Finding the best over all tent is hard because it depends on so many factors. However, the best 4 person tent for your camping trip narrows things down a bit. Although it still leaves a lot of things open to figure out.
The first one is actual size, do you need to hold 4 persons or just the size of a 4 person tent. Then you have weather conditions you’ll be camping in. Along with temperatures, and seasons. Next you have price and quality. With the last but certainly not least extra features. Once you have those figured out it’s easy to look at some of the best 4 person tents for different uses.
Actual Size
When looking at a 4 person tent you have ask yourself how cozy do you want to get with your friends? If you truly need to sleep 4 people in a tent then a 4 person tent may not be what you are looking for.
When a tent is rated for the number a people it can handle. They figure each person takes up about 27″-30″ across and is usually not much taller than 6′. Which means even if you are skinny, you’ll have to enjoy sleeping less than a few inches away from everyone in the tent. I don’t know about anyone else personal bubble but the only person I want to sleep that close to is my wife.
This of course means if you are camping with 2 or maybe 3 people a person tent is the perfect size. To hold everyone and maybe some gear. If you want to actually sleep 4 people in one tent you’ll need to look at tents rated for 6-8 people.
Weather Conditions
Now that you know the size of tent you need. You really need to be honest with yourself and decide just what kind of weather you are going to camp in. Many people are almost strictly fair weather campers. You know the weekends when the weather is dry and the temps never get too hot, or too cold. If that’s you, then you don’t have to worry to much about the type of tent or anything.
For the rest of use who camp in all sorts of weather. We need to look at how air flow for summer use, a good rain fly for bad weather, not to mention tent poles that won’t bend and break at the slightest breeze.
Price and Quality
When it comes to finding the best 4 person tent you have to decide how much quality you need versus the price you can afford. As with anything you buy, you don’t get high quality for a cheap price. Buying a tent like the ones Cabelas sells with a lifetime warranty will cost you. However, buying a $40 dollar tent from a department store is cheap, don’t expect it to last for years of camping adventures.
Extra Features
When you look at tents there are some extra features that make a tent more comfortable. While all tents come with a door, screens, and hopefully a rain fly. Not all of them come with extra storage for your phones and what not, or even a rainfly that goes down to the ground. Consider the extras you want when looking for a tent. If you are going to have lots of gear a covered vestibule is nice to have to keep your gear dry. Some tents even come with built in lighting. The extras can been nice.
Of course sometimes they are just extras you won’t use. Don’t buy a tent with something you won’t use if there is another tent in the same price range that doesn’t have them. A lot of the time a cheap tent will give you a cheap extra so they can charge more without you getting better quality.
Suggestions for the Best 4 Person Tents
A Frame
A-frame tents extremely easy to set up and will handle some pretty heavy rains. The Eureka Timberline Backpacking tent is one of the best A-Frame tents you’ll find. You will need to use a tarp under the tent as the floor is cloth. However, it’s a 3-season tent with a full length rainfly. Which makes it a great tent for all around camping. The fact that it weighs less than 6 pounds is a bonus.
I will suggest you don’t expect to have 4 people with gear in the tent. As they call it a 4 person tent suggesting four people are only 8’7″ wide combined. This doesn’t leave any room for gear. If you need extra room for gear there is a vestibule you can buy, but it’s another $60 on top of the $240 you’ll spend on the tent itself.
Dome Tents
Dome tents are one of the strongest tents for heavy winds, and storms. They are also free standing without requiring ropes or stakes to keep them standing. Not to mention more head room. Plus it’s easy to add a vestibule to a dome tent.
There are two Dome tent that I would consider the best 4 person dome. The first one is the Cabela’s Alaskan Guide Tent. With the Cabela’s tent gives you a vestibule along with a lifetime warranty, not to mention the quality that Cabela’s in known for. The only downside of this tent is the price, and the fabric floor, requiring the use of tarp to keep from damaging the tent.
The Eureka Tetragon 4 Person Dome Tent is tied with the Cabela’s tent. With it’s much lower price point and Eureka quality it you can expect it to last a long time and withstand lots of bad weather. Unfortunately just like the Cabela’s tent you will need to use a tarp to protect the floor. However with only two poles to set up the tent and two separate poles for the rain fly it’s very easy to set up and take down.
Cabin Tent
While there are very few 4 Person Cabin tents, Coleman does make an easy up cabin tent. Cabin tents give you lots more head room for those taller people who like to get dressed standing up instead of bent over or on your back. The one downside to this Coleman tent is that the rainfly is build in. This means you either get air flow, or avoid rain, you can’t have both.
Overall Best 4 Person Tent for the Price
When it comes to the best 4 person tent for the price, you have to realize this is not the very best quality. This tent that is going to last much longer than the price would indicate. It’s going to have more features than similar tents in it’s price range. This is also a tent that I personally would buy if I didn’t already have enough more than my fair share of tents.
The Coleman Sundome 4-person tent is the best 4 person tent for its price. While I don’t own this exact tent I have an older model that got me through some pretty rough stuff and my son has used for a couple years. It’s the perfect size for 1 to 2 people and their gear. It takes almost not time to set up and is great in bad weather. For the $50 price you can’t ask for a better deal. If nothing else it’s a good starter tent, or back up tent.
Conclusion
When it comes to picking the best 4 person tent for you, it comes down to a few things. Are you really going to camp with 4 people in a tent? If so look for a bigger tent. What kind of weather are you going to camp in? What do you want to pay for the tent versus the quality you want. And last but not least any extra features you want or need. After you know that it’s pretty simple to find that perfect tent. Otherwise just take my suggestion and get a great tent.