7 best camping tents to consider: REI, Coleman, Thule and more

Truck Bed Tents – You can also browse through the collection of tents with awnings that can be set up on your truck bed or vehicle’s roof rack. They provide a convenient and comfortable sleeping area that is elevated off the ground and protected from the elements. These tents are a great option for anyone who wants to save space and weight compared to a traditional camping tent.

We surmised, perhaps accurately, that only the weight of our bodies inside the tent prevented it from ripping out of the ground and blowing away with the biggest gusts of one Pacific Coast windstorm. We were surprised at first to see the Mineral King 3 come out on top. It was the coleman cabin tent only three-person tent—and therefore technically the smallest—in a test group that consisted primarily of four-person tents. But when the feedback came in, all our testers, including our tallest panelists (to say nothing of our panel of dogs), loved being in this tent the most.

coleman tents

It’s better to be safe than sorry in a storm or unexpected snowfall. The Copper Canyon LX 6 is the least-expensive option in a line that also includes Eureka’s similar Jade Canyon X6. Although we liked the pricier variants well enough, generally we don’t think they’re worth the markup for the extra features.

Introduced in 2014 Coleman’s Pop up Tent is available in two different sizes. Campers seem to purchase it uniquely for its extremely fast setup and breakdown time “under 30 seconds” the smaller Pop Up 2 is ideal for a solo camper, it is a tad small for two. As the Pop Up 4 is only an extra few dollars it would be a great choice for a couple. You have windows around and a door, and they all are with inner waterproof panels. The tent is fully freestanding and supported with a steel frame that is pre-attached to the tent. This is an instant setup tent and they build it in three sizes, for 4, 6, and 8 people.

The Copper Canyon’s rugged fiberglass-and-steel poles are preferable for what he called “free-country” camping (car camping on Bureau of Land Management land, for instance) and for anyplace else where weight wouldn’t be an issue. Despite having the smallest capacity of the tents coleman cabin tent we tested at 42.5 square feet, the Mineral King 3 easily fits two people with a full-size mattress, or two sleeping pads, and gear. Two large vestibules add nearly 40 square feet combined—that is, 18.75 square feet on either side—of potentially protected ground space.