Best 6-Man Tents – 5 of the Best in 2020

Today, we’ll be looking at the best 6-man tents on the market.

Whether you’re a full party of 6, or you’re a smaller party of 4 but you want some extra space, a 6-man tent is going to be a great option in terms of space to sleep and lounge around.

But with such a huge variety out there to choose from, how can you figure out which one is best for you? How can you tell which features you should prioritize? And how can you tell if it will keep you dry in bad weather?

Don’t worry, we’ll go through all of those things, so you’ll know exactly what to look for.

Straight off the bat, we can tell you which tents we particularly like:

• Eureka! Copper Canyon LX – Best overall
• Mobihome 6-Person Pop-Up Tent – The Best for easy set-up
• ALPS Mountaineering Meramac 6-Person Tent – Best for those on a tight budget

If you want to find out more about why we like them so much, keep reading …

We’ll be talking about:

• Which features you should look for
• 5 of the best 6-man tents out there, including their specs, pros and cons
• Some frequently asked questions
• Our verdict of the best 6-man tent.

1. Best 6-Man Tents – an Overview
2. What to Look For
   1. Capacity
   2. Layout
   3. Seasons
   4. Weatherproofing
   5. Materials
   6. Ease of Setup
3. Reviews
   1. Coleman Steel Creek Fast Pitch Dome Tent – Best for Quick Assembly
   2. HIKERGARDEN 6-Person Tent – Best All-Rounder
   3. ALPS Mountaineering Meramac 6-Person Tent – Best for a Tight Budget
   4. Eureka! Copper Canyon LX – Best for Tall Campers
   5. Mobihome 6-Person Pop Up Tent – Best Pop-Up Tent
4. Frequently Asked Questions About the Best 6 Man Tent
   1. Is it worth spending a lot of money on a tent?
   2. What equipment do I need to start camping?
   3. Should I trust a tent from a lesser brand?
   4. Should I go for a tent with a good warranty?
5. Conclusion – Which is the Best 6-Man Tent?

First, an overview of all the tents we’ll be looking at.

Best 6-Man Tents – an Overview

Best 6-Man Tents – What to Look For

Capacity

Can a 6-man tent actually fit six people? Technically, yes, if it’s advertised as a 6-man tent, you should be able to fit 6 sleeping pads inside. However, depending on the size and shape of the tent, this may be a little snug. It’s always best to check the measurements to see if your tent will allow for plenty of room between beds if there are six of you sleeping in there.

A 6-man tent is going to be pretty comfortable for a family of four, with extra room for storage.

Another thing to think about is headroom. Taller campers might find it difficult to find a tent that will allow them to stand up, but there are some out there. If you want maximum headroom, look for a tent with straight walls, as opposed to a dome tent. This will make your tent feel extra spacious and allow you to walk around without having to bend over all the time.

Layout

If there are a lot of you, layout may be another consideration. You can get tents with two or even three separate rooms, this is pretty handy if there’s a lot of you and you want some space and privacy or you can go for a tent with one sleeping area, and one ‘lounging’ area.

You can also get tents that have a covered ‘porch’ area with mesh walls. This is a great way to enjoy sitting outdoors in the evenings whilst avoiding insect bites.

Seasons

Tents are manufactured to suit different seasons:

• 1 Season Tents – basic tents, designed for warm weather only – if you experience a downpour in a 1-season tent, you can expect it to soak through pretty fast. They have the bonus of being lightweight, which makes them a good option for festivals (if you can guarantee the weather will hold out).
• 2 Season Tents – designed for spring and summer, these can cope with a little bit of rain, but you can expect leaks in a storm or a downpour.
• 3 Season Tents – these versatile tents are designed to withstand a bit of a beating. They usually feature larger mesh windows for ventilation in warm weather, as well as waterproofing for rain. They tend to have stronger frames to withstand a bit of wind, too
• 4 Season Tents – designed for cold weather, these are heavyweight tents ideal for the more adventurous camper – but they’re heavy to carry.
• 5-Season Tents – these are specialist tents designed for exploration in harsh conditions. They tend to be very expensive and harder to come by.

As a rule of thumb, a 3-season tent is a good way to go. A 3-season tent will cover most, and possibly, all needs and keep you dry, even if you experience a storm while you’re camping. You’re going to get the most value for money with a 3-season tent, as they’re designed to keep you cool in warm weather too.

Weatherproofing

There are several things to look for if you want a tent that is going to keep you dry and warm.

The term ‘hydrostatic head measurement’ refers to how water resistant your tent is, by measuring the depth of the water that pools on the roof of your tent (in millimetres – so you might see 2,000mm/78.7in as the measurement). This means it can withstand that much water before it starts to seep through the material. 

As a rule of thumb, 1,500mm/59in is pretty good. Not all tent manufacturers use this measurement. However, you can still tell how rain-resistant a tent might be by the materials used (more on that in a moment), as well as extra features like heat-sealed seams (to keep rain from coming in at the edges) and covered zippers (to stop rain from sneaking in via the entryways).

Most tents come with a rain fly included – this is the outer layer that will keep your inner tent from getting wet. Some tents also come with a tent footprint – this is a moisture-proof layer that goes underneath your tent, giving you a bit of extra protection. You can buy these separately if your tent doesn’t come with one.

Materials

The materials used can give you a clue about how well it will hold up in different weathers:

• Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) is a good option for a budget tent. Tents with ‘PVC’ listed tend to be made from cotton, then coated afterwards. It’s a cheaper option but not very breathable, which can cause problems with condensation.
• Polyester – this is a durable and lightweight option. They tend to be coated in a solution, normally acrylic or polyurethane. This helps to make it extra waterproof.
• Nylon – this is coated in the same way as polyester, but is a bit cheaper, so it’s more likely to wear out.
• Polycotton Canvas – these are a cotton/polyester mixture and are usually coated for extra weather protection.
• Cotton – cotton tents keep rain out by using a process of ‘weathering’ (which needs to be done before you go). Leaving them out in the rain a few times allows the fibres to swell, drawing them close together and preventing leaks.

The tent poles (or rods) can be made from aluminum or fiberglass. Aluminum is nice and lightweight, so it’s good for travellers, but it can be prone to rust. Fiberglass has the benefit of being stronger, and it doesn’t conduct electricity (this makes you a tiny bit safer in the event of a thunderstorm – however, the likelihood of your tent getting hit by lightning is extremely low, so you might not be too concerned about picking fiberglass for this reason). However, fiberglass poles are heavier which is a disadvantage.

The last thing to consider is ventilation. Most tents come with large windows with mesh panels, to keep insects out, but at the same time, allow air to flow through.

Ease of Setup

Finally, there’s the setup to consider. Some larger tents are, by their nature, a bit more time-consuming to set up. The larger the tent, the more poles it requires. So, if you want to go for a super-large tent, you’ll have to live with the longer set up time.

Having said that, there are some 6-person tents out there that can be assembled instantly (we’ll look at a model like this a little later). This is a pretty good beginner option, but pop-up tents don’t tend to be as durable, as they’re made from umbrella-like frames rather than study poles.

Now let’s take a look at some of the best 6-person tents out there.

Coleman Steel Creek Fast Pitch Dome Tent – Best for Quick Assembly

Key Features

• Sleeps: 6
• Size of Main Tent Area:
  10 x 9 x 5ft 8in
  120 x 108 x 70in
  305 x 274 x 178cm
• Size of Screen Room:
  10 x 5ft
  120 x 60in
  305 x 152cm
• Size Packed:
  24 x 12in
  61 x 30cm
• Weight: 20.9lbs / 9.48kg
• Materials: Coated polyester
• Seasons: 3

Coleman Steel Creek Fast Pitch Dome Tent is perfect if you want to get your tent up in a hurry. It’s pretty roomy even for the max capacity of 6 people – it can fit two queen-sized airbeds. Plus, it has the added bonus of a separate screen room with mesh walls, so you can still feel the fresh air whilst keeping insects out. It has small storage pockets sewn into the walls and an e-port for an electric connection.

Weather-protection wise, it’s pretty good. Without the rainfly, it works beautifully with the mesh walls in the warm weather, allowing plenty of ventilation. With the rainfly (which has been coated with Coleman’s WeatherTec coating), it will keep a downpour at bay. It has window awnings which is a nice touch – this allows you to keep the windows open for circulation without the risk of letting the rain in. The downside is that some users experienced issues with the poles bending or even breaking in extremely windy conditions.

The main draw of this tent is the ease of setup. For a super-quick assembly, it has color-coded poles that snap easily into place. It’s not the same as an instant tent, but it can be done by one person, with most users getting it assembled in twenty minutes or less. 

Pros

• Good for warm weather and rain
• Nice and roomy
• Screen room is great for avoiding insects in the evenings
• Easy to set up

Cons

• Poles aren’t built to withstand very windy conditions

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HIKERGARDEN 6-Person Tent – Best All-Rounder

Key Features

• Sleeps: 6
• Size:
  10 x 8 x 6ft 3in
  120 x 96 x 76in
  305 x 244 x 193cm
• Size Packed:
  24 x 8.7in
  61 x 23cm
• Weight: 23lbs / 10.43kg
• Materials: Polyester
• Seasons: 3

The HIKERGARDEN Camping Tent is big enough to fit two queen-sized air mattresses, and it’s on the taller side too – many people will be able to stand comfortably inside it. For such a large tent, it can be folded and stored in a compact carry bag. It has an e-port (this allows you to thread an extension cord through without worrying about leaks or draughts), and small mesh pockets for storage.

It has been professionally water tested against leaks, with 1,000mm/ 39.3in of water resistance. That’s enough to keep out most rain showers, although heavy storms and downpours might result in a small amount of leakage. It has a strong frame, which is great for windy weather. It also has four large mesh windows which is great for ventilation. The rainfly can be removed, leaving a large window on the ceiling – great for star gazing whilst keeping insects out.

This tent says it can be set up in five minutes, but most users find it takes a little longer than that. It’s a fairly straightforward process though, with clear instructions. 

Pros

• Very roomy with plenty of headroom
• Decent weather protection and strong poles for windy weather
• Good ventilation with large windows
• Fairly easy set up

Cons

• Not the most rain-proof tent out there, so it may struggle in an intense downpour

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ALPS Mountaineering Meramac 6-Person Tent – Best for a Tight Budget

Key Features

• Sleeps: 6
• Size:
  10 x 10 x 6ft
  120 x 120 x 72in
  304 x 304 x 183cm
• Size Packed:
  8 x 25in
  20 x 64cm
• Weight: 16lbs 1oz / 7.30kg
• Materials
  Fly: Polyester with 1,500mm coating
  Floor: Poly-taffeta with 1,500mm coating
• Seasons: 3

The ALPS Mountaineering Meramac Tent isn’t the largest on this list due to the shape (it’s dome-shaped with just the one room). It doesn’t have a separate area for lounging, for example, so you’d have to sit outside if you had the max capacity of people. It’d be ideally suited for four people wanting a bit of extra room to sit around or to store their gear. It has a good amount of head room, which is great for taller people.

The main benefit of this tent is the weatherproofing. With a coated polyester rain fly (with 1,500mm/ 59in coating), factory sealed seams, and 1,500mm/59in coated floor, it’s good enough to keep the rain out. The rain fly can be rolled back for more ventilation on warm days, and it comes with heavy-duty fiberglass poles – these are superb for windy conditions.

It’s straightforward to set up, with most users managing to set it up with two people. It’s a good budget option, too. 

Pros

• Decent amount of headspace
• Very weatherproof – perfect for all conditions
• Straightforward to set up

Cons

• Doesn’t have the most floor space

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Eureka! Copper Canyon LX – Best for Tall Campers

Key Features

• Sleeps: 6
• Size:
  10 x 10 x 7ft
  120 x 120 x 84in
  304 x 304 x 213cm
• Size Packed:
  9 x 28in
  23 x 71in
• Weight: 21lbs 15oz / 9.59kg
• Materials
  Rain Fly:1500mm coated polyester taffeta
  Floor: 1500mm coated polyester taffeta
• Seasons: 3

The Eureka! Copper Canyon is the largest on this list, and it features a massive 7ft/213cm of headroom. That’s enough for most people to stand in comfortably. It has straight walls with plenty of floor space, with a dry entryway and a zippered e-port (for an extension cable to go through). Plus, it has an overhead storage compartment, which is a great use of space.

It has decent weatherproofing too. At 1,500mm/59in of coating, the rainfly has enough to keep the rain out, and the very large mesh windows allow for plenty of ventilation on warmer nights. It’s a good one if you want to enjoy the views without being devoured by insects in the evenings.

The only downside is that it is one of the more complex tents to assemble – it would be a good idea to practice this one beforehand, and due to the size, it will take more than one of you to put it together. 

Pros

• Lots of floorspace
• Lots of headroom
• Decent storage to keep things out of the way
• Good waterproofing and ventilation

Cons

• Can be difficult to put together

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Mobihome 6-Person Pop Up Tent – Best Pop-Up Tent

Key Features

• Sleeps: 6
• Size:
  13 x 7 x 4.5ft
  161 x 83 x 55in
  410 x 210 x 140cm
• Size Packed:
  35 x 9in
  88.9 x 22.8cm
• Weight: 14lbs 3oz / 6.48kg
• Materials
  Rain Fly: 1500mm Coated Polyester
  Floor: Polyethelene
• Seasons: 3

The Mobihome 6-Person Pop-Up Tent is very roomy, with enough space for two queen-sized air mattresses. This tent has four storage pockets for stowing away your essentials but doesn’t have an overhead storage area or an e-port.

The tent has a 1,500mm/59in rainfly, which suggests that it will be waterproof, but users have found that it’s not the best option out there for extreme weathers, with some reporting leaks. It doesn’t have a strong, wind-proof frame either. It does have good ventilation, and you can do a bit of stargazing if you roll the rainfly back, which is a nice feature. Overall, it’s more suited to warm weather camping.

The main draw, however, has to be the setup. You have to spread the tent flat onto the ground with the poles fully extended, hold the bottom of the hub with one hand, and then pull it upwards with the other hand until it locks into place – and that’s it! 

Pros

• Quite roomy for six people
• Good ventilation
• Very easy set-up

Cons

• Not great for very windy or rainy conditions

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Frequently Asked Questions About the Best 6 Man Tent

If you still have a few questions, we may have the answer here.

Is it worth spending a lot of money on a tent?

That depends on what you’re looking for. As a general rule, better quality materials and more features will usually cost more. However, you do get the odd exception, with some tents being very good despite having a low price point. It’s always worth checking reviews to read users’ opinions.

What equipment do I need to start camping?

The most important things are: the tent (obviously), air mattresses or sleeping pads, sleeping bags, a camping stove if you want to cook outdoors, and decent water bottles to keep everyone hydrated. You can also look for some good waterproof clothing, too – we have a round-up of the best travel jackets for men and women if you want to take a look.

Should I trust a tent from a lesser brand?

Again, you should always go by reviews. Generally speaking, the big-name brands tend to make reliable tents that you can trust (think Coleman, ALPS Mountaineering, Big Agnes, and The North Face), but that doesn’t mean you should disregard tents by smaller brands – you can get some great models out there that have all the same specs and features as the more ‘famous’ brands have to offer.

Should I go for a tent with a good warranty?

Many tent manufacturers offer a one-year warranty. That’s usually enough to test it out a couple of times to notice any faults. It’s always a good idea to pick a tent with a warranty if possible.

Conclusion – Which is the Best 6-Man Tent?

All the tents we’ve looked at today are good for different reasons. But which are the best 6-man tents?

However, if we had to choose, we’d probably go for the Eureka! Copper Canyon. 

It’s going to feel like the most luxurious and comfortable choice, especially if you are camping at max capacity. The huge amount of headroom is perfect for tall campers, and the straight walls with overhead storage will make it feel very spacious. It also has decent weatherproofing and the large windows will allow you to gaze outside in the evenings. 

Despite it being a bit more complicated to assemble, we’d still recommend it if you want a real home away from home.