The 10 Best 6 Person Tents in 2021 

Planning your next camping trip with a bunch of your friends? Or perhaps you’re thinking about going for a long weekend in the woods with your family? 

Wherever you plan to camp, you need a high-quality 6-person tent to keep everyone comfy and safe at night. But, it takes a long time to find the right one — and a bunch of wasted money. 

Or does it? 

We’ve done all the research, so you don’t have to! After countless hours of testing, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best 6-person waterproof tents available. 

Stop spending money on sub-standard tents and invest in the best. (You’ll be surprised how affordable most of them are!) 

So, without further ado, let’s get right into the details. 

Bushnell Shield Series 6 Person Instant Cabin Tent 

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Looking for an amazing value? Look no further. The Bushnell Shied Series 6-Person tent is a force to be reckoned with — and for the price, we really can’t argue. 

The tent stands out from the crowd thanks to the front awning and seemingly limitless built-in storage solutions. If you’re a fair-weather camper, this instant cabin-style shelter is perfect.  

Let’s focus on the instant part for a second. 

When we say it’s easy to set up, we mean it. The poles come attached to the tent. So, all you have to do is unfold the legs until they click. 60 seconds to erect a 6-person tent is mind-blowing to us (and probably to you too).  

However, you’ll have to compromise weight and bulkiness to get this quick setup time. So if you’re heading off into the wilderness with nothing but a backpack, give this tent a miss. You’ll soon grow tired of lugging it around. Although, sharing the burden is a possibility with a group of well-weathered endurance hikers. 

Enough of that though, there’s something far more pressing to discuss — the Heat Shield Technology. We know you’ve been waiting for it! 

The tech is made to keep you cool under the beating sun. The reflective coating under the rainfly blocks harsh UV rays, maintaining a comfortable temperature inside the otherwise sweaty material.  

Timber Ridge 6 Person Instant Tent with Rainfly 

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Timber Ridge made the 6-person model with every type of camper in mind. With a bunch of high-end features and wonderfully tall walls, both the experienced and the beginner will adore this space. 

Much like the Bushnell Shield Series tent we just discussed, it comes with pre-attached poles for an instant setup. However, it misses the mark on the storage front. The seemingly limitless supply of pockets in the Bushnell tent is somewhat lacking in the Timber Ridge construction. 

But don’t let the lack of pockets put you off. 

It has three large windows and a door made from double-layered mesh and zippers for privacy and protection. We especially appreciate the bathtub floor, keeping you dry regardless of the weather. 

Aside from that, the e-cable port works to bring some home comforts into your camping experience. Not to mention the ceiling lantern hook maintains a cozy atmosphere well into the night. It’s a family tent, that’s for sure. 

Speaking of families, we hope you don’t have too many people wishing to cram themselves in here. Despite being a 6-person tent — five people sleeping next to each other, one person perpendicular to the others — it’s much more comfortable for four. 

Although, six close friends might find it comfy enough. That’s for your campers to decide! 

 Coleman Steel Creek Fast Pitch Dome 6 Person Tent with Screen Room 

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Coleman is a renowned brand for camping gear — especially tents. As you’ll see from our list, we’re big fans! But never fear; we’re not biased in our fandom. They’re just that good and thus, earned their rightful places on our 10 best 6-person tents list. 

Okay, let’s move on. 

The Steel Creek model is designed for speedy construction of roughly 7 minutes. While we admit that it’s not as fast as our previous instant pals, it’s pretty good for the size — it fits 2 queen-sized airbeds! 

The tent features one large main room with an adjoining screen, perfect for sipping bug-free early morning coffees or late-night punch. 

We love the WeatherTec system found in many Coleman tents since it works wonders to keep you warm and dry. Although, we were a tad disappointed (told you we’re not biased!) that the included rainfly only covered a portion of the tent. 

The ease of use and capacity are incredible, making the price utterly phenomenal. However, be mindful of using it in extreme conditions. While the WeatherTec system will protect you from the mild elements, harsh windows, and biting temperatures will be too much for this tent. The mesh screen room will prove too pitiful. 

With all that considered, it’s unarguably one of the best for fair(ish)-weather campers and novices. 

 Coleman Elite WeatherMaster 6 Person Screened Tent 

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This one is aptly named. It truly is “Elite” — the capital “E” intended.  

Consider it your ideal summer camping tent. The floorless screen room is perfect for cooking and experiencing the outdoors while being protected from the mosquitos and their harsh bites. Plus, the divider in the main room converts the construction into a two-bedroom affair, giving all parties privacy. 

The structure combines design elements seen in both cabin- and tunnel-style tents, allowing you to benefit from the best of both worlds. But, be mindful that it isn’t freestanding. So you’ll need to stake it, contributing to the longer setup time. But the extra minutes are more than worth it, and the pegs are included.  

The built-in LED lighting system is our favorite part — and the feature that gives it the “Elite” name tag. Providing bright illumination to the whole tent, you can easily switch between high, low, and nightlight settings, thanks to the reachable wall switch. 

A battery cartridge with 4 D-batteries power the lights. But we recommend purchasing the sold-separately rechargeable cartridge to ensure your lights never go out (and you save your money in the long run). 

Another loveable feature is the hinged door. Coleman is globally recognized for swinging tent doors, and this Elite model is no different. The door uses one straight pole and one curved variety to achieve a rigid D-shaped opening complete with a storm flap and easy opening.  

 Coleman Montana 6-Person Tent

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Coleman went back to basics with their Montana tent. Focusing on family and companionship, the brand designed and built this amazing summer tent featuring more space for a lower price. 

Camping is supposed to be enjoyable. But in a small, cramped dome tent, it’s more stressful than anything else. Thankfully, the extended dome structure found in the Montana model gives you a lot of extra breathing room. 

However, it’s not for groups that value privacy. Don’t forget; we’re going back to the basics of adventure with this one. Coleman’s designers insisted on using the tent only for sleeping, nothing else. The tent is smaller than other 6-person tents available, but it’s good enough for close friends or relatives. 

Moving on from the size, we love the number of expandable net storage pouches that can be accessed from your mattress. Although it doesn’t have a vestibule, the front awning covering the door is good enough for storing hiking boots. 

Coleman tests their tents using in-house “rainstorms” with winds at 35 mph. Because of this, they don’t conduct hydrostatic head rating tests (industry norm), making it tricky to compare this tent with others. However, we will say that you should apply an extra waterproof treatment for better durability against adverse conditions. 

With that said, we can’t fault the ventilation. And since it’s primarily a summer tent, that’s what matters! 

Coleman Elite Sundome 6-Person Tent

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While not as impressive as the other Elite model on our list, the Sundome 6-Person tent still benefits from the built-in LED lighting system. Again, it comes with 3 brightness settings, and at the brightest, produces 100 lumens. 

The tent boasts a whopping 120 square feet floor and a 6-foot peak height. You’ll certainly have plenty of room for your camping expeditions! 

The famous hinged door is present on this model, too, allowing you to come and go as you please with minimal disturbance. Don’t worry if aesthetics are important to you; the door mechanics are hidden away under color-coordinated sleeves. They thought of everything with this one. 

As for the airflow, the Sundome’s design practically eliminates any condensation. The top and most of the side walls are mesh, with the rainfly covering half of it to ensure optimal ventilation. 

It’s relatively easy to set up, although you shouldn’t expect it to be anything like the instant ones we discussed earlier. It comes with two door poles, two main poles, and two rainfly poles. You might struggle to do it alone, but once you get the hang of it, setup takes roughly 15 minutes.  

Our biggest gripe is Coleman’s claim that it’s a three-season tent. In our experience, it isn’t fit for colder seasons. As soon as the temperature drops (typically at night), the airflow features make the tent exceptionally chilly. 

 Coleman WeatherMaster 6-Person Tent with Screen Room

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Remember when we talked about the WeatherMaster Elite? Well, this is incredibly similar but without the fancy LED lighting rig. Ideal for those of you who didn’t care for the extra luxuries. 

The structure is akin to cabin-style tents, benefiting from sky-high walls and a number of windows. At just over 2 meters, the majority of people can stand comfortably inside. It’s unarguably one of the best, most livable tents we’ve come across. 

The tent boasts a 54 square foot screen room with no floor. It’s great for lounging or eating dinner when you don’t feel like being attacked by mosquitos and other creepy crawlies. It even has a feature to make the main room doubly safe — a two-layered mesh zipper door, unpenetrable by bugs. 

You won’t be surprised that this tent also comes complete with the Coleman-owned hinged door. We love it. We’ve probably said that enough already! 

Alongside all of this, you can set up the tent in 20 minutes once you become familiar with the mechanics. We suggest watching some YouTube tutorials or carefully perusing the instructions before setting out (especially if you’re a beginner). There’s nothing worse than being stressed in the middle of a camping ground. 

Coleman Camping 6-Person Dome Tent with Dark Room 

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We won’t lie to you; there is nothing remotely fancy about this one. Except for the dark room, of course. 

Now, you might be wondering why this is so important. After all, the sun goes down eventually, right? Well, yes. But for festival-goers, that just intensifies the bright lights, swaying strobes, and phone camera flashlights. 

Granted, if you’re simply heading off on a family camping trip in the wilderness, you don’t need to worry so much about this. Rise with the sun, as they say. So, the Dark Room Sundome might not be right for you. 

But for those who are here for a festival-filled season, check it out. 

Centered around getting a lot of bang for your buck, this tent wouldn’t be anything special if it weren’t for the dark room technology turning it into something magical. 

As soon as you step through the door, you’ll be submerged in darkness. Yes, even when the sun is beating down. It can be quite disorienting at times! But it’s wonderful for late sleepers, day nappers, and music fest campers. 

For those of you who like mod-cons and plenty of storage, you’ll be disappointed. It contains only 4 small pockets and no vestibule for gear, so there will be no large backpacks for anybody! 

 

 Pacific Pass 6 Person Tent with Removable Rain Fly 

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The Pacific Pass 6 Person Dome Tent is made with families in mind. It’s completely freestanding, and the simple dome construction ensures it’s easy to erect. 

The tent has one door and two large windows on either side, displaying double-layered mesh to provide bug protection and privacy. 

We expected this tent to be rather small, considering the dome style. And while we were partly correct in our assumption, it’s a lot taller than we anticipated. It has a surprisingly tall peak height at 75″ or 191cm. 

The ventilation is exceptional due to the mesh-heavy design. The fly is rather shallow at the front and back, which aids airflow through the entire structure. Plus, the floor vent helps massively in preventing moisture build-up and, thus, mold. 

Pacific Pass markets it as a three-season tent. However, it’s much better suited for warmer temperatures. Trust us; you won’t feel all that cozy during strong winds, thanks to the mesh. 

One of our favorite bits about this tent is the weight. At a light 13.3lbs, it’s easy to use for backpacking across the wilderness. We’ve also concluded that you could take it on short tours, as long as you allow others to share the load! 

Overall, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better price-to-value ratio.  

Hui Lingyang 6 Person Easy Pop Up Tent 

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Compared to the 6-person tents we’ve talked about here, the Hui Lingyang model provides something a bit different.  

You’ll notice that most of the models require a modicum of setup time, which typically increases if you’ve been left to construct it alone. But with this tent, it just pops up. 

All you need to do is use one hand to throw it on the ground, wait less than 5 seconds, and it has erected itself! If you don’t want to waste any of your holiday time setting up complicated tents, this model will become your new best friend. 

Almost everything in the Hui Lingyang tent is made from polyester. It features two mesh-covered windows on either side of the tent to ensure ventilation and mold prevention. Plus, there’s a nylon flap that you can close over the windows for nighttime privacy. 

We were shocked (in the best possible way) by the quality of the seams. They’re wonderfully durable, as are the zippers.  

Pop-up tents are not meant to be as hard-wearing as traditional models. That’s just a fact. So, don’t expect to take this on long-term camping trips. Hui Lingyang made the tent for beginners, those who require emergency shelters, and weekends in the woods.