The Best Tents of 2024

As one of the newer tents from Coleman, the Skydome is a taller tent with almost 5 feet height in the center, as well as a quick-setup feature with connected tent poles and a central hub. It's available in multiple sizes, with 2-person, 4-person, 6-person, and 8-person tent models available.

A couple of reviewers struggled with the zippers, either breaking them or finding that they stick repeatedly, but generally this tent has very strong reviews. Some reviewers also found a lack of windows in the Skydome frustrating, noting that if you hear something outside or if you want more ventilation, the only option is to open the door. Otherwise, most reviewers were happy with the quality of the tent, just note that this is likely best-suited as a car camping tent, as a tent with integrated poles will tend to be on the heavier side.

As one of Coleman’s more basic tents, the Sundome is a typical dome built with mesh for venting at the top, covered by a rain fly and supported by two poles. Most reviewers were pleased with the value at this price, but some comments expressed concern with the waterproofing. In addition, several of the poor reviews involved missing pieces or broken poles which the reviewer only discovered when they were setting the tent up in remote locations.

For any tent, the first time you set it up should be in a spot where you don’t need to use it right away. Since you’re setting up your tent first at home to make sure all the pieces are there and working, spray a bit of waterproofing on the tent at the same time. Both of those steps will eliminate the small number of issues reviewers reported, and you'll otherwise have a solid, all-around tent.

The Clostnature ultralight tent could possibly be a tent for backpacking trips as well as car camping, weighing about 7 pounds and with a base of 7'3" by 7'8". The best feature of this tent is the two-door setup, one on either side of the tent. While it may seem like overkill in a tent this small, the second door means you can get in or out in the middle of the night without disturbing the person sleeping next to you—a desirable feature indeed.

Other than this two-door setup, the Clostnature includes a pole emergency repair kit as well as the standard mesh-and-fly design for excellent ventilation. As with other mesh-and-fly tents, there are some concerns about the tent's waterproofing if it's not properly set up and positioned, but it should keep the rain out. Some reviewers also mentioned the measurements of the interior part of the tent were smaller than advertised. If you are taller than six feet, you may want to pick a bigger tent, despite the 7+ foot measurements, to ensure there’s plenty of room for you to sleep.

With a floor of 8-by-7 feet and weighing about 7 pounds, the Alpha Camp is one of the smaller tents we recommend. Based on the reviews we read, you can expect the tent itself will only hold a full-size air mattress with a bit of extra space. Many reviewers who said they were unfamiliar with tents commented on the ease of setup and the stability of the tent.

The most frequent negative reviews addressed the tent leaking during a rainstorm, so a can of waterproofing spray and a quick treatment before using the tent is recommended, as well as using the included ground sheet under the tent. Several reviewers also commented on the easily-bent ground pegs, so purchase an extra set and bring a mallet or hammer to ensure you can stake it down properly.

As a smaller, round tent for a quick overnight stay, the Moon Lence uses a pop-up pole system that can be quickly set up. Most reviewers comment that setting this tent up took less than a minute. The circular shape seemed very stable according to most reviewers. While many reviewers felt the quality was a match for the price, enough reviewers experienced issues with the tent leaking. Therefore, purchasing a can of waterproofing spray would be a smart addition, just in case.

If you're using the tent for quick overnight stays, like a road trip—rather than camping in one location for several days—the Moon Lence will serve you well. If your camping plans involve hanging out in your tent for more than sleeping, you might want to consider a tent with more space. This tent is ideal for a mobile user who simply wants a tent for sleeping, like during a road trip.

Despite the "9-person" designation, this Core tent—which has a stated floor area of just 14 feet by 7 feet—won't reasonably fit that many people. The Core weighs in at 30 pounds, limiting its use to car camping. The poles are all attached to a central hub and, with another person stabilizing it, setup should only take a couple of minutes. After watching a reviewer's video of his setup, it looks like the fly will be the fussier piece to set up since the tent is so tall. If you’re camping somewhere that rain is not very likely, you could leave the fly off. Considering how much of the roof is mesh, as well as the multiple large windows and the large interior size, there isn’t going to be much heat retention even with the fly, limiting this tent to warm weather use only.

Another excellent feature of this tent is the second door. In addition to the standard D-shaped door, one entire side can be unzipped as a second opening. This allows for great airflow, makes the tent easier to move gear in and out of, and gives you a second entrance to not disturb everyone in the tent if you're sleeping on one side. There are two mesh pouches attached to the wall to hold items securely and off the ground—another nice feature.

Unfortunately, several reviewers commented on having difficulty with Core customer service, so if there is an issue with the tent, getting another piece or a repair might be challenging. Our advice is to get the tent and set it up safely in your backyard so you can check it for any issues while still within the return period, just in case.