8-Man Tents

What an 8-man tent really fits

The number on a tent's label is the number of sleeping mats that fit side by side on the floor, with nothing else inside. An 8-man tent sleeps eight close together, which in real life suits a big family of five or six with space to live, or a group sharing for a weekend. Most tents of this size have two bedrooms and a living area, and some are sold in several sizes with the person count given as a span, such as 6–8 or 8–12.

Two-room, tipi, inflatable or bell tent: which 8-man tent

• Two and three room family tents are the biggest group here: bedrooms off a shared living room. See two and three room tents.
• Tipi hot tents are round, tall and light for their size, and take a stove through a fire-resistant stove jack. See hot tents with a stove jack.
• Inflatable tents go up with a pump on air beams. See inflatable air tents.
• Canvas bell tents are heavy and long-lasting, and breathe better than polyester. See bell tents.

Weight, pitch size and getting it there

At this size the weight decides how you move it. The tipi hot tents here weigh about 4kg, the one-touch dome about 12.7kg, the canvas bell tent about 20kg, and the biggest inflatable cabin tent here, at 420 by 513cm, weighs 95kg: two people and a vehicle, not one person and a boot. Check the pitch size before you book: a tent this big, with its guy lines, needs a large pitch. Each product page gives the size and weight where the maker states them.

What the waterproof rating means on an 8-man tent

The rating in millimetres, the hydrostatic head, is the height of a column of water the fabric holds back before it leaks, tested to BS EN ISO 811. About 1,000mm is the lowest rating usually called waterproof, most lightweight flysheets are 1,500mm to 3,000mm, and more is worth having for long wet trips or a large tent left up for days. The groundsheet is often rated higher, because you kneel and lie on it. Taped seams matter as much as the number. Shop by rating: to 2,000mm, to 3,000mm and 5,000mm and over.

Questions people ask about 8-man tents

How many people can really sleep in an 8-man tent?

Eight, close together. For a week away, five or six people will be far more comfortable, with room for bags and somewhere to sit.

Which 8-man tents are for winter?

A 4-season tent: stronger poles, and a snow skirt round the bottom of the flysheet to stop wind and snow blowing underneath. See 4-season tents, and hot tents with a stove jack for tents that take a stove. Never take a barbecue or a stove without a flue into a tent: carbon monoxide kills. With a hot tent, use its own kind of stove and a carbon monoxide alarm.

Can one person pitch an 8-man tent?

Tipi and inflatable tents can be pitched by one person with practice. Big pole and canvas tents are a job for two. Pitch it in the garden or a park once before the trip.

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

• 6-man tents
• 10-man and larger tents
• Family tents
• Bell tents
• Two bedroom and living room tents
• Tent rugs and carpets
• Guide: Tent sizes explained
• Guide: Family tents: rooms, layouts and awnings