq. foot floor area may be a bit cramped for really base camping in this tent, and for those looking for a bit more wiggle room, I’d suggest bumping up to the Half Dome 3.

I’ve previously recommended the Mountain Hardware Mineral King series as a backpacking/car camping crossover and still think it’s a solid shelter, but the Half Dome does it slightly better. Tougher materials, a more intuitive pole design, and a cheaper price all combine to put this tent over the top.

After many summers of using the classic Big House tent, I recently upgraded to the Big Agnes Bunk House 4 Tent ($600), and it was 100% worth it. Compared to the lighter-duty version, the newly updated tent drops the fly to the ground, bumps up the ceiling, and boasts a fully freestanding ‘sun shelter mode’ that greatly ups the versatility.

Available in your standard family sizes of 4-, 6-, and 8-person capacities, I tested the 4-person offering in the summer of 2024 across the Pacific Northwest, and it won over campers left and right. I challenged myself to set up camping tents without instructions on the first go, and besides some added helping hands, I had little issue getting the Bunk House up in about 10 minutes.

The 58-square-foot sleeping area is on par with most 4-person shelters, but the added 2” of headroom over the Big House makes a surprising difference in livability. An additional pole supports the ample vestibule space, which sports enough room to wrangle coolers and chairs, and even rolls out a welcome mat to park your shoes on.

The Bunk House finds itself in good company in this lineup. Other batten-down-the-hatch shelters compare well, though there are a few differences to consider. For true shelter-shaking storms, I found the Base Camp performs better due to its additional crossed poles, and while the vestibule of the Bunk House is spacious, the Bridger is undeniably better suited for hanging out under.

Neither of those tents, however, can set up the fly by itself, and this is the big selling point of the Bunk House. A good canopy tent can act as a mobile dining room or keep tykes out of the sun, and when set up without the inner, the Bunk House accomplishes both and more. Actual setup is a bit finicky (there’s a webbing harness to contend with), but once it’s managed, the canopy rivals even some of our favorite purpose-built options.

At an asking price of $600, the Bunk House 4 is pricier than most similar options, so in my opinion, it comes down to whether you’ll use that fly-only ability. If not, tents like the REI Co-op Base Camp or The North Face Wawona will likely suit you better. But as a two-for-one option, it’s tough to beat the Bunk House.

The REI Co-op Campwell 4 ($229) is my recommendation for fair-weather family campers who are new to the outdoors. Designed as a low-barrier-of-entry option, this tent is ideal for campgrounds, car camping, and folks looking to upgrade from their big-box store tents. I still think that the Kelty Discovery Basecamp is a slightly better budget model, but the Campwell does have a leg up on it in a few places.

Best described as a squat cabin-style tent, the Campwell makes full use of its footprint and sports nearly vertical walls to bump out the interior space. That said, overhead height isn’t towering at 62 inches, but I don’t think that’s necessarily a terrible thing: the tent is a bit den-like and cozy to jump into.

Set-up is simple, which is a bonus when introducing folks to the outdoors (little else sucks the fun out of camping like a complicated tent to wrestle). The two fiberglass poles cross at the top of the shelter and are the same length, meaning no shuffling around looking for the right one. After that, simple pole clips support the canopy.

The toupee-style rainfly was never meant to be the most protective, but it is easy to toss on the tent. I’ve weathered light showers and been perfectly dry, but once the winds brew, you begin to wish you had a more storm-worthy shelter. The rear window is particularly vulnerable, as it is only covered by a flap on the interior.

So, if the skies might open up? Look into one of the more weather-ready options we’ve reviewed, like the REI Basecamp or Marmot Limestone. But if you’ve got confidence in the weather forecast? The Campwell 4 is an excellent option.

While testing in the Rocky Mountains, our campers experienced sudden high winds and heavy rains. Nearly every tent experienced some damage ranging from broken poles to leaks. The Marmot Limestone 6P ($529) was completely unfazed. It remained sturdy and dry through it all.

It’s not as tall or roomy as some car camping tents, but the sacrifice of space is worth it for excellent weather protection. In 83 square feet of floor space, you can fit six people or spread out and sleep comfortably with just four. Near-vertical walls help to bump up the livability, and while the vestibule is a bit snug, the interior is rightfully cozy.

The large double doors make coming and going easy. Pre-bent poles make for a quick setup. There is a vestibule on one side for holding extra gear, and interior gear pockets keep you organized, and there is plenty of mesh that allows for maximum airflow. Newly redesigned, the Limestone gains a few added rainfly vents with integrated struts for propping them open.

Because the rainfly design is closely related to backpacking tents, there are certain areas of the fly where it can touch the mesh of the inner, which can lead to dribbles in high condensation conditions — a result a few of our testers noted. Properly guying out the shelter can help alleviate this, in conjunction with the newly added vents. For most poor-weather trips, we more often reach for the REI Base Camp.

But if the REI Co-op Base Camp is a bit too rich for your blood, the Limestone 6P is built to withstand storms and is a great choice for anyone camping in unpredictable, inclement weather.

Borrowing DNA from the brand’s mountaineering roots, the new Mountain Hardwear Bridger 6 Tent ($950) hits all the marks I’m looking for in a group camping tent — and that’s before you even open the door. Twin vestibules boast more square footage than even the sleeping area, making a tent that’s as much about hanging out as it is snoozing in.

Starting from the inside, the Bridger 6 keeps the living large with 89.4 square feet of sleeping quarters, and steep walls that meet at a 76-inch peak height. The tent is supported by a classic two-pole configuration, with an additional ridge pole that props up the peaks of the entry and exits.

A full-coverage rainfly encompasses everything on the exterior and extends 7 feet for the front vestibule. When I initially tested this tent in the spring of 2023, our campers flocked to this spot to kick back and store gear in. It easily accommodates a handful of camp chairs, a cooler, or even a couple of parked bikes — and now with a few seasons under the belt, it’s still the tent to hang in.

The doors also feature a saloon-style zip, meaning the interior can be melded into the hang-out zone. Then there’s the storage: 8 pockets on the interior, as well as 2 organizers that hang inside the vestibule space — each sporting 3 pockets. I found these especially handy during the day, as I didn’t need to enter/exit the tent to snag what I needed.

In terms of set-up, the Bridger does take a few minutes to set up. The extended vestibule is a dream once in place, but it did make single-handed setup a bit of a wrestling match. Breaking down the tent goes smoothly, however, and it packs away into one of the nicest zip-up storage bags I’ve seen in a tent.

Perfect as a camping basecamp for a group, the Bridger Tent brings the party from inside to out, and while it’s nearly the most expensive on this list, it’s amenable to many different camping scenarios and ensures it’ll be around for endless campfires. If the price just won’t fly, consider the REI Co-op Base Camp 6 — a $549 option with more sleeping space, but less room to hang in.

If you’re looking for a family tent that feels like a spacious screened-in porch, the Eureka Copper Canyon LX ($270) is for you. The 7-foot-tall interior height means no more awkward stooping.

And with 64 square feet of floor space, there’s plenty of room to spread out. I found this provided a comfortable amount of space for two adults and two young children. Each wall is lined with pockets, which is great for keeping track of your headlamp and storing other essentials.

The best part about this tent is the airy feel and giant mesh windows. Not only does it keep things breathable, but it also means you can easily enjoy the view in any direction. I spent a week camping outside Moab and loved relaxing in the tent while watching the sunrise.

That said, the benefits of this tent are also its downfall. The tall height and large windows can be problematic in stormy weather. High winds will challenge any tent, and that’s especially true of a tent that’s 7 feet tall. Like other cabin-style tents (such as the Eureka Copper Canyon LX we also tested), fair-weather camping is more the vibe for this tent.

The window zip closed, and the included rainfly protects from rainfall. However, in heavy storms, it is possible to experience slight leaking. I also would have preferred a second door.

For mild summer conditions, though, the Copper Canyon 4 is a winner for family camping. It offers plenty of standing room and is a decent value to boot. We were also pleased with how easily it packed back into the storage bag.

You didn’t think I’d leave out a classic Coleman, did you? The Coleman Skydome Darkroom 6-Person Tent ($200) certainly is classic and brings a good bit to the table for the price. There are also some shortfalls to contend with, but the big draw here is the ‘Darkroom’ aspect of this tent — a blackout rainfly that can help block out late-night campground neighbors.

Compared to a traditional dome-style Coleman, the Skydome series bumps out the headroom by putting a kink in each of the poles, making for nearly vertical walls. And while those poles are aluminum and an upgrade from my budget pick, the Kelty Discovery Basecamp, they are pre-attached to the tent — a good idea in theory, but in practice, it was a bit fussy to manage.

The tent fly is, as promised, quite dark, and it is pretty easy to get situated on the tent itself. This is, however, one of the more skimpy coverage flies in our review (only the toupee-style fly of the Eureka Copper Canyon LX is smaller), and only comes down to about half the height of the tent walls. And while the brow pole does a good job of covering the door from rain from above, it was no match for wind-driven rain in my testing.

Campgrounds these days can be pretty crowded, and if you end up next to the all-night ragers, it can be tough to get some shut-eye with other tents. That’s where I think the Skydome Darkroom shines, even despite the shortcomings. Stuffing the tent away isn’t the easiest — we cycled through multiple campers before concluding that the tent wasn’t going back into the bag quietly — but it can be made to work.

Available in 4-, 6-, and even an 8-person size, the Skydome Darkroom Tent was made for weekends at the campground.