Best pop up tents: tried and tested

The best pop up tents are easy to put up and pack away, and keep the weather at bay. 

We've tested popular pop up tents from Decathlon, Coleman, Eurohike, ProAction and more, including two, three and four-person tents. 

One pop up tent stood tall above the others, getting our Best Buy recommendation. But we also found one that was not fit for purpose at all.

The pop up tents we tested

The biggest brands and seven of the most popular pop up tents are listed below.

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All the pop up tents we tested are listed in alphabetical order below. 

Only logged-in Which? members can view the best pop up tents from our tests. 

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Coleman FastPitch Galiano 4

Most recently tested March 2023

Size Four-person

Dimensions (pitched) 100 x 280 x 200cm (HxWxD)

Pack weight 3.3kg

Stated water resistance 2,000mm

Need to know Groundsheet sewn in, one large entrance, no windows, three large air vents, no porch, two storage pockets, ceiling lamp hook

Eurohike Pop 200 2 Person Tent

Most recently tested March 2023

Size Two-person

Dimensions (pitched) 90 x 220 x 110cm (HxWxD)

Pack weight 1.65kg

Stated water resistance 2,000mm

Need to know Groundsheet sewn in, one entrance, no windows, two air vents, no porch, no storage pockets, no ceiling lamp hook

Eurohike Pop 400 DS Tent

Most recently tested March 2023

Size Four-person

Dimensions (pitched) 160 x 390 x 215cm (HxWxD)

Pack weight 5.2kg

Stated water resistance 2,000mm

Need to know Groundsheet sewn in, two entrances, no windows, two air vents, small porches at each end, four storage pockets, no ceiling lamp hook

See our reviews of the best 2 and 3 person tents for backpacking

Pro Action 2 Person 1 Room Pop Up Camping Tent

Available from Argos (£35)

Most recently tested March 2023

Size Two-person

Dimensions (pitched) 95 x 120 x 215cm (HxWxD)

Pack weight 1.8kg

Stated water resistance 1,000mm

Need to know Groundsheet sewn in, one entrance, no windows, three air vents, no porch, two storage pockets, ceiling lamp hook

Pro Action 4 Person 1 Room Pop Up Camping Tent

Available from Argos (£60)

Most recently tested March 2023

Size Four-person

Dimensions (pitched) 110 x 240 x 210cm (HxWxD)

Pack weight 2.6kg

Stated water resistance 1,000mm

Need to know Groundsheet sewn in, one large entrance, no windows, three air vents, no porch, eight small storage pockets, ceiling lamp hook

Quechua 3 Person Blackout Pop-Up Tent - 2 Second Fresh & Black

Most recently tested March 2023

Size Three-person

Dimensions (pitched) 104 x 185 x 210cm (HxWxD)

Pack weight 4.2kg

Stated water resistance 2,000mm

Need to know Groundsheet sewn in, one large entrance, two windows, two air vents, small porch, four small storage pockets, ceiling lamp hook

Risepro Instant Automatic Pop Up Camping Tent

Most recently tested March 2023

Size Three-person

Dimensions (pitched) 135 x 200 x 200cm (HxWxD)

Pack weight 1.4kg

Stated water resistance 1,500mm

Need to know Groundsheet sewn in, two entrances, no windows, One air vent, no porch, no storage pockets, no ceiling lamp hook

How we test pop up tents

We select the bestselling pop up tents to test. Brands can't buy their way onto our testing, no freebies given here to influence what we write.

We take every tent out into the British winter, pitch them and find out how they stand up to wind and rain during a blustery week.

We regularly revisit the pop up tents on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing. When we find them, we do so.

Pitching and collapsing

• We pitch and peg out each tent. We follow the instructions, taking into account how long it takes, how straightforward the process is, and any struggles we have along the way.
• Once the rest of our tests are complete, we pack away each pop up tent, noting how difficult it is to pack them down to size and stuff them into the bag.
• The best pop up tents go up without a fuss and pack away without any hassle, but some need to be folded in very precise, overly complicated ways and wrestled back into the bag. 

Living in the tent

• We look for those little annoyances you find with tents: zips that catch the canvas, vents that won't stay open for proper air circulation and tiny storage pockets.
• We assess how bright and roomy the living spaces are and whether the number of people the tents are intended to house could actually fit inside comfortably.
• The best tents are spacious, with all the features you expect - but our tests found many can't comfortably sleep as many people as they claim to.

Weather resistance

• All the tents experience heavy downpours, wind and muddy conditions during the course of our tests.
• Every morning we inspect each tent to see if any rainwater has crept into the sleeping area, and check how damp the inside ceiling is due to condensation.
• We also take note of tents that struggle against the wind and need frequent re-pegging. Some tents completely blow over, but the hardiest keep the weather outside.

Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.

How to fold a pop up tent

Most pop up tents fold down by: 

• Bunching the spring-loaded poles together
• Then folding the tent in half vertically, and then again horizontally to leave you with the tent folded into a circle
• You may face resistance from the poles while doing this, as they'll want to bounce back into their assembled shape. 
• It may take more than one person to manage it, especially if the weather isn't great.
• It should then fit back into the carry bag the tent arrived in.

Not all pop up tents fold down this way, though, and some have extra steps, such as buckles to fasten or separate poles to remove.

Checking and following the instructions is the best way to ensure you're doing it right. If you've misplaced them, the manufacturer's website should have a digital copy you can use.

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Five things to look for when buying a pop up tent

1) Be wary of how many people supposedly fit in the tent

Manufacturers don't appear to take storing kit into account when labelling tents, so you might find yourself short on space. 

A handy rule of thumb is to subtract one person (or two people if you have a lot of stuff) from the number listed. This means if there are two of you (for example) you'd probably be best suited to a three-person tent.

2) Look for air vents and consider their size and quality

Air circulation might not be your first concern when tent shopping, but it can have a major impact on your comfort. 

Small or poor-quality air vents will lead to a hot, stuffy tent and lots of condensation build-up on the ceiling. 

Check how many air vents the tent has, how large they are and whether they can be propped open to help give fresh air a clear path inside.

3) Consider how the door will open, especially in wet weather

If it rains, it can often take a while for raindrops to dry off the tent canvas. 

Some tent doors lean backwards and fall back into the tent as you open them, we've found. This means any raindrops on the door will run straight into your sleeping area.

4) Check how much the tent weighs

When camping, there might be a long walk to your pitch, especially if you're at a festival. 

Check the tent's weight before buying and consider how comfortable you'd be carrying it long distances.

5) Be careful relying on rain resistance claims

Hydrostatic head ratings, which describe how much rain manufacturers say the tent can withstand, shouldn't be relied upon entirely. They don't account for how well zips, seams and other vulnerable points keep the rain out. Check those spots for any loose stitching or other signs of wear, as we do in our testing.

Fancy camping a more traditional way? See our reviews of the best tents

Can you recycle pop up tents?

Pop up tents are often abandoned at festivals, which is a major environmental issue. If you're keen to avoid adding to the problem and recycle your pop up tent, it's possible but not easy.

This is mostly because the canvas is plastic-based and treated with silicone, acrylic polyurethane and fire-retardant chemicals, which makes the canvas difficult to recycle. As pop up tents are all-in-one structures made up of different materials, you also can't recycle one as a whole and must take it apart.

You should, however, be able to hand over your tent to your local recycling point, provided you separate the canvas from the poles and pegs beforehand.

At most major festivals there are also initiatives to reduce the amount of tents going into landfill by donating them to charities and other good causes.

Complete you camping setup with the best pop up gazebos.