If all you want to do is take the family out for a bit of recreational camping then cheap family tents will more than get the job. Often, these are not going to be the tents that you want to be carrying for any significant amount of time, because they can get rather heavy, but for recreational camping they’re fine. But even so, there are a few certain things that you should definitely be looking for from a family camping tent, regardless of the price.
Cheap Family Tents
What to look at when looking to buy cheap family tents.- Doors and Partitions – With any group larger than four or so, you’re likely going to want a tent that has a partition, to help cut down on noise, and also 2 doors, so that people aren’t crawling over each other to reach the one door. Sleeping in such close proximity to other people can lead to a restless night, if you’re not careful.
- Weight – If you’re car camping then weight isn’t going to be much of a concern, but if you’re going to be carrying your family tent around, you’ll likely want a lighter family tent. With any group larger than 4, it’s often a better idea to go with two smaller tents, because the combined weight of the two smaller tents will often be less than those large tents.
Best Cheap Family Tents
Some of the best cheap family tents to take next time you head to the campground.- REI Camp Dome 4 - The Camp Dome is ideal for a smaller family of 4. It's just a basic dome tent with a price to reflect that basic design. It has 2 doors, which is ideal, but unfortunately no vestibules, so you'll have to find somewhere else to keep your gear dry at night. But it comes with everything you need to make a night of it, and while the weight of 9 pounds 7 ounces, which is 4.28 kilograms means you probably wont want to carry this tent very far, the price is certainly very attractive.
- Kelty Acadia 6 - Another basic dome tent, but this one with room for 6, which is an ideal size for bigger families, or else smaller families that want something really roomy. It weighs 14 pounds 3 ounces, or 6.7 kilograms, so again not a tent that you would want to carry very far, but the price is definitely right for a bit of recreational camping. It has 2 doors, but not internal partitions. It also has a bit of a vestibule, so that you have somewhere to put your shoes at night to keep them dry. But really, an excellent price for a 6 man tent, and a good choice for a little car camping or something similar.
- Big Agnes Big House - One more 6 man tent, ideal for smaller families who want something roomy, or else larger families looking to squeeze everyone in under one roof. This is another larger tent with no internal partition, but it does at least have 2 doors, so that you don't have to crawl over everyone in the middle of the night to reach the door. It weighs 13 pounds 10 ounces, which is slightly lighter than the 6 man Acadia above, but again not a tent that you would want to be carrying very far, but ideal for car camping or just some light recreational camping.
