A family camping trip starts before you hit the road. Making sure you have everything packed is important. You don’t want to forget anything important that could ruin your trip. Making a quick camping checklist helps a lot in this situation. However, it isn’t always about the little things. What is most important when taking your family on a tent camping trip is the tent itself.
A family tent must be top quality, the last thing you would want to do is put your loved ones in any danger. When camping for a long duration’s you are bound to run into some bad weather. It is super important to have a family tent that can withstand rainstorms, high winds, thunderstorms, hail, and even more. Depending on where you live you might see different types of bad weather and you need to be ready for anything, as the saying goes “prepare for the worst, but hope for the best“.
What to Consider When Buying a Family Tent
When buying a large camping tent it is important to get exactly what you need. Tents are pretty affordable comparing to other types of travel, however, they can still be expensive if you end up buying multiple tents due to buying the wrong size or having durability issues. Take a look at some considerations before you take out the wallet.
The Tent Size
When buying a camping tent, family or not, it will have a label stating the recommended number of people to fit in that tent. When buying a family tent I always suggest going 2-4 person sizes larger. This is to make sure there is enough room for everyone, plus everyone’s camping gear. It is better to have the extra room than not having enough room and being crammed in.
Durability
The durability of a tent means being able to handle harsh weather conditions. Having a top-quality tent means it is made with strong and waterproof material. Most family tents are made of polyester or nylon. You will most likely see polyester more often, just because it has plenty of advantages over nylon. Nylon is known to sag when rain sits on it, causing it to flap in wind. Although, nylon is a stronger material than polyester. This means you will see some tent floors still using nylon.
Tents also need strong, durable poles. Tents use aluminum or fiberglass poles, you usually see aluminum though. The reason is aluminum poles are very strong and flexible. They are much easier to use being lightweight makes them simply slide through your tent sleeve. Read our article about aluminum vs fiberglass tent poles.
The Look?
Family camping tents come in many different shapes and sizes. Our list will have a variety of types to choose from. The most common types of family tents you will see are Dome Tents and the Cabin Tents. Sometimes you see an odd shape tent and wonder what is that thing? But it is usually just a modified dome tent.
Dome Tents are the most popular camping tent. When camping you usually see a bunch of them because they are reliable and affordable. They do not have the height a cabin tent has, however, some models are known to be quite large.
Cabin Tents are a newer addition to the tent world when comparing to dome tents. They have the most interior space when comparing to any other style tent. These tents have high ceilings creating a cabin atmosphere, which is great for people who feel claustrophobic in a tent. There is plenty of room for a family in one of these styled tents.
Best Family Tents for Bad Weather?
- Coleman 6-Person WeatherMaster Tent
- Big Agnes Big House – 6 Person
- Browning Camping Big Horn Family/Hunting Tent
- Coleman Tenaya Lake Fast Pitch Cabin Tent
- Coleman Montana 8-Person Tent
- Steel Creek Fast Pitch 6-Person Dome Tent With Screen Room
- Tahoe Gear Carson 3-Season 14 Person Large Family Cabin Tent
- CORE 10 Person Straight Wall Cabin Tent
- NTK Arizona GT 9 to 10 Person
- Mountain Trails Grand Pass 10 Person Tent
1. Coleman 6-Person WeatherMaster Tent
The steel poles included with the WeatherMaster are extremely durable. When you have strong poles you have a sturdy tent. These steel poles have a little bend, which is great to stay sturdy against high winds.
In addition, there is a screen room which is perfect for bug and fly free camping. However, when it comes to bad weather it is the perfect place to store items that are prone to blow away. Also, tarp down any gear you do not want getting soaked by rain.
| Pros | Cons |
| – Great instructions for a 20 min or less easy set up | – No tent hanging hook inside |
| – Plenty of room for walking around | – Replacement parts are no longer available |
| – Great ventilation in hot weather | |
| – Super weatherproof and water resistant | |
| – Screen porch is great for star gazing and extra space |
2. Big Agnes Big House Group Camping Tent
The Big Agnes Big House Group Camping Tent is easily the top quality tent on this list, also this model is the most recent Big Agnes big house model. However, the reason it does not rank at number one is that it costs a few extra dollars when its size isn’t the largest. This tent is a perfect choice for a smaller family of 4-5 people. Sleeping will be closer together only because it isn’t that large 10 person tent size.
The weatherproofing in this tent is phenomenal, stronger, and more durable than most any family tent. It can handle extreme rainfalls with no leaking at all if everything is properly closed up. The rain-fly works through storms and the strong flexible aluminum poles prevent wind disasters.
The tent has an extension option to add a Big House Vestibule to extend the living space of your tent. It simply connects onto your original piece and it creates an ideal place to sit out or place extra storage items!
| Pros | Cons |
| – Most durable tent on the list | – Expensive compared to some tents on the list |
| – Extremely weatherproof | |
| – 2 doors and vestibule option | |
| – 2 size options, 4 and 6 | |
| – Spacious 6 person design |
3. Browning Camping Big Horn Family/Hunting Tent
The Browning Camping Big Horn Family/Hunting Tent is made to handle any adventure with the family. It is structurally strong and for a tall tent, it is very good at handling strong winds. The Browning Big Horn has a 75D 185T Polyester fly which clips on for extra muscle, this tent is ready for the absolute worst weather conditions.
Having 2 doors comes handy when camping with a family. The parents can have one side, while the kids have the other. This prevents clustering and jumping over each other all the time. It’s also great on hot days to open both doors for better circulation. In addition, there are 6 windows, and the entire roof is meshed when the fly is absent. This is one of the best ventilation systems tents can have, it keeps air circulation at its best. Trust me as a tent camper having good air circulation in the heat is needed, especially with a large family. If you have overheating issues camping see our article How To Stay Cool While Camping in A Tent.
| Pros | Cons |
| – Large space | – Large windows should be closed for privacy |
| – Divider to make 2 large rooms | |
| – Awnings over doors | |
| – Best ventilation | |
| – Extra tall center | |
| – Waterproof material |
4. Coleman Tenaya Lake Fast Pitch Cabin Tent
I recommend this to any campground camper, it won’t let you down because it’s a TANK of a tent. I am not being biased because I own it… I have owned many tents, especially Coleman Tents that just plain sucked. This was easily my favorite Coleman camping tent because of its weatherproof design, and its huge interior.
I actually have an in-depth review about my Coleman Tenaya Lake 8 Person Tent, read about it by clicking here and you’ll learn everything about it, from the amount of sleeping room to how many poles it uses. Trust me its a steal of a deal when looking for a tent. The price is unbeatable for that quality.
| Pros | Cons |
| – Huge interior with a 6-foot 8-inch ceiling height | – Some other owners had zipper issues. I did not have any problems! |
| – Fits 2 Queens and squeeze 2-3 single mattresses in | |
| – WeatherTec system installed | |
| – No leaks in torrential rainfalls | |
| – Quick and super easy 9 min set up | |
| – Stays sturdy against the wind when tied tight |
5. Coleman Montana 8-Person Tent
Inside has enough room for 3 queen-sized air mattresses. Plus the 6-foot 2-inch center is great for standing up inside the tent. You have no worries about the amount of room when family camping 
Included with the Coleman Montana Tent is the WeatherTec system. This system is designed to keep you dry and safe inside through the worst of whatever mother nature wants to throw at you. The welded seams keep strong together and prevent leakage inside the tent.
| Pros | Cons |
| – WeatherTec system | – Needs stronger stakes |
| – Color coated poles for 15 min set up | – Large awning is caught by wind |
| – Great inside height and space | |
| – Awning protects from rain | |
| – Sturdy Design |
6. Steel Creek Fast Pitch 6-Person Dome Tent with Screen Room
The tent itself will keep you completely dry. The tent is freestanding, although I recommend staking in the rain-fly for a better water runoff. Many owners of the Steel Creek Coleman Tent have been through some very harsh storms and came out 100% dry. They also say, since the dome shape of the tent, that it holds up stronger in winds more than other family tents on the market. It can handle up to 35 MPH+ winds.
| Pros | Cons |
| – Strong against the wind | – Porch can get muddy |
| – Waterproof Tent | – Can be hard to place back in carrying bag |
| – Screened bug-free room | |
| – 7 minute set up | |
| – 2 queen size mattresses |
7. Tahoe Gear Carson 3-Season 14 Person Large Family Cabin Tent
This massive tent can handle the worst of conditions too. It’s actually part of my 6 biggest tents in the world article! Click here to see some HUGE tents! In the rain you will remain dry, the windows are weather zippered and have cuffs around them to prevent leakage. When up against the wind we know this tent is tall, so it is bound to catch on to most gusts. Although, an owner had used it in the wind and mentioned that it was sturdy but you must stake down the tent tightly to prevent flapping material.
| Pros | Cons |
| – 6 Large windows | – Large height catches wind |
| – 7 Feet tall interior | – Longer set up time |
| – Durable 1000mm polyester tent body | |
| – Huge vestibule | |
| – Fly acts as a solar shield and keeps inside cooler in warm temperatures |
8. CORE 10 Person Straight Wall Cabin Tent
The rain-fly works great and will keep you very dry inside. Under the rain-fly is a mesh ceiling which is best for air ventilation. Also, on summer hot days open both front and back doors, and there are 5 windows to open if you wanted. Furthermore, enjoy the full one side opening option called the large T-door which allows the users the option to open the tent right open!
Although it is a tall tent, the straight wall design is sturdy and keeps from collapsing against heavy winds. The windows are all cuffed which prevents easy leakage from entering through.
| Pros | Cons |
| – Inside standing height is 6.5 feet | – Might need some assistance to set up |
| – Gear loft and hanging hook inside | |
| – An electrical cord access hole | |
| – Waterproof Material | |
| – Great vent system |
9. NTK Arizona GT 9 to 10 Person
The NTK Arizona GT 9 to 10 Person tent makes it on our best family tents for bad weather list. Just by taking a look at its design, it seems very strong against the weather, that’s because it is! The rain-fly that covers this tent makes sure water stays out. It covers every inch and the windows are placed outside the tent for storm-proofing purposes.
This rain-fly consists of a double layer of 190T polyester layered with a polyurethane 2500 mm water coating. The seams throughout this tent and the fly are heat-welded for best quality waterproofing. Of course, you will want fresh air inside the tent right? The NTK has multiple ventilation systems installed, keeping your tent air circulated.
Having NANO-FLEX shock-corded fiberglass tent poles keeps this tent standing tall and strong against the wind. The downfall with fiberglass poles is the ability to shatter, it is possible it can cause tent damage or splinters.
| Pros | Cons |
| – Very functional design | – fiberglass poles can shatter under stress |
| – Full ventilation system | – Size is not as big as other 9-10 person tents |
| – Waterproof rain-fly and heat-welded seams | |
| – 2 doors, and a room divider | |
| – NANO-FLEX poles |
10. Core 9 Person Extended Dome Tent
Having the tent partially covered by the rain-fly might seem bizarre to most tent campers, however, this design actually stands better against the wind than most others on this list. Real owners of this tent had lots of rain and had no issues with rainwater coming in through. The windows zip up from the inside and are protected from leakage with little flap protectors. Just make sure you close the windows completely and make sure no material is caught in the zipper to prevent leaks.
| Pros | Cons |
| – Room dividers | – only tall in the center of the tent |
| – Most affordable price | |
| – Wind resistant design |
Conclusion
Lets always keep in mind that camping can be dangerous if the weather is against us. I’m sure you always want to keep your family as safe as can be, so I hope you decide on buying a durable family tent that qualifies our standards from this article “10 of the Best Family Tents for Bad Weather”.
The weather can get annoying when camping, but that’s not the only annoying part. It gets messy with a mixture of wind, rain, and mud. Keeping your tent clean is difficult and can sometimes get on your nerves. If you want to learn the best tent care and cleaning tips then check out our article here: Best Tent Care and Cleaning Tips
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