When it comes to choosing gears to take with you on camping, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Who wants to end up with damp socks or waking up in the cold with insect bites?
A camping tent is the first equipment piece for outdoors that you need to have to protect your family. However, there are different types to choose from. If you will be going to a place when often rains then you need a quality waterproof tent.
In order to prepare you and your family for extreme weather scenarios finding the best family tents for bad weather should be necessary. They are made with a waterproof material and designed with features that will protect you against the elements. Here are the models you are looking for.
Best Family Tents For Bad Weather
| Image | Title | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Browning Camping Big Horn Two-Room Tent | Check Latest Price | |
| Coleman Evanston 8 Tent | Check Latest Price | |
| CAMPROS Tent-8-Person-Camping-Tents, Waterproof Windproof Family Tent, 5 Large Mesh Windows, Double Layer, Divided Curtain for Separated Room, Portable with Carry Bag, for All Seasons | Check Latest Price |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Best Family Tents for Bad Weather
There’s nothing worse than camping with a cheap, not waterproof tent and the rain surprises you. Being in a wet tent is the camper’s worst case. If the inside of the tent and your clothes are wet this means that you are not enjoying anymore and all that you think is how will you sleep and how fast can you dry all the stuff. Luckily, many tents were designed specifically for this event. Here are three of my most favorite models with details.
Browning Camping Big Horn Family Tent
- Our Browning Big Horn Series is a free-standing tent with fiberglass poles and steel uprights, giving ultimate extra strength and stability
- Two-room wall divider, extra tall center and straight side walls gives more room for cots, sleeping bags and extra gear
- Six large windows, two doorways and mesh roof offer easy entry and ultimate ventilation
- Fully equipped with mesh storage pockets, polyester fly, guy ropes and steel stakes
- Base Size: 10 x 15, Packed Size: 12 x 30, Center Height: 87, Total Weight: 34 lbs. 11 oz.
- Care instructions: Hand Wash
The Browning Camping Big Horn Family/Hunting Tent is currently one of the bestselling large tents on the market today because it is able to protect you from the harsh weather conditions. It is a freestanding unit with dimensions 120 x 180 x 87 inches and 34.6 pounds. With a cabin shape, it allows you and your family members to move freely inside.
A 3 season tent with great ventilation
It has 6 large windows, two doorways, and a mesh roof that takes care of ventilation. This is a 3-season unit which means you will have a lot of big openings, the ceiling is made of mesh, and the fly is easily manageable. The roof poles are made of fiberglass material and they span big distances between the walls.
Other tent’s features
With a two-room divider, straight walls, and big space you will have many options when it comes to camping furniture. The tent has factory sealed seams, 75D 185T polyester fly, and 150D polyester oxford floor with 2000 mm coating. Bring chairs, table, and sleeping beds, all will go in with ease. It has mesh storage pockets, polyester fly, guy ropes, and steel stakes. You can handwash it.
Coleman Evanston Screened Tent
- Sleeps 8 people, with a 12 by 12 foot footprint and 74-inch center height
- Hinged door
- Modified dome structure with large privacy wings and awning
- Variflo system for adjustable ventilation and electrical access port
- WeatherTec System is guaranteed to keep you dry
The Coleman Evanston 8 Screened Tent boasts a footprint of 15’ x 12’ along with a center height of 74 inches. It is made of polyester taffeta 75D and features the WeatherTec system that protects you against precipitation. This family dome tent has a big screened entry with a floor, which offers safety from insects. It weighs 24.5 pounds.
Design
This 8-person unit has four big windows and a Variflo system for adjustable ventilation. It is designed with an easy setup, incessant pole sleeves, and user-friendly Insta-Clip attachments, hinged door, electrical access port, and of course, Coleman’s exclusive pin-and-ring design.
Check Reviews On AmazonCAMPROS 8-Person Camping Tent
- 【Roomy for 8 People or 9-Person Family】 CAMPROS tent is the perfect family tent you’ve ever seen. With the dimension of 14 x 9 x 6(H) ft. 3 queen air mattresses or 8 sleeping bags are well fit in the tent. Ideal for family car camping or camping site.
- 【Durable & High-Quality Material】 Made with 185T polyester. With the 1000mm polyurethane hydrostatic rated coating high-tech, the tent guarantees PU1000mm water-resistant. The tent stays completely dry under the light rain. CAMPROS tent keeps you warm and take you to sweet dreams at night. Ideal for outdoor camping, hiking, fishing in all weather.
- 【Easy Set-Up】 No particular skills needed, 2 people could set up the tent easily in 5 min. The camping tent comes with a smooth 2-way zipper and well-made poles. The carry bag is 24.6 x 8.26 x 8.26 inches big as a sleeping bag. You could restore the tent in the carry bag easily.
- 【Breathable & Separated Room】The camping tent has 1 large mesh door, 5 mesh windows & mesh tent top, which allow the breeze to come in and keep the bugs out. CAMPROS tent comes with a separated curtain to provide divided rooms. You could also enjoy movie time at night when projecting on the divided curtain. The camping tent weighs 17.4 lb. You could carry the bag in your backpack or store in the car easily.
- 【No Risk Purchase】 CAMPROS offers unconditional 1-year quality assurance to offer you a risk-free purchase. If you have any questions about the tent, email us at any time. We offer a 24/7 customer service and we’ll give you a satisfied solution in 12 hrs. The tent also includes stainless stakes, guy line rope for protection. Just buy it!
This Campros model is an 8-person family tent that is made of 185T polyester. It has a 1000 mm polyurethane hydrostatic head and it stays dry inside if it rains normally. It is a big model with 14 x 9 x 6 inches. You will be able to put 3 queen air mattresses or 8 sleeping bags inside. The tent weighs 17.4 lbs and has a rainfly.
Other features
What about the setup? Two people can set it up easily in 5 minutes. It has a two-way zipper and 8.5 mm fiberglass poles. With large mesh door, 5 mesh windows & mesh tent top you will have a ventilated tent. It has a separate curtain to divide rooms and it is also appropriate to watch a movie on it via projection. Its frame is sturdy and has an e-port.
Check Reviews On AmazonThings to consider when buying a tent
When looking for a family camping tent, finding exactly what you need is very important. Buying quality ones for different seasons is a smart investment; however, they could be expensive if you end up shopping for multiple tents because you’re buying the ones that don’t have the features you need and that they don’t last long. Here are some considerations before spending anything on a tent.
The Size
Whether you’re buying a camping tent for solo or family camping, it is going to have a label stating the suggested number of campers to fit inside.
When purchasing a family unit, I suggest choosing one that is 2 to 4-person bigger than the labeled number of campers. It will ensure that there’s sufficient room for everyone, on top of everyone’s camping gear. It’s better to have the spare space than not having sufficient room and feeling crowded inside.
Durability
The tent’s durability means being able to deal with weather conditions. Having a high-quality waterproof model means it’s made using a strong and waterproof material.
The material
Most family tents available online are made of nylon or polyester. Polyester is more commonly used, just because it has a lot of advantages over nylon. Nylon tends to sag when it catches a lot of rainwater, which causes it to flap in wind. Even though nylon is a more durable material compared to polyester, the latter is still a more preferred type.
Look at the test how polyester and nylon tent fabric performs in the rain.
Type of tent
As you probably know by now, tents may come in different types and shapes. Here are the two most common types of family units you will find in the market.
- Dome Tents
These ones are the most popularly used. When camping, you normally see a lot of them as they’re affordable and reliable. They don’t have the same height as a cabin tent usually has but you can still find models that will give you large living space.
- Cabin Tents
As mentioned earlier, these units have generally larger design and come with vertical walls. They offer a high ceiling which is ideal for those who often feel restricted inside a tent. There’s a lot of room for a family inside this tent type.
If you are interested in them then you might want to see this large tent with a log cabin look.
Do tents keep out the rain?
Tents are built to provide shelter, this is without a doubt. Generally speaking, they protect from the rain but some of them aren’t appropriate for heavy precipitation or a storm. Some have a rain fly to protect the tent additionally and it can come handy in the case when it rains.
If you want to have one that will protect you from the rain choose a model that is waterproof already and also consider a hydrostatic head. A hydrostatic head goes from 1000 mm on. The greater is this number the more protection should you get from it.
Do tents leak when it rains?
No matter if the tent is waterproof and with a high hydrostatic head it could start to leak in heavy rain or storm. To protect yourself from the puddles and moisture inside it make sure you have tarps to use, a rain fly, waterproof the tent, take care of the seams so they won’t let the rain in and ventilate it.
How big of a tent do I need for a family of 4?
If you are going camping with your partner and two kids you should at least have space for sleep, so this means your tent should have space for at least 4 sleeping bags. However, I recommend that you look for one that is advertised for 5 or 6 people since you will be able to store your camping equipment inside and other personal things.
How do I protect my tent from the rain?
There are a few tricks that can help you to protect your tent from the rain so you won’t experience water in it. When buying one also consider getting a tarp that you will put under and above the tent. A tarp will provide additional protection when it rains no matter if you have a waterproof unit or not. Better to have it than be sorry, right?
You can also waterproof it additionally with a waterproof spray for tents that will create a film on the unit’s surface. Due to this film, the raindrops will just slide off your tent and won’t be able to create a puddle on it.
Protect your family
Camping with your loved ones is supposed to be fun and exciting, so make sure that you are prepared for everything that may come your way. Having a waterproof family tent is a great investment that your loved ones will appreciate when the weather gets bad, I am sure about it.
Cheaper tent models won’t protect you so be smart and choose one of the best family tents for bad weather to have a nice time without sad faces. If you have other questions regarding this topic, make sure to let us know in the comment below.
