Camping Tents

What a camping tent is

A camping tent is any tent made for sleeping out, and this is the broadest range in the shop. It holds small tents you can carry and big family tents that go in the car, along with a few things that go with them: picnic mats, tent mats and camping lights. If you already know the trip, the narrower ranges in Tents by Use will get you there faster; if you simply want a good tent for the campsite, start here.

Family, pop-up, inflatable, tipi or backpacking

• Family tents have bedrooms and a living area, for a week on a campsite. See family tents.
• Pop-up and instant tents open from the bag or with one pull, and are a big part of this range. See pop-up tents.
• Inflatable tents stand on air beams in place of poles. See inflatable air tents.
• Tipi and hot tents stand on one tall pole, and many take a stove. See hot tents with a stove jack.
• Backpacking tents are the light ones for carrying. See backpacking and trekking tents.

Car camping or carrying it

The first question is how far the tent travels from the car. On a campsite you park beside your pitch, so weight hardly matters and you can choose for room, headroom and a porch to sit in. If you walk in, even a mile, every kilo counts, and a light tent for two is a better choice than a big one. Several tents here fit to the car itself, such as boot extensions and roof tents; see vehicle tents.

What the waterproof rating means on a camping 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 camping 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.

Single or double layer

A double-layer tent has a breathable inner tent under a waterproof flysheet. The gap lets the moisture you breathe out escape, so less condensation drips on your sleeping bag, and the flysheet makes the porch. A single-layer tent is one waterproof skin: lighter and quicker to pitch, but damp inside on a cold, still night. Most of the camping tents here that state it are double layer. See double layer and single layer tents.

Questions people ask about camping tents

What size camping tent should I buy?

One size up from the number of people sleeping in it. The number on the label is the number of sleeping mats that fit side by side with nothing else inside. See tents by size.

What else do I need for a first trip?

A mat or airbed to sleep on, a light, spare pegs and a footprint under the tent to protect the groundsheet. See tent pegs and groundsheets and footprints.

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

• Family tents
• Festival tents
• Backpacking and trekking tents
• Pop-up tents
• Tent lights
• Tent rugs and carpets
• Guide: How to choose a tent: the UK buying guide
• Guide: The camping checklist