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Best tents for camping 2026: top picks for families and backpackers
Joel has spent six years testing pizza ovens, camping gear, binoculars and more. He’s cooked a criminal amount of pizza, and swallowed the evidence.
The best tents are thoughtfully designed and keep you dry when the weather turns. The worst will leave you longing for home because of their leaky seams and cramped sleeping compartments.
We've tested all sizes, from two-person backpacking tents right up to eight-person tents for family camping trips, to find out which are water-resistant and comfortable.
Bestselling tents from Alpkit, Berghaus, Coleman, Eurohike, Quechua, MSR and Vango were pitched in rotten weather, including heavy downpours, gales, hail and snow.
While some easily withstood everything the elements threw at them, others were blown down or ended up with puddles inside.
How our tests find you the best
We've tested 31 tents
These include everything from lightweight tents for backpackers to large bell tents for family glamping trips. We pitch every tent for a week at the same campsite to test its resilience.
Weather resistance
Every tent we test endures winds and rain. We even drench them with a pressure shower just in case the weather turns out better than expected.
Pitching and packing away
Putting up a tent and taking it down can be challenging in any weather. We check every step to make sure you know which tents will give you the least grief.
We also assess...
the quality of the zips, pegs, poles and guy lines, and whether there's enough storage and room for the stated number of people.
The tents we tested
The biggest brands and the 12 most popular tents are listed below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the tents' test results.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations.
| Tent | Price | Score | Stated size* | Weather resistance | Ease of pitching | Ease of packing away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Digital access £8.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? | 97% | Six-person | ||||
| 93% | Two-person | |||||
| 92% | Two-person | |||||
| 91% | Five-person | |||||
| 89% | Six-person | |||||
| 88% | Two-person | |||||
| 88% | Six-person | |||||
| 86% | Two-person | |||||
| 86% | Two-person | |||||
| 85% | Three-person | |||||
| 85% | Two-person | |||||
| 84% | Five-person |
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations
Unlock tableGet Digital access £8.99 per month, cancel at any time.
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Dates tested: April 2026, March 2024, March 2023, April 2022. Page last checked: April 2026. We aren't able to show every retailer, and cheaper prices may be available. We've tested 31 tents in total, but the table shows our top picks only.
*We evaluate two and three-person tents slightly differently to larger tents. We take the footprint-to-weight ratio into account for two and three-person tents and ignore communal space size. For four-person and larger tents, we take communal space size into account and ignore the footprint-to-weight ratio.
A selection of the tents we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best tents from our tests.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.
Alpkit Aeronaut 2 Bikepacking Tent
Most recently tested April 2026
Stated size Two-person
Dimensions (pitched) 105 x 250 x 200cm (HxWxD)
Pack weight 1.5kg
Stated water resistance 3,000mm
Need to know Inflatable poles, pump not included, groundsheet sewn in, one entrance, no windows, one bedroom, two air vents, vestibule, three storage pockets, three hanging loops on the ceiling
Bell Tent UK 5 Metre Ultimate Bell Tent
Available from Bell Tent UK (£749)
Most recently tested March 2023
Stated size Five to eight-person
Dimensions (pitched) 300 x 500 x 500cm (HxWxD)
Pack weight 34kg
Stated water resistance 4,500mm
Need to know Groundsheet can be zipped into canvas, one entrance, one room, four windows, four air vents, no porch, no storage pockets, lamp hook on central pole
Berghaus Air 600 Nightfall Tent
Most recently tested March 2024
Stated size Six-person
Dimensions (pitched): 215 x 250 x 730cm (HxWxD)
Pack weight: 26.5kg
Stated water resistance: 6,000mm
Need to know: Blackout bedrooms, inflatable poles, manual pump included, power-cord flap, groundsheet sewn in, two entrances, rain hood above side entrance, two bedrooms, four windows, six air vents, porch, 26 storage pockets
Coleman Spruce Falls 6 Tent
Most recently tested April 2026
Stated size Six-person
Dimensions (pitched) 205 x 640 x 230cm (HxWxD)
Pack weight 17.1kg
Stated water resistance 3,000mm
Need to know Groundsheet sewn in, power cord flap, two entrances, two bedrooms, one window, four air vents, communal space, eight storage pockets, three ceiling lamp hooks, awning poles, patch repair kit and spare pegs included
Eurohike Teepee Tent
Most recently tested April 2022
Stated size Four-person
Dimensions (pitched) 210 x 300 x 300cm (HxWxD)
Pack weight 4.6kg
Stated water resistance 2,000mm
Need to know Groundsheet sewn in, one entrance, no windows, three air vents, no porch, one storage pocket
We've also tested the most popular pop up tents
Marmot Vapor 2 Person Tent
Most recently tested April 2026
Stated size Two-person
Dimensions (pitched) 104 x 137 x 224cm (HxWxD)
Pack weight 2.67kg
Stated water resistance 3,000mm
Need to know Groundsheet sewn in, two entrances, one bedroom, no windows, four air vents, two vestibules, four storage pockets, two mini ceiling pockets, seven ceiling hanging loops
MSR Hubba Hubba NX
Most recently tested April 2026
Stated size Two-person
Dimensions (pitched) 100 x 213 x 279cm (HxWxD)
Pack weight 1.72kg
Stated water resistance 1,200mm
Need to know Groundsheet sewn in, two entrances, one bedroom, no windows, eight air vents, two vestibules, two storage pockets, four ceiling hanging loops
OEX Coyote III Backpacking Tent
Most recently tested March 2024
Stated size Three-person
Dimensions (pitched) 116 x 205 x 400cm (HxWxD)
Pack weight 4.3kg
Stated water resistance 5,000mm
Need to know Groundsheet sewn in, two entrances, one bedroom, no windows, two air vents, porch, four storage pockets, two ceiling lamp hooks
Olpro Abberley XL Breeze
Most recently tested April 2026
Stated size Four-person
Dimensions (pitched) 185 x 310 x 490cm (HxWxD)
Pack weight 16.5kg
Stated water resistance 5,000mm
Need to know Inflatable poles, manual pump included, power cord flap, groundsheet sewn in, two entrances, room divider, three windows, one air vent, communal space, four storage pockets, two ceiling lamp hooks, awning poles and spare guy lines included
Outwell Sacramento 6 Air Tent
Most recently tested April 2026
Stated size Six-person
Dimensions (pitched) 220 x 400 x 670cm (HxWxD)
Pack weight 29.9kg
Stated water resistance 4,000mm
Need to know Inflatable poles, manual pump included, power cable flap, groundsheet sewn in, two entrances, room dividers, five windows, two air vents, communal space, porch, seven storage pockets, no ceiling lamp hooks
Quechua Inflatable Camping Tent Air Seconds 4.1
Most recently tested March 2023
Stated size Four-person
Dimensions (pitched) 190 x 290 x 480cm (HxWxD)
Pack weight 12.5kg
Stated water resistance 2,000mm
Need to know Inflatable poles, pump not included, porch, groundsheet sewn into bedroom (separate groundsheet clips into porch), one entrance, one bedroom, one window, three air vents, six storage pockets
Vango Icarus 500 Deluxe
Most recently tested April 2026
Stated size Five-person
Dimensions 195 x 315 x 470cm (HxWxD)
Pack weight 15.6kg
Stated water resistance 4,000mm
Need to know Groundsheet sewn in, power cord flap, two entrances, room divider, five windows, three air vents, communal space, 17 storage pockets, five ceiling lamp hooks, patch repair kit
More tents from our tests
Here are the rest of the tents we've tested, listed in alphabetical order.
| Tent | Price | Score | Stated size* | Weather resistance | Ease of pitching | Ease of packing away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpkit Viso 2 | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50027748 | Two-person | ||||
| Amazon Basics 8-person Tent | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50013708 | Eight-person | ||||
| Berghaus Adhara Air 500 Nightfall | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50027749 | Five-person | ||||
| Berghaus Grampian 3 | SQUIRREL_TEXT_12882716 | Three-person | ||||
| Coleman Darwin 4 Plus | SQUIRREL_TEXT_12882717 | Four-person | ||||
| Coleman Kobuk Valley 3+ | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50013698 | Three-person | ||||
| Coleman Octagon 6 Man Festival Tent | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50013707 | Six-person | ||||
| Coleman Rocky Mountain 5 Plus Blackout Tent | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50013702 | Five-person | ||||
| Eurohike Ribble 2 | SQUIRREL_TEXT_12882719 | Two-person | ||||
| Eurohike Sendero 4 Family Tent | SQUIRREL_TEXT_12882720 | Four-person | ||||
| Hi-Gear Hampton 6 Nightfall Family Tent | SQUIRREL_TEXT_12882724 | Six-person | ||||
| MSR Hubba Hubba HD | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50027750 | Two-person | ||||
| OEX Phoxx 2 II Tent | SQUIRREL_TEXT_12882725 | Two-person | ||||
| ProAction 6 Man 3 Room Tunnel Camping Tent | Argos (£115) | Six-person | ||||
| Quechua 6-person, 3-bedroom inflatable camping tent, Air Seconds 6.3 XXL, Fresh & Black | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50027751 | Six-person | ||||
| Quechua Arpenaz 4.1 | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50026760 | Four-person | ||||
| Trespass Beatnik | SQUIRREL_TEXT_12882807 | Two-person | ||||
| Vango Casa Lux 7 Person Family Tent | SQUIRREL_TEXT_50013706 | Seven-person | ||||
| Vango Mokala 450 | SQUIRREL_TEXT_12882734 | Four-person |
Dates tested: April 2026, March 2024, March 2023, April 2022. Page last checked: April 2026. We aren't able to show every retailer, and cheaper prices may be available.
*We evaluate two and three-person tents slightly differently to larger tents. We take the footprint-to-weight ratio into account for two and three-person tents and ignore communal space size. For four-person and larger tents, we take communal space size into account and ignore the footprint-to-weight ratio.
How we test tents
We buy the bestselling tents and put them through our tough tests. We don't accept freebies from product manufacturers or retailers.
We regularly revisit the tents on sale to see if there are any more popular products that need testing. When we find them, we do.
We pitch all the tents we test for a week in early spring. We revisit them daily to check and record their condition.
Weather resistance
- Every tent we test is put up at Etherley Farm campsite in Surrey. Over the years, the tents have faced strong winds, heavy rain, hail and even snow.
- We inspect the interiors of the tents during and after testing, to see how each one fares against the elements.
- Some tents manage to stay standing, but others blow over or end up with puddles in the sleeping compartments.
Putting up the tents and taking them down
- We pitch every tent, taking into account how long it takes, how clear the instructions are, how much physical effort is required, and how convenient the process is.
- Once all the other tests are complete, we pack away every tent. We like tents that can be easily taken down and packed into their bags, and mark down tents that have awkward poles or tricky-to-fold canvas.
Living in the tent
- We closely inspect each tent, assessing the quality, strength and convenience of the zips, pegs, poles and guy lines.
- We also scrutinise the interior of each tent, looking at how much storage space there is in porches, vestibules or communal spaces, the number and size of storage pockets, and whether there are ceiling lamp hooks or loops.
- We consider how easy it is to get into and out of the main entrances and sleeping compartments, how roomy the living spaces are, and if there's enough room for the number of people it claims to be able to sleep.
- For two and three-person tents, which may be used for backpacking trips, we compare the size of the tent's pitched footprint to its weight. Ideally you'd be after a light tent that's decently sized.
- For four-person and larger tents, which are more for family camping trips, we focus on the size and convenience of the communal space – an important feature when the weather doesn't play ball.
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 big a tent do I need for a family of four, five, six or eight?
It's common for manufacturers to be generous about the number of people they claim can fit inside their tents. The number they give will be technically true, but it probably won't take into account the space needed for campers' belongings or the space you need for a comfortable night's sleep.
A good rule of thumb is to go for a tent that claims to be able to sleep one more person than you need. If you're a family of four, for example, we'd recommend going for a five-person tent.
If your list of camping essentials includes an inflatable mattress, check out our air bed reviews
What is a tent footprint?
Tent footprints are available to buy separately from tents at outdoor retailers. They're essentially an extra groundsheet that you can pitch before your tent, with the aim of pitching your tent on top of it.
They claim to provide an easy way for you to plan where you're going to place your tent without having to pitch it fully, and provide an extra layer of waterproofing and insulation from the ground below.
You'll want to ensure your tent footprint is the same size as the tent you're pitching – several manufacturers sell footprints specifically to fit certain tent models.
A larger footprint will do the job, but you should tuck any edges that poke out back underneath your tent. Otherwise, water could accumulate and pool around the sides.
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Why do tents leak when touched?
Tents don't always leak when touched, and a well-waterproofed tent should still keep water out regardless of whether you touch it. In fact, it's far more likely your tent is leaking through a seam or zip than through a spot you've touched.
However, it's probably best to avoid touching the ceiling of your tent from the inside if there's a lot of water pooling on the outside. This is because you'll break the surface tension between water droplets on the outside and the canvas underneath, and this could cause leaks.
Hear our camping expert spill the beans on how to decipher a tent's waterproof rating, and what you should really look for when shopping for a waterproof tent.
How to waterproof a tent
First, you'll need to clean the tent before waterproofing it. Use lukewarm water and a specialised cleaner. Never use household cleaners, bleaches or soaps - these will damage the waterproofing even more.
Once it's bone-dry, apply a specialised tent waterproofing spray evenly across the flysheet. If water is getting in around the seams, apply seam sealer to secure them.
Allow at least 24 hours for it to dry completely. If the canvas gets wet or damp, this will harm the waterproofing.
Once you're confident the tent has dried completely, it's a good idea to pitch it and spray it with a hose to check that the waterproofing has done its job.