In a call for simpler tents that are easier and faster to set up, manufacturers have responded. Using carefully crafted steel wires, ingenious designs, and a healthy dose of modern engineering, pop up tents have become an excellent option for campers.

If you want simple, fast, and lightweight then a pop up tent is begging for your attention!

The best pop up tents are self supporting, construct themselves, and pack down into their own bag. They have a semi-rigid frame and can be set up in just seconds, instead of 20-30 minutes like many complex tents.

If you’re tired of dealing with tent setup while juggling the kids, unpacking the car, and registering for your campsite then a pop up tent might be appealing to you.

Best Pop Up Tents

	Gazelle T4 Pop-Up Camping Tent	CORE 4 Person Instant Dome Tent	Coleman Pop-Up Tent
Capacity:	4 Person	4 Person	2 and 4 Person
Weight:	30 Pounds	12 Pounds	6 Pounds
Size:	8' x 8'	9' x 7'	7.5' x 4.5'
Height:	6.5 Feet	4.5 Feet	3 Feet

For more of my camping gear recommendations, have a look through these popular Outside Pursuits guide links: Camping Stoves, Sleeping Bags, Camping Cots.

Quick Answer: The Best Rated Pop Up Tents

1. Gazelle T4 Pop-Up Camping Tent
2. CORE 4 Person Instant Dome Tent
3. Coleman Pop-Up Tent
4. Coleman 6-Person Instant Cabin
5. MOON LENCE Pop Up Tent Family Camping Tent

Our reviews of the top pop up tents along with our comparison table and buyers guide will help you choose the right one for you. Let’s get right into it!

Pop Up Tent Reviews

#1 Gazelle T4 Pop Up Camping Tent

Looking to get your tent up in under 90 seconds? The Gazelle is the perfect choice! The pre-assembled hub design with lightweight fiberglass poles provides a solid tent.

The Gazelle is fully waterproof made from 210 denier Oxford fabric with an easily removable bathtub floor for cleaning. Seams are full taped for additional water resistance.

With 61 sqft of floor space, the Gazelle can accommodate up to 4 adult campers and is 78” tall so you can stand comfortably inside without hunching over.

You will appreciate the 2 doors for easy access and 6 windows for ventilation during the hot summer days. The included rainfly with taped seams provides protection from the rain.

Gazelle has provided storage options with 2 large internal storage pockets and 4 wall mounted pockets for storing your phone and other valuables.

One underrated feature with tents is the use of beefy YKK zippers on the doors. Nothing is more frustrating than broken zippers!

If the weather gets a bit rough, there are guy lines to secure the tent and provide rigidity. While the Gazelle is the most expensive option on our list, it’s certainly a great option for trouble-free camping adventures.

#2 CORE 4 Person Instant Dome Tent

This pop up tent is made with polyurethane coated fabrics that are heavily water resistant. It has room for up to 4 people, and it’s ready to setup and use in almost no time flat.

While you won’t want to take the tent into extreme weather, it does fit the bill for casual use and one of the best 4 person pop up tents.

This tent features a dedicated vestibule area which is great for gear, wet shoes, and other stuff that doesn’t belong in the sleeping area.

There is one large “D” style door and several generous sized windows. Core put effort into making the tent waterproof by using water repellent fabrics. sealed seams and a fully taped rainfly.

I really like that they included storage pockets for storing gear. Anyone whose been camping knows how easy it is to lose things. The gear loft is perfect for keeping items you want to keep handy and the lantern hook is definitely a nice feature!

During hot summer nights,leave off the rain fly for unbeatable ventilation. Even with it on there is plenty of ventilation with a mesh ceiling and intake vents that draw in cool air.

If your looking for the best instant camping tent, the Core is a good choice!

#3 Coleman Pop-Up Tent

Coleman has been making camping gear since the dawn of time itself, it seems. This pop up tent is a simple design that can be found in two or four person capacity.

It features waterproof seams and a rain resistant design that can help keep you dry. Coleman offers this tent in either a 2 or 4 person capacity but the design remains unchanged between the two.

I wish they would have made the 4 person a little more accessible, but a single door can be managed with just 4 people.

There are two internal storage pockets for lanterns, equipment, and sleeping gear. On top of the tent is a rain fly that can be arranged based on your needs.

For full rain protection, adjust the fly and you’ll be dry as a bone. When it’s hot and sunny, move the fly for more ventilation by exposing the mesh tent ceiling.

While the floor seams are taped, the tent is also offered in a package that includes waterproof sealer. While users rate the tent as mostly waterproof, it might not hurt to order the seam sealer and add some extra protection.

Video: See how fast and easy it is to setup the Coleman Pop Up Tent.

It’s never a bad thing to have extra waterproof tent seams. If anything users rate the tent as smaller than advertised, so go a size up when ordering. Overall, I think this is the best pop up tent!

#4 Coleman 6 Person Instant Cabin

This large 6 person tent from Coleman features rave reviews, a stout frame construction, and thick durable fabric. It’s a massive 10 x 9 feet of floor space and can be set up in just minutes.

This large pop up tent features a tubular frame design for quick setup and strength.

This instant set up tent takes just a minute to put up and yet provides a massive 90 square feet of sleeping space. Not only that, the tent has a 6 foot center height.

Unlike most tents standing room is definitely an option in the Coleman Instant Cabin. Maybe that’s why the call it a cabin.

Made from thick 150 denier polyester with taped seams, this tent is meant to handle wet weather with ease. I still would recommend the optional rainfly and tent footprint for guaranteed waterproofness, but the tent itself is quite robust.

Because of the tall ceiling and roomy tent, the walls of this tent are near vertical. That means you don’t have to squeeze into a corner. The tent is designed more like a house with a flat ceiling and walls.

Video: See how easy it is to setup the Coleman Instant Cabin.

Ideal for luxurious camping and larger groups of people. Overall this tent is the best 6 person tent and made more robust with the additional purchase of the extra rainfly for optimal use.

Also available as a 4 Person Cabin and 8 Person Cabin.

#5 MOON LENCE Pop Up Tent Family Camping Tent

This pop up tent takes a little different approach than the others. Instead of spring metal frames, this tent utilizes a system of hinged tent poles that can be deployed and retracted in just about 60 seconds. It’s a solid design that campers think is the best instant tent.

This waterproof tent is made with seam taped waterproof fabric that will stand up to just about anything. Thanks to the beefy tubular frame design this tent will be able to easily handle heavy weather without leaking or buffeting about.

There are two large entry door with a mesh window, mesh sidewall vents, and tons of options for arranging the view to your liking. The vented roof is covered with a single, small rain fly which I would have liked to see made larger.

If you get into really nasty weather, you may have rain and mist blowing in through openings.

The tent is rated for 4 people but most users find that it gets a bit crowded with four. With two adults and two small children you may be able to still remain comfortable, but 4 adults is a bit much.

Overall, this pop up tent is best suited for casual weekend adventures. It may not stand up to the hardcore needs of campers in extreme weather.

Instant Tent Comparison Table

How to Choose the Best Pop Up Tent

• Tent Capacity
• Number and Placement of Doors
• Waterproofness
• Tent Stakes and Guylines
• Conclusion

Tents have evolved a long way over the years. Presumably at some point in history they were animal skins hung over crude lashings. Eventually canvas, waterproof materials, then nylon, and advanced cordage, lead to the modern synthetic tent.

These tents have created the backbone of lightweight camping equipment for years and they’ve been relatively unchanged in any radical fashion.

Until now.

Picking out a pop up tent isn’t rocket science, but you do need to pay attention to a few critical factors. Make sure you get the right pop up tent for you by following these guidelines.

How Much Room Do You Need?

Of course, one of the first considerations with any tent is figuring out how many people will be camping with you. If you’re a family of four, your pop up tent should probably have room for all of the family.

Don’t forget about the dog, extra gear, and other stuff that might need to go inside the tent. You may want to buy a tent with room for 1 or 2 more people than you actually have to make room for unexpected changes.

If you’re using the tent for other purposes, make sure you pay attention to how much space you’ll need. For tailgating, beach days, festivals, and other events you probably want room for coolers, extra clothes, food, etc.

Pop up tents come in almost any size. Because they’re not necessarily great backpacking tents, there’s no need to scavenge for the smallest and lightest possible tent.

That means erring on the side of larger or more spacious shouldn’t be too much of a problem. When in doubt, maybe consider going a size up with your choice

Number and Placement of Doors

This factor is considerably more important with larger groups. If you have a big tent with 4+ people, pay attention to where the doors of your tent are located.

Depending on the design of the tent, I would usually recommend at least two doors for comfort.

Why do you need more than one door? Imagine sleeping in the middle of the night, finally getting some rest, when someone clambers over you to get the only door in the tent.

They step on your face, fall on the next person in line, and wake up the whole tent on the way to the door.

Having two doors means there’s an easy way out for anyone in the tent when you have larger groups. If it seems like a small factor, remember how grumpy you can get when you’re on a few hours of sleep and getting rained on. You’ll thank me later!

Waterproofness

It’s a tent, they said. It will be waterproof, they assumed.

Don’t get caught with your pants down. Make sure to do your homework when it comes to finding a waterproof tent. Not all tents are made waterproof. In fact, you’d be surprised how many pop up tents aren’t actually waterproof at all.

Make sure your tent has sealed seams, or includes some way for your to seal the seams. Water can quickly leak in through holes in the fabric where seams are sewn if those holes aren’t sealed up.

Not all tents are inherently waterproof either. The fabric itself must be made from certain types of material and surprisingly, not all tents are made to be waterproof.

Check user reviews and manufacturer specifications to be sure. Usually the waterproof fabrics used will be either silnylon or silpoly.

As a final note on waterproofness, I will say that not all tents have to be waterproof. If you’re using your pop up tent as a sunshade on the beach, chances are that you won’t care if it’s waterproof.

In cases like these you can save some money by finding a tent that’s cheaper and lacks reliable waterproofing.

Tent Stakes and Guylines

All tents rely on stakes and guylines to perfect the pitch of the tent. With pop up tents, the frame is created by spring steel wires that are self supporting.

However, in order to keep the tent in the proper shape and prevent a blown away tent in the wind, you’ll need stakes and guylines.

Most tents come with the guy lines, or ropes, that stake out the upper parts of the tent. One thing worth noting here is that you may want to add reflective string, or hang objects off the guy lines.

People tent to trip over these at night, and it can tear the fabric of the tent – ruining the tent altogether.

Many tents don’t come with stakes, or come with poor stakes that are too easy to break. When putting stakes in the ground, never pound them with objects.

If the stakes won’t go in with hand pressure, try applying steady, even pressure with your shoe using the ball of your foot.

Still won’t work?

Try trying down to a rock, root, or other object instead of the tent stake. If all else fails, move to a new campsite.

Forcing tent stakes into hard or rocky ground will result in broken and bent stakes.

FAQs About Pop Up Tents

Q: Are pop up tents any good?

A: Like anything else, there are good ones and bad ones. A good pop up tent is fast and simple to put up, waterproof and lightweight. The Gazelle T4 Pop-Up Camping Tent is the top pick on our list.

Q: What is the easiest pop up tent?

A: The Coleman Pop-Up Tent is the easiest and fastest on our list. It can literraly be setup in 10 seconds after taking it out of its carry bag.

Q: How much does a pop up tent cost?

A: Pop up tents range in price from under $50 to about $200 depending on how many it sleeps and the quality of the materials it is made from.

Q: Are pop up tents good for festivals?

A: Other than camping, a festival is the perfect place to use a pop up tent. The last thing you need after a day of fun is struggling with putting up a tent for a nights sleep.

Conclusion

Whether you need a waterproof rugged shelter or a sun shade, there’s something on our list of pop up tents for you. Not all pop up tents are rated for severe weather, so be sure that the tent you’re looking at has the features you want.

Pop up tents make ideal shelters for picnics, beach days, or backyard fun. While some tents on our list take things a bit further and feature all weather durability.

Don’t forget that most pop up tents are meant to be simple, lightweight, and ultra easy to use.

When looking for a pop up tent, be sure to review the “how to buy” section above. Then, get started by checking out some of the most popular pop up tents available today in our reviews section.

I hope this guide was helpful for finding the best pop up tents to fit your needs. If you want to comment or recommend a tent I didn’t include, please use my contact form to get in touch.

Have fun and be safe out there!