We’ve scoured the internet looking for tents that are either cheap or on sale. We’ve looked at outdoor retailers as well as the websites of some of the best tent manufacturers. The list below isn’t definitive. And unfortunately not every suggestion will yield a brilliant deal.
But if you are looking for a bargain and are willing to put in a bit of effort, hopefully this list will save you a bunch of time.
Retailer Tent Sales
Each of these outdoor retailers are usually running at least one offer on a tent. Try browsing each one to see if anything catches your eye…
CampSaver Tent Deals
These guys don’t have the prettiest website in the world but they list a lot of really great tent brands and they tend to be at extremely competitive prices.
It’s not always clear which items are currently held in stock and which are on back order, so if you need something urgently it might be worth giving them a call before you buy anything. But if you’re planning ahead, this is a great place to shop for awesome tents at awesome prices.
>> Click here to see the best deals on backpacking tents at CampSaver…
>> Click here to see the best deals on car camping tents at CampSaver…
Backcountry
A very interesting competitor to REI, this online-only outdoor store carries loads of great tents. Almost all their stock is from premium brands and they are very often keenly priced.
>> Click here to view the best tent deals at Backcountry.com
Dicks Tent Deals
Everyone is probably fully aware of Dick’s Sporting Goods. We’re not convinced they carry the very best range of tents but they nevertheless do have a good selection of reliable brands. And there’s often some good deals to be had:
>> Click here to see the cheapest tents currently available at Dick’s…
>> Click here to see all tents currently discounted at Dick’s…
Austin Canoe & Kayak
ACK are better known for their…well…canoes and kayaks. But they also carry a small range of tents. They tend to be decent brands and are often on offer.
>> Click here to check out the tents on offer at Austin Canoe & Kayak…
Steep & Cheap
S&C is the Outlet store for Backcountry. Every time we’ve checked for the past 6 months they’ve had some great offers on for tents by ALPS Mountaineering and Marmot. And there’s often other premium brands available with a healthy discount too.
>> Check out all the tent deals currently live at Steep & Cheap…
Sportsman’s Warehouse
A fairly clean website offering a wide range of good quality tents at very reasonable prices. They often run offers. We suspect that they don’t hold everything they sell as inventory and this means that your order can sometimes take a while to get delivered. So not one to use if you’re in a hurry, but a good option if you have time.
>> Have a look at the cheap tents on sale at Sportsman’s Warehouse…
Moosejaw Tent Deals
Moosejaw has been around for 30-odd years, both as a brick n mortar store as well as online. It carries a huge range of gear. And based on how quickly it’s growing, it’s a hugely popular place to buy your outdoor kit.
>> Cheap 1-person tent deals at Moosejaw…
>> Cheap 2-person tent deals at Moosejaw…
>> Cheap 4-person tent deals at Moosejaw
Cabelas
They tend not to have the greatest selection of all time but it’s still possible to find decent budget buys from time to time. Their categories and navigation leave something to be desired.
>> Check out tent deals on Cabelas…
>> Also worth looking at their cheapest, full-price tents for any you like the look of…
LL Bean
Definitely more fun to visit one of their stores than buying from them online. And they tend to carry a small range of pricey tents. But worth a quick look just to see.
>> Any tents on sale at L.L.Bean right now…?
Manufacturer Tent Sales
You may assume that if you go direct to the manufacturer then you’ll automatically be able to pick up a tent cheaper than via a retailer. It’s a good theory, but sadly not normally true.
You see, manufacturers rely on retailers to sell their products at volume and retailers don’t like their suppliers undercutting them. So usually you’ll find that manufacturers are selling their tents at full retail price.
That said, most manufacturers do run the occasional sale. And when this happens they can often discount much more than a retailer can.
So picking up a great deal direct from the manufacturer is really about timing. At the time of writing all these brands were running sales, but that might have changed. If that’s the case, you may want to sign up to their newsletter as most of them will to a mail out when they run a sale.
Kelty
Kelty gear is really good. They’ve got great pedigree when it comes to design and manufacturing. But they tend to be inexpensive. This means that even when you buy full price from them, you pick up a really nice tent for not very much.
>> Here’s a link to all the tents they’re selling for $200 or less…
>> And here’s a link to their “Tent Sales” page… (Unfortunately the page includes tent accessories like footprints and tent stakes, and often there are no tents on sale at all, but still worth a look).
Marmot
TBH Marmot aren’t really a brand that’s associated with cheap tents. But that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up a great deal if you strike lucky.
>> Click here to check out their tent sales…
Marmot are also pretty hot on their email newsletters and quite often have a flash sale, so you may want to sign up to their newsletter if they don’t have exactly what you want for price you want right now.
Mountainsmith
A nice value brand. Their website is a bit basic so this may not show up any tents. But they do have a Warehouse Clearance that sometimes has good tent deals, as well as running the occasional flash sale on this page. All their tents are here and even at full price they tend to be quite good value.
MSR
Not known for their cheap tents but worth having a look to see if there’s anything on sale.
To find more great value gear, do check out our list of places where you can buy used camping gear, because there are plenty more bargains to be had if you don’t need your gear to be brand new.