Best 8 person tents for families and groups

Welcome to our best 8 person tent review!

We’ve searched high and low, looking at HUNDREDS of tents to bring you six of the best!

If you’re looking for something big enough for the whole gang, then 8 person tents usually give you plenty of space to have fit everyone in.

So stick with us as we go through what makes these tents so special!

So which tent do we recommend?

If you don’t have time to stay with us for the full review, here’s our quick summary.

If you’re looking for an eight person tent that will fit eight people in it, we think there’s no beating the Vango Odyssey. Overall, it’s a great tent but with the sleeping pods and living area, there’s plenty of space for gear and hanging out even when this tent is at full capacity.

What about value for money?

All in all, it comes down to the functionality and durability of a tent compared to its price. A cheaper tent won’t last you a lifetime like a high-end tent will, but it will likely endure long enough to be a relatively good investment. 

If you’re looking for an affordable tent that can accommodate up to 8 people, Coleman is a great option.

Coleman models, especially the Coleman Montana tent, are always a good option for their value.

The Best 8 Person Tents Compared

Capacity: 8 | Weight: 50.49lbs | Dimensions: 20’ (W) x 9’ (L) x 6’ 5” (H) | Bag Dimensions: 16” x 30” | Doors: 1 | Power Cord Vent: No | Hydrostatic Head Rating: 4,000mm | Price: $$

This tent is ideal for those families who want to make the most out of their year and head outside as late in the fall as possible. 

The long, rectangle-shaped design features sleeping pods at both ends of the tent, with room to sit around, eat or store your bags in the middle. You can take out the room dividers if you want to hang out with the entire family, but they’re good to have when you need a little more privacy.

This tent comes with fantastic weatherproofing that will keep you dry and warm even in storms.

The ventilation is not the greatest aspect of this tent, and we wouldn’t recommend it for humid, warm weather. The tent features a ‘lights out’ design designed to keep the heat out of the tent, but you’ll still likely get up with the first rays of sunshine. Some customers even note that this tent lets in quite a lot of light. 

Putting up the tent is quite easy, as is taking it down. And many customers who bought it love the fact that the carry bag is big enough to fit the tent without having to wrestle with it.

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Capacity: 8 | Weight: 24lbs | Dimensions: 16’ (W) x 7’ (L) x 6’ 2” (H) | Bag Dimensions: 27.5” x 9.25” x 9” | Doors: 1 | Power Cord Vent: Yes | Hydrostatic Head Rating: N/A | Price: $$

This tent Coleman 8 person comes in a dome style and is an ideal low-budget option for small families or groups of friends who are new to camping. Even if it’s not a pop-up or instant tent, the setup with color-coded poles is simple to figure out. The carry bag is expandable so you’ll avoid fighting with it to squeeze the tent back inside when you’re heading home.

You can fit 3 queen-sized air mattresses inside the tent, which gives you enough room for 6 people to sleep. There are no detachable room dividers for extra privacy.

The Montana 8 person tent comes with Coleman’s smart hinge door that has a pole inside the frame to close it behind you. This keeps your tent bug-free when you have kids running around who don’t always remember to close the doors.

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Capacity: 8 | Weight: 40lbs | Dimensions: 14’ (W) x 10’ (L) x 6’ 7” (H) | Bag Dimensions: 47” x 11” x 9.5” | Doors: 2 | Power Cord Vent: No | Hydrostatic Head Rating: N/A | Price: $$

This Coleman 8-person instant tent is the right alternative for those who don’t have a minute to spare. It’s an ideal choice for single parents who don’t have two sets of hands for putting together a tent, or if you make lots of short camping trips throughout the summer.

The setup of this Coleman 8-person tent is among the fastest on the market. The poles are pre-attached, so you only have to clip them into place and secure the tent into the ground, and you’re good to go. 

This tent has two doors and windows on all sides that allow for air circulation. 

It’s large and heavy to drag around, so you probably won’t want to carry it with you for long. On the plus side, the center height of this tent is 6 feet and 7 inches—tall enough for a friend group to hang out when it’s cold outside.

The tent has a water-resistant coating, with bathtub-style floors for better resistance, but it’s not the most waterproof tent on the market. Still, it’s a good entry-level tent.

I have the Coleman tent and it’s great. Setup and takedown are quick and simple, maybe about two minutes each, and I can comfortably fit two queen sized air mattresses with room to spare.

Review

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Capacity: 8 | Weight: 34.9lbs | Dimensions: 13’ (W) x 10’ (L) x 7’ (H) | Bag Dimensions: 11” x 29” | Doors: 2 | Power Cord Vent: Yes | Hydrostatic Head Rating: N/A | Price: $$

The Eureka Copper Canyon 8 person tent is ideal for families looking for a tall tent for longer trips that will allow them to live in comfort. With its spacious interior and two large doors on both sides, this tent gives everybody space to breathe. 

The setup is pretty good, taking about 10 minutes to put up between two people. The cabin-style design takes a little time to figure out, but the straight tent walls make it comfortably tall to stand inside.

This tent has some smart features, including mesh pockets on the sides and hammock-style storage on the roof. The overall quality of the fabrics is excellent, and the tent can usually endure bad weather pretty well. However, the floor is a little thin, so spreading a tarp underneath will help you protect it.

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Capacity: 8 | Weight: 79lbs | Dimensions: 14’ (W) x 10’ (L) x 6’ 6” (H) | Bag Dimensions: 16” x 30” | Doors: 2 | Power Cord Vent: No | Hydrostatic Head Rating: N/A | Price: $$

This 8-person tent Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Deluxe is a pricier option, but a quality one that just might last you a lifetime. It’s perfect for environmentally conscious campers who don’t want to replace their tent every couple of years.

With a canvas tent, you’ll benefit from the breathable but tough material that’s generally more durable than synthetic tents. It’s also more water and wind-resistant, so you’ll be able to use this tent through chilly wind and fall weather. 

Many users comment that this tent is about as dustproof as you can get, if you’re camping in a desert with possible dust storms. That’s why it’s a top pick for Burning Man campers. On the negative, the Flex-Bow Deluxe 8 person tent is definitely at the higher end of the price range, and it’s so heavy it’s best for people looking for a durable tent for car camping.

Also, note that the tent is not made for snow and that you need to dry the canvas thoroughly before storage to avoid rot.

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Capacity: 8 | Weight: 27.3lbs | Dimensions: 16’ (W) x 11’ (L) x 6’ 5” (H) | Bag Dimensions: 16” x 30” | Doors: 1 | Power Cord Vent: No | Hydrostatic Head Rating: N/A | Price: $$

What distinguishes the Wenzel 8-person tent from other models is its front screen room with an extra 36 square feet of space. You can use this for eating, storage or for your pets to sleep in. It can also be a great way to enjoy the outdoors when it’s raining.

In the sleeping area, the floor is just big enough to fit two queen-sized air mattresses inside. You can use the tent for four adults or two adults and up to three kids to sleep comfortably. In the separate room at the front, you can fit in two more people if needed.

The Wenzel 8-Person Klondike tent also features two hanging pockets for your personal items on the inside, and a rain fly for protection from the elements. It works well in general for keeping your tent dry in light rain, but doesn’t provide the strongest protection from a storm.

With the rain fly on, the temperature inside the tent can also easily get intolerable. Overall, it’s best for casual camping and warm and dry conditions.

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Who are these tents for?

These huge tents might be advertised for 8 people, but is that the most comfortable capacity of this tent? Lets find out!

Which tent is best for 8 people?

Winner: Vango Odyssey

The Vango Odyssey comes with two sleeping pods at either end of the tent and a living space in the middle. This is great because usually tent capacities will be the maximum amount of people that can fit in the entire tent.

This means that you usually have to choose between fitting seven other campers in your tent, or having space for hanging out. With the Odyssey, you can have both.

If you need a massive tent for eight campers, this is the one to go for.

Which is the best family camping tent?

Winner: Eureka! Copper Canyon

When it comes to family camping, we really liked the Eureka Copper Canyon. It has plenty of space to keep everyone happy and there’s even a removable room divider, making it a two-room tent, which can be great for creating separate sleeping areas or a bedroom and living area.

which tent is best for festivals?

Winner: Coleman Instant Cabin Tent

If you’re planning to take your tent to a festival, you want something that is quick and easy to set up whilst also being low-cost. You don’t want to fork out on a tent that some careless camper damages.

The Coleman also has excellent ventilation which is good for delicate mornings. You can also upgrade to the 10 person model which includes an integrated fly with dark room technology to keep you protected from the sun in the early hours of the morning.

Which tent is best for backpacking?

8 person tents are too large to take backpacking. They are heavy and awkward to carry. If you are planning a trip with a big group, you are better off each carrying smaller tents (or splitting a smaller tent between two people).

Which tent is the most comfortable?

Winner: Wenzel Klondike 

Do you want a dome or cabin style tent?

For maximum comfort, it can be best to leave some floor space in the middle for gear or your pets to sleep in, or just to hang around. The tents that have a dome or tube-like design are often the best for this purpose, as is the Wenzel Klondike with its separate screen area.

If what you prioritize is height and not having to duck when you enter the tent, we recommend cabin-style tents. They tend to be higher all around and have higher doors. The Coleman 8-Person Instant tent and Eureka Copper Canyon 8-person tent are great examples of such tents.

The peak height of the Eureka! is 7′ and the center height of the Coleman is 6′ 7″.

Which tent has the best storage options?

Winner: Vango Odyssey

When it comes to storage space, the Vango was our favorite tent. The living area gives you extra space to store gear inside your tent and unless you are camping with eight people, there should still be space in the sleeping pods for storing gear.

There are plenty of storage pockets for keeping your belongings safe as well.

We were also impressed by the Eureka! Copper Canyon. There is a lot of floor space in that tent and with the room divider, you can separate an area for storage. It also comes with a fantastic gear loft.

Which 8 person tent is easiest to set up?

Larger tents can sometimes be a struggle to setup. Will any of these tents leave you scratching your tent or arguing with poles?

Can any of these tents be Set up by one person?

Winner: Coleman Instant Cabin Tent

With it’s pre-attached poles and instant pitch technology, this Coleman tent can be set up in seconds – even if you’re doing it alone.

It’s always easier to set up a tent with another pair of hands but the design of this Instant Cabin means you don’t need to worry if you get left alone to set the tent up.

Which tent is quickest to pitch?

Winner: Coleman Instant Cabin Tent

It almost feels unfair how well this tent performs when it comes to set up. The instant pitch design means that you can have this freestanding tent set up in about a minute. No other tent we looked at came close to that speed.

Are these tents easy to carry?

Whilst none of these tents should cause you any trouble if you’re car camping, they are not going to be easy to carry for long distances. Tents this size are often bulky and heavy.

The Kodiak is by far the heaviest tent due to its canvas fabric.

What weather protection do these tents offer in harsh weather?

Keeping the rain off your back

Winner: Vango Odyssey and Kodiak Flex-Bow

These two tents are pretty much guaranteed to keep you dry, even in heavy rain. They both come with immense weatherproofing which makes them ideal for unpredictable weather.

The canvas material in the Kodiak can sometimes leak at first because the fabric needs to be “seasoned”. When you first set it up, spray the tent with water and allow it to dry completely. The water will cause the canvas to shrink and close needle holes that might let water in.

After this the tent will keep you dry.

The Vango is designed for camping in the UK (so, rain). The fly sheet and ground sheet are both waterproof to make sure water doesn’t seep into your tent even in storms.

Coping with Condensation

Winner: Coleman Montana

The tent with the best features for stopping condensation from building is the Coleman Montana 8 Person tent. You need a tent that comes with plenty of ventilation to stop condensation.

One of the key features in the Montana are the angled windows which mean that even in the rain, you can leave the windows open and allow air to move through the tent.

This helps bring in cool air and push out warm, damp air, providing adequate ventilation to keep the tent cool.

Standing Strong in windy Conditions

Winner: Vango Odyssey

With their patented Tension Band System, the Vango offers the best protection in the wind. The tunnel shape of this tent is also much better for windy conditions than the cabin tents with tall, vertical walls.

Staying cool in summer

Winner: Eureka! Copper Canyon

The large mesh windows help air circulate through this tent in hot, summer days. The openness inside the tent helps keep the temperature cool as well.

The mesh roof of the Coleman Instant Cabin also help keep it cool and provides proper ventilation in summer.

Are any of these tents good for winter?

Winner: Kodiak Flex-Bow

There’s only one tent we’d even consider taking out cold weather camping in winter. The canvas material of the Kodiak helps to keep it insulated and warmer inside the tent as the temperature drops.

Most of these tents are best kept for fair weather camping.

Which tent will last the longest?

Winner: Kodiak Flex-Bow

This was a close call. We almost gave it to the Vango Odyssey but in the end, the Kodiak is made with much more durable and lasting materials. Canvas tents should last you years longer than tents made from synthetic materials.

However, the Vango is so robust that you could get more out of it than any of the other synthetic tents.

Overall Weather Protection

Winner: Kodiak Flex-Bow

Some of these 8-person tents are ideal for hot, dry weather, others will be better suited for cold, wind and rain. Not all of these tents are fully waterproof, but they mostly hold up well. 

If waterproofing is an important feature for you, we recommend Kodiak. If you’re worried about the cold, the Vango Odyssey 800 with its separate groundsheet is our top pick for chilly spring and fall days.

Frequently Asked Questions

How To Decide If You Need An 8-Person Tent

If you’re still not sure about whether you need a tent that can fit 8 people, this is who we consider them to be ideal for:

• Families with several kids and up to two adults.
• Groups of up to five or six friends.
• Couples camping out for longer periods, with dogs.
• People who prioritize comfort and the privacy of separate rooms.

Are 8-Person Tents Comfortable for Eight People? 

The best 8 person camping tent generally has a comfort capacity of 4 to 6 people. While you can fit inside with 8 people, this means you won’t have any room for movement or gear when sleeping. A maximum capacity of 8 means you’ll be truly comfortable in the tent with about 50 to 70 percent of its maximum capacity. 

Which 8-Person Tent Is Best For a Family of Four? 

We recommend the Wenzel Klondike as the best 8-person tent for family camping on a budget, or the Vango Odyssey 800 for those who go camping throughout the year. Both of these 8 person camping tent models have lots of space for sleeping and storage, but the right one for you depends on how much privacy you need. 

Can you fit a queen airbed in these tents?

All of these tents are large enough for at least two queen air mattresses. The Vango will be most comfortable with air mattresses inside, because the separate living area means you don’t need to deflate the beds to make space in the morning.

Which Tent Is Best For a Group of Friends? 

For a group of friends who aren’t habitual campers, the Coleman Montana 8-Person tent is an affordable, quality option. It has a great combination of space and privacy, and it won’t break the bank. 

Are Instant Tents Worth It? 

Whether an instant tent is worth it for you depends on your camping habits. If you prioritize ease and tend to do a lot of quick getaways in your car, an instant tent maximizes your time in nature.

If you’re looking for a long-lasting tent to use multiple times a year for decades, an instant tent will likely not be durable enough. They also tend to be a bit larger and heavier to carry, so they’re not the best for hiking.

The Winner

In our review, we found the Coleman Montana 8-Person tent to offer the best value for campers. Its spacious interiors and tube-like design are comfortable for families and friend groups, and it’s easy enough to assemble. We also love the hinged doors that allow for hands-free exits, as well as the internal pockets.

Most of all, what we found great about this 8-person tent Coleman is the quality relative to the price. It’s not likely a tent that will last you forever, but overall a good investment.

The 8-person tent Coleman Montana also comes in an elite version with an LED light system, so be sure to check out our review.