Top 5 Cabin Tents
Best for Sleeping: Coleman Cabin Tent Easiest Setup: Core Instant Cabin Tent Best Warranty: Browning Camping Big Horn Tent Best Connecting Tent: Coleman Connecting Tent System Best Capacity: Ozark Trail Instant Cabin Tent
Best for Sleeping: Coleman Cabin Tent
Pros and Cons
✔ Blocks up to 90% of sunlight✔ Packs into an included carrying case with handles when it’s time to go home✔ Reduces the interior temperature by up to 10% with the included shades ✘ Stands at six feet high, so it has limited headroom for taller people ✘ Has only one door
What Customers Are Saying
Happy customers said that this tent assembled easily, was lightweight, and had ample cabin space. However, negative reviews said that it was ineffective at keeping water out. Other dissatisfied customers struggled to take it down as easily as they set it up.
Easiest Setup: Core Instant Cabin Tent
Pros and Cons
✔ Can fit two queen-size air mattresses✔ Has heat-sealed seams that keep water out✔ Has large mesh windows for airflow ✘ Needs to be washed by hand if it gets dirty✘ Fits fewer people if you use air mattresses instead of sleeping bags
What Customers Are Saying
Customers who gave this tent positive reviews said that it was easy to set up and had good ventilation. However, some customers questioned the durability of the fabric walls, claiming that they let cold air in and ripped from light wind.
Best Warranty: Browning Camping Big Horn Tent
Pros and Cons
✔ Can see the night sky with the mesh ceiling if you don’t use the rainfly✔ Has six mesh windows for airflow and visibility✔ Includes durable steel poles that secure it to the ground
✘ Can’t use half of the storage pockets if you don’t put up the room divider✘ Doesn’t come with electrical ports
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers felt like this cabin was made from sturdy materials that blocked out water and lasted for multiple camping seasons. Others didn’t care for the difficult-to-use zippers and thin floors.
Best Connecting Tent: Coleman Connecting Tent System
Pros and Cons
✔ Has 11-foot ceilings in case you need to stand up✔ Comes with pre-attached holes and fast-fit feet to speed up installation✔ Has welded floors and inverted seams to withstand up to 35-mile-per-hour winds ✘ Takes a long time to set up the connecting tents✘ Costs the same as two regular tents
What Customers Are Saying
Pleased customers liked this cabin tent’s unique design, sturdy build, and spacious layout. However, other users claimed that it was difficult to attach the two tents and that it leaked at the connection point.
Best Capacity: Ozark Trail Instant Cabin Tent
Pros and Cons
✔ Includes a room divider✔ Has six mesh windows and a mesh ceiling✔ Comes with a hanging organizer for sunscreen, lanterns, and other camping gear ✘ Has a short six-month warranty✘ Has a bulky, heavy build, making carrying it to and from your car difficult
What Customers Are Saying
Most customers felt that this roomy tent was comfortable to sleep in and easy to set up. However, unhappy customers said that it wasn’t particularly durable. Its fabric ripped and poles broke during bad weather.
Buyer’s Guide
As you look at cabin or camping tents, it’s important to think about how each one’s design and specifications impact its user experience. Here are five factors to consider before making a purchase to ensure you’re buying a high-quality tent.
Capacity/Size
All cabin tents come with a recommended capacity, which is the total number of people it can comfortably sleep. Cabin tents are offered in a variety of capacities from smaller four-person tents that are good for small family camping, to larger 11-person cabins that are best for large groups or large families. This capacity influences a tent’s dimensions. For example, the six-person Coleman Cabin Tent has a smaller footprint than the nine-person Core Instant Cabin Tent.
Rooms
You can split some larger tents into rooms to give cohabitants additional privacy. For example, the Browning Camping Big Horn Tent has a wall divider that separates the cabin into two spaces.
Ventilation
Most tents have mesh windows and ceilings for improved airflow. Other tents, including the Core Instant Cabin Tent, have adjustable ventilation systems around their floors or ceilings for whole-cabin air circulation.
Setup
Cabin tents usually have an easy setup. Most models come with telescoping tent pole or fiberglass poles for easy one-person instant setup, which can be useful for backpacking or car camping. In some cases, these telescoping poles arrive attached to the tent’s structure to further cut down on installation time.
Additional Features
Many cabin tents come with add-ons that make using them more enjoyable. For example, the Core Instant Cabin Tent has a built-in flap that opens to accomodate an external electrical cord. Other models, such as the Ozark Trail Instant Cabin Tent, come with a rainfly that protects campers from heavy downpours.
Camping Packing Checklist
If you’ve purchased a high-quality family cabin tent, you’re halfway there to having an unforgettable camping experience. However, if you forget the essentials, your tent can only help so much. Here’s a list of the must-have items that you should bring with you whenever you go camping:
Batteries Blankets Boots Bottled water Bug spray Camping chairs Coolers Firewood Flashlights Folding table Food Food storage containers Hats/bandanas Lanterns Matches/lighter Paper dishware Paper towels Pillows Sleeping bags Sunglasses Sunscreen Toiletries
Do cabin tents include ground tarps?
Most cabin tents come with a built-in ground cloth. This cloth works like a ground tarp to prevent dirt, debris, and insects from accessing the cabin. If you’re worried about the built-in cloth getting damaged by rough ground, you can purchase an additional ground tarp to lay under your tent.
How can I protect my tent during the rain?
If you’ll be camping during heavy downpours, be sure to bring an additional tarp to help with water resistance and prevent water from seeping through the ground cloth. Additionally, you can use a rainfly over the top of your tent to help with weather protection and to divert rain away from the cabin.
How much do cabin tents weigh?
The weight of a cabin tent usually includes the weight of its poles, stakes, and additional accessories. Typically, this collective weight is between 20 and 35 pounds, making it easy to carry from your car to your campsite.
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