Accommodating 8 people in a tent is generally best in a long shape because it often comes with dividers (and therefore ‘rooms’ with privacy), like the Ozark and Coleman Red Canyon.
However, dome shaped tents like the Montana, WeatherMaster, Core Extended and NTK Laredo GT 8-9 person tend to resist weather much better, as they have integrated WeatherTec systems and features like covered seams, strengthened floors and wind-resistant structures.
Mesh roof tents are great for sunny seasons, like the Bristlecone and Coleman Montana.
For family campouts, the Coleman Instant is a great pick as it is easy to set up with kids.
Best 8 Person Tents (Top Picks)
Best Overall
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Best Weather-Resistant
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Top Tents For 8 People (Detailed Reviews)
We reviewed over 16 8-person tents for this article. Below are the best 8 person tents that made our short list.
- Coleman Montana 8 - Best Overall
- Ozark Trail 8-Person Tent - Best Value
- Coleman Instant 8
- Coleman WeatherMaster 10 - Best Weather-Resistant
- Wenzel Bristlecone
- CORE Extended Dome 9
- Coleman Red Canyon 8 - Best For Beginners
- NTK Laredo GT
Read our complete buyers guide for 8 person tents.
1. Best Overall Tent For 8
The Coleman Montana made it to the top of our list due to its high-quality, roominess and included variety of outdoor technologies that make any camping trip better.
This large tent makes night-time easy with built-in CPX LED lights that provide 100 lumens of light (and includes an energy pack that can power anything with a USB slot). Its reliable WeatherTec system will keep you dry, and the built-in awning provides shelter from rain and sun.
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2. Best Value Tent
The main perk of a 3-room tent is its privacy, so it’s a great choice for family or couple camping. With its two removable room dividers and many features, the Ozark Trail 8-Person Tent is our top-rated 3-room tent.
This massive tent can fit in three queen-sized air mattresses with room to spare, and it takes no more than 10 minutes or less to set up. It’s a great idea to put a table in the centre to set stuff on (to keep things tidy) or eat at.
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3. Instant Tent
4/5 Overall Rating
Not only does the Coleman Instant provide enough space for 4 queen sized beds, it only demands only 60 seconds of your time to set up! Spacious with nearly no set-up effort – how much more luxurious can a tent get?
The Instant 8 is equipped with double thick fabric and WeatherTec features that will keep you cosy in harsh conditions. The only downside to this tent is that all its features add up to make it really bulky and heavy when packed.
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4. Best Weather-Resistant
The Coleman WeatherMaster tent is designed with a WeatherTec system and other features that resist harsh weather extremely well, making the Coleman WeatherMaster 10 the best weather-resistant tent.
As well as the WeatherTec system, the tent includes a Variflo adjustable system that allows for customizable cooling, and reverse-angled windows that let in light and air while keeping water out. You can set it up easily in about 20 minutes, and there’s enough room for 3 queen-sized mattresses.
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5. Good Overall Tent for 8
4.4/5 Overall Rating
Wenzel claims to be founded on the belief to never compromise product quality for profit, and the Bristlecone is a great example of this.
Its high-quality fabric protects you from rain and wind, and there’s enough room for 2 queen airbeds.
A large screen awning provides sun and weather protection and can act as a picnic room, camping porch or gear room. This size makes it great for camping with family and friends, and it feels even more open and airy with its full mesh roof and two mesh windows.
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6. Classic Large Tent
4/5 Overall Rating
The Core Extended has two additional ridge poles that maximizes space and makes it feel roomy - it sleeps 9 people, or less with lots of luggage. With its additional waterproofing quality and easy use, it’s a popular choice on the market.
The seams from the rainfly down to the floor are heat sealed with thick tape to prevent water from getting in. And if you find yourself in sunny weather you can choose to remove the rainfly to enjoy the view that the mesh ceiling has to offer.
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7. Best Tent for Beginner Camping
4.5/5 Overall Rating
The Coleman Red Canyon is great for beginners because it comes with colour-coded poles and three separate bags for the tent, poles and stakes, making it easy to set up and pack away.
The long shape of the Coleman Red Canyon 8 creates a feeling of spaciousness, and the tent comes with two dividers to create three separate rooms for privacy (great for family camping). It can sleep 8 people comfortably and the tent includes a WeatherTec system that resists rain and wind.
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8. Great 8 Person Option
4.2/5 Overall Rating
This NTK Laredo GT 8-9 person with all its space and features, is sold at a bargain price and is therefore our top pick for value-for-money.
The NTK Laredo GT has a spacious dome design with a shock-corded fibreglass frame. Its pin-and-ring system makes it easy to set up while the ‘Stow n’ Go’ duffel system makes it easy to pack away.
The tent is resistant to harsh weather and its spacious interior makes it cosy when hiding away from storms. It’s even great in hot weather - its large mesh roof vents and windows provide awesome ventilation.
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Cabin Tent - Buyer's Guide (Key Features)
Weight & Packed Size
With a high-quality tent that’s large enough to fit 8 people, a small packing size is nearly non-existent. These tents also tend to be heavy and therefore a strain to carry far, which is something to be aware of before investing into a big tent.
However, they can be packed down into different shapes, with some being easier than others to store. If storage space is a priority, look out for included carry bags or, like the Red Canyon, a tent that packs into several bags.
Set Up & Take Down
Generally big tents are trickier to set up, especially long-shaped ones. Therefore, it’s important that your tent has easy-to-follow instructions or an efficient set-up system, such as colour coded poles like the Red Canyon or Grand Pass 10’s pin-and-ring system.
Materials: Fabric & Poles
A popular pole material is fibreglass, which is inexpensive, light and doesn’t corrode (so they can last long under careful treatment). Aluminium is even stronger, but more expensive and it corrodes. Carbon fibre is also a strong material, but it doesn’t bend well (so it’s easy to break).
The best tent fabric is either canvas for its sturdiness or cotton for its insulation and breathability. Both fabrics are lightweight, durable and can resist harmful UV rays. Otherwise nylon tents are generally cheaper, lighter and require less maintenance, but aren’t nearly as breathable or rigid.
Floor Space & Height
All tents have their dimensions online. Usually, tents that are big enough to sleep 8 people or more have enough height to stand up in, which is a luxurious bonus.
So, the only thing to keep in mind is a tent’s interior space. When a tent is advertised to fit a certain amount of beds in it, it often means it can only fit that amount and nothing more (i.e. no luggage space). Because of this, we advise you to take your mattress/es’ measurements and refer these when buying a big tent.
Weather Resistance & Season Rating (Single vs Double Wall)
You need to buy a tent in accordance to the weather you will be facing. If you are facing stormy weather, note that many tents will brag about their weather resistance - as it is a key selling factor in tents - but it’s important to check product review pages to see how they react when they’re really put to the test.
If you are going to be camping in sunny weather, ventilation is vital so that your tent won’t overheat. Make sure there’s adequate mesh features or vents and note that dark-coloured rainflies / fabric will make a tent absorb more heat.
Comfort
When it comes to a tent, comfort is generally measured by its spaciousness and weather resistance. Some accessories also aid comfort, such as lantern hooks, wall pockets, attached porches etc.
Footprints
A tent footprint is used under tents to prevent tearing or wearing your tent against the ground. Some tents don’t come with a footprint, and it can be justified to not get one if you know you’ll only be camping along soft ground like sand and lush grass. But it is highly recommended to have one, as it will increase your tent’s longevity.
Accessories
Once all the above points have been considered, you can investigate extra perks. Tents tend to come with integrated features – such as wall organisers, ground mats, awnings, lantern hooks and windows.
But there are some vital accessories that are sometimes not included. Make sure to check what a tent does and doesn’t include to avoid camping failure. We can suggest Coleman Instant’s Rainfly and the Duty DRY TOP Poly Tarp, if you’re heading into rainy weather, or otherwise an awning for summer.
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