Backpackers looking over the beautiful mountains while preparing for a day of tent camping

Best 6 Person Tent of 2023 – Top Six Person Tents for Camping

Best Overall
1st
Coleman Elite WeatherMaster 6 Person Tent
The Coleman Elite Weathermaster has smart features like a screen room and a lighting system. It also comes with a room divider, which makes it ideal for families and friend groups.
Most Durable Tent
2nd
Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe Tent
This canvas option from Kodiak is strong and durable, able to handle wind and rain as well as tough desert sunshine.
Best Budget Option
3rd
Coleman Sundome 6 Person Tent
A reliable low-budget tent for beginners, the Sundome by Coleman offers great value. It’s not eternal, but it’s easy to pitch and comes with the necessary features for occasional camping.

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Last Updated: March 29, 2023

If you’re going camping with family or friends, we recommend buying a good 6-person tent that fits everybody comfortably. But which one is the best 6 person tent for you?

We spent hours researching 6-person tents to find you the best choice in terms of size, quality and ease of use. Our editor’s choice is the Coleman Elite WeatherMaster 6-Person, the second-best choice is the Coleman Sundome 6-Person Tent and the third-best choice is the Bushnell Shield Series 6 Instant Cabin tent.

If you’re in a rush, the best 6 person tents for camping are:

  1. Coleman Elite WeatherMaster 6 Person TentBest Overall
  2. Coleman Sundome 6 Person TentBest budget option
  3. Bushnell Shield Series 6 Instant Cabin TentBest for groups
  4. Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe Tent
  5. Timber Ridge Instant Cabin Tent

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Most Durable Tent

Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Canvas Tent (4/6/8 Person)

Best Budget Option

Coleman Sundome Dome Tent (2/3/4/6 Person)

Bushnell Shield Series Instant Cabin Tent (6/9/12 Person)

Timber Ridge 6 Person Instant Cabin Tent

Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe Tent

Coleman Sundome 6 Person Tent

Bushnell Shield Series 6 Instant Cabin Tent

Timber Ridge Instant Cabin Tent

Ranking2nd3rd4th5th
Rating /5

4.7

4.4

4.4

4.3

Review

This canvas option from Kodiak is strong and durable, able to handle wind and rain as well as tough desert sunshine.

A reliable low-budget tent for beginners, the Sundome by Coleman offers great value. It’s not eternal, but it’s easy to pitch and comes with the necessary features for occasional camping.

The Bushnell Shield Series 6-person tent comes with a handy awning at the front that makes it great for socializing with friends. Thanks to its heat shield technology, you’ll also keep cooler in the morning.

This instant cabin tent is ideal for both families and friends who want to start enjoying their trip quickly. It also has a 6’ 6” peak height and vertical cabin walls, making it a favorite for taller campers.

Quick Recommendation for a six person tent

The best tent that we looked at for this review was the Elite Weathermaster 6-Person Tent.

With key features like the screen room and room divider helps give you plenty of usable and private space in this tent. That makes it a great option for family camping trips.

Picture yourself sitting in the screen room, sheltered from the sun and protected from the bugs as you watch the kids play. Then once the sun sets, bring the fun inside the tent with the illuminating light system.

What about campers on a budget?

If you need to keep costs down, we’d recommend opting for the Coleman Sundome tent. The Sundome range of tents are brilliant for first time campers not quite ready to empty their wallets for their new hobby.

The simple design makes set up a speedy and easy process. You don’t have to spend an hour figuring out what poles need to go in which sleeves. Even a total camping newbie can get this tent set up without a hitch!

It’s spacious enough for six campers but will be far more comfortable with around three or four.

Reviews of the Best 6 Person Tents

Best Overall

Coleman Elite WeatherMaster 6-Person Tent

The Coleman Elite Weathermaster has smart features like a screen room and a lighting system. It also comes with a room divider, which makes it ideal for families and friend groups.

6 person model

  • Capacity: 6 people
  • Weight: 35.8 lbs
  • Dimensions: 11 ft x 9 ft
  • Screen room dimensions: 9 ft x 6 ft
  • Center height: 6 ft 8 in
  • Door: Hinged doors
  • E-port: 1 electricity port included
  • Storage pockets: included
  • Rainfly: Rain fly included
  • Hydrostatic Head Rating: N/A
  • LED lighting system: Included
  • Lumens: 100 (high), 42 (low), 5 (night)
  • Screen room: Included
  • Seasons: 3 season
  • Air beds: Room for 2 queen sized air beds
  • Set up time: 20 mins
  • Price: $$
Overall:

Pros

  • Large screen room for bug-free outdoor time.
  • Handy lighting system.
  • Mesh roof for ventilation.
  • Room divider for privacy.
  • Hinged door.

Cons

  • Can get some condensation.
  • No AC port like in the earlier model.

The Coleman Elite Weathermaster is a handy tent for a great price and the best tent for 6 people to sleep in comfortably. It’s spacious and comes with room dividers for privacy and an additional screen room at the front. It’s great for hanging out outside even in bad weather or protecting yourself from bugs.

This tent comes with a built-in LED lighting system with an illuminated light switch at the door. There’s also a port for your chargers, but no AC port.

It also comes with Coleman’s hinged door design, which allows you to step out of the tent without playing with the zipper. It also closes easily, so it’s great to bring on a camping trip with small kids.

Since the rainfly isn’t full-coverage, you might get some condensation in humid conditions. Generally, the mesh windows will give you more ventilation to keep condensation low, but it can happen, especially with the rainfly on.


Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Canvas 6 Person Tent

This canvas option from Kodiak is strong and durable, able to handle wind and rain as well as tough desert sunshine.

6 Person

  • Weight: 68 lbs
  • Height: 6 ft 6 in
  • Dimensions: 10 ft x 10 ft
  • Bag Dimensions: 30 in x 13 in (Poles 50 in x 5.5 in)
  • Doors: 2 doors
  • Electronics port: No electronics port
  • Price: $$$
  • Hydrostatic Rating: n/a
  • Storage pockets: Included
  • Gear hammock: Included
  • Windows: 4 windows
  • Roof: Cotton duck canvas roof
  • Porch: No porch
  • Awning: Front awning included
  • Rain fly: Rain fly not needed
  • Wall fabric: Cotton duck hydra-shield canvas wall
  • Floor fabric: Reinforced polyester seamless floor
  • Tent style: Cabin
  • Brands: Kodiak Canvas brand
  • Season: 4 season
Overall:

Pros

  • Door awning.
  • Spacious inside.
  • Amazing waterproofing.
  • Breathable in the summer and warm in the winter.
  • Durable.
  • Excellent wind resistance

Cons

  • Heavy weight makes for a tougher setup.
  • High price.

Canvas tents are the ideal option if you’re looking for a tent to last you a lifetime and in the most varied weather conditions. This Kodiak tent is ideal for campers who want a versatile tent that’s cool in the summer, warm in the winter and can handle storms.

Inside the tent, it’s spacious, and there’s an awning at the front that provides shade and cover from the rain. The huge windows include no-see-um mesh, which gives you more privacy at crowded camping sites.

The downside is that this model is definitely not lightweight and easy to carry. You might need two pairs of hands to put it up, simply for the weight of the canvas and steel poles. It’s also much more expensive than a tent made of polyester and aluminum, but the canvas is amazingly durable and tough.


Best Budget Option

Coleman Sundome Dome 6 Person Tent

A reliable low-budget tent for beginners, the Sundome by Coleman offers great value. It’s not eternal, but it’s easy to pitch and comes with the necessary features for occasional camping.

6 person model

  • Capacity: 6 people
  • Weight: 7.4 kg
  • Dimensions: 10 ft x 10 ft
  • Center height: 6 ft
  • Air beds: Space for 2 queen size air beds
  • E-port: 1 electricity port
  • Set up time: 10 minutes
  • Gear pocket: Interior gear pocket included
  • Hydrostatic head rating: n/a
  • Rainfly: Rain fly included
  • Door: 1 door
  • Type: Dome tent
  • Wall material: Polyester mesh wall
  • Flysheet material: Polyester taffeta rainfly
  • Floor material: Polyethylene floor
  • Brand: Coleman
  • Price: $
Overall:

Pros

  • Affordable price.
  • Easy setup for one person.
  • Internal storage pockets

Cons

  • Gets chilly in cold weather camping.
  • Not the most durable.
  • Tall people might find the tent too short

The Coleman Sundome 6-person tent is a great option for beginners who are looking for a hassle-free, low-budget tent. It’s not the highest quality tent, but it’s pretty reliable, and for the price, the quality you get is excellent.

Overall, this tent is spacious and comfortable enough for family camping. The sleeping area is spacious enough to fit two queen air mattresses and has an electrical cord port as well as mesh storage pockets.

This camping tent comes with Coleman’s WeatherTec system that includes welded, bathtub-style floors and inverted seams. If you apply some sealant over the seams, you’ll likely be sleeping dry throughout your trip. But the rain fly doesn’t reach the ground, so it can get pretty chilly in cooler climates.

It’s a traditional dome tent design with a relatively easy setup. It’s not an instant tent, but even a beginner can figure it out in about 10 minutes. And the weight is low enough to be manageable on your own, so you don’t need a second pair of hands.


Best for Groups

Bushnell Shield Series Instant Cabin 6 Person Tent

The Bushnell Shield Series tent comes with a handy awning at the front that makes it great for socializing with friends. Thanks to its heat shield technology, you’ll also keep cooler in the morning.

6 Person

  • Weight: 27.4 lbs
  • Height: 72 in
  • Dimensions: 11 ft x 9 ft
  • Floor area: 99 square feet
  • Type: Instant setup
  • Design: Cabin tent
  • Windows: Large mesh windows
  • Gear pockets: Included
  • Flashlight holder: Included
  • Doors: 1 door
  • Hydrostatic Head Rating: 600 mm
  • Carry bag: Included
  • Electricity port: 1 e-port included
  • Set up time: 60 seconds
  • Tent denier: 150 denier
  • Air beds: Fits 1 queen sized air bed
  • Price: $$
Overall:

Pros

  • Large awning at the front.
  • Instant setup.
  • Big doors for easy access.
  • Heat shield to keep you cooler.

Cons

  • Not the best waterproofing.
  • The near-vertical walls can catch in the wind

The Bushnell Shield Series 6-person tent is our recommended option for groups of friends. It comes with a 60-second instant setup with pre-attached poles, so you don’t have to waste precious time on assembly.

What sets this tent apart is the large awning it has at the front, which makes it an ideal pick for socializing. It adds lots of space you can use for hanging out protected from bad weather or scorching sunshine. And the door is protected, so you won’t let the rain inside the tent with you in light showers.

This tent also features heat shield technology with a reflective coating on the rain fly to keep you cooler throughout the day. It’ll also help those who like sleeping longer in the mornings after a long night.

Overall, it’s a good quality tent for its price and is ideal for a group of four or five friends. Do note that this tent might not be ideal if you’re camping in very humid environments. Most customers are satisfied with their purchase, but some report leakage at the seams in heavy rain.


Timber Ridge 6 Person Instant Cabin Tent

This instant cabin tent is ideal for both families and friends who want to start enjoying their trip quickly. It also has a 6’ 6” peak height and vertical cabin walls, making it a favorite for taller campers.

6 Person

  • Weight: 25.4 lb
  • Capacity: 6 person
  • Dimensions: 120 in x 120 in / 10 ft x 10 ft
  • Height: 78 in
  • Design: Cabin tent
  • Season: 3 season
  • Freestanding: Yes
  • Tent pole material: Steel tent poles
  • Wall material: Polyester
  • Rooms: 1 room
  • Set up time: 1 minute
  • Storage pocket: 1 included
  • Windows: 3 zipped mesh windows and a mesh top
  • Carry bag: Included
  • Electrical port: 1 e-port included
  • Price: $
Overall:

Pros

  • Instant setup.
  • Vertical walls and tall peak height.
  • Mesh storage pockets on the side walls.
  • Tough poles that can handle strong winds.
  • Great airflow.

Cons

  • Not designed for cold weather camping

This 3 season 6 person tent is great for couples, car camping families and groups of friends for summer and light 3 season car camping. It comes with a smart, instant assembly so you can get straight to enjoying your free time.

The cabin-style setup and vertical walls are great for taller campers, giving you a maximum height of 6’6”. It makes long trips much more comfortable since you won’t have to crouch. The tent floor space is also enough for two queen-sized mattresses with room to spare, so you can fit in the whole family.

Camping enthusiasts also love the sturdy poles that can handle tough weather with heavy winds and rain without leaking or condensation. When you’re not using the rainfly, you also have huge windows on the roof for ventilation. Just note that the mesh windows are large, so it can get chilly in colder weather.


Who are these tents for?

Still not sure which is the right tent for you? Let’s go through some key features so you know what to look out for.

Which tent is best for six campers?

Winner of our 6 person tent reviews: Bushnell Shield Series 6 Instant Cabin Tent

A 6-person capacity just means that the tent is big enough to fit 6 people, but it’s not the same as the tent’s comfort capacity. For a 6-person tent, this is usually between 3 to 5 people depending on the size, but no more than 4 adults.

But the Bushnell comes with plenty of space to give you and five other campers as comfortable experience as you can expect in a six person tent.

Make sure to remember that you’ll need extra gear storage space with six campers. 6-person tents with vestibules and screen rooms can be ideal for keeping things like chairs and cooking fear close by.

For a group of adults, we recommend the Bushnell Shield Series tent. It has a lot of headroom, but it also comes with an awning for keeping your camping gear safely stored out of the main body of the tent.

We do, however, recommend checking out our reviews of the best 8 man tent if you want to spread out more for comfort.

Best 6-Person Tent for Families

Best tent for 6 person family: Coleman Elite WeatherMaster 6 Person Car Camping Tent

The Coleman Elite WeatherMaster 6-person tent is our top pick for family comfort. It has a room divider to give you and your kids some privacy, which is key with older children and teens. It also has a separate screen room, where you can watch smaller kids play, protected from bugs.

With a family, there are also other comfort features that come in handy. Having an easy setup is key when you don’t have hands to spare. Multiple doors also make it easier for everybody to get in and out. The WeatherMaster’s hinged door is also super useful because it closes automatically without the zipper.

And don’t forget that you’ll need a camping tent that’s strong enough so it can take your kids playing and running around!

Which 6 person camping tent is best for festivals?

Top rated 6 person tent for a festival: Coleman Sundome Tent

If you’re going to a festival, you’ll want a tent that’s simple to set up, inexpensive to replace if it gets damaged, and convenient to sleep in in the morning.

For us, the Sundome tent checks all the boxes. It’s inexpensive and has a simple two-pole dome configuration that even first-time campers can quickly figure out.

Which camping tent is Most Comfortable?

Top 6 person tents for comfort: Timber Ridge 6 Person Instant Cabin Tent

Comfort in your 6 person tent doesn’t just come down to extra features, but also the height and floor area. These are some of the things you should take into account when looking at the livable space in a tent.

For taller people, making sure the tent is large enough that you don’t need to spend all your time inside it crouched down is important. The larger size the tent, the taller it usually is, and most tents for 6 people have a peak height that’s at least 6 feet.

However, when you’re taller than this, the best tent types are usually cabin-style, with near-vertical walls. They’re often the most comfortable, especially for longer camping trips. Who wants to spend a week or more crouching every time they’re inside the tent?

The gear loft in the Bushnell Shield is a good way to store personal belongings.
The Bushnell Shield Series 6 Person Tent has a handy gear loft for storage

Best tent for storage options

Winner: Coleman Elite WeatherMaster 6 Person Tent

When you’re going activity camping, you need extra space to store some gear and to get dirty. For these situations, especially with a family, we recommend the Coleman Elite Weathermaster.

The screen room can be good for chilling out, but it can also double as a protected usable space for keeping your camping gear. Not to mention getting out of dirty or wet clothes before going inside the tent, or letting your kids in.

The Bushnell also comes with some good features for storage like the handy gear loft.

Easiest 6 Person Tent to Set Up

The Coleman Sundome is an easy tent to figure out, even for beginners.

Can a 6 person tent be setup by one person?

Winner: Coleman Sundome Tent

With a basic two-pole structure, this tent can be set up easily by one person. It’s a great first tent because of how simple it is to set up. We’ve come across lots of testimonials online about how camping newbies – and even kids – can set this tent up with relative ease.

Which tent is the quickest to pitch?

Winner: Timber Ridge 6 Person Instant Cabin Tent

If you’re a complete camping newbie, we recommend getting the Timber Ridge 6 person tent. The setup takes about 60 seconds with the preattached fiberglass poles. Just spread the tent on the ideal spot and extend the poles, and you’re done.

Are these tents easy to carry?

None of these tents are lightweight for carrying long distances, so we don’t recommend any of these tents for backpacking trips. If you are backpacking with a group, we’d advise you look at buying a couple of smaller capacity tents rather than one big one.

What if the weather turns? Rain and wind

If you get caught in a thunderstorm, you want to make sure that you’re tent will see you through it safe and dry. There are few things worse than a long night in a cold leaky tent! So which of these tents come with adequate weather protection?

The waterproof Kodiak Flex Bow tent is great in variable weather conditions, one of the best 6 person tents
The waterproof Kodiak Flex Bow tent is great in variable weather conditions

Best 6 person tent for rain and waterproofing

Best waterproof tent 6 person capacity: Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe 6 Person Tent

All of these 6 person tents will likely keep you dry in light rain, especially if you treat the seams with some sealant before going out. But the Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe tent is the most weatherproof.

If you’re not ready to spend that much, look for a tent with a high hydrostatic rating. This number indicates the tent fabric’s capacity to resist water. The higher it is, the better, but a rating of 2000 mm will likely keep you dry through the night. Other features like bathtub-style floors and inverted seams also help keep you protected from water.

If you’re going to be using your tent in the winter, it’s essential to go with the Kodiak tent. It’s the only tent with a thick enough fabric to keep you warm.

Best six person tent for condensation

Winner: Timber Ridge 6 Person Instant Cabin Tent

Thanks to the ventilation system in this tent, condensation won’t be an issue. There’s lots of mesh to keep the air circulated.

The Coleman Sundome comes with a floor vent which helps improve the circulation in the tent and reduces the chance of condensation building. The Bushnell also comes with a floor vent to keep the tent ventilated.

Some campers might be worried about the breatheability of canvas tents leading to issues with ventilation. But the Kodiak Canvas comes with an excellent ventilation system including two ground vents to bring in cool, fresh air.

However, in cold temperatures like a lot of tents the Timber Ridge can get chilly due to the ventilation allowing cold air into the tent.

Best 6 person tent for wind

Winner: Kodiak Flex-Bow Tent

If you’re worried about wind, there are a couple of things to look out for. Steel poles like on the Kodiak will endure the heaviest winds, and aluminum poles are a second. Fiberglass is the most common, but it can be vulnerable to wind.

Instant tents, on the other hand, have extendable poles with lots of moving parts. These parts can break easily, so they’re not the ideal pick for high-wind areas.

Also, remember to use guylines to keep your tent fabric taut if you’re experiencing heavy winds. Flapping, loose fabrics are always more vulnerable to breakage.

Best six person tent for summer and warm weather

Best camping tent for 6 person in summer: Timber Ridge 6-Person Instant Cabin Tent

When you’re camping in high summer heat, you’ll need a 6-person tent with plenty of mesh windows for ventilation. The Timber Ridge tent has amazing, huge windows on all sides. If the weather’s nice, you can keep the rain fly off and enjoy watching the stars at night through the mesh roof.

If you’re camping in a desert and expect serious sunshine and heat, we’d still go with the Kodiak Flex-Bow Deluxe. It offers complete protection against all extreme weather conditions.

Venture into snowy landscapes with your Kodiak cabin tent!
Venture into snowy landscapes with your Kodiak canvas 6 person tent

Best six person tent for winter

Winner: Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe 6-Person Tent

There’s only one tent on this list we’d be brave enough to take out cold weather camping is the Kodiak Canvas tent. The extra protection the canvas material offers will help insulate this best rated 6 person tent and keep you warm even as the temperatures start to chill outside.

Which Tent Will Last the Longest?

Best 6 man tent for durability: Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe 6-Person Tent

The Kodiak tent is again the winner in this category because of its durable build. If you use your tent year-round and frequently, we’d go for this one. However, canvas can gather some mold, so you need to dry it well before storing it.

TentFabricPoles
Coleman Elite WeatherMaster 6-Person TentPolyesterSteel
Coleman Sundome 6-Person TentPolyesterFiberglass
Bushnell Shield Series 6 Instant Cabin Tent PolyesterSteel
Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe 6-Person Tent CanvasSteel
Timber Ridge 6-Person Instant Cabin TentPolyesterFiberglass

FAQ

What Is the Biggest 6-Person camping Tent?

The 6-person tent with the largest floor area in our review is the Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe 6-Person. But if you include the screen room, the Coleman Elite WeatherMaster 6-Person is a bit larger. If you are interested in having multiple rooms in the tent, check out our reviews of the best 2 room tent.

How To Know If You Need a Budget, Mid-Range, or High-End camping Tent?

We recommend picking the range of tent by how much you camp and in what weather. Warm-weather camping doesn’t require much more than a budget tent, but for winter you should invest in a high-end one. And if you give it lots of use and want your tent to last longer, go for mid-to high-end tents.

If you’re looking for a tent that offers complete protection from any weather, then you will need to splash some cash on a higher-end tent.

Do You Need a 6-Person camping Tent?

A 6-person tent sounds very big, but it’s a comfortable size for a small group of adults or a family. If you’re camping between three or four people, a 6-person tent could be the right pick. However, tents do start to get a bit big and bulky in the six person range, so do consider if a top 4 person camping tent or top 5 person camping tent would be a more practical fit overall.

Can you fit a queen size air bed in six person tents?

Making sure that there’s ample space for a comfortable nights sleep is important before buying a tent. All of these tents are big enough for at least one queen air mattress which should be reassuring to campers. The tent with the most feet of space for airbeds is the Kodiak Flex-Bow. It has the largest floor space for fitting the airbeds in.

Are these tents great for car-camping families?

If you’re looking for tents for camping with the family at campsites with an electrical hook up, all of these tents come with an e-port to allow extension cord access. You can bring power into your tent for lighting or charging any electronic gadgets you’ve brought with you.

The Winning 6 person tent

The best 6 person camping tent in our review is the Coleman Elite WeatherMaster 6-Person Tent, thanks to its smart design, affordable price and good weatherproofing.

Our second-best choice was Coleman Sundome 6-Person Tent, and the third-best choice was the Bushnell Shield Series 6 Instant Cabin tent.

Next up: Make a date of your camping trip. Check out our romantic camping tips for couples.

Check out our other guides:

Scroll right to view all products >

Most Durable Tent

Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Canvas Tent (4/6/8 Person)

Best Budget Option

Coleman Sundome Dome Tent (2/3/4/6 Person)

Bushnell Shield Series Instant Cabin Tent (6/9/12 Person)

Timber Ridge 6 Person Instant Cabin Tent

Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe Tent

Coleman Sundome 6 Person Tent

Bushnell Shield Series 6 Instant Cabin Tent

Timber Ridge Instant Cabin Tent

Ranking2nd3rd4th5th
Rating /5

4.7

4.4

4.4

4.3

Review

This canvas option from Kodiak is strong and durable, able to handle wind and rain as well as tough desert sunshine.

A reliable low-budget tent for beginners, the Sundome by Coleman offers great value. It’s not eternal, but it’s easy to pitch and comes with the necessary features for occasional camping.

The Bushnell Shield Series 6-person tent comes with a handy awning at the front that makes it great for socializing with friends. Thanks to its heat shield technology, you’ll also keep cooler in the morning.

This instant cabin tent is ideal for both families and friends who want to start enjoying their trip quickly. It also has a 6’ 6” peak height and vertical cabin walls, making it a favorite for taller campers.

Author at Wilderness Redefined camping website

James has been escaping to the outdoors for as long as he can remember. This first started in family camping trips but soon turned into adventure camps and hiking through the Scottish Hebrides. Now he has turned towards trying to make camping more comfortable and accessible.