8 person tents can be a great addition to a wide variety of gear closets, and they are a great balance of having a larger tent but not something that’s too oversized or too difficult to setup. They usually will have great features, lots of headroom, and be made of high quality materials that will withstand several years and lots of car camping trips. These 8 person tents are the smallest size that allows for two queen air mattresses, and we even have one option that fits three!
We’ve thoroughly researched all the best 8 person tents currently on the market and have narrowed it down to the six top picks below. They are all highly rated, quality tents, and are made by great brands that are well-known in the outdoor industry. We’ve selected a wide variety of individual design aspects, including layout, varying amounts of ventilation, different options for sleeping arrangements, and even an outside-the-box option that doesn’t use any traditional tent poles.
We’ve selected the North Face Wawona 8 as the best 8 person tent because we love its oversized vestibule, three doors, 150-denier flooring, and overall quality design. The other products on this list are also great candidates for your next tent and offer a quality or feature that made it stand out from the rest. Read on below for our full list of 8 person tent reviews.
This Eureka! is one of the best 8 person tents because it’s a mid-range price and it has lots of headroom, ample ventilation, and a quick setup that takes only a few minutes.
Zempire spared no expense in making the most feature rich and highest quality best 8 person tent. This tent is ready for anything if you are ready for the price tag.
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Editor’s Choice – North Face Wawona 8 Person
The North Face is a great brand that is often part of any extreme outdoor event, from trans-Antarctica expeditions to Everest summits and more. They also lead the industry when it comes to a waterproof tent, responsibly-sourced down, and recycling materials.
This all adds up to a brand you can trust to make some awesome outdoor gear that will support you through lots of adventures to come. We’ve selected their Wawona as the best 8 person tent because of it’s high quality, 3 doors, and oversized vestibule.
The max interior height of this tent is a generous 6ft. 6in., so even the tallest people in your group can stand up straight inside. Even the vestibule itself is about 6 ft. x 6 ft. (L x W), so there’s enough space there to store bikes or even use it as a small lounging area with a couple of chairs.
The tent is actually shaped like a rectangle, where the depth is 8 ft. and the width is 14 ft., which then splits into two rooms with a removable room divider. This leaves each room being 7 x 8 feet.
We really like the ample amount of mesh, which is mostly located near the top half of the tent so you still have some privacy for changing and sleeping. Even with the rainfly on, you have the options of opening the two side doors to their mesh layer for a great cross breeze.
On the back side of the tent, a portion of the rainfly can roll up and expose some of the upper mesh. With a lot of tents, we typically find that once the rainfly is on, you’re sealed in, but this tent has great options for airflow even with it on.
And of course, The North Face didn’t forget about the small details. They’ve used DAC MX poles, which are strong and lightweight. Color-coded poles and trims help speed up setup time, and the internal organization pockets help you stash gear. There’s 75D polyester throughout the tent, except the floor has 150D, making it stronger to withstand wear and tear. The waterhead rating is 1200mm, which is an ample amount for most casual camping weather conditions like rain and light winds.
This 8 persontent is a great option to add to your car camping setup, and is perfect for everything from weekend getaways to family camping trips when you want the space, ventilation, and privacy this tent has to offer.
Specifications:
Weight: 24.9 lbs.
Floor Size: 168” x 96”
Square Feet: 112 sq. ft.
Peak height:78”
Poles: DAC MX
Waterhead rating: 1200mm PU all around
Material: 75D polyester canopy and rain fly, 150D polyester floor
Highlight: Three doors plus an oversized vestibule
Eureka! started all the way back in 1895, well after the gold rush in California. They started making rugged canvas wagon covers and grew into a company that supplied the tents that took Sir Edmund Hillary on a Nepal expedition, and later James Whittaker on the first all American Everest expedition. Needless to say, Eureka! makes some great camping gear and this cabin tent is no exception.
With lots of mesh windows on all sides of the tent, there’s plenty of options for ventilation. They zipper closed for weather protection and privacy, or can zipper open for lots of air flow. The near vertical walls on this cabin tent, combined with the tallest max height on this list (7ft.), make for an airy and spacious 8 person tent.
We like how this tent has two doors that are catty-corner from each other, letting you access the tent from different sides without stepping over too many people. You can also split the room in half with an attachable room divider, so each room has their own entry way. This would create a 2 room tent, which would be great for family camping trip. There are also plenty of storage space, a zippered port for an electrical cord access, and an included gear loft.
The main downside of this 8 person tent is the thin floor material. If you plan on car camping in this tent frequently, we recommend purchasing the footprint and/or a tarp to lay on the inside of the tent floor for added protection.
Specifications
Weight: 33 lbs. 8 oz.
Floor size: 156” x 120”
Square Feet: 130 sq. ft.
Peak height:84” (7 ft.)
Poles: steel & fiberglass
Waterhead rating: 1200mm
Material: 75D polyester canopy, floor and rain fly, 68D mesh,
Highlight: lots of mesh and huge peak height
Pros
Ample mesh allows for plenty of ventilation
One of the best cabin tents available
Vertical walls with tallest max height on this list
Coleman has been making quality outdoor gear for over 120 years, and their experience shows in all their tents. They’re simple, affordable, and easy to setup, which is perfect for quick weekend getaways and family camping trips. Their Skydome XL is an oversized 8 person tent that has plenty of space with a 6 foot peak height and 112 sq. ft. of living space. As a bonus, it’s one of the most affordable tents on our list.
Because this tent is wider instead of deep, it actually allows for three queen sized air mattresses. Plus, with near vertical walls, there’s plenty of head room throughout the entire tent. A feature that you don’t typically see included in tents is the LED lighting that shines warm diffused overhead light throughout the tent. It’s powered by batteries, so you don’t need an electric hookup.
Coleman doesn’t publish specific information about their material denier and waterhead rating, but all their tents come with WeatherTec to help keep the weather out. This is essentially a series of design elements like a tub-style floor and welded corners that are intended to withstand casual weather conditions like light rain and winds up to 35 mph.
For ventilation, there’s a ground vent and a mesh roof for high-low circulation, plus some mesh on the single door. And for quick weekends away, setup is super quick and only takes 5 minutes using the pre-attached poles and color coded brow poles.
Nemo is one of our favorite outdoor gear brands for two main reasons: 1) they make high quality gear and think of all the best details 2) they have an amazing sustainability promise. In 2022, they officially became Climate Neutral Certified, and continue to reduce their emissions every year still. Their Wagontop also made our best 6 person tents list and is a true luxury car camping tent with everything you could need.
Nemo brags that their Wagontop 8 person tent has more livable space and standing height than any other large capacity group camping tent, and they’ve created an in-depth graphic to prove it (below). The max height is 6 ft. 8 in., and the shape of the tent allows standing height throughout the entirety of the tent. Even the entrance is tall enough that you can stand up straight.
It has a robust rainfly that protects the front half of the tent (which is also a screen room), making it extremely weather proof. The second half is a single wall construction that has mesh windows with a polyester covering. Instead of traditional zippers, the windows use a hook system that provides ample protection from rain and wind. There’s lots of mesh throughout the tent, and it’s all strong (40D) no-see-um-mesh that gives you a nice view to the outside.
When it comes to quality, the polyester canopy materials are 75D and the floor is an impressive 300D, both of which are meant to last through lots of camping adventures. This fabric is paired with a 1500mm waterhead rating, which is plenty for this kind of camping equipment. Aluminum poles add to the overall stability and strength of the tent frame, but there’s only four poles for an easy minimal setup.
This tent is perfect for people who wants all the bells and whistles, including plenty of standing room, a screen room, and high quality materials.
Zempire is a New Zealand based company that recently hit REI’s shelves and website. The company has small, humble beginnings, and they’ve grown across the world because of their dedication to smart design and what they call “the last 10%.” This is a set of design features that elevate a product to something extraordinary. Their products are easily the most well thought-out, high quality tents on the market currently. This EVO TL V2 is their mid-range family tent and it’s the second largest tent in their EVO series.
Even though this tent is quite large, it’s practically an instant tent that sets up in a matter of a few minutes, and it’s perhaps one of the quickest setups on this list. This is due to a lack of poles, since this tent using state-of-the-art air beams instead. It uses as SeroLink frame system with angled beams that inflate using double-sealed Boston valves. Pumping the different sections full of air only takes about two minutes with the double-action pump, plus a few minutes for staking and general setup.
The list of cool features on this tent would take up several pages to cover, but we’ll try to highlight our favorite features to really showcase what this tent is all about. Both the canopy and rainfly are made of a 150D oxford polyester and the rainfly has a whopping 6000mm waterhead rating, which far outshines anything else on this list. This material is UV treated to block harmful rays, and also has a fire-retardant treatment. There’s lots of ventilation with lower draft vents, ceiling vents, and mesh windows.
This is listed as a tent that sleeps 4 comfortably or 5 closely (depending on what website you look at), but we feel like it’s more of an 8 person tent when you look at traditional measurements. Most other tents have a size rating that’s based on the maximum amount of people it will sleep, and normally you would size up for extra space. This EVO TL only counts the designated sleeping quarters towards the capacity, and completely disregards the living area, which can double as sleeping quarters for several other people. The other tents on this list range from 112 to 130 square feet, and this EVO TL is 199 square feet.
The designated sleeping area sleeps 5 people shoulder to shoulder and can separate into 1-3 separate rooms. But that’s not accounting for the massive middle ‘living’ space (shown in dark grey above), which can double as a sleeping area for several more people. This extra room measures 112 x 132″ (9.3 x 11 feet), and is in addition to the sleeping area, which measures 87 x 132 (7.25 x 11 feet). Essentially, there’s no shortage of space in this tent, which is why we’ve decided to include it as an option for an 8 man tent.
The main downside of this tent is the price, which is much more expensive than any other options on this list. We could see how it’s more than worth it though, as it offers an extensive list of over-the-top specifications and well-designed features that are sure to wow you every camping trip. This is the perfect luxury camping tent for someone with a flexible budget.
Specifications:
Weight: 69.2 lbs.
Floor size: 199” x 132” interior space
Floor Space: 199 sq. ft.
Exterior space: 53 x 132 inches
Peak height:80.7”
Poles: air beams
Packed Size: 27.6 x 19.7 x 18.9 inches
Highlight: Endless amounts of cool features and high quality materials
Pros
3 year warranty
Super quick setup
Air beams instead of traditional tent poles for support
Amazing amount of cool features make this tent awesome
Coleman tents are simple, affordable, and easy to setup, which is perfect for quick weekend getaways and family camping trips. Their Skydome XL is one of their oversized cabin style tents that has plenty of space with a 6 foot peak height and 112 sq. ft. of living space. As a bonus, it’s one of the most affordable tents on our list.
Because this tent is wider instead of deep, it actually allows for three queen air mattresses. Plus, with near vertical walls, there’s plenty of head room throughout the entire tent. A feature that you don’t typically see included in tents is the LED lighting that shines warm diffused overhead light throughout the tent. It’s powered by batteries, so you don’t need an electric hookup.
Coleman doesn’t publish specific information about their material denier and waterhead rating, but all their tents come with WeatherTec to help keep the weather out. This is essentially a series of design elements like a tub-style floor and welded corners that are intended to withstand casual weather conditions like light rain and winds up to 35 mph.
For ventilation, there’s a ground vent and a mesh roof for high-low circulation, plus some mesh on the single door. And for quick weekends away on a family camping trip, setup is super easy and only takes 5 minutes using the pre-attached poles and color coded brow poles.
White Duck is one of the leading brand names for quality canvas tents and their Avalon is one of our favorite tents currently on the market. If you’ve never owned a canvas tent before, it could seriously be worth checking out – people who have them love them. Their high quality canvas materials make for a waterproof tent right out of the box, and can be re-treated over the years to maintain waterproofing. This leads to a product that will last as long as you want and you’ll never have to buy another camping tent again.
Canvas tents are very weather proof and we love how this Avalon has mesh windows all around the sides of the tent and a large opening with a mesh covering. They allow for lots of ventilation (especially with the roof vents), or can be zippered shut for weather protection and privacy. It can sleep eight campers in sleeping bags, or it can fit several mattresses, including at least two queen air beds or several singles.
Because canvas is more breathable than traditional polyester, condensation is no longer an issue even though the fabric is waterproof, UV resistant, and has an optional fire retardant finish. Double stitched seams and reinforced corners paired with galvanized steel poles make this tent ready for all kinds of wind, rain, and even snow. You can use it year-round, and could even pair it with a wood burning stove to make it into a hot tent setup.
The Avalon is the perfect glamping tent, and is best for long term campers who plan on setting up and staying for longer periods of time. This camping tent also requires a large tent footprint and wouldn’t fit at most campgrounds that offer a tent pad, so it’s best used for off-grid camping.
Specifications
Weight: 125-134 lbs.
Floor size: 16’5″ diameter
Peak height: 9’8″
Door Height: 6’2″
Poles: galvanized steel
Fabric: 10.10 oz. Army Duck cotton canvas
Highlight: Canvas tent that’s built to last a lifetime
There’s are some things to take into consideration when shopping for the best 8 person tents, and you should look carefully at your typically camping situations in relation to capacity, sleeping layout, materials, ease of setup, and max height.
Capacity
The first thing we will always need to discuss when buying a tent is the capacity, or the number of people it’s supposed to sleep. You will find that this rating refers to the maximum amount of people a tent will sleep, with each person being shoulder to shoulder or even head to toe depending on the tent. This means putting eight people in an 8 person tent will be cramped and won’t leave any extra space for gear, pets, or even a backpack.
This is why we will always recommend sizing up by at least two people, unless you are sleeping in cold weather consistently, where having a larger tent would be too difficult to heat. But for most casual campers, sizing up by two people is a good rule of thumb. If you want even more space for pets, gear, or even just room to stand up in, you could size up even more.
This gives you some flexibility with sizing, and lets you pick something based on features or even price tag. For example, say you have eight people who regularly camp with you. This means purchasing at least a 10 person tent. But if you like a particular tent that sleeps 12, then that will just lead to extra space for you. You could even purchase two smaller tents, like two 6-person tents and split up your group. Since larger tents do tend to go up in price, you could end up spending a similar amount of money with two smaller ones.
Sleeping Layout
Part of the benefits of sizing up to an 8 person tent is that it’s the smallest capacity that will support two queen sized air mattresses, as anything smaller would only allow for one queen mattress. Depending on the layout, it may even fit three queen mattresses like the Coleman Skydome XL 8 above. Some of these tents also have a designated sleeping area, where you can use detachable room dividers to separate the space into several smaller rooms. All these things add up to the flexibility of having several different sleeping layouts if you’re camping with less than eight people.
Materials
For any tent, you always want to make sure it has a sufficient waterhead rating so you are prepared in case of any rain. This number is measured in millimeters (mm), and we’ve included it in the specifications of each tent above. All our top picks have numbers at least 1200mm or higher and this is sufficient for most casual camping conditions. If you are consistently exposed to adverse weather and torrential rains, you should definitely get a tent with a higher waterhead rating.
As far as denier goes, that’s a number that represents the thickness of the fabric, with a higher number being better. A sign of a good tent is having a high denier at least 60 or higher, with a significantly higher number on the floor fabric. For example, the Nemo Wagontop above has a 75-denier fabric on the canopy, but a 300-denier fabric on the floor. This is ideal in a high quality tent that’s meant to withstand the wear and tear of constantly being stepped on. This doesn’t mean that any smaller numbers aren’t sufficient, although they may last longer with extra support in the form of a tarp on the inside floor and/or the matching sized footprint below.
For the poles, a tent of this size should really use a high quality pole material like aluminum or DAC. While it’s possible to get by with fiberglass poles, they won’t last as long as a better metal. You will usually only see fiberglass in the more affordable tent options, so if you have the budget to upgrade just a bit, we would recommend doing so. It will overall increase the longevity of your tent because metal poles are less likely to splinter or break.
Ease of Setup
As we start getting into the larger tents past 4- and 6-person capacities, the tents greatly increase in size and complexity, which inherently makes them harder to setup. Several of the tents on this list strive to make it as simple as possible by using color-coded poles and sleeves, but they still take time. It will always be easier to setup with two or more people, but with this size tent we would assume you aren’t camping alone anyways. Just make sure you have help when you arrive to your campsite, and know that the first couple of setups will take more time, but you will get faster as you figure out the flow.
All the tents on this list have a very generous max height, with most of them well surpassing 6 feet. Near vertical walls make it to where you can stand up straight in a majority of the tent space, giving you room to walk around and change clothes upright. For most casual campers, this can be a huge benefit, and it also makes for a spacious interior and allows for larger windows for ventilation. The down side is that the tall height can catch wind like a sail, which is not ideal if you are regularly exposed to windy conditions. If this is a concern for you, then you should definitely consider downsizing into multiple smaller tents that will have less headroom but be better protected against the wind.
FAQ
How big is an 8 person tent?
The best 8 person tents on our list range from 112 to 199 square feet. Most of them run about 120 square feet. They would sleep eight people in close quarters, but we usually recommend sizing up by at least two people, meaning this tent should sleep six or less people comfortably.
How many people does it take to set up an 8 person tent?
It usually takes at least two people to setup an 8 person tent, but there are a few that can be set up with one person like the Nemo Wagontop and the Zempire EVO TL V2. As a general rule of thumb, plan on using two people whenever possible, even if it seems like you’ll be fine on your own.
Conclusion
All that said, there’s several options on this list that would be a perfect fit for a wide variety of situations and budgets, so you can be sure you’ll find the best 8 person tent for you and your family. Whether you go with our Editor’s Choice Wawona, the luxurious Nemo Wagontop, or any of the other superb options, we hope you enjoy all the future adventures it will take you on.
Our #1 Recommendation: North Face Wawona 8
Not only is the North Face an outstanding brand that comes with a lifetime warranty, but their Wawona 8 is one of the best 8 person tents currently on the market. It has high quality materials, a decent waterhead rating, and an extended vestibule that’s perfect for a storage space and a drip-free entrance.
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.
Hey there!
We are Derek and Ashley of Know Nothing Nomads. Whether it is hiking, camping, or just generally being outside, we love it. We are so happy that you have found our little blog and hope that you stick around a while. Feel free to contact us with any questions or get in touch with us on social media!