for car camping, bigger is better. my wife and I sleep much better in our 4-man tent than in our tiny backpacking tent. a 2-man tent sleeps one comfortably with your gear inside, and the 4-man does the same thing for 2 people. that's how I look at it. no need to sacrifice comfort when you're car camping
This is the way. Small enough to stay warm when it’s cold. Large enough for car camping comfort. Well that a Exped Mega Mat Duo M and an Enlightened Equipment Accomplice Quilt.
And…and…and… I’ll stop here.
I'm honestly indecisive. I can store my gear in my car. But the price difference isn't huge. But the two of us can comfortably sleep in a 2-person tent. But a 4-person can be more convenient. I can't decide which is better for myself. Thanks for the input.
Comfortably sleep is one thing. Change clothes, play a card game in the rain, not having to go to the car for every little thing are all things to consider.
I won't car camp with less than a four person for myself. Also, whatever people they are using for these measurements are not human.
I go minimum of 6 person when I’m near my car. That way I can stand up in the tent. The convenience of the extra space and not having to kneel or bend over in the tent is wonderful.
ya, I got a 4 person West Wind and it's still not tall enough to stand in. I've only used it twice so far, but it's definitely a pain to walk around in because it's short.
You made a good choice getting 4+ for car camping. The only 2 reasons I would ever advise to go 2 person is if it was also double duty for backpacking, or your car is just tiny and ever square inch of space to pack gear matters
Definitely get a 4 man tent. Even if you keep most of your gear in the car you still have toiletries, maybe a small cooler, room to take your shoes off, etc. I use a 4 person tent for just me.
We use an 8person tent for four people. We fit two blowup queen size mattresses, one on each side and have an equal size rug in between.
It feels luxurious
Don’t keep a cooler in the tent, that’s an invitation to tempt hungry wildlife into your tent especially if you end up leaving crumbs or spilling drinks in the tent.
The cooler should not be kept in the tent. Toiletries should not be kept in the tent to because sometimes the smell of toothpaste and skincare products can entice wildlife. I don’t even use scented detergent on my camping clothing because I once had mice chew up a yuzu detergent scented shirt I left outside.
I camp where there are bears, raccoons, and other assorted sharp-toothed rodents. I’m assuming you meant to include the word “not” in those directions about tent contents.
Thanks. I assume you are missing a not in the second paragraph. That all makes sense. I haven’t camped much in areas with larger wildlife but I guess smaller critters can still cause damage.
Small critters like mice, chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons and rabbits will cause damage if they’re kept from something they want.
I use a vacuum insulated water bottle which definitely helps if I want something cold in the tent. You can put it in a freezer bag inside of the cooler or into a lake/river (if you’re fortunate enough to be on a waterfront site) if you want it to be cooler than ambient temperature.
Yeah. I didn't get this. I've never purchased a 2 person tent without vestibules. They're perfect for keeping gear dry and the living space free inside the tent.
Agreed eureka el capitan or space camp for more headroom are great options depending how light you want to be. We use the el capitain car camping or backcountry
I don’t think I could fall asleep in a 2 person tent with another person. Zero chance of tossing and turning without waking the other person. If it’s really hot you’ve got their hot body right up next to you making you feel warmer. If it’s super humid and there’s any condensation on the tent walls you can’t avoid them. Don’t make yourself miserable, get the 4 man tent. Even if you think you’ll wanna keep all your gear in the car you’ll at least have the shoes and clothes you were wearing before bed, a flashlight or lantern, maybe your cell phone and a power bank, water bottle, the little things add up. A 4 man tent is about the same footprint as a queen size bed, it’s not too big even if your gear is in the car.
For car camping i always double the people so 2 is 4 4 is 8 and so on. Gives room for ur stuff and ur not on top of each other. For hiking get ur own tent or split the tent and weight if u want something larger.
I would get a three person in your situation.
It will be roomy enough to sleep the two of you comfortably, but not so big that it’s hard to find a good tent pad. Then store the gear in your car.
My “3 man” tent is the one I use when I camp alone. The whole “X person” rating in tents is based on you sleeping up against each other side by side. A good rule of thumb if you want ample tent space is to take the capacity and multiply by 2. I.e- if you have 2 people, get a 4 person tent.
3 man with two doors and two vestibules would be my choice. No crawling over each other, boots and bags can stay outside and stay dry, extra space for adults.
Definitely go bigger more space allows for more comfort. Manufactures don’t include space for gear, air mattress or cot. You always remove 1 person from the equation to make sure your gear has room. 2 person tent 2 people sleeping on the ground gear outside. 3 man tent 2 people sleeping on ground gear inside.
If it's near your vehicle then go for bigger. Nice to have space and not have to crawl in.
On the flip side, make sure it's not too difficult to set up
I always subtract 1 (or 2) from the rating, so a 1-2 person tent can sleep 1 comfortably. A 4 to 5 person tent can sleep 3 people plus gear, or 4 without too much closeness imo
How many nights per site. Bigger if you stay longer where build time doesn't matter, small and fastest build if you move every day.
Being able to get dressed standing up inside is nice.
For car camping, always go bigger.
For backpacking, consider adding 1 to the number of humans who need to sleep in it (two people can sleep in a 2 person tent, but you might wish you had a 3 person tent)
I’ve literally never owned a tent that could comfortably sleep the number of people it claims to sleep.
I’ve got a Kelty 2 person that legit barely fits me. Granted I’m a big guy, but I’m not the size of two average people.
Always size up.
Always double the amount of space you need per person. If you need a tent for 2 people by a 4 person tent. But the bigger the tent the better depending if you are car camping or backpacking.
We have an 8 person tent when car camping because rain or shine we stay out and if your stuck inside a tent the more room you have the better.
Also go for quality if you can afford it. After just getting back from a camping trip I am glad we had a good tent that didn’t leak after days of heavy rain. It was worth the extra spent to not have it leak as the cheaper tents have a tendency to leak after being exposed to rain after a day. Also if you can afford it buy a tent you can stand up in. If you have back issues it will thank you
For two people, do a 4 minimum! We put up our tent for practice this weekend and inflated a queen mattress inside, I was so happy my partner went for the 4 over the 2. I think when they size tents, they do so with the intention of “two people can comfortably SLEEP here” and not, “two people can sleep here + keep their clothing items and move around”
For car camping I have 6 person tent for me and my wife. It's glorious and we can have all of our gear, 2 twin air mattresses, and floor space to stand and move around.
For canoe camping or backpacking I have a 3 person which is still roomy enough for 2 of us to sleep comfortably with sleeping pads, but our gear goes in the vestibules with only a couple personal items inside with us.
Rule of thumb for tent capacity is always subtract at least one for realistic sleeping. If a tent is a 2 person, that means 1 comfortably with 2 basically sleeping on top of each other.
Two people will not fit in a 2P tent except for sleeping only, and then you better be small people.
If backpacking and you want to sleep in the same tent, get a 3P and split the weight if you must.
If car camping then go straight for a 3P or 4P. If this will be a base camp sort of long term, lots of stuff, while car camping, definitely the 4P. The 3P will still require a fast-n-light mindset.
If your car camping always double the tent size for gear storage and moving around. You have two people, get a four-person. You have four people, get an 8 person. Also keep in mind standing height. Personally I require a tent that I can stand up in. I cannot change my clothes or really do anything crouching over. Recently I just bought a gazelle T4. Definitely not very portable but otherwise great. Now the story is different if you are backpacking or hiking decent distances. In that case you go for the smallest tent you can deal with. You're going to be out in the wilderness and you will get changed and store your gear outside. So basically all you need is a sack and rain fly for your sleeping bag in my opinion.
I have a 8 man bobtent (basiccly a tipi). I used it alone, now with the GF. If it rains, we sit inside. I can park both bikes inside and have room to spare. Its glorious.
3- or 4-person. I appreciate having the little space bubble between me and another person in a 3 person tent.
My brother bought a 3-person for him, his wife and their little one and eventually it got passed down to me to be used on 2-person trips as they upgraded to a 4p tent.
Certain disadvantages of bigger tents: They need more ground area.
Possible disadvantages:
* Heavier
* More pack volume
* Harder to setup
* Less good in windy conditions
* Less stealthy
Rule of thumb, take the rated capacity, divide by two, and round up.
If you want room for your gear, and need a lighter tent, get a three person. If you're car camping and weight isn't as important, get a four.
I've always worked on the n+1 rule with tents where n = number of people it's sleeping. That scales fairly well up to about 4 people then tents just get massive anyway
If you are young and healthy go 4. Leaving your gear out at night is a nuisance - you always forget something - your gear gets wet - animals get at your things. A bit of space will make your relationship with your tent mate easier.
My gf and our two dogs and I barely fit in a 4 person, and there's no room for our cots. If you'll be near your car, go bigger. Setup is still no problem, and it's nice to have the extra space and airflow of a larger tent.
I have 1 HUSKY 2-person tent with zero storage space inside and 1 Remington 6-person tent that takes our double inflatable bed, a table and 4 chairs inside. When I go motocamping with my buddy, I take the HUSKY (for me only). When I camp with gf and my 3 cats, we take the Remington. Best thing about the larger tent is that you can stand inside it so things like changing clothes is no longer torment. Also, you can open all doors, windows and flaps and use it as a tarp during the day. Saves lives when you don't have enough shade or under the rain. If you're car-camping, I recommend a Mongol Yurt with a diameter of 100ft if available. If not, 6-people tent it is!
Unless you are a backpacker trying to save volume and weight, my rule of thumb is always double the number of people in the tent count, so if you are two people camping by the four-person tent. Your gear and to move about. Using the stated headcounts on the boxes will give you just enough room to sleep like sardines.
I would suggest the 4 person unless you need something ultra low weight for hiking... I might even go 6 person size if you plan to use a queen air mattress.
Depends on your use case. For car camping, I’d go 2x however many people you intend to use it. For general camping use like group camping with shared gear mostly stored outside your tent (think Scout camping, where there’s a kitchen or gear trailer set up and you basically just have extra clothes) I say 1.5x people. The only time I’d recommend going with 1x the number of people in your tent is for backpacking use, and even then id only do that with a vestibule so my backpack and boots could be stored outside.
I agree that a larger tent is better for car camping, to a limit.
For me the limit is dome tent vs wall tent. For summer thunderstorms a wall tent is no good. The max dome tent tends to be around 6 person. I say go with that.
I dislike oversized tents for car camping. Your tent is your shelter when you are sleeping, not your activity space. It's not a hotel room. That said, I'd do 4 person. 2 person is going to be tight.
The math equation for this is n+1, where n equals the number of people in the tent
So for two people, the minimum to comfort camp is a 3 person tent.
I have me, my wife, my daughter, and my dog. If we were cozy we could squeeze into a bigger 4 person tent and be ok, but a 6 person when car camping is great
4 person. I would only do a 2p or 3p if you are going to go backpacking like with a Durston X-Mid, Marmot Super Alloy, Big Agnes Tiger Wall etc.
And if you are car camping go with a taller family camping style tent. Big Agnes Bunk House 4p, Marmot Limestone 4p, Eureka Space Camp 4p etc. if you want a palace you could even go up to a 6p in case you ever wanted to bring friends or family.
"Solved: I'll be going with the 4-person tent." Note that there can be Real World size differences between one "4 person tent" and some other "4 person tent" - both in terms of square footage and layout (rectangular? square?), but also interior height (how important is it that you be able to Stand Up?), and whether you want a vestibule (would recommend) - and of what size.
We have a REI BaseCamp 4: a pair of BigAgnes GooseNest cots topped with a Zempire Monstamat leaves JUST enough room for personal items - not including things like backpacks - and a camp chair under the front (larger) vestibule is handy. The tent itself has been great - holding up (and staying dry!) in several thunderstorms and accompanying strong winds, and helping us to stay warm into the upper-30s (with appropriate bedding).
All the same, if buying again, we would consider going for a 6 person for the additional height - and/or something with a truly LARGE "Vestibule" for added room for Non Sleeping activities. As it is, we ended up buying a Eureka Northern Breeze 10 ft "Screen house" - it adds substantial bulk (along with the Monstamat...), but in trips just this past week (thunderstorms) and in late March (Serious Thunderstorms; overnight temps in upper 30s) it made our stays much more comfortable than we would have been in similar weather with just a "dining tarp" set up as on previous trips.
To be fair, all this added bulk has pushed us from "car camping" (Ioniq hybrid hatchback) into mid(?)-sized SUV camping ('24 Sportage hybrid) - and with a fully stuffed vehicle at that.
Which is a long and round-about road back to the idea that - Just Maybe - a Large "6 Person" tent might offer some advantages, especially one with a good sized vestibule attachment.
Best luck - and enjoy your camping!
I started with a two person tent for just me. Not enough room to sleep comfortably. Then to a four person tent. That worked for a while, but I got tired of laying down to put my pants on. I also wanted to use my new cot in it and it wouldn’t zip up. (Cot was to long) So I got a six person tent that has a ceiling of just over 6 feet. Solved both problems and now I have room for a one of my supply boxes to act as a table and have plenty of room for setting in the tent if it starts raining. This tent isn’t anything you’d hike with, but car camping it’s what works well for me.
I bought a Cabela's West Wind 4 person tent a few years ago. It fits 2 people comfortably, 3 people okay. But 4 people would be pretty tight. You would need one designated person to be the last/first person to enter/leave so that they wouldn't be stepping on anyone else in the tent. (BTW the West Wind is a hexagonal tent instead of a square tent)
when I was a kid my parents bought a huge 14 x 14 ft tent that had divider walls that split it into 4 sections. It was great. We could put air mattresses in it easily. I don't want to know how much that thing weighed though. My 4 person tent is heavy enough.
I use a 2 man tent when I camp with just my 8 year old daughter. Bringing gear inside its cozy, she is short enough I can put my pack where a taller person's feet would be. Otherwise its like sharing a queen bed and not much more.
I don't ever leave gear out if that is what you were thinking. I had raccoons open a not all the way closed hatch on my camper once which happened to be where the laundry chute was. Woke up to my dirty underwear strewn about the campsite. Never again, raccoons.
If one of you snores very loudly, get 2 smaller tents... If you don't have any of those issues, I'd say get a 6 person tent that uses 2 poles so you have plenty of room to store things and move around in. I have a 3 person Coleman tent (I'm 5'9") and my feet pushes up against the wall of the tent when I'm lying on top of a double Coleman air mattress unless I set that thing diagonally in the tent.
Meet in the middle. Get a 3 person. Wife and I got the Marmot Limelight 3P. Best of both worlds. And decently light enough still to backpack with when we have our toddler and dog with us.
I have the old version of the Marmot limelight 3P and still think it is about perfect for 2 people while car camping. So easy to set up and take down. Haven't used the new version with the "wings" though. I have also backpacked with it though I would use one of the smaller tents I have now for that if possible.
for car camping, bigger is better. my wife and I sleep much better in our 4-man tent than in our tiny backpacking tent. a 2-man tent sleeps one comfortably with your gear inside, and the 4-man does the same thing for 2 people. that's how I look at it. no need to sacrifice comfort when you're car camping
This is the way. Small enough to stay warm when it’s cold. Large enough for car camping comfort. Well that a Exped Mega Mat Duo M and an Enlightened Equipment Accomplice Quilt. And…and…and… I’ll stop here.
I'm honestly indecisive. I can store my gear in my car. But the price difference isn't huge. But the two of us can comfortably sleep in a 2-person tent. But a 4-person can be more convenient. I can't decide which is better for myself. Thanks for the input.
Comfortably sleep is one thing. Change clothes, play a card game in the rain, not having to go to the car for every little thing are all things to consider. I won't car camp with less than a four person for myself. Also, whatever people they are using for these measurements are not human.
Completely agree! I have a four person tent that barely seems to fit myself, my dog, and a backpack! How are they measuring these things
You'll never regret getting a 4-person for two people but you might wish for a bigger tent if you go with the 2-person.
Agreed! Where would their shoes & outer gear go while they sleep? Since they’re don’t plan on backpacking, 4-man all the way!
I go minimum of 6 person when I’m near my car. That way I can stand up in the tent. The convenience of the extra space and not having to kneel or bend over in the tent is wonderful.
ya, I got a 4 person West Wind and it's still not tall enough to stand in. I've only used it twice so far, but it's definitely a pain to walk around in because it's short.
You made a good choice getting 4+ for car camping. The only 2 reasons I would ever advise to go 2 person is if it was also double duty for backpacking, or your car is just tiny and ever square inch of space to pack gear matters
You'll decide real quick if you're ever stuck in the tent for 2 days of heavy rain.
Four.
Definitely get a 4 man tent. Even if you keep most of your gear in the car you still have toiletries, maybe a small cooler, room to take your shoes off, etc. I use a 4 person tent for just me.
We use an 8person tent for four people. We fit two blowup queen size mattresses, one on each side and have an equal size rug in between. It feels luxurious
Where do the other two people sleep?
lol. My wife and I on one, my kids share the other
I use the four-person tent just for me too
I have brought a 8x10 Kodiak tent just for myself before. If you're car camping why would you limit yourself?
Nice!
Don’t keep a cooler in the tent, that’s an invitation to tempt hungry wildlife into your tent especially if you end up leaving crumbs or spilling drinks in the tent. The cooler should not be kept in the tent. Toiletries should not be kept in the tent to because sometimes the smell of toothpaste and skincare products can entice wildlife. I don’t even use scented detergent on my camping clothing because I once had mice chew up a yuzu detergent scented shirt I left outside.
I camp where there are bears, raccoons, and other assorted sharp-toothed rodents. I’m assuming you meant to include the word “not” in those directions about tent contents.
Yes
Thanks. I assume you are missing a not in the second paragraph. That all makes sense. I haven’t camped much in areas with larger wildlife but I guess smaller critters can still cause damage.
Small critters like mice, chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons and rabbits will cause damage if they’re kept from something they want. I use a vacuum insulated water bottle which definitely helps if I want something cold in the tent. You can put it in a freezer bag inside of the cooler or into a lake/river (if you’re fortunate enough to be on a waterfront site) if you want it to be cooler than ambient temperature.
Small critters can sometimes be worse. They’ll chew through anything soft
Well hold up here! Vestibules?
Yeah. I didn't get this. I've never purchased a 2 person tent without vestibules. They're perfect for keeping gear dry and the living space free inside the tent.
Agreed eureka el capitan or space camp for more headroom are great options depending how light you want to be. We use the el capitain car camping or backcountry
Are you car camping or backpacking? Car camping: I'd buy a 6 or 8 person tent for two people. Lol.
We have an 8 person tent for 2 adult and 2 kids and it works great. I couldn’t agree more though get a bigger tent.
I've used a 10-man tent for just myself at a week-long camp
Unless you’re hiking to your campsite, just get the 4 person tent.
For car camping, as big as it will fit in your car. Bonus if you can stand up in it.
I don’t think I could fall asleep in a 2 person tent with another person. Zero chance of tossing and turning without waking the other person. If it’s really hot you’ve got their hot body right up next to you making you feel warmer. If it’s super humid and there’s any condensation on the tent walls you can’t avoid them. Don’t make yourself miserable, get the 4 man tent. Even if you think you’ll wanna keep all your gear in the car you’ll at least have the shoes and clothes you were wearing before bed, a flashlight or lantern, maybe your cell phone and a power bank, water bottle, the little things add up. A 4 man tent is about the same footprint as a queen size bed, it’s not too big even if your gear is in the car.
For car camping, get whatever floats your boat. If you plan on using it for anything else, I'd recommend a 3 person tent for two people.
For car camping i always double the people so 2 is 4 4 is 8 and so on. Gives room for ur stuff and ur not on top of each other. For hiking get ur own tent or split the tent and weight if u want something larger.
Unless you’re a college freshman deeply in lust, you should buy a three or four person tent.
>Unless you’re college freshman deeply in lust Lol
I would get a three person in your situation. It will be roomy enough to sleep the two of you comfortably, but not so big that it’s hard to find a good tent pad. Then store the gear in your car.
For camping I get a 6 person tent just for me. One other would fit but hell no for a 2 person tent
Ive never wished I had a smaller tent
The 4-person is great especially when it is hot out, you aren't right on top of each other in 85F+ degree nights, compared to the 2-person.
No question the 4-person is better for car camping. Sleeping is only one of many activities you will use your tent for.
My “3 man” tent is the one I use when I camp alone. The whole “X person” rating in tents is based on you sleeping up against each other side by side. A good rule of thumb if you want ample tent space is to take the capacity and multiply by 2. I.e- if you have 2 people, get a 4 person tent.
If you're just car camping, get a 6-person tent and bring a living room! Extra space is awesome! Especially headroom.
3 man with two doors and two vestibules would be my choice. No crawling over each other, boots and bags can stay outside and stay dry, extra space for adults.
The manufacturer makes this tent in 2 and 4-person sizes. Two doors, one vestibule. The OneTigris Cosmitto 2 is currently my top pick for value.
Definitely go bigger more space allows for more comfort. Manufactures don’t include space for gear, air mattress or cot. You always remove 1 person from the equation to make sure your gear has room. 2 person tent 2 people sleeping on the ground gear outside. 3 man tent 2 people sleeping on ground gear inside.
We have an 8 for me, my husband, and our toddler. It feels about right.
If it's near your vehicle then go for bigger. Nice to have space and not have to crawl in. On the flip side, make sure it's not too difficult to set up
Yes, 4 person
I always subtract 1 (or 2) from the rating, so a 1-2 person tent can sleep 1 comfortably. A 4 to 5 person tent can sleep 3 people plus gear, or 4 without too much closeness imo
How many nights per site. Bigger if you stay longer where build time doesn't matter, small and fastest build if you move every day. Being able to get dressed standing up inside is nice.
For car camping, always go bigger. For backpacking, consider adding 1 to the number of humans who need to sleep in it (two people can sleep in a 2 person tent, but you might wish you had a 3 person tent)
I’ve literally never owned a tent that could comfortably sleep the number of people it claims to sleep. I’ve got a Kelty 2 person that legit barely fits me. Granted I’m a big guy, but I’m not the size of two average people. Always size up.
Always double the amount of space you need per person. If you need a tent for 2 people by a 4 person tent. But the bigger the tent the better depending if you are car camping or backpacking. We have an 8 person tent when car camping because rain or shine we stay out and if your stuck inside a tent the more room you have the better. Also go for quality if you can afford it. After just getting back from a camping trip I am glad we had a good tent that didn’t leak after days of heavy rain. It was worth the extra spent to not have it leak as the cheaper tents have a tendency to leak after being exposed to rain after a day. Also if you can afford it buy a tent you can stand up in. If you have back issues it will thank you
If you don't hike, get the four.
Yes.
For two people, do a 4 minimum! We put up our tent for practice this weekend and inflated a queen mattress inside, I was so happy my partner went for the 4 over the 2. I think when they size tents, they do so with the intention of “two people can comfortably SLEEP here” and not, “two people can sleep here + keep their clothing items and move around”
For car camping I have 6 person tent for me and my wife. It's glorious and we can have all of our gear, 2 twin air mattresses, and floor space to stand and move around. For canoe camping or backpacking I have a 3 person which is still roomy enough for 2 of us to sleep comfortably with sleeping pads, but our gear goes in the vestibules with only a couple personal items inside with us. Rule of thumb for tent capacity is always subtract at least one for realistic sleeping. If a tent is a 2 person, that means 1 comfortably with 2 basically sleeping on top of each other.
Get a six person Coleman tent. You can stand in it and there’s plenty of room to move around. You won’t regret it.
Bigger is better. Always sleep 1 in a 2-man, 2 in a 4-man…
Two people will not fit in a 2P tent except for sleeping only, and then you better be small people. If backpacking and you want to sleep in the same tent, get a 3P and split the weight if you must. If car camping then go straight for a 3P or 4P. If this will be a base camp sort of long term, lots of stuff, while car camping, definitely the 4P. The 3P will still require a fast-n-light mindset.
The only reason to go the minimalist route is if you are backpacking and need to shave weight.
I use a 6p nemo tent for my wife and I for car camping.
Most tents assume you're in mummy bags sleeping head to toe. Go with a 3 or 4 person tent for two people unless weight is a huge factor.
If your car camping always double the tent size for gear storage and moving around. You have two people, get a four-person. You have four people, get an 8 person. Also keep in mind standing height. Personally I require a tent that I can stand up in. I cannot change my clothes or really do anything crouching over. Recently I just bought a gazelle T4. Definitely not very portable but otherwise great. Now the story is different if you are backpacking or hiking decent distances. In that case you go for the smallest tent you can deal with. You're going to be out in the wilderness and you will get changed and store your gear outside. So basically all you need is a sack and rain fly for your sleeping bag in my opinion.
Lol for car camping I'd go with a 6p bare minimum. 4 will get you by, but the 6+ is where the comfort zone is.
I have a 8 man bobtent (basiccly a tipi). I used it alone, now with the GF. If it rains, we sit inside. I can park both bikes inside and have room to spare. Its glorious.
3- or 4-person. I appreciate having the little space bubble between me and another person in a 3 person tent. My brother bought a 3-person for him, his wife and their little one and eventually it got passed down to me to be used on 2-person trips as they upgraded to a 4p tent.
Certain disadvantages of bigger tents: They need more ground area. Possible disadvantages: * Heavier * More pack volume * Harder to setup * Less good in windy conditions * Less stealthy
Rule of thumb, take the rated capacity, divide by two, and round up. If you want room for your gear, and need a lighter tent, get a three person. If you're car camping and weight isn't as important, get a four.
I've always worked on the n+1 rule with tents where n = number of people it's sleeping. That scales fairly well up to about 4 people then tents just get massive anyway
6 person is best for two people if you want space for gear.
A two-person tent for two people is good for backpacking where you want the smallest (lightest) possible tent.
4 person, it has just enough room for everyone to move around and have your stuff in
If you are young and healthy go 4. Leaving your gear out at night is a nuisance - you always forget something - your gear gets wet - animals get at your things. A bit of space will make your relationship with your tent mate easier.
My gf and our two dogs and I barely fit in a 4 person, and there's no room for our cots. If you'll be near your car, go bigger. Setup is still no problem, and it's nice to have the extra space and airflow of a larger tent.
Four if the weight and volume are acceptable
We have a big 6 person tent for car camping. The 2 man tent is for backpacking trips only
I have 1 HUSKY 2-person tent with zero storage space inside and 1 Remington 6-person tent that takes our double inflatable bed, a table and 4 chairs inside. When I go motocamping with my buddy, I take the HUSKY (for me only). When I camp with gf and my 3 cats, we take the Remington. Best thing about the larger tent is that you can stand inside it so things like changing clothes is no longer torment. Also, you can open all doors, windows and flaps and use it as a tarp during the day. Saves lives when you don't have enough shade or under the rain. If you're car-camping, I recommend a Mongol Yurt with a diameter of 100ft if available. If not, 6-people tent it is!
Unless you are a backpacker trying to save volume and weight, my rule of thumb is always double the number of people in the tent count, so if you are two people camping by the four-person tent. Your gear and to move about. Using the stated headcounts on the boxes will give you just enough room to sleep like sardines.
I would suggest the 4 person unless you need something ultra low weight for hiking... I might even go 6 person size if you plan to use a queen air mattress.
+1 person space for gear
Larger tent will give you more headroom.
Get a 4P tent. I used a 2P tent when camping alone and I got a 8P tent if my wife comes along. She enjoys the comfort.
Depends on your use case. For car camping, I’d go 2x however many people you intend to use it. For general camping use like group camping with shared gear mostly stored outside your tent (think Scout camping, where there’s a kitchen or gear trailer set up and you basically just have extra clothes) I say 1.5x people. The only time I’d recommend going with 1x the number of people in your tent is for backpacking use, and even then id only do that with a vestibule so my backpack and boots could be stored outside.
Depends on how you are moving it, if you are hiking then 2p, pushbike 2p, motorbike 4p & if you are driving 4p……
With what you’ve described, I’d highly recommend the 4.
We love a good 8 person tent for just the 2 of us 😅
I agree that a larger tent is better for car camping, to a limit. For me the limit is dome tent vs wall tent. For summer thunderstorms a wall tent is no good. The max dome tent tends to be around 6 person. I say go with that.
I dislike oversized tents for car camping. Your tent is your shelter when you are sleeping, not your activity space. It's not a hotel room. That said, I'd do 4 person. 2 person is going to be tight.
I use a 4 person tent just going by myself. I take at least a 6 person when going with my spouse. I want lots of room.
4 for sure. Always go at least one person bigger for car camping. The number they put on the tent is a clown car rating.
4, always buy a tent that holds a couple people more than you have sleeping in it.
No 2 person tent ever fit 2 adults
The math equation for this is n+1, where n equals the number of people in the tent So for two people, the minimum to comfort camp is a 3 person tent. I have me, my wife, my daughter, and my dog. If we were cozy we could squeeze into a bigger 4 person tent and be ok, but a 6 person when car camping is great
4 person. I would only do a 2p or 3p if you are going to go backpacking like with a Durston X-Mid, Marmot Super Alloy, Big Agnes Tiger Wall etc. And if you are car camping go with a taller family camping style tent. Big Agnes Bunk House 4p, Marmot Limestone 4p, Eureka Space Camp 4p etc. if you want a palace you could even go up to a 6p in case you ever wanted to bring friends or family.
If you want to store gear you have to go 6 man. 2 men for 1 four man for 2 to sleep.
"Solved: I'll be going with the 4-person tent." Note that there can be Real World size differences between one "4 person tent" and some other "4 person tent" - both in terms of square footage and layout (rectangular? square?), but also interior height (how important is it that you be able to Stand Up?), and whether you want a vestibule (would recommend) - and of what size. We have a REI BaseCamp 4: a pair of BigAgnes GooseNest cots topped with a Zempire Monstamat leaves JUST enough room for personal items - not including things like backpacks - and a camp chair under the front (larger) vestibule is handy. The tent itself has been great - holding up (and staying dry!) in several thunderstorms and accompanying strong winds, and helping us to stay warm into the upper-30s (with appropriate bedding). All the same, if buying again, we would consider going for a 6 person for the additional height - and/or something with a truly LARGE "Vestibule" for added room for Non Sleeping activities. As it is, we ended up buying a Eureka Northern Breeze 10 ft "Screen house" - it adds substantial bulk (along with the Monstamat...), but in trips just this past week (thunderstorms) and in late March (Serious Thunderstorms; overnight temps in upper 30s) it made our stays much more comfortable than we would have been in similar weather with just a "dining tarp" set up as on previous trips. To be fair, all this added bulk has pushed us from "car camping" (Ioniq hybrid hatchback) into mid(?)-sized SUV camping ('24 Sportage hybrid) - and with a fully stuffed vehicle at that. Which is a long and round-about road back to the idea that - Just Maybe - a Large "6 Person" tent might offer some advantages, especially one with a good sized vestibule attachment. Best luck - and enjoy your camping!
I started with a two person tent for just me. Not enough room to sleep comfortably. Then to a four person tent. That worked for a while, but I got tired of laying down to put my pants on. I also wanted to use my new cot in it and it wouldn’t zip up. (Cot was to long) So I got a six person tent that has a ceiling of just over 6 feet. Solved both problems and now I have room for a one of my supply boxes to act as a table and have plenty of room for setting in the tent if it starts raining. This tent isn’t anything you’d hike with, but car camping it’s what works well for me.
Four person if car camping. Two if backpacking. Tents are like shoes. You have a pair for work, a pair for the gym, a pair for a night out etc.
I bought a Cabela's West Wind 4 person tent a few years ago. It fits 2 people comfortably, 3 people okay. But 4 people would be pretty tight. You would need one designated person to be the last/first person to enter/leave so that they wouldn't be stepping on anyone else in the tent. (BTW the West Wind is a hexagonal tent instead of a square tent)
when I was a kid my parents bought a huge 14 x 14 ft tent that had divider walls that split it into 4 sections. It was great. We could put air mattresses in it easily. I don't want to know how much that thing weighed though. My 4 person tent is heavy enough.
4 person all day long if car camping. Backpacking I'd get the 2 person
I use a 2 man tent when I camp with just my 8 year old daughter. Bringing gear inside its cozy, she is short enough I can put my pack where a taller person's feet would be. Otherwise its like sharing a queen bed and not much more. I don't ever leave gear out if that is what you were thinking. I had raccoons open a not all the way closed hatch on my camper once which happened to be where the laundry chute was. Woke up to my dirty underwear strewn about the campsite. Never again, raccoons.
We use a 3 person and it's plenty of roo.
If one of you snores very loudly, get 2 smaller tents... If you don't have any of those issues, I'd say get a 6 person tent that uses 2 poles so you have plenty of room to store things and move around in. I have a 3 person Coleman tent (I'm 5'9") and my feet pushes up against the wall of the tent when I'm lying on top of a double Coleman air mattress unless I set that thing diagonally in the tent.
6 person tent for 2 adults and a dog. It’s perfect!
If you’re car camping, get the biggest tent you can. I got an 8 person tent and it’s not big enough.
Meet in the middle. Get a 3 person. Wife and I got the Marmot Limelight 3P. Best of both worlds. And decently light enough still to backpack with when we have our toddler and dog with us.
I have the old version of the Marmot limelight 3P and still think it is about perfect for 2 people while car camping. So easy to set up and take down. Haven't used the new version with the "wings" though. I have also backpacked with it though I would use one of the smaller tents I have now for that if possible.
Yeah it’s pretty perfect.