The modern world, with its 24-hour news cycles, ringtones, status updates, and constant distractions, is enough to drive anyone off to the woods for a well-deserved vacation. The call of the wild has never been so attractive, with more and more people each year opting to ditch the all-inclusive hotel breaks and undertake something a little more adventurous and relaxing. Some like to rough it, heading off into the remotest of locations with only the bare essentials. A camping trip can be a great way to unplug yourself from the real world for a short time and recharge the batteries, but if you’re planning on going away with a few of your friends or family, a little more comfort may be in order.
If you’re looking for a home away from home, something big enough to house the whole family in comfort, without everyone getting under each other’s skin, a cabin tent will be the best option for you. Still, with dozens of new models coming onto the market each year, it can be hard to find the right one. We’ve done the hard work for you. Let’s take a look a the five best cabin tents.
The 5 Best Cabin Tents
QOMOTOP Instant Cabin Tent
The QOMOTOP Instant Cabin Tent is one of the best family tents available to buy today, and with three different size options (4, 6, or 10 people), you’re sure to easily find the best option for you and your camping comrades. All sizes are spacious for the number of people advertised, with the 10-person, offering a whopping 14 x 10 feet with a 6-foot 4-inch center rise. This thing is big, and can comfortably accommodate two queen size air mattresses.
There is no quicker way to spoil a camping trip than your tent springing a leak and waking up in a puddle of water. It sucks. Luckily, the QOMOTOP is water-resistant up to 600mm, ensuring you, your family, and your belongings will remain dry night and day. Couple that with two ground vents, and you’ll find this tent a comfortable place to be in rain or shine.
Historically one of the most annoying and contentious parts of any camping trip is getting the tent set up. Many camping trips have been ruined on day one by an inability to get the tent to stand upright, but with the QOMOTOP cabin tent, those days are over, and with an erection time of only sixty seconds, you’ll be settled in, in next to no time. This is a great time-saving feature, especially during bad weather, and will cut down on day-one stress by allowing you to focus on the things that actually matter, enjoying your trip.
Pros
- Well made and durable, with a great emphasis on space and comfort.
- It’s nice to unplug from the world, but for those emergency calls and other power needs, the QOMOTOP comes with a power port allowing you to connect directly to your power source.
- It comes with a separated rainfly, which not only stops rain from getting in but also staves off condensation. Couple that with the high-quality water-resistant fabric, the tent is made of, and you’re in very safe hands.
- Easy to set-up, in only sixty seconds.
Cons
- Currently only available in one two-tone, color (blue, and white). For such a well thought out product, we would have liked to have seen a few more color options. Hopefully, this is something they will add in the future.
- Although the tent is big and does come with storage pockets, we would have also liked to have seen a few more options for storing, bits, bobs, and gadgets.
CORE 10 Person Straight Wall Cabin Tent
A rule of thumb with tents of the past was that they never really could accommodate the number of people they claimed, but with the CORE 10 Cabin Tent, you can fit ten people inside, comfortably, it’s exactly as described, this tent is enormous! If there isn’t that many of you using the tent, you’ll find that it will easily hold two queen size airbeds, giving you one of the most comfortable nights under the stars you can imagine.
This sturdy and rugged tent is a straight wall design. Meaning it likely bears more of a resemblance to your home than that of a typical pole tent. This makes the tent incredibly airy and spacious and allows even the tallest of guests to roam around freely without scraping their heads on the roof.
With a floor space of 14ft x 10ft and a center rise of 7ft x 2in, this tent has plenty of space for rainy days indoors or those late-night get-togethers, for when the marshmallows have run out, and the fire has died down.
Full Review: Core 10 Person Straight Wall Cabin Tent
Pros
- Great size and incredibly spacious, by far one of the biggest and most airy cabin tents available in its price range.
- Well-made from high-quality materials. This tent will last you for many, many years with the right care and maintenance.
- It has an advanced venting system that will keep you cool on those hot summer nights.
- Fully water-resistant, with thermally sealed seems, to keep even the heaviest of downpours out.
- Available in two great color options (orange and burgundy). We especially liked the orange for its long-range visibility.
- The CORE 10 comes with a generous 1-year warranty.
Cons
- Although it’s not difficult to set-up, we would have liked to have seen this model available with the instant set-up option. Even so, the CORE 10 comes with clear and concise instructions, making it a relatively easy step-by-step process.
CORE 9 Person Instant Cabin Tent
For those of you willing to accept or indeed looking for slightly less space, but with the added convenience of an instant set-up option, the CORE 9 Person Instant Cabin Tent may very well be a better option for you than the CORE 10.
The CORE 9, just like its big brother, is a rugged, well made, and spacious cabin tent. There is very little difference in size between the two models, and this also comes with a host of great features. It’s water-resistant, has a 78-inch center rise, a 14′ X 9′ floor plan, will fit two large airbeds, and comes with adjustable air vents as standard. This is most definitely one of our favorites, and with almost straight walls, you’ll find walking about the tent is easy and comfortable for the taller members of the group.
The CORE 9 comes with pre-attached extending poles, meaning setting up the tent is a doddle. You can set this tent up within 60-seconds, which for a tent of this size really is quite remarkable when considering that it’s big brother, the CORE 10, can take anywhere up to 25 minutes to fully erect.
Full Review: Core 9 Person Instant Cabin Tent
Pros
- The CORE 9 is very spacious, more than enough room to accommodate up to nine guests.
- Well-made, high quality, and designed to give you many years of happy service.
- Just like the CORE 10, the CORE 9, is water-resistant, employing their H20 Block Technology, to keep you and your belongings nice and dry.
- It comes with an adjustable ground venting system to keep you cool and keep out condensation.
- The CORE 9 comes with a 1-year warranty.
- Very easy to set up, in 60-seconds or less.
Cons
- Although very spacious, it’s slightly smaller than it’s big brother, we would still like to see an instant 10-man tent from CORE sometime soon, but the CORE 9 is a fabulous alternative.
Coleman 6-Person Instant Cabin Tent
For those of you planning a camping trip with six or fewer guests, but still, with the need for comfort, space, and quality, the Coleman six-person instant cabin tent is a great option. It’s definitely one of the most popular models available on the market today, and with such an impressive spec, it’s easy to see why.
Adventure is only seconds away with this impressive tent from one of the most prolific and well-respected manufacturers in the industry. It’s incredibly easy to set up too, with the entire process taking no more than sixty seconds for even the most novice of campers.
It is deceptively roomy, with a 10 x 9 ft floor plan, with more than enough space for up to two queen-sized, air or foam beds, giving you the option to spread out and relax in style. You’ll be able to sleep the whole night through without worrying about any rain getting in too, due to Coleman’s advanced WeatherTec system, which offers complete water resistance from above and below.
The Coleman 6-person instant cabin tent is by far, one of the most impressive cabin tents on the market, offering exceptional value, great specs, and a host of extras as standard.
Pros
- Instant set-up.
- It comes with a built-in vented rainfly, ensuring your tent has good airflow and no condensation.
- Two sizeable built-in storage pockets to keep your valuables safe and dry.
- This thing is sturdy, made using Polyguard x2 material, ensuring it will stand up to anything mother nature wishes to throw at it.
- It’s lofty, with a 6f center rise!
- A one-year warranty is included as standard with all purchases.
Cons
- No Power port access.
CORE 6 Person Instant Cabin Tent with Awning
As fantastic as the Coleman 6-Person Instant Cabin Tent is, it might not be the one for you. If that’s the case, the Core 6 person instant cabin tent with awning, is an excellent alternative from a company that is featured on this list numerous times for one reason and one reason only; they consistently come out with high-quality, inventive products time and time again, and the Core 6, is no exception.
The Core 6 comes with all of the specs we’ve come to expect from an industry leader such as Core. It has the H20 block technology, ensuring you and your gear keep dry at all times, excellent storage space, an adjustable vent system, allowing you to control the temperature and airflow to your needs and taste, and electrical core access, to quickly hook yourself up to the mains.
It’s 11′ x 9′ floor plan, and 6′ foot center rise means there’s plenty of space to move around too. This tent will happily accommodate six people in sleeping bags with their gear. If there’s fewer of you, two queen size air beds will comfortably fit in this fabulous cabin tent. To top it all off, it comes with a sizeable awning, give you that alfresco vibe, for early morning coffee or brunch, or for taking in the views.
Pros
- The CORE 6 is spacious, with more than enough room to accommodate up to 6 campers.
- It’s effortless to set up. In 60-seconds or less, you’ve got a home!
- H20 Block Technology, as standard, keeping you and your belongings dry.
- A “T” style door and awning, giving you easy access with your gear, without having to duck up and down, and risk injuring your back on day-one.
- Adjustable vent system.
- Power Port Access.
- A hanging wall organizer.
Cons
With such a high quality, high spec tent for its price range, listing cons, would be nitpicking. This is a near-perfect cabin tent that will be sure to give you many happy years of use in the great outdoors.
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a Cabin Tent
Size
Size is an incredibly important factor when choosing a cabin tent. If you’ve got a large family, you not only want to be able to fit all of you inside, but you’re also going to want to make sure you’re comfortable. One important thing to take note of when buying a tent is that the advertised capacity is the maximum the tent can hold. To be able to spread out and sleep comfortably, you should always buy a tent a little bigger than you need, one that sleeps a few more campers than you actually have.
Height
Depending on how vertically gifted or challenged you and your family may be, the height may or may not be a deciding factor when you are purchasing your new cabin tent. However, If you’re going to spend a lot of time in your tent, you may want something with decent height to avoid it feeling too cramped and claustrophobic.
Height in tents is always measured from the center, with cabin tents this allows you to stand right up against the tent walls without issue. With dome tents, this is different, as the roofs are sloping, so this is something to bear in mind when making your decision.
Set-Up Time
Instant tents are pretty self-explanatory; instead of having to follow numerous step-by-step instructions to erect your tent, it will pop-up, with one or two steps, usually within sixty seconds. This is perfect if you’ve got a lot of impatient kids running around, and is by far the most stress-free approach to camping, definitely recommended, vs. the average 25 minutes, it takes to erect a conventional tent.
Weather Resistance
Unless you live in the desert or on the moon, you’re going to want to ensure that your cabin tent is waterproofed. Camping in a downpour can be fun and romantic, but if water gets in, the whole experience soon becomes very, very miserable. If you plan to regularly camp during rainy weather, you may want to consider a waterproof tent.
Cabin Tent FAQs
What is the Best Cabin Tent for a Family or Large Group?
It depends on the size of your family and your specific needs. One of the best tents on this list is the CORE 9 Person Instant Cabin Tent, it’s a great tent, but if there’s only three of you, it’s going to be far too big, so you may want to look at one of the smaller models.
What Size Cabin Tent is Best For Me?
As previously mentioned, the advertised capacity of a cabin tent is the maximum the tent can hold. To determine the size you need for your group, a great rule of thumb is to take the number of campers you have and simply add two; this will give you the perfect size tent you will need for your expedition.
What Type of Cabin Tent Should I Choose?
Cabin tents come in many different shapes and sizes, but without a doubt, the best tent for a family or a large group is a cabin tent. They offer the most space, and the straight walls make it a far more comfortable and breathable experience for you and your family.
Final Thoughts
The tents listed here all have a lot to offer, these are, in our opinion, the very best cabin tents for camping available right now. Which one is best for you will come down to a few factors; size, ease of use, and of course, price. In our opinion, despite all of them being great options, there is one clear winner, and that is the CORE 9 Person Instant Cabin Tent. It offers unrivaled, space, quality, and affordability. It’s enormous but straightforward to set up and will keep you and your group safe, dry, and allow you to concentrate on the most important part of camping, sitting back, relaxing, and enjoying a break from the chaos of the real world with your friends and family.
Happy Camping
