What’s the Best 5 Person Tent For Camping in 2023?

Are you looking for a 5-person tent? You have come to the right place. I wrote this article to provide you with five reviews of the top 5-person tents. I also have added some of my knowledge from years of camping to assist you with your search.

Let’s get started on finding the best 5-person tent for your needs!

In this article, we’re going to review the following 5 person camping tents:

• MSR Habitude 6 Tent
• ALPS Mountaineering Expedition Taurus Outfitter Tent
• NEMO Wagontop 6 Tent
• Browning Camping Big Horn Tent
• NTK Cherokee GT Outdoor Dome Family Camping Tent
  
  

Buyer’s Guide for 5-Person Tents

Over the years, I have used several 5-person tents. I have experienced the good and the bad that finding the right one takes.

Keeping this in mind, I have put together some of the information that I use to find the best model for my current situation to help you on your journey.

Main Factors for Consideration

With 5-person tents, I have found some factors that need consistent consideration to make them a quality tent. Here are some of those factors and why I find them important.

Size-Height

This is one thing that I have found people misjudge when looking for their tent. First and foremost, it is important to understand that what you and I consider big enough for five people might not match up to a manufacturer’s description.

Why is this important?

Generally, manufacturers describe their tent models by the number of sleeping bags that they can fit inside of the tent. This means, that it could mean that it is only large enough for the people and won’t provide you with ample room for your gear and equipment.

This does not mean that if you have five people a 5-person tent will not suit your needs. You will want to see if the tent has any other features that will provide you with extra room, like interior pockets, a porch, or an awning.

The other measurement you want to consider is the height of the tent. Being over 6 feet, I find it uncomfortable to have to bend the entire time I am inside of the tent. You should consider the height of all people who will be using the tent and look for a model that will provide them with comfort throughout the tent.

Choose Your Season

Unlike some people, I enjoy camping throughout the whole year, but I have come to a realization. If you are like me, you will need to pay close attention to what season type your tent is. Here is a quick guide about tent seasons to give you an overview:

• 1st and 2nd Season – These tents are not generally advertised. They are more for the occasional one-night camping trip or for camping out in your backyard where you can go inside if the weather takes a bad turn.
• 3 Season – These tents are designed with excellent air circulation that is meant for keeping you cool
• 4 Season – These models are designed specifically to keep the inside of your tent warm and insulated, which makes them excellent for winter or colder climates camping.

It’s important to point out that 3 and 4 season models are designed for the opposite type of weather. Therefore, if you plan on both types of camping, you should consider purchasing one of each season.

This will allow you to cover all of your bases and be prepared for every camping situation, regardless of the time of year.

Weight and Packability

When going on a camping trip, weight and packability are two important factors that need to be considered. Especially if you have to hike any distance to your campsite. Although you are going with five people, you should still consider how you plan on disbursing the weight of the tent.

You want to make sure that your party can carry all of your gear and equipment without wearing themselves out.

Packability? What does this mean?

When I speak about packability, I mean how easy the tent is to unpack and pack up after you are through with your camping trip. Many people tend to overlook this factor. But when you make it to your campsite just shy of a storm, you will appreciate having a model that is easy to unpack and set up quickly.

Doors Doors Doors

In my experience, when I am camping with just one or two other friends, we can get by with a single door in and out of the tent without any real issues. However, when you are looking at five or more people, you want to look for a model that has two doors.

Why?

Convenience.

When camping, there is hardly anything worse than having to crawl over everyone during the night to go out to the bathroom. Not only is this uncomfortable for you, but it usually results in grumpy campmates, as well.

Therefore, to avoid these circumstances, check out 5-person tents that have two doors. Many of these models will have some sort of awning or porch connected to them, as well, which is another excellent feature.

Style

There are many styles that you can purchase a 5-person tent in. Generally, it should be stated in the description of the tent.

Freestanding tents are one of the most versatile styles of tents. They are excellent for newer campers and experienced campers that like to get their campsite up and going quickly and efficiently.

However, if you are interested in a more traditional camping experience, you can go with a tent that uses stakes and guyropes to set them up.

Freestanding tents are lighter to carry because they require less equipment to set them up. However, many traditional tents are usually made from higher quality material and give you more of a reign on where and how to set up your tent.

Other Features and Considerations

When you are looking at a 5-person tent, there are some features and accessories that you might want to consider bundling with whatever model you have. Some of the accessories and features are:

• Carrying case
• Footprint
• Rainfly
• E-ports

Each of these accessories has its importance that can enhance your camping experience. However, when I first started camping, I always went for the cheaper model that was the bare minimum.

This was a huge mistake on my part. When looking at a tent, you should look at it like it is your home away from home because when you are camping, that is what a tent is. Some of the listed accessories might not seem necessary, but they can provide you with a quality of life.

For instance, you can place a tent in any sort of bag. But when a tent comes with its carrying case, that is one less thing that you have to worry about. These cases are designed to make it easier to carry your tent to your camping spot.

What is a footprint? This is a useful accessory that will help to improve the longevity of your tent’s floor. It is placed on the ground. Then the tent is put on top of the footprint. It helps to ensure that any debris on the ground that could cause harm to the tent won’t get through.

A rainfly is another accessory that I recommend making sure that your model comes with. This is a tarp-like accessory that fits over the top of the tent to ensure that water does not get into the tent during a storm. This is essential.

Some tents have the rainfly attached to the actual tent. But I recommend looking for a tent that has the rainfly separate. This will allow you to replace it easier if anything happens to it.

Finally, e-ports are another feature that you might want to consider. Whether or not you use it, this feature will at least provide you with the opportunity to use an electrical cord if the need arises.

Price and Budget Range

Usually, you can find a tent in different price and budget ranges, and you must get the best choice for the money you are willing to spend.

You should look at the different features and accessories a tent has, which will allow you to save money in the long run by ensuring that you have everything you need and want.

Different Tent Styles

There are several tent styles that you need to be aware of. Each one has its pros and cons. It is important to ensure that you know the differences before making that final decision. Here is a brief explanation of the different styles.

Camping Tents – This tent style is one of the larger and more spacious tent styles. These are usually best used when car camping because they tend to be heavier than other styles, which makes it hard to carry them long distances.

Backpacking Freestanding – This style provides you with a balanced tent. It is usually easy to set up, provides a good amount of space, and has a medium weight, which makes it suitable for car camping or hiking to your campsite.

Family/Multi-Room Tents – These are some of the largest tents that you can purchase, which means they provide you with a lot of space. They also usually provide you with some sort of multi-room feature that can provide privacy, as needed. However, they do not always provide you with the best weather protection.

Pop-Up Tents – These are usually only 1 or 2 season tents. They are really easy to set up and they are lighter than most of the other tent styles. However, they are best used for simple overnight camping or backyard camping because they are not known for providing an ample amount of protection from the weather.

FAQs on 5-Person Tents

I know that I might have answered many of your questions above. However, There are still a few frequently asked questions that readers are always interested in. Here are just a few.

Is it important to know what season classification your tent has?

This is definitely a yes. Choosing a tent model with the proper season classification can be one of the most important things to ensure a fun camping experience.

There is nothing worse than having a 3-season tent set up and a winter storm hits or having a 4-season model set up and being melted by the heat of the sun inside of it.

There are higher-season tent models that you can purchase that provide some factors from 3 and 4-season tents. But these are classified as expedition tents and are in a much higher income bracket.

How do tent manufacturers judge the size of their models?

I’ve always been a fan of bigger is better. But when I first started camping, I didn’t understand the differences between what I thought was big enough and how manufacturers judge the size of their tents.

When we look at tents, if we see that a model is a 5-person tent, we expect that it can fit five people and all of our equipment and gear, as well.

However, this is not how manufacturers classify tent size. When they register a tent by the number of people it is used for, they have put sleeping bags down inside the tent directly next to each other. And then, that is the person number they give to the tent.

So, for example, a 5-person tent will be capable of sleeping five people. But there will be little to no room for extra gear. Therefore, I recommend that you always go at least one size larger than the number of people that will be going camping.

Is it better to have an attached or unattached rainfly?

This can be subjective to your views, but being an avid camper, I prefer for rainflies to be unattached. Why? When a rainfly comes attached to your tent, there isn’t any way to replace it if there is ever any damage to it. Therefore, you have to replace the entire tent.

What type of camping will I be doing?

This is a question that you should ask yourself before even looking at a tent. It will provide you with a starting guideline that you should follow. For instance, if you have a long distance to travel to your campsite, you will want a tent that weighs less to make the hike easier.

However, if you plan on car camping, weight isn’t an issue. You might want some sort of e-port to provide you with electricity inside of your tent, which can provide different types of comforts that otherwise might be available on a camping trip.

How easy is the tent to assemble?

This might not seem like a huge issue, but when you are on borrowed time to get your camp set up, then it can be everything. You should look at different reviews for various tent types to see how easy the models are considered to pitch. If they are freestanding or if they require tent stakes.

After you get the tent, I recommend that you practice putting it together while you are at home before you head out on your camping trip. This will help you learn the ins and outs of how to put the tent up you purchased without having to worry about the consequences at the campsite if you run into bad weather.

What comes with the tent?

This is a question that you want to ask before purchasing any tent. It could potentially save you money in the long run, and it will allow you to know what exactly you are getting.

I highly recommend looking for a tent that comes with the very least, a rainfly, to ensure you will have some sort of weather protection with the tent. This is also a question that you need to ask about every tent you consider and then weigh the pros and cons.

Best 5 Person Tent Reviews

Bigger is always better! You will notice that some of the following tents are classified as 6-person tents. This is due to the difference between what manufacturers consider to be big enough for 5 people and what you and I might consider big enough.

Keep this in mind carefully when you are considering what model you choose. So, let’s get started.

1. MSR Habitude 6 Tent

As stated before, bigger is always better. The MSR Habitude is classified as a 6-person tent, but it is just right for a group of five on their camping trip. It has a lot of excellent features that make it one of the best on the market.

This model focuses on comfort for the entire camping group thanks to its vertical sidewalls and high ceiling. It is made from durable fabrics and uses stainless steel zippers that help keep the wind and rain outside of the tent.

Although this tent is classified as a 3-season tent, it can still be used in fall and early winter comfortably. It has a quick setup design that can be done by a single person.

Why is this important? When camping, it can be important to get your shelter up quickly. And since it can be set up by one person, the other four people with you can focus on other campsite setup duties.

Specifications:

• Weight: 14 pounds
• Season: 3 Season
• Best Use: Camping
• Dimensions: 120 x 100 x 73 inches
• Design Type: Freestanding
• Included Accessories: Rainfly

This model has a steel canopy, which will help to protect from most weather conditions.

However, although this model does have some ventilation areas, you might want to make alterations and considerations. Especially, if you are using this in the hot summer months. Because as a 3-season tent, it could use more ventilation options.

Finally, this model does come with its integrated porch light that is battery-operated, which makes an excellent addition for getting in and out of the tent at night.

Pros:

• Made from durable materials
• Has an integrated porch light
• Contains storage pockets for each person
• Can easily be set up by one person
• Uses mesh for extra airflow

Cons:

• Could use more ventilation

2. ALPS Mountaineering Expedition Taurus Outfitter Tent

ALPS Mountaineering is one of the top tent brands available on the market. The Taurus 5 has proven to be one of its best and innovative models. It has a freestanding pole system that makes it easy to set up.

The poles and pole clips are made from 7000 series aluminum. The floor is made from heavy-duty 210D 110T Nylon Oxford fabric, which helps to improve its durability and the longevity of the entire tent.

The doors on this tent use No. 10 zippers, which are extra-large. It makes it easier to grasp and find them in the day or night. They are perfect for kids who have smaller hands and are still learning to grasp things. It comes with a polyester rainfly to help provide you with weather protection.

Specifications:

• Weight: 13 Pounds
• Season: 3 Season
• Best Use: Mountaineering
• Dimensions: 8 x 10 x 6 feet
• Design Type: Freestanding
• Included Accessories: Carry case, rainfly

However, it is important to note that the provided rainfly has some minor issues. You might need to look into getting a different one or an extra one for insurance.

Finally, due to the height of this tent, it is designed to work well against wind damage that other taller models might have issues with. It also has a lightweight design, which can make it excellent for car camping or hike camping.

Pros:

• Helps provide weather protection
• Freestanding pole system
• Comes with oversized zippers for easy opening
• Heavy duty floor
• Lightweight design

Cons:

• Minor issues with the provided rainfly

3. NEMO Wagontop 6 Tent

NEMO is known for its quality tent models, and the Wagontop is classified as one of its 6-person tents. However, as stated before, bigger is always better.

This tent design will provide you plenty of room for a 5-person camping group, while still giving you enough space for all of your gear and equipment. It has a freestanding design, which makes it easy to set up.

Unlike many other tents, this one has a single-wall construction that helps to increase the center height of the tent. Its floor is made from an upgraded 300-denier fabric that helps to provide stability and longevity of the tent.

Plus, this tent is designed with a vestibule, which allows you to keep the weather away from the tent’s door and gives you more storage space for equipment. Like your shoes, which helps to keep the inside of the tent clean from outside debris.

Specifications:

• Weight: 24 pounds
• Season: 3 Season
• Best Use: Camping
• Dimensions: 140 x 100 x 80 inches
• Design Type: Freestanding
• Included Accessories: Internal pockets and loops

One thing that I like about this model is that it does have two doors, which makes it easy for people to get in and out of the tent without disturbing everyone else. However, this model is one of the heavier models, which means you will have to plan for it more if you are planning on hiking to your campsite.

Finally, it is important to note that this model is covered by NEMO’s lifetime warranty, which can give you peace of mind on your tent purchase.

Pros:

• Covered by a NEMO lifetime warranty
• Single-wall construction
• Massive screened panoramic windows
• Made from upgraded 300-denier fabric
• Copious vestibule space

Cons:

• Could utilize color coded markers for easier set up

4. Browning Camping Big Horn Tent

Browning Camping has been providing the world with competent tent models for many years. This is one of their many freestanding 5-person tents. It is classified as a 3-season tent, and it has the ventilation features that make it one of the best.

This model does only has one door, which I usually don’t recommend. But it also has 3 windows and a mesh roof that help to keep you both dry and comfortable during the warm months.

The walls of this tent are straight, which helps to provide the campers with the maximum amount of space, including a decent center height for taller people that might be accompanying you. It uses steel stakes and guy ropes to hold the provided rainfly down, which helps to have weather protection to the entire tent.

It also comes with a quality bag that makes it easier to carry the tent with you, even if you have to hike to your camp.

Specifications:

• Weight: 21 pounds
• Season: 3 Season
• Best Use: Camping & Hiking
• Dimensions: 8 x 10 x 7 feet
• Design Type: Freestanding
• Included Accessories: N/a

This tent comes with various mesh storage pockets that hang on the side of the tent wall, which is an excellent way to keep your personals safe while venturing outside and enjoying nature.

Finally, it is important to note that you might want to look into a footprint for this tent. It isn’t provided to protect the fragile flooring material used on this tent model.

Pros:

• Has large windows made of mesh for ventilation
• Comes with mesh storage pockets
• Includes a polyester rainfly
• Has a lightweight design
• Has straight walls for taller interior

Cons:

• Doesn’t hold up well to animals or some ground types

5. NTK Cherokee GT Outdoor Dome Family Camping Tent

This tent model was designed for family camping trips. It has several excellent features that make it a great choice. It has a dome design, which makes it easy for water to roll off without the help of other technology and features. But it is still recommended to use a rainfly to provide you with protection.

It only weighs approximately 15 pounds, which means it is suitable for camping trips where you will need to hike to the campsite.

When looking for a tent with a lot of interior space, this will provide you with that. Due to the design, there is plenty of room for five people and all of their gear and equipment. Another plus is that this tent was designed to be easy to assemble, especially for those who are new to camping.

Specifications:

• Weight: 15 pounds
• Season: 3 Season
• Best Use: Camping & Hiking
• Dimensions: 25 x 8 x 8 inches
• Design Type: Easy setup
• Included Accessories: Rainfly

NTK has used several micro-mesh screens in the design to help provide you with excellent ventilation. It allows you to keep your entire party cooler inside of the tent, despite the time of day. This tent does have some weather protection.

However, if you know that your trip might encounter some storms or heavy rain, I highly recommend taking this tent out at home and spraying it down with some sort of rain guard to help ensure that it will fully stand up to what is thrown at it.

Pros:

• Has an extensive dome design
• Provides ample amount interior space
• Uses micro-mesh screen for ventilation
• Easy to assemble
• Has a sturdy frame

Cons:

• May need to be sprayed for waterproofing prior to camping trip

Final Insights and Takeaways

I hope that my experiences have given you some insight that will help you choose the best 5-person tent to meet your needs. Although there isn’t a universal 5-person tent that is the best for everyone, I am confident recommending the MSR Habitude 6 Tent as a 5-person tent.

I realize that it is classified as a 6-person tent by the manufacturer. But it provides just enough space for a 5-person group, while still having plenty of room for their gear.

It has a lightweight design that makes it suitable for hiking and camping. And it was designed to be easy to set up, which makes it suitable for all kinds of camping situations.