Camping is one of the best activities you can do. Period. There is nothing quite like being out in open spaces; whether alone, with friends, or as a family. But when the sun goes down and you need to sleep in your tent, you still want that feeling of space and a little extra comfort.
A queen-size air mattress can sleep two people, so you may want to know if a queen air mattress will fit into a 2, 3, 4, or 6-person tent.
A queen-size air mattress will not fit in a 2 person tent. It will fit in a 3 person tent with no other floor space but may stretch the sides of the tent. It will fit in a 4 and 6 person tent with room for kit on the sides. For comfort, a family tent with a vestibule is best.
Working out if you can fit a comfortable queen-sized air mattress in a tent will mean the difference between a good day camping followed by a good night’s sleep or a cramped sleep making the next day, not such a good camping day!
Which Tents Can Fit A Queen Air Mattress?
The dimensions of a tent compared to the dimensions of a queen-sized air mattress are what will determine if a 2, 3, 4, or 6 person tent can fit a queen air mattress?
Family size tents are the obvious choice for queen-size air mattresses, where smaller tents may fit one in, but leave no space for anything else. For a full review of the best family tents that will fit one or more queen-size mattresses, check out Wilderness Redefined for all the information you could need.
For all other tent sizes, here’s how they each stack up:
Can A 2 Person Tent Fit A Queen Air Mattress?
A 2 person tent will not fit a queen size air mattress. A single-tall queen-size air mattress is usually 80” x 60” x 10” (L x W x H), and a 2 person tent is an average size of 90” x 50”.
Even if you did squeeze it in, the mattress would stretch the tent out of shape, and the ceiling would pull down towards the floor, making the tent’s height much lower than it should be.
Can A 3 Person Tent Fit A Queen Air Mattress?
A 3 person tent can fit a queen size air mattress. A single-tall queen size air mattress is usually 80” x 60” x 10” (L x W x H); a 3 person tent is an average size of 95” x 80”, but once the mattress is pumped up there is no room for anything else!
If you have a double-tall queen size air mattress, it is usually 80” x 60” x 18” (L x W x H), which will put you almost 10” closer to the tent ceiling. It may get a little stuffy with the extra height in warmer climates.
A 3 person tent on the smaller side may not fit the inflated mattress through the door. A workaround solution is to put the deflated mattress in the tent and then pump it up. If the sides of the tent stretch and pull, you may want to get a larger tent.
Can A 4 Person Tent Fit A Queen Air Mattress?
A 4 person tent can fit a queen size air mattress. A single-tall queen size air mattress is usually 80” x 60” x 10” (L x W x H), and a 4 person tent is an average size of 100” x 85”. There will be space on either side for kit, but still, no room to walk as the mattress will occupy the center of the tent if you put it lengthways to the door.
If you put the mattress sideways at the back of the tent, there will be space to walk in, but not much else.
Most 4 person tents have sloping walls. A queen size air mattress will have to go in the middle, forcing you to crawl around the edges. If a 4 person tent is what you really want to put your queen mattress in, make sure you choose a cabin tent as this will give a little extra room.
Can A 6 Person Tent Fit A Queen Air Mattress?
A 6 person tent will absolutely fit a queen size air mattress. A single-tall queen size air mattress is usually 80” x 60” x 10” (L x W x H), and a 6 person tent is an average size of 120” x 120”.
Placing the mattress lengthways on one side of the tent will leave the other side free to walk, change, sit, and store kit. You may even fit a chair in the free space.
A 6 person tent with a vestibule will mean even more space to move, cook, sit and do other things.
What To Consider Before Buying A Tent or Mattress
A camping trip can quickly become a disaster if your equipment doesn’t meet your needs.
Imagine your frustration if you buy a tent and an air mattress and only figure out that the mattress doesn’t fit in the tent when you are at the campsite!
Or you could face another problem: the mattress fits, but because the mattress takes up the tent’s main floor space, the tent’s layout becomes so awkward that you’re crawling around the sides to get in and out.
There are many considerations when buying a tent, but two questions you need to ask when choosing a tent and air mattress are:
- Do you want space around the mattress for kit, sitting, or walking?
- How many people do you want to sleep comfortably in the tent?
An excellent way to ensure walking, sitting, or storage space in a tent is to subtract two from the designated capacity of a tent. If it says the tent is a 6 person tent, you’ll realistically have space for 4 people.
Tent-making companies determine a tent’s sleeping capacity by measuring how many people can sleep side-by-side by occupying every square foot of floor space. They also use a single sleeping mat or sleeping bag size as the unit of measurement. Queen air mattresses do not feature in their calculations!
Use The Subtract Two Method When Choosing A Tent
Four people can sleep in a 4 person tent. Thousands of backpackers do it every year. But they were also cramped in the tent, and there was likely no space to do anything else!
One way to ensure a queen size mattress fits in your tent and has some space left over for sitting and standing is to use the ‘Subtract Two’ method.
By subtracting two from the designated capacity of the tent, it will feel full without feeling cramped.
For example, if you subtract 2 from a 4 person tent, you know it will comfortably hold two people. One queen-sized air mattress will fit in the tent with some extra room.
The same goes for a 6 person tent, subtract 2, and you know it will comfortably fit four people.
If your tent has vestibules or an awning, all the better, as these will give you space to cook, put chairs and tables, etc.
Always aim for extra space when measuring mattresses to fit in tents. You’ll be grateful you don’t have to crawl in and out of the tent.
How Will You Be Transporting Your Tent?
When you drive a car or pickup to the campsite, then the size and weight of the tent are less of an issue than if you have to carry it in a backpack. Taking up a little extra room in the trunk is a small payoff considering the extra comfort you’ll have in a larger tent.
Unless something is stopping you from getting a larger tent, why not give yourself space and get a larger tent. Your back will thank you!
What Tent Sizes Or Sleeping Capacities Are There?
Having a good idea about the actual size of a camping tent will help you determine how many queen mattresses and other kit you can fit in your tent and how much space is available for walking and other activities.
| Tent Capacity | Average Dimensions | Average Center Height | Number of queen air mattresses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Person | 90” x 50” | 40” | 0 |
| 3 Person | 95” x 80” | 45”-50” | 1 |
| 4 Person | 100” x 85” | 60” | 1 |
| 6 Person | 120” x 120” | 75”-85” | 2 |
| 8 Person | 120” x 200” | 80”-85” | 3 |
| 10 Person | 120” x 220” | 85” | 4 |
| 12 Person | 120” x 240” | 85”+ | 4 |
Note: These are floor sizes and tent height; they do not consider any vestibules, awnings, or extras on a tent.
Decide What You Want To Use Your Tent For
Side-by-side sleeping arrangements may be excellent for backpackers who want to minimize weight and maximize usage but are terrible for a family camping trip. They usually set up the tent once, sleep in it, and take it down the following day, heading to the next campsite.
On a family camp, you want to stretch out. You’ll probably walk in and out of the tent many times in the day, you need space to store equipment, and you may even want separate rooms or at least space for hanging a wall.
This table gives you a ‘comfort rating’ on various size tents:
| Listed Sleeping Capacity | Comfort Rating |
|---|---|
| 4 person tent | Two adults |
| 6 person tent | Two adults & two teenagers or children |
| 8 person tent | A mix of up to six adults and teenagers or children |
Stack Mattresses For Extra Space
If you don’t mind one extra morning task and are not planning a daytime nap, you can also consider stacking mattresses during the day.
Stacking mattresses will mean you can comfortably fit two queensized air mattresses in a 6 person tent and have the space to stand and change in the tent.
A larger tent would be ideal, but if you only have a smaller one, this may be one way to make it work.