For some people, thoughts of camping might bring to mind images of cramped sleeping quarters, with minimal headroom and crowded gear in a small tent. And while tent camping is an adventure in itself, it doesn’t have to be uncomfortable or cramped! Many tent manufacturers now make larger tents with multiple rooms all under one roof. Camping in a multi-room tent can make your trip feel almost more like you’re in a cabin. You can get a bit of privacy from your tent mates, have an area to hangout that’s not on top of your sleeping bags, and since these tents are generally larger, you can typically stand up in them!

I’ve been camping since I was a little kid, and I distinctly remember for my 12th birthday my grandpa gifted me a huge 12-person tent. Before that, I had only ever camped in 2-4 person tents. I set my new tent up in the backyard immediately, and informed my parents I would be sleeping in there the next few nights because I was so excited. To me, it felt like a 5-star hotel, and since then, I’ve used it on quite a few camping trips with larger groups. It’s always made for a fun camping experience, since everybody can hang out in the same tent without feeling jumbled together.

That being said, some multi-room tents can be quite heavy, with intensive set-up processes, so it’s important to consider certain factors when you’re looking at which one to buy. In this guide we will check out some of the key features to look for when shopping for a multi-room tent, and list some of the top multi-room tents on the market!

What to Look for in a Multi-Room Tent

Before we get into our list of the best multi-room tents, here are a few key considerations to think about to help you choose.

Size

First and foremost, you’ll need to determine what size tent you want. Tents come in an array of sizes, from small 1-person backpacking tents to large 14-person tents. Smaller tents will just have the single room, so for multi-room tents you’re going to be looking at anywhere from 6- to 14-person tents. To determine what size you need, think about how many campers you’re typically going to have with you. Is this tent for your smaller family of 5 plus a dog? Or do most of your camping trips involve larger groups, such as a group of friends and family? Some campers want some extra space inside in general, so even if you only have 6 people camping in your tent, you might opt for a larger tent such as a 8- or 10-person so you don’t feel cramped inside.

Material and Durability

After you’ve settled on a size, you’ll want to take a look at the material and durability of the tent. Some tents on the cheaper end are made with thinner nylon or polyester, which is more prone to rips and tears. Higher-end tents will have ripstop nylon or ripstop polyester, which is more durable and can withstand the wear and tear of heavy outdoor use without ripping. With larger tents, such as any multi-room tents, you’ll also want to pay attention to the stability of the tent poles. Larger tents are more susceptible to being battered around in wind or rain, and if the tent poles aren’t sturdy, inclement weather can cause them to bend or snap, which can compromise your shelter and leave you in a bad situation! Look for tent poles made of steel, fiberglass, aluminum alloy, or carbon fiber, and skip any poles that are made from plastic.

Weather Protection and Ventilation

No matter what kind of weather you expect to be camping in, it’s always good to be prepared for a storm. Most tents are sold with a rainfly that you can toss on if there are storm clouds on the horizon. Some rainflys are full coverage, meaning they cover the entirety of the tent body, while others only cover the roof of the tent. If you expect to have any heavy storms, or just want to be prepared, a full coverage rainfly will offer a lot more protection.

On the flip side, you also want to make sure you get a tent that has plenty of ventilation. Sleeping in close quarters to a lot of other people can make the inside of your tent heat up pretty quickly, and if there’s not adequate ventilation, you’re going to wake up too warm and you won’t be well rested for a full day of adventuring. Look for a tent that has mesh paneling on the body of the tent, or plenty of windows, so that you can let in some airflow without getting bugs or dirt inside.

Ease of Setup

Tent setup is an important consideration no matter what type of tent you’re planning to camp with, but it’s particularly important with a large tent such as a multi-room tent. Some tents are really intuitive and easy to set up, while others are pretty complicated and can require more than one person. If you’re camping with several young children and need to get the tent set up as fast as possible on your own, you’ll want to pay extra attention to finding a tent that has easy setup features (color coded poles or easy attachment clips). Even if you get an easy setup tent, make sure to set your tent up in your backyard or living room prior to your camping trip, so that you can look up directions or videos if need be!

Top Picks for Multi-Room Tents

With all that context, let’s jump into our list of the best multi-room tents!

1. Eureka Copper Canyon 8 Cabin Style Tent - Orange

Starting off the list with a super popular, well-loved multi-room tent, we have the Eureka Copper Canyon 8. This is a cabin-style tent, meaning the walls are nearly vertical, and the interior height is tall enough to stand up (the center height measures 7 feet). It has a ton of internal features, such as pockets and gear lofts for staying organized, and an E-port which allows you to wire a cord from a generator or car outside the tent to the inside of the tent so that you can charge devices, use your laptop, power an electric cooler, or even watch TV.

The tent has plenty of mesh windows and a mesh ceiling which give you a ton of ventilation, and allow you to stargaze with ease. The inside has a detachable divider curtain, which can separate the tent into two rooms when in use, but can also be removed and stowed if you prefer to leave your tent as a single room. The frame of this tent is made from steel, and has fiberglass poles, which ensures it stays stable and sturdy in any heavy winds. The only downfalls to this tent are that it only has a partial coverage rainfly, it is quite heavy, and you need more than one person to set it up. If you have more than one adult in your camping party, this should be no problem. Once it's set up, it’s a great, high-quality shelter that you’ll be able to bring on camping trips for years to come.

2. Big Agnes Mad House 6

If casual, family-friendly camping trips aren’t really your thing and you tend to do more extreme expeditions, the Big Agnes Mad House is for you. This is a four-season dome tent that will stay sturdy during snow, wind, or rain storms, and still has plenty of vents and windows to keep you cool during those warmer months of camping. The inside of the tent has large pockets and a removable fabric wall that allows you to use this tent as either a single or double room tent. It has a really easy setup, thanks to its color coded poles and sockets, and its easy-attach clips. Despite its sturdy construction, the Mad House 6 is light enough to throw in a backpack for treks into the backcountry. It’s a bit pricey, and overkill if you’re just looking for a casual car camping tent, but if you want the versatility of being able to use your multi-room tent in any kind of weather and for any type of camping, the Mad House 6 is a great choice.

3. Coleman Skydome XL 8-Person Camping Tent with LED Lighting

For budget-conscious campers, the Coleman SkyDome XL is a great mix of roominess and protection. This 8-person tent has near vertical walls, and large windows on every wall of the tent to offer plenty of ventilation. The layout of this tent is great for a family camping trip, with a room divider that can seal off a third of the tent, leaving you with one smaller room and one larger room. The SkyDome only has one door, not accessible from the smaller room, so it’s a great option for parents with kids who go to bed earlier, and want the security of knowing their kids are fast asleep in the tent and can’t wander off while the adults stay up by the campfire.

Despite the partial coverage rainfly, this tent can handle some seriously wet weather with ease, thanks to it’s bathtub-style floor (where the flooring goes up into the wall section of the tent to keep any ground level water out of the tent), fully taped seams, and sturdy aluminum alloy poles which can withstand up to 35 mph winds. It does require two people to set up, but with the color coded poles, it can be a 5 minute job with two adults. Overall, it’s a really sturdy tent, great for a large family, and comes with a much cheaper price tag than similar options.

4. Browning Big Horn 5 + SR - 5 Person Charcoal/Gray

The Alps Mountaineering Big Horn 5 is one of the most unique designs you’ll see when looking at multi-room tents. The sleeping area of the tent is only one room, but it includes a separate attached screen room, which is the same size as the sleeping area of the tent. If you don’t mind sleeping in the same room as all your tent mates, and just want an extra room for storage or hangout space, this is a great option. The screen room has a fully covered ceiling, which will prevent you or any gear from getting wet if it starts to rain, but the walls are entirely made of a thin mesh that keeps the bugs out but lets the fresh air in. If there’s heavy rain in your forecast, the partial coverage rainfly extends over both the sleeping section of the tent as well as the screen room, providing extra protection. If you don’t need the rainfly for rain protection, it can be adjusted to only cover the roof of the screen room and extend outwards as an awning or porch area, to give you some protection from the sun.

The versatility of the rainfly design and of the screen room option make this tent a great choice for family campers, fishermen, or hunters who want to have plenty of space to set up all their gear with the peace of mind that everything will be well protected if the weather rolls in. It does require two people to set up, although the setup process is fairly intuitive and easy.

5. Browning Big Horn Two Room Tent

Another great option from Browning is the more classic Big Horn Two Room Tent. This is essentially the same tent as the Big Horn 5, but instead of an attached screen room, its second room is another classic sleeping-style area. It can comfortably sleep 8 people plus gear, and has a really sturdy design with a steel frame and vertical walls, making it easy to stand and walk around inside. It has a mesh roof which, when paired with the large windows on each wall, will give you excellent ventilation even on the warmest of camping trips. The two separate rooms have a zippered door between them, which can be stowed off to the side when not in use. There are plenty of storage pockets inside the tent, and there are entrances in both of the two rooms. Though two adults are needed to set the tent up, it has pre-attached poles and easy color coded attachment clips, making the process easy.

Find the Best Multi-Room Tent For You

Multi-room tents are a great option for all sorts of campers, from large groups of friends to families with young kids. Narrowing down the exact right option for you can seem like an overwhelming task with all the options out there, but hopefully this guide has given you some insight as to what to look for and what to avoid in your hunt for the perfect multi-room tent!

If you still have questions or aren’t sure which one is right for you, chat with a Camping and Hiking Expert here on Curated for free, personalized advice. We would be happy to help you prepare for your next camping trip with the exact right gear for you!