Which cabin tent is best?
If you’re looking for a spacious tent for a comfortable camping trip, you might consider a cabin tent. Cabin tents are tall enough for most people to stand inside, making everything from getting dressed to evening downtime a more comfortable experience.
You need to find one that’s the right size for your camping party and durable enough to stand up to the frequency with which you camp. The Coleman Prairie Breeze Lighted Cabin Tent is an excellent, spacious choice.
What to know before you buy a cabin tent
Height
The major draw of cabin tents is their straight sides and sizable interior heights. This lets most campers stand up and move around easily inside. If you’re buying a cabin tent because you want to stand up fully inside, you must find the interior height.
Most have center heights at 74 to 84 inches, but their roofs slope slightly toward the outer edges so that the rain rolls off. This means the tallest people may have to duck somewhat, especially towards the edges of their tent. However, you’ll still get much more vertical space than a dome tent or tunnel tent.
Size
You can find cabin tents that sleep anywhere from two to 16. However, the listed size isn’t quite what it seems. A nine-person tent, for instance, fits an absolute maximum of nine people, sleeping right next to each other on the ground or on mats. If you want enough space to store gear and sleep on air mattresses, a nine-person tent only sleeps four to five people.
Look at the listing because some manufacturers list how many queen or full-size air mattresses fit in their tents. This gives you a good idea of how many people can comfortably sleep within the tent. Otherwise, assume a tent comfortably fits around half its listed capacity.
Interior compartments
Larger cabin tents often have more than one interior compartment or come with optional room dividers to separate the space. This is great when camping with friends or teenagers who want some privacy. It also means you can use one compartment as a bedroom and another as a living room. Having a dedicated living space is ideal when the weather isn’t great, and you want to spend evenings socializing inside your tent.
What to look for in a quality cabin tent
Ventilation
Tents can feel stuffy in hot weather, so ventilation is important. Some have large mesh windows for ventilation that you can close in wet or cold weather or when you want privacy.
Instant setup
You can find plenty of instant cabin tents that it’s possible to pitch in just 1 to 2 minutes. These have fixed poles, so you just need to snap them together and peg the tent down.
Interior storage
Internal storage pockets are great for holding small or medium-sized items that you need easy access to or don’t want to leave lying around on the floor.
How much you can expect to spend on a cabin tent
They come in a wide range of prices from $100-$1,500, depending on size and quality. You can find decent mid-sized tents for around $250-$500, but you may want to spend more if you camp regularly or in all weathers.
Cabin tent FAQ
Are cabin tents good family tents?
A. Their roominess makes them excellent tents for family camping trips. If you’ve ever tried to wrangle a toddler or dress a small child in a tent that’s only a few feet high, you’ll understand why plenty of headroom is an advantage. While they vary in size, you can also commonly find versions with room dividers or separate sleeping areas and living areas, which are also great features for families.
Are cabin tents waterproof?
A. Technically speaking, no tents are fully waterproof as they wouldn’t be breathable. However, all camping tents are water-resistant to varying degrees. Some only withstand light showers before they start to leak, while others keep you dry in a torrential downpour.
Cheap tents are generally less waterproof than more expensive options. Tents for three-season or four-season camping usually hold up well to moderate or heavy rain.
What’s the best cabin tent to buy?
Top cabin tent
Coleman Prairie Breeze Lighted Cabin Tent
What you need to know: Measuring 14 by 10 feet, it comfortably fits two queen airbeds or up to nine people if you’re willing to squeeze in.
What you’ll love: It comes with a battery-powered interior ceiling light and fan. Campers stay dry and comfortable thanks to the fan and “WeatherTec” system. The snag-free poles make pitching this tent a breeze.
What you should consider: The zippers could be of better quality, so you need to be gentle with them.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top cabin tent for the money
Ozark Trail Instant Cabin Tent
What you need to know: Sleeping up to 11 people, this is a spacious option.
What you’ll love: You can divide the interior into three rooms for privacy or create a separate living area. The poles are already fixed, so it takes just two minutes to set up.
What you should consider: It’s not the most durable tent overall, so it’s best for occasional use.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Core Nine-Person Instant Cabin Tent
What you need to know: It fits two queen air mattresses with room for gear but can sleep nine at a push.
What you’ll love: The “H2O Block” technology does a great job of keeping the rain out. Stashing small items off the ground is easy with the internal storage pockets. You can set it up in around a minute.
What you should consider: It doesn’t provide insulation when camping in cold weather, so it’s only good for warmer parts of the year.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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