Top-Rated Buyer’s Guide: Best Tents for 4 People

Rilor Staff
Update: July 17, 2021
Table of Contents

Whenever you need a tent for your family or friends, opting for the best 4-person tents is never a bad idea. This is especially true if your numbers aren't that big. Instead of opting for a 2-person tent, getting a 4-person shelter can give you more space for yourself and your equipment. 

Of course, there are a number of 4-person tents today. While there are a lot of good ones, there are still those that I wouldn't want to recommend. 

If you are searching for the ideal 4-person tent for your next outdoor trip, the following list can help you out! 

7 Best 4-Person Tents

 Floor SizePeak HeightSeasonality 
The North Face Sequoia 4 Tent 58 square feet6.25 feet3-Season
REI Co-op Base Camp 4 Tent 59.7 square feet5 feet3 – 4-Season
NEMO Wagontop 4 Tent 69.4 square feet6.67 feet3-Season
Kelty Discovery 4 Tent 57.2 square feet4.67 feet3-Season
Mountain Hardwear Trango 4 Tent 57 square feet4.16 feet4-Season
Pacific Pass 4 Person Tent 61 square feet5 feet3-Season
ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 4-Person Tent 64 square feet4.3 feet3-Season

1. The North Face Sequoia 4 Tent 

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The North Face Sequoia 4 sets the standard for what an outdoor tent should be. It provides protection and comfort, ensuring that you can relax throughout your adventure. It features double-wall construction to ensure its durability and ventilation capabilities. It also has a large mesh door that enables superior air circulation. Meanwhile, its interior height allows its users to stand inside it. 

The tent also comes with a vestibule that you can use for lounging or a storage area for your outdoor equipment. The interior is rigged with numerous pockets for item organization. A ceiling pocket is also installed so that you can place your lights and headlamps. When it comes to assembly, this tent doesn't pose any problems. It comes with color-code trims and poles for simpler pitching. Guylines are also available to improve the tent's stability during harsh weather conditions.

DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS:

  • Floor area - 58 square feet
  • Central height - 6.25 feet
  • Number of doors - 2
  • Number of poles - 3
  • Seasonality - 3-season
  • Packaged weight - 13 pounds
  • Pole material - Aluminum
  • Canopy material - Nylon

2. REI Co-op Base Camp 4 Tent

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REI Co-op Base Camp 4 is a tent designed to tackle inclement weather and harsh terrains. It offers rugged geodesic-dome construction and high-quality materials to ensure its non-compromising structural integrity. It comes with two large doors placed on its opposite sides; entry and exit would never become cumbersome. The doors also have a solid layer for additional privacy and mesh to allow air circulation. 

Inside the tent are two roof vents and one side vent. They optimize ventilation while preventing condensation from forming inside it. Similar to The North Face tent, this one comes with color-code poles and sleeves for a more organized assembly. Furthermore, it comes with vestibules on both sides, ensuring that you have multiple storage spaces on this tent. Its rainfly is highly resistant to wearing out. It effectively deflects UV rays and harmful elements. 

DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS:

  • Floor area - 59.7 square feet
  • Central height - 5 feet
  • Number of doors - 2
  • Number of poles - 5
  • Seasonality - 3 - 4-season
  • Packaged weight - 16 pounds
  • Pole material - Aluminum
  • Canopy material - Polyester

3. NEMO Wagontop 4 Tent

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It has been established in the outdoor world that NEMO is one of the finest tent manufacturers. The company's Wagontop 4 is an example of how NEMO values the quality of its products and the comfort of its users. This tent is ideal for small families and groups of friends. It offers a single-wall construction and two poles so that its setup would never be too complicated. Its hardware has been further refined to improve its durability. The side windows, custom hubs, and floors have been revamped to enhance their strength. 

The ergonomic frame design enables nearly equal vertical height throughout the tent. Hence, you'll never feel restricted when moving inside it. The self-contained pole hubs are stable and stable. They also improve the appearance of the tent by removing the clutter and bulkiness of ordinary hub designs. Meanwhile, the tent's windows offer panoramic views while you are inside. It also allows more air circulation in the tent, making your stay a lot cooler for you and your pack!

DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS:

  • Floor area - 69.4 square feet
  • Central height - 6.67 feet
  • Number of doors - 1
  • Number of poles - 2
  • Seasonality - 3-season
  • Packaged weight - 20 pounds
  • Pole material - Aluminum
  • Canopy material - Polyester

4. Kelty Discovery 4 Tent

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Your time outdoors would be extremely blissful once you get yourself inside the Kelty Discovery 4 Tent. This 4-person tent offers generous space for campers and sleepers. It comes with an oversized D-shape door so that entry and exit wouldn't become a problem. It also has the proprietary Kelty Quick-Corner system that cuts down its setup time. There are no skills needed on its assembly. For under five minutes, you can already pitch this tent fully. 

Furthermore, the Kelty Discovery has color-coded fly and tent connections, allowing users to find them easily. The tent also includes pre-attached guylines, storage pockets, and highly durable stakes. There is a night-light pocket that helps you convert your flashlight or headlamp into a make-shift lantern. Finally, you can guarantee that the materials used on the tent's canopy and poles are brimming with quality. They are durable, stable, and resistant to the elements. 

DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS:

  • Floor area - 57.2 square feet
  • Central height - 4.67 feet
  • Number of doors - 1
  • Number of poles - 2
  • Seasonality - 3-season
  • Packaged weight - 10 pounds
  • Pole material - Fiberglass
  • Canopy material - Polyester

5. Mountain Hardwear Trango 4 Tent

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One of the finest 4-person tents that I've tried is the Mountain Hardwear Trango. You'll never get wrong with this one, even if it is placed in the higher price range. It is a high-quality tent that can last long in service. It is tailored to tackle harsh weather conditions. It is the perfect choice for mountaineering, winter camping, and summit hikes. It features a compact construction and a streamlined weight so that you can carry it comfortably, regardless of the terrain you are in. 

The tent has the proprietary DAC Featherlite aluminum poles. They offer a high strength-to-weight ratio, which makes them ultra-tough. The poles have been anodized, too, for enhanced weather protection. Color coding has been implemented on the poles for a simpler setup. There is also a direct connection point that secures the tent's frame, fly, and body to various guyout points. Such a design ensures that the components are precisely aligned with one another. The Mountain Hardwear Trango has two dry-entry vestibules and a weather-proof rainfly. 

DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS:

  • Floor area - 57 square feet
  • Central height - 4.16 feet
  • Number of doors - 2
  • Number of poles - 5
  • Seasonality - 4-season
  • Packaged weight - 12 pounds
  • Pole material - Aluminum
  • Canopy material - Nylon

6. Pacific Pass 4 Person Tent

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The Pacific Pass 4 Person Tent is also a suitable choice for family camping. It has a spacious and comfortable interior, making it an excellent choice for backpacking and leisure camping. It has a central height of roughly 5 feet, with a floor size of around 61 square feet. The tent's fabric is made from durable material. It doesn't stretch easily. Moreover, its rainfly guarantees that heat and rain will not infiltrate the tent's interior. 

This unit also allows item organization, thanks to its net bag and two mesh storage bags. There's also a hook on its top where you can hang your lamp or lantern. It has an access point where you can insert wirings from external power sources. The Pacific Pass includes two ropes and seven stakes so that you can pitch it securely to the ground. Its setup is pretty easy, too. 

DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS:

  • Floor area - 61 square feet
  • Central height - 5 feet
  • Number of doors - 1
  • Number of poles - 2
  • Seasonality - 3-season
  • Packaged weight - 8.05 pounds
  • Pole material - Aluminum
  • Canopy material - Polyester

7. ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 4-Person Tent

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The Lynx series is probably one of the most popular tents produced by ALPS Mountaineering. This particular free-standing Lynx tent offers sufficient space for four people alongside their gears. It comes with two poles made from aluminum, enabling a convenient and quick setup. Meanwhile, its rainfly is made from thick polyester fabric. It works well in protecting the tent user from UV rays and rain. 

Interestingly, this tent has two vestibules placed on its opposite side. The front vestibule is larger than the rear. But you can use both for storage and lounging purposes. The tent's doors are pretty large, too. When it comes to ventilation, you'll never have an issue with the Lynx tent. After all, its walls have a half-mesh design that allows air circulation on the tent's interior. Needless to say, this outdoor shelter is equipped with the essentials: storage pockets, stakes, guy ropes, and gear loft. All the things that you need for a tent are contained here.  

DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS:

  • Floor area - 64 square feet
  • Central height - 4.3 feet
  • Number of doors - 2
  • Number of poles - 2
  • Seasonality - 3-season
  • Packaged weight - 8 pounds
  • Pole material - Aluminum
  • Canopy material - Polyester

How To Choose The Best 4-Person Tent

At this point, it is already a given that what you need is a tent that can fit four people or less. Therefore, I am going to exclude the tent size or capacity in the list of considerations. 

When picking a tent, regardless of size, it is essential that you take into account your needs, requirements, and preferences. These factors will help you decide which tent suits your intended application. 

Seasonality

Tents are classified based on their seasonality. There are 3-season tents, 3- to 4-season tents, and 4-season tents. Right from the get-go, you can already see the nuances between categories. 

  • A 3-season tent is the most popular. Tents that belong to this category are lightweight and suitable for temperate climates. Hence, they work well during summer, fall, and spring. They come with a plethora of ventilation systems for ample airflow. For general camping and backpacking purposes, these 3-season tents are the way to go. 
  • A 3- to 4-season tent is designed for extended outdoor usage. Essentially, this tent is a 3-season tent but is more rugged and durable. You can use it on terrains where moderate snow and wind are to be expected. They strike the perfect balance between insulation, ventilation, and overall structural strength. 
  • Meanwhile, a 4-season tent is tailored to tackle extreme conditions. If you are looking for a 4-season tent for summit or winter hikes, you have to make sure that you pick a unit under this seasonality. Keep in mind that 4-season tents can survive brutal snow and wind. They can help you survive in any harsh condition. However, keep in mind that these tents are heavier, considering that heavy materials are used on their poles, frames, and canopies. 

Peak Height

You have to decide if you are okay with a tent that has a low vertical height. Lower vertical height means that you need to crawl while inside the tent, as standing is impossible. While this one sounds quirky, such a design has an advantage. For instance, tents that are not tall can easily weather strong winds. 

On the other hand, if you want to stand inside the tent, you should go with those units that have a peak height of at least six feet. By the way, the peak height refers to the height on the center of the tent. 

Vestibules

The vestibule is considered as an extension of the tent. It can either be placed in front of the door of the tent. If you have a two-door tent, vestibules can be placed on either side. Vestibules are pitched through staking the rainfly outside the tent. The said space serves as a storage area for various camping equipment such as your boots and backpacks. You can also use them as a lounge where you can sip your favorite drinks. 

Tent Poles

The tent poles are crucial for the construction of the tent. The more durable the poles, the more stability the tent can get. Stronger poles will help you conquer terrains with inclement weather and unfavorable conditions. When choosing tent poles, you better opt for those that are made from aluminum. Fiberglass poles are lightweight and cheap. But they are prone to breakages. Aluminum poles have the strength and flexibility to last longer in service. 

Wall Design 

You are also required to decide whether you want a single-wall or double-wall tent. Single-wall tents are lighter, but this is another proof that only minimal material is used on them. They don't have a rainfly, so they can't provide little defense against the elements. They are also prone to condensation. Hence, when it is incredibly humid, it can get damp and wet inside. If you want a single-wall tent, you need to ensure that it has sufficient ventilation. 

Ventilation

Ventilation is a crucial aspect of a tent. Basically, you would want a tent that allows air circulation. In this way, you'll feel cooler when camping on sunny days. The tent's doors, walls, and windows are among the ventilation systems that you should utilize. 

In Summary

The best 4-person tents are great outdoor shelters for small groups. They offer enough space for two to three sleepers, together with their gears. You should consider getting this tent, especially if you want comfort and protection during your backpacking or camping trips.

That's it for now. If you have inquiries, feel free to ask me in the comment section below.

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