So, I am still looking for the perfect tent. I currently have 6 tents, all of which have positive and negative aspects. In a perfect world, I would have a 4-6 person tent that is easy for one person to set up, doesn't leak, has a minimum of 60" headroom (68+ would be ideal), and packs down to a reasonable size. Any ideas?
by LivingSky4993
41 Comments
Four
One
Who’s asking?
Big Agnes big house 6 or 8
2, I mostly use my Gazelle T3X. It’s wonderful being able to stand up in it, and sets up quickly. Drawback is that it’s pretty long when stored.
Sadly, I own 3.
A one man for when I’m on my own.
A two man with an extra porch to cover my bike. (Just got this one recently. Gonna use it for the first time this summer. Very excited).
A four man for when I’m with my wife. She likes the bigger sleeping pad and more room to move around.
I love my Nemo HighRise 6p
3 tents. One is for solo trips, a rei halfdome+ tent for me and the wife, and a 3rd is a bigger 4 person cabin tent for when we need more room for our dog. All get their equal share of use and all serve their purpose well!
I had 4 now 3
Mucho
I think we’re down to 2. And a couple walled pop-ups. And a beach cabana.
I own 3. I go camping with my wife.
1. 3 person Mountain Hardware I bring for backcountry or always bring with us as backup if car camping just in case.
2. 4 person Nature Hike 10.9 for car camping and long weekend stays.
3. REI 4 person. Can’t remember the name if the tent site is small or short stays. Fairly light with small vestibule.
I always have #1 as a backup tent every time we car camp.
n + 1
I think my Marmot Limestone 6 meets all of your criteria. But 3 of your criteria are rather subjective:
– easy for one person to set up (how do you define easy? I can set up my limestone in 10 min by myself, but it’s certainly easier with two people)
– doesn’t leak (most tent designs don’t leak but if they are not set up or cared for poorly that can quickly become an issue)
– packs down to a reasonable size (what do you define as reasonable?)
3. 1 old tent that sleeps 4. A newer 4 sleeper. And a single sleeper. Last time i solo camped i used a hammock, bug net, and a overhead thingy to keep the sun and straw off me. Never more comfy. It dipped down under 40 and i had sleeping bag, and an underquilt.
4. REI Flash Air Trekking Pole tent for backpacking. 2 person nema aurora for when I’m solo car camping and not base camping. 6 person Eureka for when camping with my wife because she likes the luxuries. A Hennessy Hammock for cases where I would rather that than the Nemo or Flash. Usually when I’m canoeing I’ll bring that
3
I have the 8 person Gazelle, I love it and it’s when the whole family camps, I have a 3 person A-frame for just me when I camp alone, a 4 person when it’s me and my sons for scouts, a 2 person backpacking tent for backpacking and a old 2 person tent that was my dad’s when he was a teenager.
I have two- a kelty two person backpacking tent and a kelty 4 person for when I’m with another person. My partner got my much nicer REI backpacking tent bc she does trail work as a job so I guess I own three…plus a hammock setup for very hot and wet weather
3. 6 if you count hammock tents.
I would rather not answer on grounds I would incriminate myself.
Five.
Big ten man family tent for when we’d do week long camps with the kids in school holidays.
Four man tent for shorter family camps.
Three man tent that was my son’s, used one or two person weekend car camps.
Inexpensive two man hike tent, used for hiking strangely enough.
Slightly more expensive but smaller and lighter two man hike tent bought for bikepacking, mainly to reduce bulk.
I own 3. I think this is reasonable for one with multiple camping situations. Really like this one you’ve posted in the photo. The older I get and the more tents I buy (and often let go of), the more I appreciate the dome setups. I have two identical Coleman’s Flatwoods II with 60″ headroom that are my go-to even when solo camping. (No backpack camping) When cared for and stored properly these are an ace-in-the-hole. All criss-cross dome setups are subject to pole deterioration so I don’t count that against the manufacturers.
Three. One double swag, one lightweight hiking tent, and a big canvas tent I bought for a mediaeval LARP.
If tarps count 7
Kodiak canvas tent is my favorite, plenty of headroom and can be put up buy on person. Little pricey though
One. It’s a cheap 2-3 person Ozark Trail tent. I use it for solo camping
You all make me feel better about my camping gear accumulation haha. I only have two. A cheapo Coleman that’s served me well for about three years and now I just bought a Wawona 4 that I’ve wanted forever.
2
I camp solo. I have a DAC truck tent for my Tacoma that has a camper shell and I have a 4-person REI Base Canp when I’m at the same spot for multiple days and want luxury
Four.
– Cabela’s Alaskan Guide 8-person dome tent (my largest and strongest for sure)
– Columbia Mammoth Creek 8-person cabin tent
– Coleman Slydome 8-person tent with Darkroom rain fly
– REI Half Moon SL3+ 4-person tent
May also pick up a one-man bivvy, eventually.
Also have an ENO hammock set.
1. Big Agnes Big House 4 (circa 2010)
2. Springbar Vagabond (new for 2026, not *yet* used)
3. Nemo Impact 2-man (circa 2024–replacement for REI half dome 2 HC from 2008)
4. Cheapo no name 2+-man 4 season tent from Amazon (circa 2020, never used)
5. Opeongo Aerial A1 1-man tree tent (2021…?)
6. Alps Mountaineering Zephyr 1 1-man backpacking tent (pfffffft… maybe from around 2019?)
7. OR Helium Bivy (2019, I dunno if this counts, but it is a shelter of sorts, used 1 night)
8. Kammok Hammock (um, maybe 2018-2020..?, never used)
I also have a problem.
2 but now I really want the one pictured !!!
Big Agnes Spicer Peak 4
North Face Kaiju 4
I use 3 tents. Two are for summer – fair weather camping but my best tent is the Alps Mountaineering Taurus Outfitter 4-person tent. It is ruggedly built, has aluminum poles, a full fly, and easily manages rainy/windy coastal PNW camping. I consider it a 3.5 season tent.
For more headroom, Alps makes a 5-person version of the Taurus Outfitter that might fit your needs.
[ALPS Mountaineering Taurus Outfitter 5 Tent 5 : Target](https://www.target.com/p/alps-mountaineering-taurus-outfitter-5-tent-5/-/A-1010270911#lnk=sametab)
I have 8. Or 9 if you count the one I just gave to my daughter’s boyfriend that we can borrow if needed.
3. I do scouts camping
Coleman 4p sundome that I usually use. I think it meets your requirements but I don’t think is 68″ tall
Old REI 4 person whose name eludes me that I usually give my 13 year old
Coleman 8 person with fully enclosed vestibule that I rarely use but am taking to summer camp this year. It’s hard to set up with one person (I’m a bit short to reach easily to do the rain fly) but if I were taller it’d probably be doable
7…
Big Agnes, ALPS, Eureka! (x2), Coleman, Ozark Trail, 23Zero.
Six. And a hammock tent.
A light weight backpacker
A gazelle 4 man (awesome)
MGPTS small (deer camp)
Right tool for the job
3. A 2man Decathlon Quechua pop up
A 3 man reactive outdoor (damn ad got me!)
A 3 man Decathlon Quechua Fresh and Black pop up.
I use the 2 man pop up for cooler weather as the ventilation isn’t that great in still air. It’s double lined, with one small vent in back, and a half screen door. I spent a very stuffy Memorial Day weekend in one on the beach. Once the wind died, I was sweating!!! I bought the RO 3 man because it was way more ventilated and open. It’s a decent enough tent. I used it on the beach during Tropical Storm Chantal last summer, and it held up fairly well against the squalls. It did leak a tad though, and one of the legs got wonky. I bought the 3 man decathlon because I wanted the best of both worlds. Double lined, but with way more options for airflow as you have 2 side flaps and can pull the back up. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten to try it yet as this year brought me a surprise cancer diagnosis. (All will be well!) But I plan on taking it out in March next year for a good test. I’m a solo camper. Only the dog goes with me 😁
7 tents after I got rid of a few of them.
Two, a large Coleman we’ve had a long long time, and a 3 person North Face Talus.
I currently have 4 and am looking for another one.
3-4 person dome tent (I have 2 of these) for car camping alone or with son.
6 person dome tent for car camping with family
4 person instant tent (for when I camp alone and I want to be able to stand up in my tent)
Next purchase backpacking tent.