Six person camping tents are the best of both worlds between four and eight person options. They are large enough for most families and are often tall enough to stand up in. A four person may be too small for campers looking to store gear or bring along furry companions, but an eight person may be too large or harder to setup. A six person tent will offer a great value for the most innovative features and high quality materials that are meant to survive many camping seasons.
These are the best camping tents and they range from simple and more affordable to luxurious setups with a living space or screen room. We’ve selected tents that are all highly rated by users, and vary greatly in features, brand name, and price. This is to give you the most comprehensive list of the best six person tents currently on the market, so you can pick what’s best for your typical use.
Our Editor’s Pick is the North Face Wawona 6, which offers some really cool features at a fair price. The Nemo Wagontop 6 won for best overall quality because of it’s ample ventilation and high denier floor. There’s several other top picks from well-known brands like Eureka!, REI, MSR and Kelty, all of which are great options in their own ways.
The 8 Best 6 Person Tents
These are our picks for the best 6 person tents:
- The North Face Wawona 6 – Editor’s Choice
- Eureka! Space Camp 6
- Nemo Wagontop 6 – Top Overall Quality
- REI Co-Op Skyward 6
- MSR Habitude 6
- REI Co-Op Base Camp 6 – Best 6 Person Tent for Cold Weather Camping
- Kelty Discovery Basecamp 6 – Best Cheap 6 Person Tent
- White Duck Avalon 13′ – Best 6 Person Tent for Winter Camping
Our #1 Recommendation: North Face Wawona 6 Person
The North Face makes this awesome 6 person tent that features a massive vestibule, a spacious interior, and plenty of weather resistance.
Our #2 Recommendation: Eureka! Space Camp 6 Person
This Space Camp is a great option for the best 6 person tent because of its two oversized doors for easy access, full coverage rain fly, and adjustable ventilation for those warmer summer camping trips.
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The North Face Wawona 6 – Editor’s Choice
The North Face has been around since 1966 and is continually exploring ways to make a difference for each other and for the planet. They have a well rounded sustainability promise, with significant goals to be accomplished by 2025 (like 100% of their top materials to be recycled, responsibly-sourced renewable, or regeneratively grown). Their Wawona 6 is named after the famous Redwood tree that fell in 1969 but can still be visited where it lays.
The Wawona consistently makes the list for best 6 person tents and for good reason – it’s a great build with high quality fabrics and some of the best aluminum poles around. The poles are DAC MX, but what is that exactly? DAC produces the highest performance and highest quality aluminum on the market today and these poles are “stronger without any weight penalty” according to North Face. The poles are also color-coded for ease of setup, which takes less than 10 minutes.
One of the best aspects of the design is the included oversized vestibule, which can double as gear storage or a seating area with plenty of space for multiple camp chairs. It has two large doors that offer plenty of cross breeze, and from there you can access the main cabin where the intended sleeping quarters are. With a 1200mm polyurethane rating all around and 75-denier fabrics with a 150-denier floor, this car camping tent is ready to withstand inclement weather without letting a drop of rain inside.
Combine all these features with ample mesh for ventilation and a generous max height, and you have a great all-around family camping tent with plenty of space and storage.
Specifications
- Weight: 20.9 lbs.
- Floor Dimensions: 120” x 96”
- Floor Space: 80 sq ft
- Peak height: 78”
- Poles: DAC MX
- Waterhead rating: 1200mm PU all around
- Material: 75D polyester canopy and rain fly, 40D mesh, 150D polyester floor
- Highlight: Covered porch/storage space & lots of mesh
Pros
- Spacious tent vestibule for gear storage or seating area
- Ample gear stash pockets inside
- DAC MX lightweight and strong poles
- Generous max height
Cons
- Slightly complicated setup but quick once you get the hang of it
Eureka! Space Camp 6
Erueka! has been around since the late 1800s and has been making high quality tents for a long time. Their experience means they make some of the best tents on the market today. After all, they did make the tent that went with Sir Edmund Hillary on his Everest summit. While this tent won’t take you up that high, it would be a great addition to any group or family camping gear because of its ample ventilation and generous space.
For the ventilation, they’ve included their adjustable High/Low system that has vents all around the exterior of the tent to let heat and condensation escape. The full coverage rain fly protects you from the elements and creates two large vestibules, or you can fold these back and expose the oversized mesh doors. There’s two doors (one on each side) so everyone has easy access in and out of the tent, and it’s easier to put in air mattresses as well. This combination of mesh, vents, and a superior rainfly helps you find the right airflow for all weather conditions, keeping you and your group comfortable as much as possible.
Some other stand-out features are the aluminum frame, tall peak height around the whole camping tent, 10 storage pockets, 1500mm-1800mm waterhead rating, and 68-denier polyester fabric. This all adds up to a great family tent that’s ready for a variety of weather conditions.
Specifications
- Weight: 17lbs 4oz
- Floor Dimensions: 120” x 100″
- Floor Space: 83.33 sq ft
- Peak height: 76”
- Poles: Aluminum
- Waterhead rating: 1500mm canopy and rain fly, 1800mm floor
- Material: 68D Polyester
- Highlight: Excellent circulation with mesh and high/low venting
Pros
- Excellent ventilation that’s adjustable
- Oversized mesh doors on each side
- Aluminum poles
- Tall max height with near vertical walls
- Double gear loft
Cons
- Smaller vestibules considering the size of the tent
REI Co-op Skyward 6
REI is easily one of the most well-known brands when it comes to outdoor gear, and we really love their one year return policy. Essentially, you can use the product and if you don’t like it or something happens within the first year, you can just return it. This Skyward 6 camping tent gets its name from the mesh ceiling, so you can look ‘skyward’ on clear, dry nights. This mesh area also allows for heat and condensation to escape upwards, enhancing ventilation that you also get from the door and back windows.
We immediately noticed its tall max height (6ft. 6in.) and rectangular shape that maximizes the livable interior space – it’s one of the larger cabin style tents with a six person capacity. Another stand-out feature is the brow pole over the entrance, which creates an awning and makes for a drip-free entry space. This is a clever design you don’t see in many tents. You can extend the vestibule upwards to create an awning, or use the double ground stakes to attach it to the ground. The different options give you a variety of interior space that can store gear or create a sunshade.
This tent offers some of the best privacy design aspects unlike other tents on this list. The mesh on the front and back of the tent zipper shut with polyester window covers, and the rest of the mesh is on the top of the tall tent. Even with the rainfly off, you can still get enough privacy to change clothes and sleep in peace. You can even close the vestibule while the rainfly is off, offering you lots of flexibility in how you use the space.
Their name brand Skyward 6 is a great car camping tent from a company you can trust. Its simple design can be set up quickly by just one person, and the multi-use vestibule flap can be used in a variety of ways. This makes for a great, simple, family tent that’s built to last.
Specifications
- Weight: 15 lbs 7oz
- Floor Dimensions: 120” x 100″
- Floor Space: 83 sq ft
- Peak height: 78”
- Poles: Aluminum
- Waterhead rating: 1500mm canopy and rain fly, 1800mm floor
- Material: 75D Polyester canopy and rain fly, 150D Polyester floor
- Highlight: Simple design for ease of setup without the extra fuss
Pros
- REI has an outstanding one year return policy
- Awning over door creates drip-free entry space
- Well thought-out privacy design
- Vestibule can be an awning, sunshade, or be closed for gear storage
- Near vertical tent walls
Cons
- Cap rainfly isn’t as protective as full coverage rainfly
MSR Habitude 6
Unlike most other outdoor gear companies, MSR didn’t start with a product. Instead, it started with its founder, Larry Penberthy, who sought to test gear from other companies (hence the company name Mountain Safety Research). He found that the gear he was testing frequently failed well below its advertised specs, so he set forth to change his one-man crusade into a pioneering company that would set itself apart from the rest.
MSR frequently wows us with their products, and their Habitude 6 falls into that category. Weighing only 14 pounds, it’s one of the lightest tents on this list, making it easier to carry and ideal for canoe/water trips and as a basecamp for mountain bike rides. Even with its lighter weight, it still has a generous high ceiling (6ft. 1in.) with near vertical sidewalls, robust fabrics, and high quality aluminum poles.
MSR uses high quality fabrics and materials that are meant to withstand the test of time, kids, and the elements. With a 1500mm full-coverage rainfly and an off-the-charts 10,000mm floor, you can be sure you’re protected from moisture even in heavy rains. 68-denier polyester fabrics resist wind and tearing, and the stainless steel zippers endure rough use.
Sometimes it’s the little things in life, and this tent uses those to their advantage. One of our favorite elements is the built in porch light, which presses on and off to lightly illuminate the vestibule space for easy access, even on middle of the night bathroom trips. There’s also several storage pockets, color-coded poles and clips, and the limited mesh balances airflow and privacy.
If adventure is in your family’s DNA, then choose the Habitude 6 that’s built to withstand kids, weather, high winds, and the rigors of primitive camping. MSR makes superior products with lots of great features that make this one of the best car camping tents this year.
Specifications
- Weight: 14lbs
- Floor Dimensions: 120” x 100” (83.3 sq.ft.)
- Peak height: 73”
- Poles: 7000-series Aluminum
- Waterhead rating: 1500mm rainfly, and 10000mm floor
- Material: 68D Polyester canopy, rain fly, and floor
- Highlights: Generous amount of storage pockets, superior waterproofing, and integrated light in the porch area
Pros
- Over-the-top waterhead rating of 10,000mm on the floor
- Weighs only 14 pounds
- Stainless steel zipper for easy sliding
Cons
- On the more expensive side (but it’s worth it!)
REI Co Op Base Camp 6 – Best 6 Person Tent for Cold Weather Camping
This REI Co Op Base Camp 6 is another great camping tent from REI that has some similarities to their Skyward (reviewed above), but is an overall different tent with separate applications. You’ll find that the Base Camp is intended for “3+” season camping, meaning it is a three season tent that performs well in light winter conditions like light snow and winds. It would also be great for shoulder season camping, where you’re more likely to encounter cooler conditions than warmer ones. This is because the dome shape has less mesh but enough ventilation to let out heat and condensation.
One of the coolest design features on this tent is that you have the ability to adjust the roof vents from the inside of your tent. There’s a zippered section in the ceiling that allows you to reach out and either open or close the exterior vents. So even if you’re stuck inside during rainy weather or adverse conditions, you can control ventilation without going outside. This is something we have never seen in a tent before, but we hope more companies will start following suit.
The Base Camp is surprisingly large on the inside, with a max height of 74 inches (6ft. 2in.) that allows most people to stand up straight. This maximizes interior livability while still being stable enough to withstand more adverse conditions than your average 3 season tent. We appreciate that there’s two doors on this tent, which allows for easy access for multiple people without having to step over your camping buddies.
This car camping tent is great for those who encounter slightly more adverse conditions than your casual camper, and this includes wind and light snow. It’s a great pick for someone who wants more weather resistance while still having the livability of a three season tent.
Specifications
- Weight: 20lbs 10oz
- Floor Dimensions: 110” x 110” (84 sq.ft.)
- Peak height: 74”
- Poles: Aluminum
- Material: 150D floor
- Highlight: Designed for 3-4 season camping. Great from colder temps, wind and light snow.
Pros
- Great for 3-4 season camping
- Two doors and two vestibules
- 14 interior pockets
- Can open/close exterior vents from the inside of the tent
Cons
- Less mesh for warmer weather
Best Cheap 6 Person Tent – Kelty Discovery Basecamp 6
Kelty is one of the best brands on the market for quality and affordable tents, so it’s no surprise that their Discovery Basecamp 6 is one of the most highly rated tents on this list (and on the market). It’s a budget camping tent with a simple 2-pole design with a quick setup and takedown time. This gives you a stress-free experience and more time enjoying the outdoors on quick weekend getaways or overnight camping trips. Plus, it comes with Kelty’s lifetime warranty and is sold by a great company that has strong sustainability practice to protect the outdoors for generations to come.
While it’s a more simple tent body design that’s built to cut costs, it has everything you could need in a camping tent. It’s even made to be super user-friendly, utilizing Kelty’s ‘quick corner’ sleeves for quick setup and pre-attached guylines so you can spend less time worrying about knots.
Even though it’s a basic configuration, there’s still several aspects that take this tent up a notch. One of the first things we noticed was the brow across the door, which creates a break for water and gives the opening a drip-free entrance. There’s several internal mesh pockets for small gear, and the internal max height of 68″ (5ft. 8in.) is still enough room for campers to stand at least mostly upright.
The Kelty Discovery Basecamp 6 is not full of features seen on the more expensive options on this list, but it does outperform similar, more affordable tents in its category. This makes this tent best for casual car camping, budget-conscious campers, beginners, and even experienced adventurers who want something simple yet effective.
Specifications
- Weight: 13.8 lbs
- Floor Dimension: 119” x 106” (87.6 sq.ft.)
- Peak height: 68”
- Tent Poles: Fiberglass
- Waterhead rating: 1200mm
- Material: 68D Polyester
- Highlight: Great value at a very affordable price
Pros
- Most affordable tent on this list
- Quick setup and takedown time
- Simple and effective features
- Great value
- Lifetime warranty
- Lightest tent on this list
Cons
- No premium features like other tents on this list
White Duck Avalon 13′
If you’ve ever been interested in owning a canvas tent, or if you’re generally open to the idea, we would highly recommend taking the plunge and trying it out. White Duck is one of the leading manufacturers of canvas tents, and they make a super high quality product that’s built to last. With proper maintenance, this tent could be the last camping tent you’ll ever need to buy. Plus, it’s the only tent on this list that’s made from environmentally friendly materials.
Their Avalon is a bell shaped tent that offers a tall max height of 8’2″ and is made from heavy duty cotton canvas that’s strong, breathable, environmentally friendly, and is waterproof right out of the box. With a 13′ diameter, this tent has plenty of space to sleep six campers, or you can make it a glamping tent that sleep less people but can fit a queen sized air mattress or a few smaller mattresses.
There’s eight windows that circle the lower part of the tent, and they zipper open to reveal mesh for ventilation, or can stay closed for weather protection. The door can also be open, closed, or mesh, letting you customize the amount of fresh air you want. Or if you want to use it in the winter time, it’s perfect for hot tenting, which is where you combine a tent with stove jack (a stove jack is the opening for the chimeny pipe) with a wood burning stove.
Even though this tent may seem like a more complex setup, it actually doesn’t take longer than any of the other ones above. You simply stake out the pre-attached guylines, then prop it up with the single center pole. Add in the a-frame door pole, tighten the guylines, and you’re done!
This canvas tent is perfect for people who don’t typically camp in campgrounds that have small tent pads, as it does have a larger footprint that may not be as ideal for all campgrounds. It’s also perfect for someone wanting a tent that will last a long time and/or someone who wants the ability to camp year-round in all four seasons regardless of rain, wind, and snow.
Specifications
- Weight: 94-104 lbs.
- Floor size: 13′ diameter
- Peak height: 8’2”
- Poles: galvanized steel
- Fabric: 10.10oz army duck cotton canvas
- Highlight: Best canvas tent on the market that sleeps six campers
Pros
- Canvas tent that’s built to last a lifetime
- Spacious interior
- High quality construction with waterproof material
- Lots of ventilation
- Can be used year-round in all weather conditions
Cons
- Larger footprint may not be ideal for all campgrounds
Thing to Consider When Choosing a 6 Person Tent
All of these factors to take into consideration relate back to typical use. This means how you typically use your camping tent, but also refers to the general number of campers you bring with you, the usual weather you enjoy, the types of ground you camp on, and so much more. So when you’re looking at your favorite features in comparison to these considerations, think about your usual camping trip and the things you encounter.
Capacity
If you’re purchasing a tent based on capacity, the number one factor to take into consideration is the size. You can pick a cool tent with all the features you want, but if it’s too small for your group, you’ll ultimately end up having to spend more money on something else. Keep in mind that a manufacturer rating of “6 person” means six people sleeping shoulder to shoulder in close quarters.
If you want to have the extra room to move around, store gear, or even get out the door without stepping on someone, you should subtract at least two campers from the recommended capacity. It’s better to air on the side of extra space instead of risking having too little. That means if you’re camping with four people, you should get at least a six person tent.
This makes six person tents a great option for the following situations: 1) couples who like to carry lots of extra gear into their tent, or 2) couples with multiple four-legged companions, 3) families with three to four people, 4) groups who like having the extra space and large vestibules that typically accompany 6 person tents.
The only exceptions to this are weight and cold weather camping. If weight is a concern for you (e.g., having to carry it backpacking or if you typically use walk-in campsites), then obviously it would be in your favor to pick something lighter and closer to the actual size you need. Or if you typically camp in cold weather, then larger camping tents are harder to heat and you should purchase a capacity closer to the actual number of campers you typically have.
Durability
While it can be tempting to just find the cheapest option on the internet and cross your fingers nothing goes wrong, it’s really worth getting a quality tent that’s meant to last multiple seasons. Some ways you can determine this is by looking at the quality of the fabrics and the material used for the poles.
Waterhead rating (or hydrostatic head) is a measurement of how waterproof a tent fabric is. The rainfly on a tent should be at least 1200mm or higher, with higher numbers being better. The floor should be a similar or even higher number, since it’s exposed to moisture on the ground and any pooling of water from rain. We wouldn’t recommend purchasing anything below 1200mm, as that starts to get into water-resistant instead of waterproof.
Denier refers to the thickness of the threads used to make a fabric. For example, 10-denier (or 10D) contains 10 yarns in each thread. The higher this number the better, with most three season tents sitting around 60-70 denier. This is a good number for casual campers, but you should also consider what the denier is on the floor. Since the floor of the tent will be exposed to rocks, dirt, water, feet, and more, they should be built to withstand these for prolonged periods of time. A great example of this is the Nemo Wagontop above, which has a 75D canopy and rainfly, but a 300D floor.
Tent poles are typically made of either aluminum or fiberglass, with aluminum being the preferred material for durability and strength. Most of the tents on this list use aluminum, but the cheaper the tent, the more likely they are using fiberglass. This isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker, but is something worth considering if you want to be prepared for exposure to wind, rain, or cold weather, as fiberglass poles are prone to splitting in these conditions.
Max Height and Shape
A six person tent is where we start to see generous headspace and most of the tents above let you stand up straight in most parts of the tent body. This makes it easier to change clothes, and is overall easier to navigate in and out of the tent since you don’t have to stoop like you would in smaller tents.
Tent shape can be a factor in headspace, with a cabin style tent typically having more room than traditional dome shaped tents. Cabin tents will have near vertical walls, which allows for standing height throughout the majority of the tent. Some examples of cabin tents from above are the Eureka! Space Camp, Nemo Wagontop, and REI Skyward.
Dome tents will have more sloped walls, meaning the max height will be mostly located in the center of the tent and the height will decrease as you move towards the exterior. Some examples of dome tents from above are the MSR Habitude, REI Base Camp, and the Kelty Discovery, plus our Editor’s Choice North Face Wawona is a modified dome tent.
The downside of having a taller maximum height is that the tent walls are more likely to catch wind like a sail, especially in a cabin tent where the vertical walls don’t allow the wind to rush around them like a dome tent’s more contoured shape. If you frequently camp in adverse conditions and strong winds, perhaps consider getting a dome tent over a cabin tent. If weather resistance isn’t as important since you primarily camp in ideal conditions, then both a cabin tent or a dome tent would be able to withstand basic weather conditions you would encounter.
Related Post: The Different Types of Tents Explained (with Pictures)
Price
As camping tents get bigger, the price inherently rises – more materials costs more money. That’s why you’ll see that a quality 6 person camping tent may be a tad more expensive than you initially anticipated, especially since we’ve only included high quality tents on our list above. That being said, the tents above are highly rated, made of high quality materials, and are made by well-known brands with good warranties. They’re going to be worth the money and will last you for lots of family camping trips to come.
Related Post: Best Time to Buy a Tent for Cheap
If you aren’t as picky about having extra space and don’t want to spend the extra money, it would be worth looking at a tent with a capacity more similar to your regular party size. Or if you need a six person tent, the most affordable tent on this list is the Kelty Discovery Basecamp above. It nicely balances price while still having thicker fabrics and a decent waterhead rating. The only things it cut back on was max height, a small rainfly (but it still provides enough coverage), and fiberglass poles that typically won’t last as long as aluminum.
If you’re on a super tight budget, you could also explore tents under $100 or tents under $200, but you’ll find that they won’t last as long or have as many features as the tents on our list above.
FAQ
What’s the best 6 person tent?
Our top pick for the best 6 person tent is The North Face Wawona. With its spacious design, oversized vestibule, ample mesh, and strong poles, it’s a great build with fantastic features, all at a fair price.
What size tent is best for 4 people?
Because we always recommend sizing up at least two people when purchasing a tent based on capacity, four people would sleep most comfortably in a 6 person tent or larger.
How many people would a 6 person tent sleep?
A 6 person tent would be best suited for four people or less, making it perfect for families with kids or couples who want extra space for storage or pets.
Conclusion
These 6 person tents are well worth the price and offer great overall quality with snazzy features like large vestibules, extra headspace, and even full on living areas. All of the tents on this list are super highly rated and worth the recommendation, so you can’t go wrong no matter what you pick. Whether you’re going with our Editor’s Choice North Face Wawona, the luxurious Nemo Wagontop, or any of the other tents above, they will be great additions to your next outdoor adventure.
Our #1 Recommendation: North Face Wawona 6 Person
The North Face makes this awesome six person tent that features an oversized vestibule, a spacious interior, and plenty of weather protection, and it’s perfect for someone shopping for a 6 person tent for their next camping trip.
About the Author
Ashley Vitiello
Ashley is an adventurous soul who loves all things nature, especially warm sunshine, hiking, wildflowers, and mushrooms. If she isn’t writing content for Know Nothing Nomads, she’s probably in a forest looking at big mountain views and tiny pieces of moss on the side of the trail.
