Best 4 Person Tents For Car Camping When Quality Matters

Car camping is one of the most popular forms of camping. This comes down to it being easy access to power and amenities. It’s often the first camp trip beginners start with before braving the unknown that is the wilderness. Which if you ask me is a very wise move.

But finding the right tent can be a nightmare for newcomers. So to ease the burden a little, I will be reviewing the best 4 person tents for car camping in 2019.

While I have listed my personal favorites for car camping before, in this list I want to pay particular attention to the four person tents as I find they are ideal for the couple getting away from the hustle and bustle of city life to enjoy a nice and less stressful time camping. But first, lets make sure you really need a 4 person tent.

Will 4 Adults Fit In A 4 Person Tent?

If you are here looking for a 4 person tent to go camping with 4 adults in total, let me tell you one thing. It’s not going to happen. A 4 person tent is better designed for 2 people, 3 maximum if you don’t mind sleeping face to face and have no luggage.

The average size of a four person tent is between 55 and 65 square feet. To measure the square feet of a tent you need to check out the tents dimensions. Simply multiple the length by the width of the tent.

If you’re camping with your kids, then it would pay to have a look at these tents designed to fit a family of 4. This will give both the parents and the children their own space to unwind, relax and sleep in peace.

Now the average sized adult requires about 18 to 25 square feet of tent space. This is measured by giving yourself a tiny 3 feed width and 6 foot in length. So now do the math. Four people times 18 square feet is 72 square feet. Bigger than most 4 person tents. Therefor you will be squished tighter than sardines if you even do fit.

But where does your camping equipment go?. Exactly. So if you are looking for a tent to comfortable fit 4 people, I recommend scaling up to a family size tent. After all, this is car camping, so weight of the tent is not an issue.

What To Look For When Buying A Car Camping Four Person Tent

• Size as mentioned above. Allow about 20 square feet per person. Allow for more if you have lot’s of gear. Always check the tents size dimensions.
• Is the tent waterproof. Not all tents are waterproof when bought from a shop as mentioned here. Make sure the tent comes with a rain fly and not just the see through mesh inner material.
• Bathtub style bottom of the tent. The base tarp material should curl up the sides of the tent at least 4 inches to keep the inside of the tent from flowing water.
• Front entry with rainfly. This are can be used for entertaining, getting fresh air or even used as a mud room. Some tents are netted to keep out bugs, others are just the rainfly to protect you from the sun and rain.
• Don’t disregard a tent over how heavy it is. As you are car camping, how heavy it is is irrelevant. Weight only matters to backpackers and hikers.
• Windows for airflow. Nothing worse then a stuffy tent. So look for a tent with multiple window openings and position your tent in the best position to allow the wind to flow through the windows.

Best 4 Person Waterproof Camping Tent

Coleman Hooligan 63 Sq Ft. 9 Ft. X 7 Ft.

It wouldn’t be a camping related product without Coleman right. In particular the Coleman Hooligan tent. This is one of my favorite tents and has been a godsend when the unprecedented onslaught of heavy rain occurs. What makes the Hooligan so good under extreme weather is the design and the fully enclosed rainfly.

The shape of the tent lets wind and rain roll off the sides instead of running into a vertical wall if the wind is flowing horizontally. This is one of the major advantages of having a dome like tent. Not to mention that domes style tents are the easiest to set up.

The inclusion of the full rainfly is a massive hit with me. It eliminates any chance of rain seeping in through window coverings. But you may be thinking, hey where are the windows?. Didn’t I say windows are essential for airflow.

Yes, you would be right. But with the Hooligan tent, the interior is made of a mesh material. The front opening of the tent can be left open and you are welcoming in much more air than a few windows could ever let in. The cross section air flow means that the air can come in and cool down the tent from all angles due to being fully mesh. Which is also great for keeping mosquitoes out as there is no chance of window zippers malfunctioning.

Number Of Sleepers Recommended

I wouldn’t push more than two. While you may be able to squeeze in three people. At 63 square feet it would be a tight fit. While we are on measurements, the ceiling height is just under 5 foot. Which is pretty common with dome style tents. So if you are wanting a 4 person tent you can actually stand in, look down below for the canyon style tent.

The Final Verdict

I love it, while extra ceiling height and maybe one window for extra light would make the Coleman Hooligan even better, the seclusion you get from being a full rain fly tent is amazing. No peeping toms with this tent. With the inclusion of the front entry which can be fully zipped up, I find it to be one of the best small tents with storage possibilities.

When it rains, this entry area is a great change room before getting into the tent. No muddy feet or sandy air beds this way. But overall, its a very easy tent to set up (took me alone just 10 minutes) and has great wind and rain protection if needed.

Top Rated Car Camping 4 Person Tent With Vestibule

This Deluxe Turbo tent by Black Pine Sports is simply one of a kind. It’s rather expensive in comparison to the other tents listed here. But if you want high quality premium materials that will withstand the elements, I have a feeling you’re going to love this tent.

So the stand out features for me are the following:

• The very large oversized vestibule (front entry awning). This thing is waterproof and like the rest of the tent which is made from ripstop high grade 150 denier cotton-poly. Which is a heavy duty hybrid canvas material.
• Thick and durable tent material made from a hybrid canvas.
• Having the word ‘Turbo’ in it’s name, setting up and taking down was very simple and fast. A huge selling point if you ask me.
• Probably the best support system I have seen in a tent. This is not your typical Walmart tent folks. The poles are far more superior.
• The attention to detail as explained below.

What Makes This Black Pine Sports Tent Great For Car Camping

Having a footprint that measures 8 foot by 8 foot, you get plenty of room. The 7 foot ceiling makes walking around a breeze. Which is what you want when car camping. Besides the spacious living, I found that once set up and if weather permits, staking down this tent is optional. Once you load your gear in, the design of the tent keeps it relatively well balanced.

However if you do stake it down, you will notice the attention to detail in the tie down rope pockets and the heavy duty stakes. These tent stakes are easily double the size of what you normally get with cheaper tents. So if you are expecting wind or rain, this tent has you covered.

Keeping with the attention to detail, the seams are sealed very professionally. Many tents are not even sealed in the first place. There’s a power outlet socket for running leads to and from the power source. Which is very important for car camping.

The bottom of the tent is a 200 denier waterproof bathtub style finish which is exactly what you want to keep water from running in and soaking into the tent.

Pay For Quality, Boy Do You Get Quality

It really is a superior tent for the best protection. From the heavy duty zippers to the double thick guide lines to the amazing vestibule. Even the no-see-um insect netting is more durable than most tents I’ve seen. It’s thicker and seems to be made form a super strong material. I really do feel like you simply can’t go wrong with the Deluxe Turbo tent.

The only negative is that it is more expensive than you may expect (Check Price On Amazon Here). While this isn’t ideal, it’s obvious why this tent costs more. Everything and I mean everything is high quality and built to last.

If I were to buy one more tent to last me the rest of my life, this would be the one. Especially if you plan on doing a lot of car camping over the coming years. Cool thing is, this tent is available in a larger size for more then 4 people.

Best Cabin Style 4 Person Tent

Fit’s A Queen Air Mattress With Space To Spare!

The Eureka Copper Canyon is my pick for a stand alone cabin style of tent. The benefit to a tent like the Eureka is that the walls are vertical which allows for more head room. so much so you can stand in the tent.

With a 7 foot center height, most adults can comfortable walk around inside the tent without having to duck and weave.

Cabin style tents are ideal for car campers because you can bring along camping cots without the fear of no head space like you would in a dome tent. Without needing to carry the cot and tent far from the car, weight is no longer an issue. Cabin tents just allow you more freedom and a more relaxing time I believe.

Slightly larger than the above Coleman tent, the Eureka Copper Canyon has 64 square feet of space. But this doesn’t include the front entry of the Coleman. So you could comfortably fit 3 people in the Eureka.

Features I Love About This Four Person Cabin Tent

Without a doubt the best feature of the Eureka Copper Canyon for me is the amount of scenery you are open to. The large windows are at just the right height for a normal size adult. On top of that, if the weather is fine, you can remove the rainfly and have a clear view of the night sky as you sleep. This is because the ceiling of the tent is completely bug proof netting. Nothing beats sleeping under the stars with full night view.

If the weather turns sour, you can pop the rainfly back on, put the window flaps up and you are set for a dry nights sleep.

The only negative to the Eureka in my opinion is against super strong winds. While the windows do zip up, the top half is left as the mesh. When you put the rainfly on, the mesh part of the window is covered. But it is not 100% sealed, so wind can still get inside the tent.

It’s a nice trade off for having a well ventilated and less humid tent. But don’t expose it to high winds or you may regret it. However, if you are setting the Eureka up on a windy day, it’s actually possible to set this tent up from the ground.

No more annoying wind blowing everything around. Assembly is quite easy compared to tents of this size. Other than that, it’s the perfect summer 4 person car camping tent.

Best 4 Season Canvas 4 Person Tent

The Deluxe Kodiak Flex Bow Canvas Tent

When it comes to high grade canvas tents, there’s none better than the Kodiak Flex Bow line in my opinion. While I know canvas tents can be expensive, I found the price on amazon to be quite reasonable.

I know not everyone is a fan of canvas material because during the middle of the day the tent is hot. But forgive me if I’m wrong, you’re camping. Shouldn’t you be out on a wild adventure or having fun with the kids in the outdoors. Not curled up melting in the hottest part of the day.

Sure, it’s lunch time, but that’s where the front awning of the Kodiak 4 person car camping tent comes into it’s own. It’s very spacious and gives the camp cook plenty of room to set up a gas burner and cook in the cool of the awning shade. Besides being a canvas tent, the front entry awning is my favorite feature. It just works so well for car camping.

So A Little About The Canvas

If you’re not sure what canvas is, it’s the thick heavy material that you may have seen tents made out of before. Not the thin and lightweight poly tents that are more common. The canvas on the Kodiak is a marine grade cotton duck canvas known as hydra shield.

The benefits to this canvas over the more common variety is how it is weaved together. Tight enough that it completely stops water from entering the tent, and strong enough to hold up against high winds. This tent is a beauty if a storm shall unexpectedly turn up.

The other main advantage to choosing a canvas tent over synthetic id durability. The lifespan expectancy of a canvas tent is far greater. This is due to how thick the materials are, so thick you couldn’t rip through it with your hands if you tried. As mentioned above, canvas tents do heat up a fair bit.

With the Kodiak, the unique weave allows just a little more breath-ability which prevents condensation and provides a slightly cooler tent. But in winter, canvas tents are the best. They can maintain heat inside the tent far greater than any other tent. However, with all these great benefits, comes a cost. Canvas tents are typically more expensive which is the obvious downside.

What Makes This Canvas Tent Good For Car Camping

• Front awning is large and provides much shelter from the sun, rain etc. Awning is 5 foot by 6 foot. So quite spacious.
• 4 Big large windows combined with the 2 air vents allow for great air intake.
• High ceiling to allow for walking around inside the tent with ease.
• 9 x 8 feet = 72 square feet of living space. Little bigger than your typical 4 person tent.
• The interior has great storage features such as a gear hammock and 2 hanging organizers.
• Fully mesh under layer to keep nasty bugs out which can be completely zipped up to keep sand and wind out if beach camping. Front doors lock via zippers.
• A ground tarp is not required due to the heavy duty tent base which has welded seams to eliminate any chance of water seeping in.
• The interior ceiling has grommets in which you can hang lights and clothes etc. The tent is super strong and can maintain a decent amount of weight. A good idea is to set up some guide lines inside the tent for hanging even more gear.

Best Pop Up 4 Person Tent

After scouring through lots of 4 person pop up tents on amazon, I came across the FiveJoy Instant pop up tent. Initially what stood out to me was the design. I love the fact there are windows on top of each other. Meaning a window down low and a larger window above it. This give you ultimate control of the airflow inside the tent.

But whats even cooler (literally) about these windows is that they can be turned into a rain-fly (window tarp( using the included guy lines and stakes.

So if you are in the unwelcome position of it raining while your camping, you can pull out the windows and attach the guy lines and stack them into the ground. This allows for air to still flow while blocking out the rain. Absolutely brilliant idea. Especially when it rains after a hot day, the humidity is a killer.

The next thing which I actually prefer on all tents is the entry way being at the end of the tent. When the entry door is on the middle of a wall on the tent, it means you can drag more sand, dirt and mud to either end of the tent. Having one designated opening for entry and exit means you have greater control over what you don’t want to end up in the tent.

The only negative to the FiveJoy 4 person pop up tent is the size. It’s on the smaller size for a ‘four person tent’. With a square foot measurement of 58.5. The length is good at 9 foot. So taller people should be able to squeeze in. But the width is just 6.5 feet. So me personally would say 2 adults and one child could fit.

While not the widest tent in the world, it has a decent height measurement for a pop up tent. Remember, pop up tents are meant to be fast and easy to set up. So a pop up 8 foot ceiling is unlikely to be fast and easy.

However, the FiveJoy Instant 4 person Pop Up tent has a ceiling height of 4 feet. So not enough to stand, but still pretty decent height for crawling around in. In regards to being a pop up. It does just that. It literally takes just seconds and your tent is popped up. Ready to go. Packing away is just as fast, but do make sure you read the instructions or you could be pushing on the wrong areas to try un-pop this tent.

So What Is The Best Car Camping Tent For 4 Persons?

Well there you have it, five different kinds of tents suitable for car camping with a 4 person badge. While size will play a crucial role in the decision of which tent you buy, if you find that the typical 4 person tent is not big enough. Don’t be afraid to look at larger tents.

Car camping is meant to be easy, fun and most of all comfortable. So don’t try and squish in like sardines over a mere $20. Buy the 6 or 8 person if need be.

So which of these tents is the best?. Well, it really does depend on your situation. Hence why I selected five different styles so that you can cater to your needs. If you had me on the spot and I had to choose one right now, I would go with the Deluxe Turbo by Black Pine Sports. The shear high quality and amazing entry awning can’t be beat. If premium is what you are after, then this tent shouldn’t disappoint.