4-Season Tents

What a 4-season tent is

A 4-season tent is built for winter as well as the rest of the year: stronger poles, less mesh in the inner tent, and a snow skirt round the bottom of the flysheet to stop wind and snow blowing underneath. A tent is filed here when its maker calls it 4-season or a winter tent, when it has a snow skirt, or when it is a hot tent with a stove jack. Some makers write "suitable for all four seasons" on pop-up beach tents, car awnings and storage tents, meaning only that they can be pitched in any month. For real winter use, check the description for a snow skirt, the poles and the inner tent.

The kinds in this range

• Hot tents with a stove jack have a fireproof opening for a stove's flue, such as the Rock Fortress tipi for 4 to 6 people and the Naturehike Ranch Fire pyramid. See hot tents with a stove jack.
• Backpacking and mountain tents with a snow skirt, such as the Widesea 2-person winter tent on aluminium poles. See mountain tents.
• Winter fishing tents with thickened cotton walls to hold in warmth on the bank or the ice. See ice fishing tents.
• Inflatable and family tents rated for four seasons, up to an 8 to 10 person inflatable cabin tent 420 by 513cm and 330cm high. See inflatable air tents.
• Roof tents, hard shell and inflatable, which sleep you off the cold ground. See roof tents.

What makes a tent good in winter

In Britain, wind is the test more often than snow. Strong poles, aluminium or aluminium alloy rather than fibreglass, and plenty of guy points hold a tent's shape in a gale. A snow skirt stops the draught under the flysheet. A double layer with a solid inner, rather than all mesh, keeps you warmer, and the condensation forms on the flysheet instead of on your sleeping bag. The Archeos tent here shows the difference: its 4-season version adds a snow skirt and less mesh in the inner, and weighs 3.9kg against 3.5kg for the 3-season one. Pitch with the narrow end into the wind and peg out every guy line.

Stoves and hot tents

A hot tent is the only kind of tent that takes a stove. Its stove jack is a fireproof ring in the fabric for the flue to pass through, and many hot tents are flame retardant as well. Use the stove made for that tent, keep a carbon monoxide alarm inside and keep the vents open. Never take a barbecue or a stove without a flue into any tent: carbon monoxide kills.

Questions people ask about 4-season tents

Is a 4-season tent too warm for summer?

It can be. It is built to keep the heat in, with less mesh, so on a hot night it gets stuffy. Several tents in the 3-season range come in both versions.

Do I need a 4-season tent for a winter campsite?

Not always. On a sheltered campsite on a mild night, a good 3-season tent and a warm sleeping bag will do. For snow, the hills, strong winds or a stove, buy a 4-season tent.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when that tent usually arrives, so check it before ordering for a set date.

More to look at

• 3-season tents
• Winter and snow tents
• Hot tents with a stove jack
• Mountain tents
• Triple layer tents
• Tent pegs
• Guide: Single, double and triple layer tents
• Guide: How to choose a tent: the UK buying guide