When it comes to the best 5 person tents, there are several really great options that range widely in price and key design points. With these best car camping tents, you’ll find everything from basic and affordable structures to tents with large living spaces and inflatable tents that don’t require poles for setup. While it’s actually quite rare to find tents intended for five people, we’ve done the research to narrow it down to the best of the best.
For our Editor’s Choice, we selected the Mountain Smith Conifer 5+, which is our pick for all-around best 5 person tent because of its interesting design, waterproofing, and lifetime warranty. For the highest quality, the Zempire Pronto is an awesome inflatable tent with some really cool features that set it apart from the rest. If you’re a budget-conscious camper, the Eureka! Tetragon NX-5 would be right up your alley. We’ve also selected a few other options that are highly rated so you can pick the best tent for your needs. All the five person tents on this list would be a great option!
7 Best 5 Person Tents
These are our picks for the best 5 person tent:
- Mountain Smith Conifer 5+ (Editor’s Choice)
- Zempire Pronto 5 (Highest Quality)
- ALPS Mountaineering Taurus 5
- Coleman Rocky Mountain 5
- Browning Big Horn Tent
- Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL5 (For Backpacking)
- Eureka Tetragon NX-5 (Most Affordable)
Our #1 Recommendation: Mountain Smith Confier 5+
The Mountain Smith Conifer 5+ is the all around best five person tent because of it’s quality materials. generous max height, and lifetime warranty. Plus, its unique shape allows for multiple different sleeping configurations.
Our #2 Recommendation: Zempire Pronto 5
The Pronto 5 is made of the highest quality materials, has the most features, and some space age tech. This tent is easily the best 5 person tent to have for the most luxurious car campers.
Most Affordable Five Person Tent: Tetragon NX-5
Simple design and easy setup make this five person tent perfect for a quick weekend or week-long getaway, plus it’s great for a variety of weather conditions.
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Editor’s Choice – Mountain Smith Conifer 5+
Mountain Smith is based in Golden, Colorado, which is situated in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. They forge equipment that’s meant to last a lifetime so you can focus on what really matters: the adventure. We’ve selected this Mountain Smith Conifer 5+ as our Editor’s Choice for best 5 person tents because of its interesting layout, lifetime warranty, and heavy duty waterproofing.
As for the layout, it’s an elongated hexagon that allows for multiple different sleeping configurations depending on the size of your party (see illustration below). While it’s original capacity is intended for 5 people, it allows for some flexibility if you camp with kids or pets.
Mountain Smith offers a ‘Forged for Life’ lifetime warranty, so if anything they make fails in any way, they’ll either replace or repair it. For your entire life. As for the generous waterproofing, this Conifer offers a 2000mm PU coating on the fly and a 5000mm PU coating on the tent floor, both of which are substantially higher ratings than the minimum 1000-1200mm waterproofing. Combine this with several guyout points and the Conifer is one of the most weather resistant tents on this list.
We also appreciate the large vestibule space, which is enough room for dirty gear storage or even a couple of camping chairs and a small table for a game of cards. There’s two doors, one on either end of the tent. One is larger and offers the oversized vestibule, while the other is smaller with a minimal amount of vestibule space.
There’s extra features like a generous max height (6ft. 2in.), 68-denier fabric, five sidewalls pockets, mesh gear loft, and its color-coded tent poles and hooks. All this adds up to a well-rounded, weather-ready, and spacious 5 person tent that’s ready for your next family camping trip!
Specifications
- Available Capacity Options: 5 person only
- Season: 3
- # of Doors: 2
- # of Vestibules: 2
- Weight: 14 lbs. 11 oz.
- Floor Dimensions: 120 x 120 inches
- Max Height: 74 inches (6ft 2in.)
- Pole Material: Aluminum
- Fabric Quality: 68D polyester on the canopy, fly, and floor
- Waterhead Rating: 2000mm PU coating on the fly, 5000mm PU on the floor
Pros
- ‘Forged for Life’ lifetime warranty
- Color-coded to help setup
- Substantial waterhead ratings
- Spacious tent vestibule
- Lots of interior space
Cons
- Longer setup time
Highest Quality – Zempire Pronto 5
We hadn’t heard of Zempire before researching these tents, and were super excited when we found their products. REI just recently started carrying their gear, but the company has been around for 16 years and is actually based in New Zealand. Zempire has a policy called “the last 10%” that refers to design features that elevate the product to something you want to tell your friends about. These extra features are typically the little things like glow in the dark zip pullers for middle of the night bathroom trips or lightning fast pack down time. This policy really shows because this tent has some seriously awesome features.
Let’s first describe the tent, because it’s a unique layout that we don’t typically see. Looking at the illustration below, four people are meant to sleep next to each other with the fifth person across their feet. There’s a single extra large door at their feet, but at their heads is a vestibule that’s intended as a storage space. There’s a small door from inside the tent that accesses this smaller vestibule so you can easily store gear and shoes out of the way. This means your tent and main vestibule aren’t crowded with this extra stuff laying around.
Each wall is almost fully mesh with a zipper window cover, and the main door is completely mesh with a zipper door cover. Having all these mesh portions open would allow for some of the best ventilation we’ve seen in a tent thus far. The awning rolls up for storage, or you can set it up for a spacious sun-protected area.
Perhaps one of the best parts of this tent is that it doesn’t use poles for its main setup. There’s a couple of poles to use for the awning and a brow style pole for stabilization, but the core structure of the tent is actually an inflatable frame. It airs up surprisingly quick, so setup time is actually faster than a traditional pole tent, even with a hand pump.
The list of “the last 10%” features are simply too long to include on this breakdown, so we highly recommend visiting the product page for a complete explanation of all this tent has to offer. A couple of highlights include multiple deflation points so air doesn’t get stuck in one section while you take down camp, a superior 3000mm rain fly that’s been tested in torrential rain, and a strong 75-denier fabric that can withstand use after use.
Specifications
- Available Capacity Options: 5 person only
- Season: 3
- # of Doors: 2
- # of Rooms: 1
- Weight: 37 lbs (16.8 kg)
- Floor Dimensions: 109 x 109 inches
- Max Height: 76 inches (6ft 4in)
- Pole Material: Inflatable Frame, no poles on core structure
- Fabric Quality: 75D polyester walls, 180gsm Polyethylene Floor, 150D poly oxford
- Waterhead Rating: 3000mm fly
Pros
- Lots of mesh windows for optimal ventilation
- No poles to worry about in the core structure
- Two year warranty
- Tons of great features and add-ons
- Roomy tent with lots of usable space
Cons
- Most expensive tent on this list (but it’s worth it!)
ALPS Mountaineering Taurus 5
Since the company’s inception in 1993, they have been striving to make affordable, performance-driven gear that exceeds your expectations. They even have a life-of-product warranty and the company is run by family and a close nit group of friendly team members. Their Taurus 5 is a free-standing five person tent that uses a 2 pole design and a full-coverage polyester rainfly. This fly resists UV damage and rain with a 1500mm waterhead rating.
You’ll find that this tent does have some ventilation options both on the canopy and on the rainfly, but overall doesn’t have much mesh. This makes the Taurus more ideal for cooler camping conditions, since it will hold in heat better than it will allow significant ventilation. Some other features include a heavy duty floor made from a generous 210-denier nylon, oversized zippers for smoother operation, and aluminum poles for more stable support.
Because of its heavy duty tent floor and small amounts of mesh walls, this tent would be great for anyone who sleeps in cooler conditions (e.g., fall and winter camping) and heavily uses their tent like hunters and families.
Specifications
- Available Capacity Options: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Season: 3
- # of Doors: 1
- # of Vestibules: 1
- Weight: 12 lbs. 5 oz.
- Floor Dimensions: 96 x 120 in
- Max Height: 72 inches (6ft)
- Pole Material: Aluminum
- Fabric Quality: 75D polyester on the fly and walls, 210D nylon oxford on the floor
- Waterhead Rating: 1500mm PU coating on the fly, walls, and floor
Pros
- Life-of-product warranty
- Quick setup
- Heavy duty zippers
- Better for cooler weather
- Dome shaped tent ideal for weather resistance
Cons
- Not ideal for warm weather camping
Coleman Rocky Mountain 5 Deluxe
Coleman is known for making quality yet affordable camping gear and tents, so this Rocky Mountain 5 is no exception. It’s what we would call a tunnel tent since it has a contoured shape in one direction. The intended sleep area is in the back of the tunnel, and this is the portion of the tent with the lowest headspace. As you can see in the diagram below, this is where five people would sleep shoulder to shoulder, and there’s an optional divider that separates it into two rooms. There’s a second divider that separates the sleeping area from the living area, giving you the option to make this a three room family camping tent.
You could use the living area for hanging out, gear storage, or even as extra sleeping space if you need more. The generous max height (76.7 inches or 6ft. 4.7in.) allows you to stand upright in the living space. Once it’s time for bed, you can lay down in the sleeping area, and you’ll find that the tent fabric uses UV Guard to keep block 99% of daylight, making it darker and cooler inside.
The front door doesn’t have a lip, so it’s easy for kids to run in and out without tripping and you could push a stroller or bike straight inside without lifting it. Assembly is quick and easy, but the main downside of this tent is the fiberglass poles. While they get the job done, they won’t last a long as aluminum poles.
This tent has an impressive 4500mm waterhead rating for the fly, meaning it is well equipped in dealing with heavy rain. Pair this with the waterproof PE ground sheet, and you have superior weather protection. All this adds up to a great family tent that’s perfect for getting everyone outdoors for a fun family camping trip.
Specifications
- Available Capacity Options: 5 person only
- Season: 3
- # of Doors: 1
- # of Rooms: 3
- Weight: 37 lbs.
- Floor Dimensions: 122 x 147 in.
- Floor Space: 124.5 sq ft
- Max Height: 76.7 inches (6ft 4.7in)
- Pole Material: Fiberglass
- Waterhead Rating: 4500mm
Pros
- Lots of interior space with the option three separate rooms
- Darkened sleeping quarters block light, making it darker and cooler inside
- High waterhead rating
Cons
- Fiberglass poles
- Limited ventilation
Browning Big Horn Tent
Browning is known for hunting and camping gear, so this Big Horn Tent is intended for heavy use and allows for maximum space with near vertical walls. The max height is 84 inches (7ft) tall, so even your tallest camping buddies can stand up straight. The walls and fly are made of 75-denier and the floor is a whopping 150-denier, which means the quality and thickness of this fabric surpasses most tents that are 3 season. Combine this with a waterhead rating of 2000mm on the floor, and you’ve got a car camping tent that’s built to be used.
There’s a waterproof fly that buckles to the main frame, and there’s lots of ventilation with the one door and four large windows. There’s several mesh storage pockets, and steel stakes paired with multiple guy ropes really keep this tent in the ground. This tent is perfect for group that appreciate the head space while not compromising on quality.
If you want to upgrade this tent even more, you can purchase an extended version that includes a generous screen room .
Specifications
- Available Capacity Options: 5 and 8
- Season: 3
- # of Doors: 2
- # of Windows: 3
- Weight: 21 lbs
- Floor Dimensions: 96 x 120in
- Max Height: 84 inches (7ft)
- Pole Material: Fiberglass poles & steel uprights
- Fabric Quality: 75D walls and fly, 150D polyester oxford floor
- Waterhead Rating: 2000mm floor
Pros
- Spacious cabin style tent
- Option to split into two rooms
- Interior space has a large max height and large doors
- Life-of-product warranty
- Several mesh windows
Cons
- Tall tents are more likely to catch wind
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL5
Big Ages is a great outdoor gear company that’s based in the heart of the Colorado mountains. Their backyard offers the perfect testing ground for all their awesome products, so you can be sure you’re getting something that’s worth your time and money. Their Copper Spur series is a line of ultralight backpacking tents that are great for 3-season backpacking and family car camping trips, and the five person tent option is one of the higher quality options on this list.
To make this tent so lightweight, it uses super high quality materials. Things like DAC tent poles, and ripstop nylon make for a tent that weighs less than eight pounds even though it can sleep up to five people. The 1200mm waterhead rating offers weather resistance conditions for most conditions could encounter, and the two large doors each have a vestibule that offers ample space for gear storage.
The simple (but effective) design sets up easily and quickly, especially with the pre-cut guylines and tensioners that are attached to the fly. The dome tent shape allows for wind to fly over and around instead of catching tall tent walls, and the mostly mesh tent body is great for warm nights without the rain fly on.
Overall this 5 person tent would be a great option for something lightweight that’s made of quality materials. It’s the only option on this list that could be used as a backpacking tent, but overall it’s better suited for car camping.
Specifications
- Available Capacity Options: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Season: 3
- # of Doors: 2 with vestibules
- Weight: 7 lbs. 5oz.
- Floor Dimensions: 86 x 708in
- Floor Space: 65 sq ft
- Max Height: 60 inches (5ft)
- Pole Material: DAC Pressfit
- Fabric Quality: mixed denier ripstop nylon
- Waterhead Rating: 1200mm
Pros
- Super lightweight for a five person tent – could be great for backpacking
- 8 interior pockets and 4 media pockets
- High low ventilation for air circulation even with the fly on
- Dome shaped tent ideal for weather resistance
- Lightest tent on this list by several pounds
Cons
- Higher price point
Most Affordable – Eureka Tetragon NX-5
Eureka! provided the tent that accompanied Sir Edmund Hillary on his Everest expedition and is a company that has been around since the late 1800s. This means you can expect a high quality and well-designed tent that will last several seasons and protect you from the elements. For a simple (but effective) and affordable 5 person camping tent, this Eureka! Tetragon is one of the best choices on the market.
It’s a classic and trusted dome tent design that involves fiberglass poles, mesh upper sides, and a 1500mm rain fly that covers the top part of the tent. It also comes in a variety of sizes that are all an affordable price, although this is the largest capacity available in the series. There’s a gear loft and mesh pockets to keep the essentials within reach, and the 6ft. ceiling is actually quite generous for a dome tent.
With a 1500mm PU coating on the fly, walls, and floor, this inexpensive tent is ready for mild weather conditions and 3-season car camping trips. As a bonus, Eureka! offers a lifetime warranty, and their Tetragon is the best budget camping tent on our list.
Specifications
- Available Capacity Options: 2, 3, 4, and 5
- Season: 3
- # of Doors: 1
- # of Vestibules: 0
- Weight: 11 lbs. 14 oz.
- Floor Dimensions: 108 x 108in
- Max Height: 72 inches (6ft)
- Pole Material: Fiberglass poles
- Fabric Quality: 38D polyester on the fly, 63D on the walls and floor
- Waterhead Rating: 1500mm PU coating on the fly, walls, and floor
Pros
- Classic tent design
- Available in a variety of sizes – all at an affordable price
- Lifetime warranty
- Most affordable 5 person tent on this list
- Mesh windows for ventilation
Cons
- Simpler design with less features
Thing to Consider When Choosing a 5 Person Tent
When shopping for the best 5 person tent, you should take into consideration capacity, assembly, price, and quality of materials before picking the best tent for you.
Capacity
Capacity is one of the first things we need to discuss when purchasing a car camping tent based on the number of campers. A tent’s capacity is a reflection of the maximum number of sleepers it can accommodate if they’re sleeping in close quarters – think shoulder-to-shoulder or even head-to-toe. This means if you purchase a 5 person tent for five campers, you’re going to be sleeping quite close to each other and not have any space for gear or even a backpack with clothes.
That’s why we recommend sizing up by at least two people if you’re basing your decision on capacity. So if you’re searching for a tent for a group of five people, you should look at an 8 person tent (since 7 person tents don’t really exist). If you’re looking at a group of three adults, then a 5 person tent would be more ideal.
Related Post: Camping Tent Size: How Much Space Do You Need?
Kids and pets can be a little complicated when it comes to figuring out numbers, especially since they vary greatly in size. Kids can mean a 2 year old or a 13 year old, and a dog can mean a Chihuahua or a Great Dane. If you’re looking to have the gift of extra space on your side, then we would go ahead and count them as one whole adult in your count. So if you have 2 adults, 1 kid, and 1 dog, that would put you at a count of 4, which would then lead you to a tent capacity of 6 at minimum.
The only exception to this is camping in cold weather, which is a situation where larger tents are harder to heat. If you’re regularly exposed to cold temperatures, then having a tent capacity closer to the number of actual campers would leave you warmer (albeit closer) in the long run.
Shape
There are three different shapes of tent on this list above: dome tents, cabin tents, and one tunnel tent. Each shape has its own pros and cons, so lets talk about each one.
Dome tents are shaped like a dome, and have a more contoured shape that lets strong winds blow around and over the tent instead of catching on the walls. This shape does tend to have a lower max height, so keep an eye on that specification if it’s an important factor for you. These dome style tents will also usually have a more full coverage rain fly, which is preferred if you frequently experience inclement weather conditions while camping. Some examples from above are the Mountain Smith Conifer, Zempire Pronto, ALPS Taurus, Big Agnes Copper Spur, and the Eureka! Tetragon.
Cabin tents are shaped like a cabin, and have near vertical walls with a very tall max height. You can usually stand completely upright in cabin style tents, but the upright walls are more likely to catch wind like a sail. This shape is less preferred if you frequently camp in places with strong winds, but are great family tents for casual campers who only enjoy fair weather camping. The main cabin tent on this list is the Browning Big Horn, but the Zempire Pronto could be considered a modified cabin shape depending on who you talk to.
The one tunnel shaped tent above is the Coleman Rocky Mountain, and it’s great for a variety of conditions. The contoured end can be pointed into the wind to give wind resistance benefits like a dome tent, but the taller living space has upright walls that allow for a decent standing height. This gives you the best of both worlds, making it a great option for a family tent.
Assembly
The five person tents on this list vary greatly in setup time, and some even benefit from two (or more) people instead of just one. The quickest setup time on this list is definitely the Zempire Pronto 5 (hence the “pronto” in the name) because it uses a dual action pump to air up the support beams in as little as 30 seconds. Add in two brow support poles and you’re done. The simplest set up is the Eureka! Tetragon or ALPS Taurus because of their simple two pole designs. While the Mountain Smith Conifer 5+ is our Editor’s Choice for several other reasons, they actually have the slowest setup time on our top picks list.
Looking for the easiest tents to setup? Check out our Best Instant Tents for Quick & Easy Setup
Essentially, you should take into consideration your normal camp routine, and consider who’s helping you set up the camping tent. Even the longest setup time on this list isn’t very significant, but it’s still something to think about in your search.
Price
We’ve selected 5 person tents with a huge range of prices, from our most affordable (Eureka! Tetragon) to the highest quality (Zempire Pronto 5) and everything in between. If money is not a concern for you and you simply want the best, then pick your favorite regardless of price. But we also understand that a lot of outdoor enthusiasts are more budget-conscious than that, which is why you can select from a wide variety of options.
For affordable camping tent options check out these posts:
Best Tents Under $100 for the Ultra-Budget Camper (2023)
Best Tents under $200: Quality Meets Affordability (2023)
Quality of Materials
The best family camping tents are meant to be used, and if you’re constantly concerned about a pole breaking or a seam tearing, then you haven’t purchased the right 5 person tent. You should always look for a thicker fabric like a denier rating over 50. This will help ensure that high wind and heavy use won’t tear the fabric after one weekend.
As for waterhead rating, the minimum rating you should even consider purchasing is 1200mm. This is generally considered the lowest “waterproof” rating and anything less than that is going to be closer to “water resistant.” The higher the number the better, although the 1200mm mark is generally considered adequate for most tents.
If you want to be prepared for wind and rain, both of these measurements should surpass your expectations.
FAQ
What is the best tent for a family of 5?
Our top pick for the best 5 person tents is the Mountain Smith Conifer because of its large vestibule and “Forged for Life” warranty. Other options that are great contenders are the Zempire Pronto 5, ALPS Mountaineering Taurus 5, Coleman Rocky Mountain 5, Browning Big Horn Tent, Big Ages Copper Spur, and the Eureka! Tetragon NX-5.
How big of a tent do I need for 5 people?
While 5 people can sleep in a 5 person tent, that’s close quarters sleeping shoulder-to-shoulder. For a more comfortable design, we recommend sizing up by at least 2 people. That means a group of 5 would enjoy an 8 person tent (since family camping tents don’t typically come as a 7 person capacity).
Is a 5 person tent big enough for four people?
Yes, a 5-person tent could be a good size for a group of four people. That being said, we typically recommend sizing up at least 2 people for more comfortable sleeping quarters. That means for a family of four, we would suggest looking at 6-person tents instead.
Can you fit a queen sized air mattress in a 5 person tent?
Yes, but only one will fit and it will take away from the total capacity of the camping tent. If you have five people and want to use mattress(es), we would recommend sizing up to a significantly larger tent.
Conclusion
Now with all that being said, the only person who can really pick the best 5 person tent is… you! Take into consideration your normal camping situation, what kind of elements you’re typically exposed to, how many people are in your party, and what kind of shape/construction you would enjoy most. From there, the decision will be much easier. Either way, you can’t go wrong with any of these best camping tents on this list.
Our #1 Recommendation: Mountain Smith Conifer 5+
The Mountain Smith Conifer 5+ is the all around best five person tent because of it’s quality materials. generous max height, and lifetime warranty, plus its unique shape allows for multiple different sleeping configurations based on your party size.
About the Author
Derek Vitiello
My goal with my writing and Know Nothing Nomads as a whole is to share my passions of hiking, camping, and a love of the outdoors with our readers. Making the difficult and uncertain feel more approachable to people that might not know enough to feel comfortable taking their first steps into the wilderness is a driving factor for me. When I’m not writing you can find me on a trail, in a forest, or next to a river with hiking shoes on my feet and a fly rod somewhere close by.
