Camping Panda
Whether you’re a big family or look for the perfect tent to attend an outdoor event with your friends, an 8 person tent can provide the perfect compromise between space and packed size.
However, not all tents advertised as suitable for eight people can actually accommodate 8 adults. Sometimes, you might need to go a size up. With this in mind, are you wondering which is the best 8 person tent you can buy? Check out our rundown.
Waterproof
Is it well protected?
Ventilation
Is it breathable?
Longevity
Is it build for years to come?
Price
Is it the best value for your $?
Set Up
Is it easy to set-up?
Durability
Is it strong enough?
Convenient
Is it designed for comfort?
Sleeping Capacity
Is it spacious and roomy?
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Hours Researched
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Huge and affordable, the Core 11 is an excellent choice for two families of four or a group of friends who want to have sufficient space inside the shelter. The tent can house three queen-size air mattresses or up to eleven people in sleeping beds.
Besides a roomy interior, we love the large screen room that adds additional covered space for your gear or a breakfast area. Plenty of windows and an advanced venting system make it easy to adjust the temperature as needed. Despite its size, the tent is also very easy to pitch and take down.
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The Wenzel Great Basin Tent is an excellent choice for campers on a budget. The room size is absolutely impressive, holding two families of four comfortably. A hanging divider turns the open space into two rooms instantly.
Particularly convenient is the huge tub floor that keeps the water out. Easy to set up considering its size, lightweight, and compact, this tent is also a great choice for larger groups of hikers. The only thing to keep in mind is that water and wind resistance are only average, so this tent is more suitable for summer camping.
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Have you ever dreamed of no-frills camping in the winter? Or perhaps you love fishing and hunting, and need a huge sleeping arrangement to use in all seasons? No matter when and for how long you want to live in the wilds, the Russian-Bear Hot Tent won’t let you down. This tent is extremely spacious, and comes with a complete stove kit to warm yourself up in winter.
Needless to say that it’s extremely waterproof and wind resistant. A dome tent design allows for easy set up, and the bottom fabric is strong enough to survive all terrains. Sure, this isn’t the classic camping tent you can seamlessly carry, but if you want a shelter capable to resist all conditions, this one is undeniably it.
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Perhaps a bit too snug for 8 adults, but more than spacious for four kids and four adults, this tent is one of your best bets for summer camping. It won’t withstand the harshest conditions, but holds up well to moderate wind and light rain.
A generous floor area provides sufficient space for three queen-size air mattresses or six twin-size ones. Mesh windows and doors provide plenty of airflow, and we also like the large awning above the door, that provides an additional covered area for a couple camping chairs or your shoes and bags. Lightweight and compact when packed, it’s also easy to carry to your camping site.
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Coleman Evanston can easily appeal to campers on a budget. It’s affordable, yet spacious. The tent might not ward off heavy rain, but it’s ideal for warm season camping. Furthermore, it provides plenty of space for 8 adults in sleeping beds or families with children.
The main room area is big enough to house two queen-size air mattresses plus additional gear. In addition to it, a huge screen room provides additional room for camping chairs and a table, or even a larger dog or two. A removable rainfly and large windows add further value. No doubt, a great tent at a great price tag.
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The OT QOMOTOP tent comes in various sizes, including a variant advertised as suitable for 8 people. However, this 10 person tent from the brand is a much more comfortable choice if you’re a group of 8 adults. It has more or less the same floor space as the Coleman, and it can fit two queen-size mattresses.
Designed for camping in warm weather, it boasts a quick set up construction. Two people can erect it in less than 5 minutes, fly and everything included. Speaking about the fly, it is removable and reveals a panoramic skylight. The tent is on the heavier side, but still relatively easy to carry to your campsite.
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Spacious and very lightweight considering its size, the Core 9 Extended Dome tent is perfect for a group of hikers. It has enough room for three queen-size air mattresses plus gear, and it could be your perfect choice for two families of four.
Like most tents from Core, this one impresses with an advanced venting system, large windows, and mesh ceiling that ensure proper ventilation in hot weather. We also like the large door as well as the awning above it, that provides further covered space. All in all, an excellent tent at a price that won’t break the bank.
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When it comes to roomy tents, Coleman seems to hit quite a few points. Another one that’s great for groups up to 8 adults is the Red Canyon Car Camping tent. Its name says it all. This tent is an excellent choice for car camping and tailgating, but also suitable for hunters and fishermen.
Ideal for summer camping, it comes with two dividers that allow you to create three separate rooms. Welded floors and inverted seams improve water resistance – the tent might leak in heavy rain, but holds up pretty well to light to moderate downpours. Easy to set up and pack, it also comes with separate bags for tent, poles, and stakes; a great thing as you can split the load with your friends while carrying it.
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While the Tenaya Lake Cabin tent is not the largest out there in terms of floor space, it does fit two families of four. The greatest highlight of this tent is by far the built-in closet that adds plenty of storage space – or that can turn into a supplementary small room.
Another highlight is the fast-pitch setup. This tent comes with color-coded poles and hub that reduce installation time. Furthermore, it comes with its own carry-on bag, for easier hauling to and from the campsite. No doubt, a great choice for the price.
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If you’re looking for a 3-season tent capable to withstand harsher weather, the NTK Oregon GT might be it. This tent boasts a sturdy construction and thick fabric walls. A dome shape enhances wind resistance, while an awning prevents water from leaking in through the door.
A combination of mesh and solid panels can help you achieve the desired level of ventilation or trap in warmth, depending on the outdoor temperature. The tent packs relatively compact and is a great choice for hiking, car camping, and tailgating alike.
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An 8 person tent is big enough to accommodate your extended family or provide plenty of room to a larger gang. They are perfect for car camping, sharing the sleeping space with your buddies at an event or concert, and even to use as shelter for a garden party on a rainier day. Here are some of the most important things to check before buying.
One of the most important things to consider when buying an 8 person tent is whether you value more portability or comfort, because there is a great difference between capacity and livability.
While there is no doubt that an 8 person tent isn’t designed for backpacking, you should still consider whether or not you have to carry the tent to the campsite.
If weight is of no concern, you could pick any type of tent. However, if you’re more concerned about portability than floor space, tents such as the NTK Oregon could be your best bet. Due to its almost square shape, it provides plenty of space for 8 adults in sleeping bags and it weighs under 20 pounds, so it is relatively easy to hike with.
All campers know that water resistance is one of the main things to check when buying a tent, but when it comes to bigger tents, your concerns should go beyond it. Wind is one of the greatest enemies of temporary shelters, and 8 people tents tend to be quite susceptible to it.
Due to their height, they need adequate anchoring if you don’t want a stronger gust to blow your shelter away.
Impermeability is also important, especially if you’re looking for a tent suitable for spring or fall camping. For summer camping, the tent should also filter UV rays to keep you protected from radiations.
Besides providing shelter for a larger gang, an 8-person tent can also be used as a semi-permanent shelter. You may opt for a semi-permanent set up if you’re planning to spend more than a few days in the wild or to keep you warm while you’re out fishing during winter, for example.
While you can technically use any kind of tent for a longer stay in the outdoors, we recommend a larger one that has enough room for a camping cot or two as well as additional gear, including a table and camping chairs set up inside the tent.
For prolonged winter camping, you might also want to invest in a tent that can accommodate a stove or tent heater, such as the Russian Bear Hot Tent.
Like most big tents, 8 person tents come in either hub or traditional pitch setups. The hub tents are a type of instant tents that open up similar to an umbrella. Their greatest advantage is the pre-assembled structure that you can erect in under five minutes. However, if a pole breaks or bends, you’ll have to change the entire tent.
Traditional pitch tents come with separate poles that you will have to assemble. In this case, you should check the assembly instructions and make sure they are easy to follow. Some manufacturers even use color codes for easier setup.
No matter what kind of tent you go for, we recommend to assemble it in your garden first to make sure you’re accustomed to the procedure before the trip.
A mistake most newbie campers make is choosing the color of the tent based on their preference. However, this minor detail may play an important role in livability, depending on where you pitch the tent and the weather.
As you have learned at the physics classes, light colors absorb less solar heat, reflecting most of it back into the atmosphere. Thus, if you’re looking for the best summer camping tent to pitch directly under the sun, you should go for a light color to keep your shelter cooler.
Dark color absorb more solar heat; thus, they are ideal for winter camping. However, a dark tent pitched in a shaded area may stay cooler than a light colored one on summer days, too.
Besides everything above, there are also a few additional features that could make or break the deal:
It really depends on your budget and needs. If you’re looking for the best tent out there and don’t mind dropping some cash, the Russian-Bear tent is undeniably your best choice. However, if you need a lighter, more portable, and cheaper option, tents such as Coleman or Core could be a better option.
The average 8 person tent is 14′ x 10′. At this size, the tent can fit the whole gang, but you won’t have too much space left for camping gear. For a roomier fit, some brands propose larger 8-people tents that can go up to 17′ x 12′.
On average, you can expect to pay anywhere between $100 and $300 for a good quality shelter. At the higher end of the spectrum, you can find 4-season tents costing over $1,000.
You can easily fit a king-size air mattress on an 8-person tent. Depending on the layout, some tents can fit up to 3 queen-size air mattresses, while others only have room for two.
If you’re an avid camper, a hunter, or angler who likes to sleep outdoors even in the coldest temperatures, it is well worth buying an expensive tent. These tents can trap in more warmth, and some even come with accessories, such as stoves. For casual summer camping, however, a cheaper yet more portable option could save you some money while still living up to expectations.
