If you enjoy camping but don’t like being cramped, you’ve probably worked out that cabin tents are the way to go. Their straight walls and tall ceilings provide oodles of space meaning you can hang out in large groups and comfortably retreat “indoors” if the bugs or the weather become intolerable.
But not all cabin tents are equal. For example, their tall sides make them very vulnerable to wind. And so the best cabin tents are really sturdy without requiring a pole system that weighs as much as your car. They also have plenty of storage so that you can organise your expansive indoor space.
Here’s a quick taste of the best cabin tents we’ll be reviewing:
- CORE Cabin Tents
- Core 9P Instant Tent: Best Overall
- Core 12P: Biggest
- Core 6P: Best for Small Family
- Kelty Sequoia
- Sequoia 4
- Sequoia 6
- Coleman
- Tenaya Lake
- Instant 4P, 6P, 8P, 10P
- ALPS Camp Creek 6
- Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow various sizes
- Browning Big Horn 5P and 8P
- Eureka
- Copper Canyon
- Desert Canyon
CORE Cabin Tents
Core released their first tent in 2015—the instant cabin tent, designed to be set up in under two minutes. When word got out, the brand’s popularity grew, as did the excellent reputation which it has maintained.
The team creates easy-to-set-up tents that bring the comfort of home to the outdoors while maximizing space. Their tents have straight walls and higher centers, allowing more space for you to move and even stand comfortably inside the tent.
Variations
The best tents from Core come in various sizes, from a small 3-person to Core’s biggest, the 12-person tent. All are 3-season.
All Core tents come with the following features:
- Removable flysheet.
- Advanced ventilation system.
- Mesh ceiling.
- H20 block technology.
- Wall pockets or gear loft.
- Lantern hook.
- Electrical cable port.
- Tent Stakes.
- Carry bag.
6-Person Tent
The 6-person has a large T-door with side windows that have privacy panels that zip close. It features mesh roof vents and with additional floor vents.
Options:
- Straight wall cabin tent.
- Straight wall cabin tent with screen room.
- Instant cabin tent with awning.
9-Person Tent
The 9-person is freestanding. It does come with stakes, and while it’s a self-supporting structure, depending on the weather, it’d be better to stake it. The tent has large double doors and includes a removable room divider that creates two-rooms.
Options:
- Lighted instant cabin.
12-Person Tent
The 12-person has a large D-door and a T-door on the side for easy access. It has two-room dividers and is large enough to fit three air beds comfortably. It has multiple vents and privacy panels on the doors and windows which can be zipped up.
Options:
- Straight wall cabin tent.
- Lighted instant cabin tent.
- Cabin tent with optional screen room.
The Verdict
The Core 9-Person is the best tent overall. It’s easy to set up; you just have to unpack, unfold, and extend the poles until they click into place. It takes two minutes.
It’s spacious and comes with a divider so you can create another room, and has easy access to two doors. It has adjustable ventilation and storage compartments to keep your gear off the ground.
The Core 6-Person is best for small families. There’s enough room for parents and a child or two and has plenty of useful storage for your belongings. The time-saving pop-up design means you won’t have to spend ages setting up.
The Core 12-Person is the biggest, so it’s great for large groups or even if a couple wants a spacious and luxurious camping experience. There are two entrance options and two-room dividers for a real home-away-from-home experience.
Specs
The Core 6-Person measures 11×9 feet—99 square feet of floor space—with a center height of 6.3 feet and weighs 14.15 pounds. It features a front “D” style door, two windows, a gear loft, and a cable port.
The Core 9-Person measures 14×9 feet—126 square feet of floor space—with a center height of 6.5 feet and weighs 37 pounds. It has two doors, a room divider, and adjustable air vents. Hanging storage bags and a cable port are also included.
The Core 12-Person measures 18×10 feet—180 square feet of floor space—has a center height of 6.6 feet and weighs just under 48 pounds. It has two doors, two-room dividers and adjustable ventilation on each side of the tent. It also has four hanging storage pockets, a gear loft, a lantern hook, and a cable port.
Kelty Sequoia
Kelty has been operating since 1952 and was started by Asher Kelty. Asher has been considered the inventor of the aluminum-framed backpack, and since then, Kelty has developed its product range to include tents and sleeping bags.
Kelty’s mission is to get people and families to spend time outdoors, and to design their products to be long-lasting and easy to use. Kelty is innovative and ensures that they only use the most ethical practices across their range of products.
Variations
The best cabin tents from Kelty are designed to be 3-season and suitable for any weather. While they are cabin tents, it’s important to note that the main poles are not straight. The Sequoia 4 and 6 tents are freestanding, with steep walls with built-in steel poles that allow for an easy, single-handed set-up.
There are two cabin tents that you can choose between:
- Sequoia 4
- Sequoia 6
Both tents come with the following features:
- No-See-Um Mesh wall panels.
- Removable full fly and vestibule.
- Noiseless zipper pulls.
- Internal gear loft, storage pockets, and night-light pocket.
- Double-layered structure.
- Stakes.
- Gear loft loops.
- Steel poles.
Both the Sequoia 4 and 6 have color-coded webbing on the fly to be correctly installed. It’s easy to set up due to the clip and pole sleeve design, which allows you to slide the poles into place and then clip the tent to them.
The tent and the floor have taped seams, making them strong and durable. We do have to note that the footprint for both the Sequoia 4 and 6 tents are sold separately.
The Verdict
If you like the Kelty Sequoia’s breathable, easy-to-set-up, and lightweight design, it really comes down to personal preference as to whether a 4 or 6-person tent would work for you. This choice will largely depend on how many people you plan to have in the tent; there’s only 27 square feet difference between the two.
Specs
The Sequoia 4 Cabin measures 88x98x78 inches—60 square feet of floor space—with a center height of 6.6 feet and weighs 19.8 pounds. It has a vestibule area of 20 square feet and has one entrance. It also comes with storage pockets and a gear loft.
Sequoia 6 Cabin measures 112x112x82 inches—87 square feet of floor space—with a center height of 6.8 feet and weighing 23 pounds. It has a vestibule area of 42 square feet with one door. It also comes with nifty storage pockets and a gear loft.
Coleman
In 1900, Coleman started making lanterns. It was these lanterns that powered the first-night football game. Then in 1945, during WWII, Coleman manufactured camping stoves for soldiers; this was the start of their outdoor products.
Today, 120 years later, Coleman is still making superior outdoor products. Their product range extends to tents, camping furniture, sleeping bags and more.
Variations
The best tents from Coleman come in a variety of different shapes, ranging from 4-person to 12-person. We’ve reviewed the Tenaya Lake 8-person tent, and the Instant 4, 6, 8, and 10-person tents.
Tenaya Lake 8-Person Cabin
The Tenaya’s tall, straightened walls have a mesh ceiling for better ventilation. It’s freestanding and easy to set up. The hub is permanently fixed to the color-coded roof poles; these match the poles and take 10 minutes to set up.
No floor space is wasted as it has a pop-out, built-in closet.
The standard features are:
- Removable fly.
- Built-in closet.
- Room divider.
- Mesh ceiling vents.
- Five windows.
- Hinged door.
- Reflective guy-lines.
- Color-coded poles and hub.
- Electrical cable port.
- Wheeled bag.
Coleman Instant Tents
They all share the following features:
- 60-second set-up.
- Spider-like frame.
- Freestanding.
- Single-layer design.
- Pre-attached poles.
- Integrated vented rainfly.
- Big windows.
- Two storage pockets.
- Inverted seams.
- Welded, waterproof floor.
- Stakes.
- Expandable carry bag.
The Coleman Instant Tents have key differences, outlined below:
4-Person Instant Tent
- Guy-out triangles.
- Three windows.
- One roof vent.
6-Person Instant Tent
- One door.
- Four big windows.
- Two vents.
- Illumiline™ reflective guy-lines.
8-Person Instant Tent
- Five windows.
- Two doors.
- Room divider.
- Illumiline™ reflective guy-lines.
10-Person Instant Tent
- One minute set-up.
- Six windows.
- Two doors.
- Room divider.
- Two roof vents.
- Illumiline™ reflective guy-lines.
The Verdict
The Tenaya Lake 8-Person is well-ventilated, with a mesh ceiling. It comes partially-assembled, with color-coded poles that take 10 minutes to set up. The pop-out closet is a useful space-saving feature.
Specs
The Tenaya measures 13×9 feet—117 square feet of floor space—with a center height of 6.8 feet. It weighs 35.4 pounds and has a hinged door as well as five windows. It also has 4 square feet of closet space and an E-port for electrical power.
The 4-person measures 8×7 feet—56 square feet of floor space—has a center height of 4.11 feet and weighs 18 pounds. It has one door, ceiling vent, three windows and a storage pocket.
The 6-person measures 10×9 feet—90 square feet of floor space—has a center height of 6 feet and weighs 24.9 pounds. It has one door, ceiling vent, three windows, and a gear loft.
The 8-person measures 14×8 feet—112 square feet of floor space—has a center height of 6.4 feet and weighs 37.7 pounds. It has two doors, two ceiling vents, five windows and a gear loft.
The 10-person measures 14×10 feet—140 square feet of floor space—has a center height of 6.4 feet and weighs 44.3 pounds. It has one door, six large windows, two-room dividers and a gear loft.
ALPS Camp Creek 6
ALPS Mountaineering was founded in 1993 by Dennis Brune. Dennis has been fortunate enough to work with Sir Edmund Hillary and others to push beyond the limits.
ALPS delivers high-quality performance outdoor gear. They focus on the customer so the product’s performance will surpass the expectations of its price.
Variations
The Camp Creek 6-person tent is freestanding and designed for 2-season camping. The ceiling has plenty of mesh for ventilation. It has straight walls that allow for extra center height. The windows are double-layered with privacy panels and provide waterproof protection when it rains.
The set-up is easy; the hub has a unique design with pole clips that snap over the tent poles. The large D-shaped door has an awning that covers the front and back window of the tent.
The Verdict
The ALPS Camp Creek 6-Person Tent is one of the easiest to set up thanks to its pole clips. The straight-walled design allows it to be comfortable for tall and short alike. It’s great for 2-season camping, providing mesh ventilation in hot weather and waterproofing in the rain.
Specs
The ALPS Camp Creek 6-Person Tent is 10×10 feet—100 square feet of floor space—has a center height of 7 feet and weighs 23 pounds. It has one door, four windows, a weatherproof fly and a mesh storage shelf.
Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow various sizes
Kodiak has been around for 10 years and has received glowing reviews about the quality of their products. They state that they don’t cut corners when tent-making, so although you may pay more, you’ll get great value.
Variations
Kodiak’s best cabin tents, the Flex-Bows, come in three variations:
- Basic—available in 10×10 feet and 10×14 feet.
- Deluxe—available in 9×8 feet, 10×10 feet and 10×14 feet.
- VX—available in 8.5×6 feet, 10×10 feet and 10×14 feet.
Each has slightly different specifications. All tents come with:
- HydraShield Cotton Duck canvas.
- Sturdy Flex-Bow frame.
- No-See-Um mesh windows.
- Large awning.
- Stakes and stake loops.
The differences:
- Basic: two doors, two windows, zippered bag.
- Deluxe: two doors, four windows, the 10×14 comes with a strap-and-cinch bag.
- VX: two doors, six windows (8.5×6 has four windows and two storage pockets.) Others have strap-and-cinch bags.
The Verdict
The Kodiak Flex-Bow Deluxe 6-person canvas tent is the most popular. It offers increased ventilation with funnel-flow vents, an awning for shade, and is watertight but still breathable. Unlike the Basic, it has a customizable gear loft and useful organizer pockets. It can be easily set up by one person.
Specs
The Kodiak Flex-Bow Canvas Tent Deluxe 6-person tent is 10×10 feet—100 square feet of floor space—has a center height of 6.6 feet and weighs 68 pounds. It has two doors, four windows, two funnel-flow vents and an awning. A gear loft and organizer pockets are also included.
Browning Big Horn 5P and 8P
The Browning brand has a long and rich history, from the creation of Winchester to their innovative product line that we know today. Every year they launch new products that follow the great tradition started by John Browning.
Variations
The best tents from Browning are the Big Horns. They’re 3-season, with straight walls that give them a taller center height. They’re easy set-up with a special hub and pole design, which allows the pole clips to snap over the tent poles.
The Browning Big Horn comes in two variations: 5-person and 8-person. They share the following features:
Big Horn Standard:
- Free-standing.
- Fiberglass poles and steel uprights.
- Mesh storage pockets.
- Stakes and guy ropes.
- Factory-sealed fly and floor seams.
- Weatherproof fly buckles.
- Straight sidewalls.
Big Horn 5-Person:
- Awnings over door and back window.
- One large door.
- Four windows.
Big Horn 8-Person:
- Room divider.
- Two big doors.
- Six windows.
- Bigger door zips.
The Verdict
The Big Horn 8-Person is ideal for couples or small groups. It won’t take you long to set up, and you can divide it into two rooms for extra convenience. The awning is great for providing shade and decent airflow.
Specs
The 5-person is 8×10 feet—80 square feet of floor space—has a center height of 7 feet and weighs 21 pounds. It has one door, four windows, a mesh storage shelf, and an awning. Guy ropes and steel stakes are included.
The 8-person is 10×15 feet—150 square feet of floor space—has a center height of 7.3 feet and weighs 34 pounds. It has two doors, six windows, a room divider, a mesh storage shelf, an awning, guy ropes and steel stakes.
Eureka
Eureka has been around since 1895, they’ve made history by supplying tents to soldiers in WWII.
In 1960, Sir Edmond Hillary climbed Mount Everest using a Eureka Draw-Tite® tent.
They use their vast experience and technology to provide the best quality and have expanded the product line beyond tents with sleeping bags, pads, and more.
Variations
The best tents from Eureka are 3-season and come in various styles and sizes. We’re looking at the Copper Canyon and Desert Canyon.
Copper Canyon
These tents have a unique hub and pin/ring assembly, which makes them easy for a one-person set-up. Other features include:
- Freestanding.
- Single-layer.
- Vertical walls.
- Extended fly coverage.
- Fiberglass frame features pole sleeves and corner hubs.
- Mesh windows and waterproof curtains.
- Zipped E! Powerport.
- Stash pockets and gear loft.
Desert Canyon
These tents are designed to set-up easily with a ring/pin assembly that slips into pole sleeves with clips. They also feature:
- Single-layer.
- Freestanding.
- Removable fly.
- Mesh windows with panels for protection and privacy.
- Extended eave coverage.
- Vertical walls.
- Stakes.
- Fiberglass frame, clips, sleeves, pole, ring/pin assembly.
- Gear caddy and storage pockets.
- Carry bag.
The Verdict
While both tents are great, the Copper Canyon stands out for its unique Powerport. It adds an element of versatility that others don’t have. The waterproof curtains are a nice touch for extra protection.
Specs
The Copper Canyon is 10×10 feet—100 square feet of floor space—has a center height of 7 feet and weighs 23.2 pounds. It has one door, three windows, two storage pockets and one gear hammock.
The Desert Canyon is 10×10 feet—100 square feet of floor space—has a center height of 7.5 feet and weighs 23.3 pounds. It has one D-door, two windows, four storage pockets and one gear caddy.
