Privacy Tents

What a privacy tent is

A privacy tent is a tall, enclosed tent for one person, with walls you cannot see through. It is a small room you can put up anywhere: at the campsite, at the beach, by the car in a lay-by or on a riverbank. People use them to change, to wash, and to put a portable toilet out of sight. Most open in seconds and fold back into a round bag, so one lives easily in the boot.

Freestanding, hanging, tailgate or wearable: which privacy tent

• Freestanding pop-up tents stand on their own frame, pegged down with guy ropes. Most here are 120 by 120cm and 190cm tall, and some have a zipped window and a pocket inside. See shower tents.
• Hanging tents open like an umbrella when you pull the cord, then hang from a car's tailgate or a tree branch. They come 77cm or 90cm across. See changing tents.
• Tailgate tents strap to an open SUV, MPV or hatchback boot, so the car holds them up. Several are 87 by 87cm and 178cm tall, and one fixes with a suction cup instead of a strap. See SUV and tailgate tents.
• Wearable umbrella shelters are worn over the head or hung up. They are 170cm tall and weigh about half a kilo.
• A small seated toilet tent is only 77cm tall, made to cover you while you sit. See toilet tents.

What really makes it private: the fabric

Privacy comes from the fabric more than the shape. Look for fabric described as lightproof or opaque, or with a silver coating on the inside, which several of these tents have: the coating reflects light back, so nobody sees through. That matters most in the evening, when a light inside a thin tent can throw your shadow onto the wall. Check the door as well. A full zip closes all the way round, while a hook-and-loop door is quicker to open and shut. A zipped window lets air in and closes again when you want it shut.

Wind, pegs and the car

A tall, narrow tent with little weight catches the wind. Put a freestanding tent on level ground, peg every corner and tie out the ropes before you step inside. A tailgate tent is steadier because the car takes the load, but adjust the strap so the bottom sits on the ground. Some have a top and base that come out, which lets air through and makes them easy to clean.

Questions people ask about privacy tents

How tall is a privacy tent?

The ones you stand in are 170cm to 200cm tall, and the largest is 240cm. Check the height on each product if you are tall.

Can a privacy tent be used as a shower or toilet tent?

Most can, and their product pages say so. A shower tent with a base that comes out drains better.

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

• Shower tents
• Toilet tents
• Changing tents
• SUV and tailgate tents
• Tent pegs
• Tent lights
• Guide: Beach tents and sun shelters