When you’re getting ready to head out to camp with family, friends, or even on your own, picking a tent is the first order of business. While your budget plays a big part in your choice, there are a couple of other things to factor in to your choice of the best 4 person tent for you. Want the quick scoop? The best 4 person cabin tent for camping is the Big Agnes Big House 4 person tent. But we’ve also listed some great options for budget and specialty situations as well. Read on to learn more.
What to consider when shopping for a camping tent
- Car camping vs backpacking: If you backpack even occasionally, opt for a dome tent. You can read our article on the best 4 person dome tents by clicking here. If you are exclusively car camping, then a cabin tent is your best bet. Not sure which one is for you? You can read more about choosing between a dome tent and a cabin tent in our article by clicking here.
- Materials: The best tents are nylon with aluminum poles. Avoid canvas as it is ruinously heavy and bulky, and expensive, to boot. Aluminum poles are stronger for their weight than fiberglass ones, but cost more. Look for some mesh, too, for ventilation and visibility.
- Doors: 2 doors are great for friend groups and ventilation. One door may be best for families with small kids who may wander out the back while mom and dad are sleeping.
- Weather resistance: Pay close attention to water-resistant vs waterproof if you camp where it rains frequently. Also, some rain flys cover better than others.
- Set up and take down: Easy is better
- Your camping buddies: A “4 man” tent is sometimes too small for 4 actual normal-sized men. Check the floor dimensions to make sure you have enough room for your group. A 4 person family with 2 small kids or a group of 3 adult males are generally the best fit for a 4 person tent.
1. Night Cat camping tent – Best tent for kids
If you are taking the kids on a fair-weather camping adventure, then this may be the tent for you. Inexpensive, easy to set up, and just 6 feet to a side, it’s a great starter, one season tent for smaller people. Also, at just 4 ½ feet center height, this is more in line with dome tents than cabin tents.
As with many budget tents, the quality of the zipper, poles, and mesh are where costs get cut which can be frustrating. Fiberglass poles are prone to sudden catastrophic failure which can ruin a camping trip.
This tent is perfect for families who want to test the waters of camping without spending tons on gear. But don’t expect it to last for years. Once you’re sure that camping is a great family adventure for you, then invest in a stronger, more durable tent like the Big Agnes or the REI Kingdom 4 further down on our list of cabin tents.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Easy set up
- Warm inside on cooler nights
Cons
- One door
- Fiberglass poles
- Water resistant, not waterproof
- Not good in windy conditions
- No vestibule
Additional features
- Floor dimensions 6 ft 2 inches x 6 ft 2 inches
- Weight 10 lbs
- Height 4 ft 6 inches
- Fiberglass poles
2. Core 4 person tent – Best budget cabin tent
This is a roomy, comfortable tent for its price. With 6 feet of vertical height and straight walls, most people can walk around inside with ease. Getting changed has never been so convenient in the campsite.
The 8-foot by 7-foot floor dimensions will fit a queen-sized blow-up mattress, 2 cots, 3 large sleeping mats, or 4 narrow sleeping mats, depending on the size of your group. While it’s billed as a 4 person tent, as with most of the tents on our list, it’s better for 2 adults and a couple of kids than 4 large people.
Large windows and mesh roof panels offer plenty of airflow, and the rainfly keeps light rains and dew from soaking your sleeping bags. Keep in mind that this is a water-resistant tent, not a waterproof one, so check the weather before you go to make sure storms are not in the forecast.
There are some nice design features like an electrical port, storage pockets, and the roof mesh panels that give you a great sky view in clear conditions. On the down side, the partial rainfly offers minimal coverage which could dampen your enthusiasm if rain sets in.
Pros
- Good ventilation, cool in hot conditions
- Easy setup
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Fiberglass poles
- Water-resistant, not waterproof
- One door
- Partial coverage rainfly
Additional features
- Center height of 6 feet
- Floor dimensions 8 feet x 7 feet
- Fiberglass poles
3. REI Grand Hut 4 person tent – Best tall person cabin tent
If you are over 6’3” you’re used to stooping and/or bumping your head, especially around the campsite. Not so with the REI Grand Hut 4. With a center height of a dizzying 6 feet 3 inches and near-vertical walls, this is the tent for you. While many of the tents on our list have floor space to accommodate you, this one gives you the freedom to get changed standing up and walk around the tent without getting a kink in your neck.
On top of that, you’ll love the 2 doors with plenty of vestibule space, the easy set up and take down, and the plentiful stash pockets up high for you, and down low for the smaller people in your group.
The high-quality material and rugged design means this is a tent to last for years. Plenty of mesh on the tent body and a thoughtful venting system in the rain fly also means that this is a true 3 season tent. Open the vents for airflow in hot weather, synch them down in cooler temperature or at higher elevations to keep you cozy inside at night.
Pros
- 2 doors
- Multiple gear storage pockets and loops
- Large vestibule by doors
- Easy assembly
- Good ventilation and airflow
Cons
- Expensive
- High profile
Additional features
- Floor dimensions 8 feet 4 inches x 7 feet 2 inches
- Center height 6 feet 3 inches
- Weight 14 lbs 2 oz
- Aluminum poles
4. Big Agnes Big House 4 person tent – Best cabin tent
As an overall cabin tent, the Big Agnes Big House wins best in show from Happy Camper Gear. It’s a perfect balance between price, durability and features that will make you a happy car camper for years to come.
It feels roomy with a center height of almost 6 feet and vertical sides. That’s plenty tall enough for most people to move around comfortably and change clothes standing up. And with 7 ½ square floor dimensions, you have plenty of head and foot room (unless you top 7 feet then see the REI Grand Hut 4 above).
Shoulder to shoulder, you’ll be cramped with four large adults, as with most of our 4 man tents. This tent will fit best if you have 3 adults or 2 adults with a couple of kids. Then you’ll find the sleeping arrangements plenty spacious.
Little added features like several stow pockets (some of which are removable for extra convenience) let you stash your hat, glasses, speaker, phone and more. Plus there are hooks to hang stash bags and lanterns. While there is not a vestibule included with the tent which is a little surprising at this price point, but you can purchase an accessory vestibule. This vestibule is actually more of a porch with room for chairs, a table, a bike, etc.
One down side may be that the mesh area on the doors are smaller in this newer version of the Big House and the sides come high up the tent body walls before switching to mesh. If you do summer desert camping and need lots of venation, you may want to explore better ventilated options like the Eureka! Space Camp 4 or the REI Kingdom 4 (both reviewed below).
Pros
- 2 doors
- Full coverage rainfly
- Color coded webbing and buckles for easy set up
- Roomy interior
- Loads of stash pockets and gear loops
- Well constructed zippers and seams
Cons
- Can be hot in high temperature conditions
- No vestibule: It’s an add-on feature at additional cost
- Expensive
Additional features
- Floor dimensions 7 feet 8 inches x 7 ft 6 inches
- Center height feet inches 5 feet 10 inches
- Weight 12 lb 14 oz
- Recommended footprint is not included
5. Eureka! Space Camp 4 person tent – Best summer cabin tent
This is a great family car camping tent, especially if you are going someplace where the temperature may soar. With plenty of mesh on the tent body and vents in the rainfly, you can keep air moving to stay cool.
Durable material and thoughtful design details make this a very livable tent at the campsite. They’ve used beefy 13 mm and 8.5 mm aluminum poles which, combined with sturdy reinforced nylon and polyester, make this a wind-beater. If you’re headed out in stormy weather this is a good tent to stay safe and dry in.
Another nifty design feature is the front porch vestibule. While one side of the rain fly has your typical vestibule design, the other gives you the option of creating a raised roof for easy access while still offering protection from sun and rain.
Pros
- 2 doors
- Mostly mesh walls for great ventilation
- Lots of pockets for everyone to stash stuff
- Aluminum poles
- Generous vestibule space
Cons
- Plastic zippers
- May be cold if the temp drops at night
- Heavy
Additional features
- Floor dimensions 8 feet x 7 feet 6 inches
- Center height 5 feet 8 inches
- Weight 12 lbs 10 oz
- Rainfly included
6. REI Kingdom 4 person tent – Best luxury cabin tent
If money is no object or if camping is your passion, you owe it to yourself to get the REI Kingdom 4. This is the mother of all luxury car camping tents. At 8 feet 4 inches x 8 feet 4 inches floor dimensions, this is truly a 4 man tent. Add the center height of 6 feet 3 inches and the vertical walls and you have a roomy campsite palace.
Sturdy durable materials and lots of convenient pockets for your stuff. A roomy vestibule you can stand up in makes for a great storage area. You can also purchase an additional mud room for bigger gear like bikes.
The set up for the REI Kingdom 4 is not immediately intuitive, so a dry run at home before you head out to the wilderness is a great idea. Also, it helps to be tall to set it up and once it is set up, it’ll be tough for shorter campers to reach the roof vents, so make sure they are closed in the event of a storm rolling in so stay dry.
Pros
- Roomy enough for 4 large adults
- Tall enough for tall people to stand up in
- Durable and sturdy
Cons
- Heavy
- Complicated set up
- Shorter campers may have trouble with setup
Additional features
- Floor dimensions 8 feet 4 inches x 8 feet 4 inches
- Center height feet inches 6 feet 3 inches
- Weight 18 lbs 8 oz
7. Coleman Instant 4 person tent – Best 4 person instant cabin tent
Instant tents (tents with the poles permanently attached) have become more prevalent, and there is no doubt that they are amazingly convenient. The Coleman Instant 4 gives you all the room of a vertical-walled cabin tent with the bonus of simple set up. While your fellow campers are messing with poles and grommets, you’ll already be sitting in your camp chair popping open a cold drink.
There is plenty of room for 3 full-sized adults or 2 adults with kids, but as with most of the tents on this list, “4 men” is a stretch. You have almost 5 feet of clearance and vertical sides, though, so it’ll feel roomy at the campsite. Also, you don’t have to worry about the sun waking you too early with the darkroom coating on this tent. This is especially nice for parents of small kids who want a cup of early morning coffee before the kids wake up.
The downside to an instant tent is lack of adjustability. In higher winds or as the tent gets damp or ages, there is simply no way to tighten the sides, which may have other ramifications like compromising the integrity of the tent body at stress points.
This is a great fair-weather tent for families with young kids who want to get the tent up fast and go do other fun things.
Pros
- Sets up in as fast as a minute
- Darkroom technology
Cons
- Water-resistant, not waterproof
- Little adjustability
- Less durable than others on our list
- Rainfly not included
Additional features
- Floor dimensions 8 feet x 7 feet
- Center height 4 feet 11 inches
- Weight 19 lbs 10 oz
Wrap up
When the outdoors call, you want it to be easy to grab your gear and go. Finding the perfect tent for you and your family or friends doesn’t have to make you crazy. Look for the perfect balance of price, durability, and convenience to make sure you have the camping trip of a lifetime. When your adventures sometimes take you off the beaten track and into the uncharted wilderness, then the Marmot Limestone is the perfect hybrid option for car camping and backpacking. You can read more about dome tents in our article Best 4 Person Dome Tents.
For a luxury car camping adventure with every convenience, opt for the REI Kingdom 4 with the additional mud room. If you are testing the waters and want to keep things inexpensive and simple, then you can’t go wrong with the Core 4 person cabin tent.
