Its cabin-style design with straight sidewalls is great if you’re tall or want to set up cots inside.

Downsides here are minimal, as we felt the Bunk House 4 was absolutely worth its asking price, but we did note two things that kept this shelter from landing the coveted “best camping tent” title. The first was that Big Agnes’ pole system put a little more stress on the tent’s door zippers than we’d like, and although we didn’t’ experience any issues here, it could become a durability concern a year or so down the road. The second is that everything about this tent is VERY red, including any person, place, or thing that steps inside it while the rainfly is in place. Minor concerns overall for an otherwise exceptionally well made and highly capable shelter. Read our full test and review… Pros: So what makes any waterproof tent worth buying? Here are the criteria we use when evaluating a shelter. Space and Comfort All that extra space means that the Highrise will actually sleep four campers on full sized sleeping pads.

As we touched on in the section above, a weather-worthy tent is one of the main reasons to upgrade to a premium camping model. In most cases, the pole materials (aluminum is better than fiberglass) and designs are more robust, seam sealing and waterproof fabrics improve in quality, and the inclusion of full-coverage rainflies help keep out blowing rain. It's good to keep in mind that the weather can still get plenty rowdy in the summer, particularly in the mountains (and some national parks). Partial-coverage rainflies fall short in inclement weather We’ll also note that some models nowadays come with covered windows that can be left open rain or shine. These designs usually cost a bit extra, but there’s nothing like having extra airflow and a view of the outside world to keep claustrophobia to a minimum. Ease of Set-up Kelty Discovery Basecamp 6: Great all-around tent for basic camping duty on a shoestring budget if you don’t need exterior storage. Read our full test and review… Speaking of vestibules, we also love the two-door, two-vestibule design, which makes the Spur ideal for sharing with another hiker. Big Agnes also went a step further by engineering both vestibules to function as pole-supported awnings (trekking poles, that is), which boosts living space and ventilation in sunny weather or even light rain. As if the impressive front vestibule wasn’t enough already, this Wawona 6 person tent from North Face comes with a second vestibule as well. Its rear door comes protected from the elements too, just in a slightly more modest fashion.

A massive six person camping tent made from durable materials. Tunnel shaped design and ground-level windows give a particularly large and open feel. See ReviewBut you’ll need to offset this against how often you’ll be using the tent and in what weather conditions. Its single wall design means that once it is up and on its poles your job is all done, and no extra rain fly needs to be attached to weatherproof it. This is a good thing because it would take a lot of work to hoist a rain fly over its high frame which has a peak height of 6”6”. Easy to pitch and nails all the essentials. A well-made tent from a well-established brand at department store prices. See Review Chief among them is the use of an additional ridge support pole, which pulls the side walls of the Trail Hut outward for improved shoulder room inside the tent. This extra width complements the Trail Hut’s already above-average floor space of roughly 32 square feet, which is rectangular to allow sleepers to lie head to toe for maximum comfort.

Space and comfort are the main reason most campers choose a 6 person tent over smaller 4 person models, and the Wawona absolutely delivers the goods here. We were already impressed by the Wawona with just the canopy setup, but as you’ll read below, the sleeping quarters are only half the equation. Taking the concept of a vestibule to the extreme is REI’s Wonderland Mud Room. The palatial, pole-supported structure extends out for an additional 56 square feet of space, enough for a card table or area to store bikes. Also, you can zip up the entry door and roll up the sides to create an open and airy shelter from the sun or light rain. On extended camping trips or in large groups, this is a valuable add-on. And it’s worth noting that The North Face’s Wawona 6 above boasts a similar design that comes included with the tent, which adds a healthy 44.7 square feet at the front for stowing gear or use as an additional seating area. A final design worth calling out is REI's Wonderland X, which is essentially two tents in one: The outer rainfly can be pitched on its own for use as a shade structure or camp kitchen (with plenty of room in the vestibule for setting up chairs and a small table), while the inner tent functions as a dual sleeping/hangout space for up to four adults. Enjoying The North Face Wawona's generous vestibule Weather Resistance If you still aren’t sure what type of family tent to get, here are some tips to help make your decision even easier… The Complete Guide to Buying a 6-Person Tent The Big Agnes Bunk House is another big-and-tall cabin-style tent that we’d be more than happy to wait out a storm in. This was another favorite from our recent field test, and it’s hard to overstate Big Agnes’ attention to quality and detail.Speaking of the rainfly, when it comes to waterproofing, we always prefer a full-length rainfly whenever possible. This isn’t a dealbreaker one way or the other as we’ve had success with a handful of flys that doesn’t quite reach the ground or leave a portion of the canopy exposed, but if you’ve got the choice between full coverage and something less, full coverage is ideal for peace of mind. Ventilation Weather resistance plays a huge role in a tent’s versatility and livability. Pretty much any tent serves its purpose by keeping the bugs at bay during fair weather, but as we all know, mother nature doesn’t always play nice. The main factors we look for in evaluating a tent’s weather performance are waterproofing and wind resistance. Of all the aspects of the camping experience, setting up and taking down a tent is arguably the least enjoyable part. The easier a tent is to set up, the easier it is to live with, so although this isn’t the most important part of a tent’s performance, it does contribute to overall livability in a major way. There are four doors giving lots of options for ventilation in warm weather and plenty of room inside for four adults (or dogs!). Overall we were impressed by the Nemo’s performance, but had a few concerns with the new design. The first came when setting up the tent as a tester managed to bend one of the rivets that hold the side poles in place. It didn’t effect the performance of the tent, but it was enough to remind us that this new design is still relatively untested. The second is that as much as we love the Highrise’s window awnings, they aren’t the most aerodynamic shape out there. We didn’t get a chance to test the tent out in any serious winds, but we felt they could be a liability in heavier gusts. Still, this is an impressive accomplishment as a four-person shelter, and we all felt that the unique design, tough materials, and lifetime warranty were all well worth the asking price. Read our full test and review… Pros:

Many campers head out in the warm summer months, which means a tent’s ventilation design is a key consideration. And in general, performance is closely tied to price tag. Many premium models utilize a double-wall construction (the outer rainfly is separate from the inner tent body) and lots of mesh, which help keep things reasonably cool and limits moisture build-up. In addition, deployable vents are often incorporated into the rainfly as a way to encourage more airflow, and some tents like REI’s Skyward 6 have adaptable rainflies that can be rolled up partway in mild conditions. Deploying one of the vents on The North Face Wawona 6 Simply put… if you’re looking for a 6-person tent that’s an all-around star at an affordable price, you probably won’t find a better option. A premium quality four-person shelter with solid weatherproofing and unique features. Rainfly doubles as a standalone portable shelter. See Review The tent is smaller than the other 6-person tents we’ve looked at, and unless you’re on the short side, you‘ll struggle to stand up inside. The box-like design will struggle in high winds, and the large volume inside the tent will make it cold when the temperature drops.

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Most 6-person tents come with one large compartment. In some tents, this can be divided into two sleeping rooms or a sleeping and living space. This is where the best waterproof tents earn their keep. There’s simply no doubt that any of the tents above will keep you dry in a rainstorm, and that’s peace of mind worth paying for. We spend time with each tent to evaluate all of the most important aspects of their performance, which you’ll find in detail below. We weigh each model on its own merits but also compare them to our other selections to determine relative performance and value to the competition. Space and Comfort From a weatherproofing standpoint, the Wawona is one of those rare outliers that is big and tall, yet 100% capable of handling heavy rains and big winds alike. The Wawona doesn’t use a full coverage rainfly, but because The North Face equipped both the canopy and fly of the tent with the same seam-sealed and 1200mm waterproof rated fabric, we’ve never had it leak a single drop on us. Our main concern with the Aurora Highrise is that because it’s a relatively new design (Nemo just launched it in 2022), its long-term durability is still relatively unknown. We’ll also point out that the six-person model costs the same as the North Face Wawona 6 above, but doesn’t include the Wawona’s gear garage. It’s a bit easier to pitch and has the added benefit of a full-coverage rainfly though, so you really can’t go wrong with either. Read our full test and review of the Nemo Aurora Highrise (4 person model)… Pros: