Have you ever picked up a four person tent only to find out that you’d have to stack each person together like a game of Tetris, just to fit them in?
You wouldn’t be alone. One of the questions we get asked most often is “what size tent do I need for camping?”
Comfort Capacity
The comfort capacity of a tent is the number of people that you can fit in – you guessed it – comfortably!
How much room you need depends on a number of factors, including:
- If you need to keep your gear inside the tent, or if you have a car or vestibule to store it in.
- How much room you like for spreading out.
- If you have kids or pets who, despite their size, seemingly require double the room!
As a rule of thumb, you can find your ideal tent capacity by taking the number of people in your group and adding two.
However, this rule breaks down with very small numbers (1-2 people) and large numbers (6+ people). Check our table below for a more accurate guide to camping tent sizes.
Recommended camping tent size
| Group Size | Recommended Tent Capacity |
| 1 | 1-1.5 person |
| 2 | 2-3 person |
| 3 | 5-6 person |
| 4 | 6 person |
| 5 | 8 person |
| 6 | 8-10 person |
| 8 | 12 person, or two 6 person tents |
| 10 | Two 8 person tents |
| 12 | Two 8-10 person tents |
If you’re a family who likes a bit of extra space, you may wish to go an additional size up from what is recommended.