A great pop-up tent is a nice addition to your outdoor adventures. The best pop up tents are often compact and easy to travel with. You can keep your pop up camping tent in the trunk of your car and take it out whenever you feel the need to unplug in nature.
Pop up tents are also easy to set up as they don’t require the use of any nails, bolts, or hooks to set up. Of course, larger tents with a more difficult setup are preferable if you want to stay in more difficult terrain but if you’re camping out at the local park for the weekend or want to sleep on the beach overnight, then an easy pop up tent is the way to go.
It’s so easy to use that you don’t even have to think about it and can spend your time worrying about important things like choosing your location and organizing food and other supplies knowing that shelter is taken care of.
Best Pop Up Camping Tent
Below is our comprehensive pop up tent review with all of the best pop up tents on the market. This review is based on loads of research and testing to provide you with as much information as you need to make an informed decision.
1. Coleman 4-Person Pop-Up Tent
First on our list of the best pop up tents we have a 2 to 4 person model from Coleman. Ideally, it’s really suitable for two people, especially if you want to enjoy it comfortably.
It’s perfect for use on the go or spontaneous journeys because it’s nice and lightweight, weighing just 6.4 pounds. Although lightweight, this tent can surprisingly withstand heavy winds and this is chalked up to having guy-out triangles and poles that help to keep it stable.
You’ll be glad to know that this tent is also relatively waterproof thanks to the inverted seams and zipper cuff that help to keep the water out during the rainy season.
Not only that, but this tent also comes with a detachable rain fly and mesh roof which help to give the tent optimal ventilation.
2. Ayamaya Pop Up Tent
The Ayamaya Pop Up Tent is one of the few waterproof pop up tents available and it’s surprisingly spacious and roomy as well. In fact, it’s large enough to divide into 2 or even 3 rooms, so you can enjoy privacy and storage for you and your family.
It’s made highly waterproof that can withstand water by up to 3,000 to 4,000mm and offers optimal ventilation with mesh windows, vents, and a double layer setup.
It’s 130cm high in the center which means that even tall adults can enjoy enough headroom to stand up while inside and you can even sit on a camping chair while inside the tent!
However, we didn’t like the fact that it only has one entrance because this can make things a bit tight when you’re staying with multiple people but for it to accommodate 4 to 6 people at once as a pop up tent still makes it a uniquely amazing option.
3. ZOMAKE Pop Up Tent
This is the best 2 person pop up tent on this list. It’s perfect for those warm, summer days spent camping by the lake or the beach and it’s nice and lightweight, weighing only 5 pounds.
Although small when packed, this tent is large enough inside to fit 3 to 4 people comfortably and it comes with a large mesh window and a mesh double door to provide ample ventilation and keep everyone inside comfortable. The mesh will also help to keep bugs like wasps and mosquitos out at night.
Despite all of these features, this pop up tent is super easy to set up in less than a minute as all you have to do is open the bag so that you can unstrap the tent. After that, simply throw the tent in the air and the air will do the rest. It’s that easy!
Although this is a beach tent, it’s not waterproof, so that’s pretty much the only downside to this tent otherwise it’s a solid option.
4. OT QOMOTOP 4 Person Pop Up Tent
This QT QOMOTOP model is a 4 person pop up tent with premium quality construction and features.
It’s nice and spacious with a center height of 50 inches which means that you can easily sit on your camping chair inside the tent without hitting your head on the roof. It’s also large enough to fit an actual queen air bed and still offers enough space to store your gear.
It’s available in blue and brown so you can choose which color goes with your aesthetic the most. Thanks to two roof vents and side windows there’s plenty of ventilation in this tent to keep everyone comfortable.
However, this tent won’t protect you from water infiltration as its taped seams allow for water to leak through.
5. Quechua Waterproof Pop Up Camping Tent
We really went all out with this pop up tent review in that we specifically looked for pop-up tents that have a lot of useful features as most options typically come with limited features.
Although designed to be set up in two seconds and disassembled in less than a minute, this tent is very well-made and comes with surprisingly useful features.
For one thing, it’s made from a special, durable material that can withstand both hot and cold weather conditions. It’s also waterproof and well-ventilated to prevent condensation.
However, all of these fantastic features come at a price and it can only accommodate two people at a time. Other than that, it’s a perfect option for a solo traveler or a couple that likes to camp out spontaneously.
6. Mobihome 6 Person Tent Family Camping
If you’re looking for the best pop up tent to use with your family, then look no further than the Mobihome 6 Person Tent. As the name implies, this tent is designed to fit up to 6 people at once. It’s got loads of floor space, three large windows, and three storage pockets.
There’s a waterproof cover to protect the tent from the rain which is removable so you can expose the mesh ceiling to enjoy starlight views and better ventilation when the weather is nice.
Also included with this tent is a small awning which is placed above the door as extra space and to protect it from water infiltration. This, coupled with the door overhang, is guaranteed to keep you dry when it’s raining outside.
As if that wasn’t enough, all of this is backed up by a one-year warranty
7. Moon Lence Instant Pop Up Tent
The Moon Lence is the best pop up tent for avid campers and outdoor enthusiasts who are looking for something that they can use all year round.
It’s wind-resistant and waterproof and with 90 square feet of floor space, it’s large enough to fit multiple people comfortably. It’s also 53 inches high so you can actually stand up inside and it’s constructed from some of the hardiest materials that we’ve seen.
At the top is 190T PU material which is complemented by a 210D Oxford groundsheet for the floor. Both are UV resistant and have a 2000mm hydrostatic head rating. For ventilation, you have a large D-shaped door and 4 large mesh windows.
As you may have guessed from reading through the features, this tent is rather large and heavy so it’s not that easy to set up. But it makes up for this by being useful for use throughout the year.
8. Wakeman Pop-Up Tent 2 Person Water Resistant
The Wakeman pop up tent is one of the most affordable models on this list and it offers great value for money. Although it’s only made for two people, it’s suitable for 3-season use.
It’s constructed from polyurethane-coated 190T polyester fabric which means that it’s windproof and very effective at repelling water. It’s also thermally insulated to help keep you warm and comfortable inside.
For ventilation, this tent comes with a main door and windows to make sure that there’s more than enough air going in and out of the tent. You can also roll the door away so that it’s out of sight when not in use. For extra storage, there’s a dedicated pocket inside the tent designed to store smaller items like your flashlight or smartphone for easy access.
We also like the tent’s power access port as it’s a great way to ensure that you’re able to recharge your essential devices even when you’re in the wild, including your tent heater or AC.
How to Pick the Best Pop Up Tent
Pop up tents are a must-have if you enjoy going on outdoor adventures of any kind.
You can use them to enjoy a comfy day on the beach knowing that you can sleep overnight if you like. You can also use pop up tents for festival camping or as an extra tent that you carry around with you.
However, the key to finding the best pop up tent for you is to consider variables such as price, durability, and of course size, as well as ventilation and weather protection qualities.
Material
Most pop up tents are made from materials like polyester, nylon, and canvas.
Nylon is much loved for its breathability and waterproof durability, while canvas and polyester are both durable and long-lasting.
Capacity
Another feature that you should consider when purchasing a pop up tent is its carrying capacity.
Consider how many people it’s designed to accommodate while keeping in mind where you plan on taking it and who you’ll be traveling with.
Sometimes, it helps to have a slightly larger pop up tent handy just in case you want to go camping with family or friends on a whim. Otherwise, you should definitely be comfortable in your pop up tent no matter what.
Ventilation
Although small, pop up tents have a lot of potential. Most people assume that their size will limit their ability to be well ventilated but this isn’t always the case.
As you may have noticed with the pop up tents that we reviewed, there’s plenty of room for airflow and ventilation so that’s important as well.
Manufacturers typically use windows and doors as well as mesh layers to provide ample ventilation and ensure that plenty of air is able to move throughout the tent.
Weatherproof
Although pop up tents are typically lightweight and portable, they are designed to endure all types of weather conditions including wind or rain.
With that said, it doesn’t hurt to place a tarp or rain fly on top of your tent to provide a bit of extra protection from the rain and boost its waterproof rating.
Portable
Ideally, a pop up tent should be portable, especially if you plan to use it as an extra tent in addition to a conventional model that you already have.
The great thing about pop up tents is that they’re usually lightweight enough to fit into a backpack for easy portability and let’s be honest, almost anyone can carry a tent weighing just 8 to 10 pounds and you can easily pack it on the trunk of your car.
Extra Features
You also want to consider the features included in your pop up tent.
This includes any accessories that your tent has, as well as ventilation such as the number of doors or windows.
These features are important to ensure comfortability when camping with your tent.
Conclusion
That’s all you need to know if you want to buy the best pop up tent for your needs.
If we were to pick just one option though, it would be the Coleman 4-Person Pop-Up Tent, as it ticks all the boxes of what you should look for in this type of tent. It’s spacious, leak-proof, and well-ventilated with a detachable rainfly.
There’s plenty of storage space here thanks to the dedicated storage pockets and you can rest assured that it’ll remain stable no matter the weather thanks to its guy-out triangles and redesigned poles.
All of this, and this tent only weighs 6.4 pounds! It doesn’t get better than this, folks!