Family camping has always been a popular pastime here in the UK. With the growth of cheaper nylon materials large family sized tents start at around £100 but top spec and polycotton options can costs up to £1000. So what dictates a family tent and what features should you look for to get the best one?

What Key Features Should I Look For? Well one of the most common features is the ability to be able to stand up in the tent living space and optionally the bedrooms. This means you want to be looking for a tent with a minimum height of 190cm but preferably 210cm. Be careful of dome tents which will give a height rating measured from the peak and so may not actually be stand up height in other areas.

Another popular feature is a sewn in groundsheet. This stops drafts and keeps out any unwanted bugs. However be sure to check that there is adequate ventilation so condensation does not build up. Because the sewn in groundsheet sits under the bedroom compartments on most family tents you have the option to remove a bedroom and add more living or storage space. This can make a tent more versatile and is a good option if you share your tent or go away in different groups.

How Many Bedrooms Should It Have? In terms of bedrooms you can choose to have everyone sleeping in the same compartment which is great for young children who you may need to keep an eye on. Alternatively family tents can have 2-3 separate bedrooms. Many larger tents have optional clip in dividers which can separate single bedrooms however these don’t stop sound and should only be used for basic privacy. As mentioned previously some tents have the option to remove bedrooms when more space is needed.

Depending on what you will be sleeping on will help determine what person capacity you need. Don’t just rely on the person ratings given by tent manufacturers. Some brands provide 50cm width per person which is ok if you are using foam mats but if you go for airbeds a double is generally 140cm wide. So in fact what some manufacturers call a 3 person bedroom would only comfortably sleep two. Then you would need to take storage and living space into account. Will you store all your gear and clothing in the living space or do you want to keep it in the bedrooms? If so you will probably need the space of one person to do this. Remember you can always leave some of it in the car!

What Tent Shapes Are Best? In terms of tent shape you have numerous options but generally they fall under three categories; tunnel tents, dome tents and hybrid tents. Tunnel tents are the most common design for entry level family tents as they are easy to pitch and offer large living spaces. You usually get a single bedroom at one end or get a vis-a-vis configuration with bedrooms mirrored at either end (see Nemesis6 / 8). Dome tents are more traditional and offer more stability over tunnel designs. Most commonly the dome is actually the bedroom with an extension out the front for living space (see Wynnster Shrike 6). The third option uses a hybrid option which uses a tunnel design in the bedroom and a dome section for living space. Angles poles are used to give more headroom and feeling of space.

What Waterproof Rating Do I Need? For a family tent that can last a week of bad weather you should be looking for a hydrostatic head waterproof rating of 2000-3000mm. Any less and you may start to see leakages by the end of the week. It can be tempting to go for a cheap supermarket brand when you are new to camping but this can quickly become a false economy as it may only last 1-2 weeks. At first glance cheaper family tents meet the requirements of height, size and waterproof rating but savings are usually made on windows, seams and zips which can easily break or rip essentially rendering the tent useless. Companies who do tent repairs are few and far between so it’s best not to get to that stage! Also think about spares when you choose your tent as many cheaper brands do not supply them which can make self-repairs difficult.

What Brands Should I Look At?

It’s hard not be be wooed by the amazingly cheap prices offered by large chains such as Argos and Halfords. However you do get what you pay for and generally savings no cheap tents are made in materials and manufacture which can mean leaks and rips. Also think about spares and repairs as cheap brands don’t generally supply them so you would have to throw the tent away. Anyway good brands we would recommend are Vango, Outwell, Gelert, Easycamp and Coleman.