For larger groups like 6, it can be hard to choose between one big tent and a few smaller tents. The advantage of using a few smaller tents is that you don’t have everyone in one tent, and so one snorer, for instance, does not disrupt the sleeping of the entire group. Smaller tents can also end up weighing less on a per person basis, as a lightweight 6 person tent is a rare thing. Still, one 6 person tent means there is only one tent to carry, and as long as you’re not the one carrying it, it’s not so bad.
6 Person Tent
Features to look for when you’re in the market for a new 6 person tent.- Floor Space – When you get in to larger tents, it’s a good idea to compare floor sizes, as differences in floor spaces can become quite a bit more marked at larger capacities. Also try to think about space needed for gear inside the tent, if people will be bringing much inside with them.
- Doors – When it’s just two people in a tent, disturbing the other person is not such a big concern. But with 6 people crammed in it’s bound to happen, and so having more than one door is often a good idea. That way, people don’t have to crawl all over each other to get to that one door.
Best 6 Person Tent
There aren't many 6 person tents out there, but these are a few of the best choices.- Kelty Trail Ridge - First, the lightest tent on this list. At 13 pounds and 13 ounces, which is 6.26 kilograms, you would still be better off carrying a couple 3 man tents if your goal was to save weight. But if you had to carry a 6 man tent in a backpack, this would be the best choice. But beyond that the Trail Ridge comes with 2 doors, so that you're not crawling over people in the night, and a total of 80 square feet of floor space. One other nice feature is noiseless zippers, which, when there are 6 people in a tent, can be a real bonus for those midnight bathroom breaks.
- Marmot Halo - At the other end of the spectrum in terms of weight is the Halo from Marmot. You might think that the extra weight makes it more suitable for 4 season camping, but it's listed as a 3 season tent. The extra weight does go somewhere, however, and a big portion of it appears to be in floor space. At 100 square feet, it is by far the largest of the 6 person tents listed here. Beyond that it has the standard features, including two doors so that you have more than one entry and exit, eliminating the need to crawl over a whole bunch of people in the night.
- REI Kingdom - At 17 pounds and 3 ounces, or 7.8 kilograms, the Kingdom is only slightly lighter than the much bigger Halo above. The one thing that the Kingdom definitely does have going for it is a zippable partition wall that runs down the center of the tent. When you'r sleeping with 5 other people, creating a two room tent can cut down on a lot of noise that might keep you awake. Each side of the tent also has a door, so that you don't need to go through the partition to get outside. So definitely not a lightweight option, but you might appreciate the partition feature.
