Camping is an excellent outdoor recreational activity for those who are always up to their ears with their jobs and want some break, and a meaningful family bonding experience. There would be nothing more wonderful than going family camping all year-round. However, besides thoroughly preparing food, drink, fire source, and other personal items, you have to make sure that your camp can accommodate all your partners.
Even when you have planned the needed things, weather is another important factor you need to consider. Your plan can easily be destroyed in case of heavy rain, storms, or the burning sun. But from now on, don’t worry about those factors, as our best family tents for bad weather review will show you family camping tents with weather protection and enough space.
| Product images | Product name | Editor's rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coleman WeatherMaster 10-Person Outdoor Tent | 4.7 | See latest price on Amazon | |
| Coleman 8-Person Tent for Camping | 4.9 | See latest price on Amazon | |
| Coleman Sundome Tent | 4.9 | See latest price on Amazon | |
| Wenzel 8 Person Klondike Tent | 5.0 | See latest price on Amazon | |
| NTK Arizona GT 9 to 10 Person Sport Camping Tent | 4.8 | See latest price on Amazon | |
| Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Canvas Tent | 5.0 | See latest price on Amazon |
Best Choice Follow Options
Depending on your camping site and purposes, you should consider carefully which one is best suited by keeping an eye on the weather forecast. For example, while heavy rains and storms can only succumb to waterproof tents, the airtight tents will likely protect you from cold weathers and breezes.
Besides, in terms of the annoying sunny day, it would be better to choose a good air-circulated tent with a high ventilation level.
In general, before buying a tent, let’s take the weather conditions into account first to make the wisest decision.
Top Six Weather Resistant Family Tents
#1 Coleman WeatherMaster 10-person Outdoor Tent – Best for large families
- Product dimensions: 30.31” x 10.23” x 10.23”
- Item weight: 31 pounds
- Material: Polyester taffeta
- Color: brown
The first camping tent we want to introduce to you today is made from the Coleman brand, a renowned and reliable brand for camping accessories and outdoor gears. Holding up to 10 people, this Coleman Weathermaster tent should look like a mini house more than a standard tent.
The interior space can fit three queen-sized airbags thanks to its 7-inch center height, ideal for those who desire a comfortable and spacious sleeping area. Worried about privacy matters? This is not a problem of the Coleman WeatherMaster tent, as the tent has a room divider, saving you from unwanted interference from your naughty kids.
The tent also comes with mesh pockets sewn in the tent’s walls, very convenient for you to store small personal accessories, and to save you a great deal of time taken to find your small items. These storage pockets also show a detailed instruction paper, so if you have any problem with the entry, have a look at this paper.
Moreover, this tent is designed with hinged doors, enabling you to access in or out more easily, and two angled windows, preventing the rain from invading into the tent and allowing extra air circulation.
When it comes to bad weather, this Coleman outdoor tent is all that you need. The inverted seams hide needle holes inside the tent, increasing weather resistance, while the strong frame with redesigned poles and triangles can protect you from strong winds.
Any base camp is suitable for this tent, as its floor is waterproof, thus causing no water absorbance and annoyance during heavy rain. More interestingly, thanks to the color-coded poles, it is just a piece of cake for you to set up and disassemble your tent for storage.
Pros:
- withstand most extreme weather conditions
- roomy and spacious
- has room dividers for extra privacy
Cons:
- Has only one hinged door
#2 Coleman 8-person Tent – Best Anti-Sun Tent
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- Product dimensions: 27.5” x 9.25” x 9”
- Item weight: 24.5 pounds
- Material: polyester
- Color: green
Coleman 8person tent is one of dome tents with vast space, which can hold eight people and fit three queen-sized air beds. This one-room tent comes with fiberglass poles needed to stand upright, and two extra bars for extra space.
Besides four poles for shelter, what is so impressive about this tent is its extra pole for sunshade, saving you from the burning sun. Moreover, made with polyester fabric and boasting a weatherTec system, the Coleman 8person tent is sure to protect you from all kinds of disasters and keep the moisture at bay.
The best thing about this tent is its hinged door, enabling users to come in and out with ease and comfort. However, with such a large tent, one entry is not a plus point.
Also, two out of three walls are inverted angles under the rainfly’s arm, which reduces the chance of rain invasion into the tent. Don’t misunderstand that such family tents may be uncomfortable and not ventilated, as the meshed windows allow an easy airflow.
The storage pockets are another plus point of this tent, as they keep small gears and personal items organized and off the floor.
However, it comes with one entry only, which is not a plus point for such a massive tent.
Pros:
- Boasts a lot of space
- Easy to set up
- Weatherproof
Cons:
- One door is a bad point
#3 Coleman Sundome Tent – Best for Car Camping
- Product dimensions: 82.68” x 59.06” x 47.24”
- Item weight: 6.38 inches
- Material: polyester taffeta
- Color: blue
If you are looking forward to a two-person camping trip, then you are lucky enough not to miss out on the Coleman Sundome tent. This tent is packed size, designed to hold two people maximum, so it is very compact and convenient to carry around. Setting up is not a big problem; taking you around ten minutes to finish.
This tent is also especially suitable for car camping, as it allows you to stay connected and bring the power source inside. Car accessibility is one of the main reasons why this tent is heavier than others of the same size.
This Coleman sundome has higher doorways than other tents, preventing the rainwater from penetrating the tent. Also, this tent’s floor is made from polyethylene, getting rid of the possibility of leakage.
Despite being a backpacking tent, it is not designed to withstand too harsh weather conditions. While it can protect you from light rains or windy weather, thanks to the mesh roof, mesh windows, and protective doors, this tent cannot withstand torrential rains and heavy winds.
Pros:
- Easy to assemble and disassemble
- Best for a couple’s trip
- Comfortable and well ventilated
Cons:
- Nothing bad should be noted
#4 Wenzel 8 Person Klondike Tent – Best weather-resisting tent
- Product dimensions: 28” x 11.5” x 11.2”
- Item weight: 28.4 pounds
- Material: fiberglass and steel
- Color: grey and brown
This camping big horn two-room tent would be an ideal choice for a whole family of eight people. It can fit two queen airbeds and 6.5 feet of the headroom, spacious enough for a comfortable sleeping night, yet compact enough to create a warm family atmosphere.
With a removable rain fly, together with a polyester fabric and a polyurethane water-resistant coating, this tent is highly welcomed by customers thanks to its weather protection. No matter how heavy the rain is, you are likely to remain dry and comfortable inside the tent.
Besides the strong and sturdy construction and the spacious interior, the Wenzel tent also allows adjustable ventilation with just a few adjustments to the back vent and top mesh openings. Thanks to these features, your tent is likely to remain cool and ventilated all the time.
Another particular thing about this tent is its protection against insects and bugs. With a full mesh roof and two mesh windows, you no longer have to bear the invasion of bugs and mosquitoes during warm and summer days.
Pros:
- Spacious for a large group
- A strong and sturdy construction
- Has room dividers for privacy
Cons:
- The material is easily torn
#5 NTK Arizona GT 9 to 10 Person 17.4 By 8 Foot Sport Camping Tent
- Product dimensions: 208.68” x 96.48” x 80.76”
- Item weight: 26.45 pounds
- Material: fiberglass
- Color: dark teal
NTK Arizona camping tent is another ideal choice for family journeys, suitable for around ten people. It is designed to provide users with plenty of sleeping and storage space in a quality build and construction. Besides an innovative and modern shape, this horn two-room tent shows a full-coverage fly, a very reliable three season family camping tent and protecting you from any bad weather conditions.
While the rain fly is covered with a polyester taffeta waterproof coating and can keep the water at bay, the seams are all seamed and ensure a high level of UV protection. Therefore, whether it is rainy or sunny, you are always fully protected and have a whale of a time with your family inside the tent.
If you are afraid of insects and mosquitoes, this tent is all that you need. The inner tent coated with an ultra-thin no-see-um polyester mesh, keeping you safe from any small insects without suffocating the atmosphere inside.
Moreover, on the heavy-duty anti-fungus floor, a silver-coated layer is designed to save you from the groundwater. Thanks to this feature, you are always kept dry and comfortable.
Although the fiberglass poles are not as durable as aluminum or steel ones, you are supplied with new ones by the suppliers if they are broken or fail to work. So this is undoubtedly a plus point when you purchase this tent.
Pros:
- Roomy and comfortable inside
- Strong and sturdy design
- Fiberglass poles included
Cons:
- Not so stylish and good-looking
#6 Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Canvas Tent Deluxe – Best canvas tent
- Product dimensions: 14” x 10” x 6.6”
- Item weight: 86.59 pounds
- Material: canvas
- Color: white
Don’t underestimate the Kodiak Canvas tent’s capacity if you have come across this tent for the first time. Looking so compact and well-designed, the Kodiak shows spacious and roomy space inside, suitable for a group of seven people.
Unlike other tents made from polyester, this tent is made of canvas, a thick and strong cloth. Although this material is durable, watertight, breathable, and ensures long-term use, it is susceptible to mold and mildew. For this reason, you must dry the tent thoroughly before using and storing; unfortunately, this step is quite time-consuming.
With such excellent features and high-quality material, the Kodiak Canvas Deluxe can protect you from any unexpected weather conditions, including torrential rains, heavy winds, or storms. However,one drawback is that this tent cannot be used in extreme weather conditions.
Pros:
- Durable and breathable
- High water resistance
- Easy to assemble
Cons:
- heavy weight
How To Choose The Best Family Tents For Bad Weather
The wide range of products on the market will make it an uphill struggle for any customer to pick up the most suited tent for their family. If this is your headache, the following factors will help you chase this headache away, so have a second thought on those criteria:
Size and capacity
First and foremost, you need to determine the amount of space for the whole family so that the camping trip will be comfortable and convenient. For example, if your group has four members, a six-person tent is an ideal choice. In this way, you are likely to have extra space for sleeping, snapping, and accommodating the camping gears.
The size will determine the type of your tent, as well. On the market, there are two main types: one-room tents and two-room tents. Therefore, spare some thought for this aspect before buying one.
Weight
Depending on the material, the weight of tents will vary enormously. Therefore, the camp base’s purposes and location are two main factors when you decide your tent’s matter. If you plan for a hike or a trek, it is best to purchase a lightweight camping tent.
Design
Picking the right shape is one of the most crucial decisions for buying a family tent. If you fail to choose a suitable shape, you are likely to run the risk of space shortage, failure to set up, and a limited weather protection level.
There are five main tent shapes that you can refer to. They are dome, tunnel, hybrid, tipi, and pavilion. Based on the purpose and camping site, you should decide the most useful and suitable one.
Material and flooring
The material used to construct the tent will directly affect the performance of your tent and your outdoor activity, as well. Most family tents are made from polyester on the market, but it is a challenging task for a non-specialist customer to find the differences between this material and others.
Therefore, let’s look at the waterproof ratings first to see whether the tent can withstand the heavy rains and winds. However, the lower the waterproof ratings are, the lower the breathability of the fabrics becomes.
Canvas is another popular material, but it is susceptible to rot and decay when exposed to the elements. On the contrary, tents made from polycotton allow great ventilation and weather protection; nevertheless, they are the most expensive.
Setup time
Most family tents are easy to set up and may take you around ten to twenty minutes. It would be better if you chose a designed tent coming with detailed instructions for easy setup.
Poles
Tent poles are considered as the backbone of the tent, keeping it upright. Poles are made from various materials, thus varied in prices. While the wooden poles are sturdy, yet succumb to rot and warp, the steel ones are more reliable and ensure more stability.
Fiberglass poles are another ideal choice, giving added stability and durability. On the contrary, plastic poles are not recommended, as they are fragile, not durable, and harmful to the surrounding environment.
Precautions And Prerequisites
Before getting your hands dirty with setting up your tents, there are some tips and precautions that you need to take into account:
Practice first at home
As the old saying goes: ” Practice makes perfection” don’t forget to set up your tent at home before going on a hike or a trek. In this way, you cannot only gain enough setting up experiences, but it will take you less time and effort to assemble and disassemble your tent at the camping site.
Practice will help if your tent comes with various accessories and tools, thus not easy to properly set up. Don’t spoil your family bonding occasion by failing to assemble your tent!
Carry additional stakes
Stakes are an essential camping gear, as they are the tent’s backbone, keeping it standing up. Unfortunately, it is not difficult to find a family struggling with keeping the tent upright due to a stakes shortage. Why? They might have accidentally dropped and lost some stakes during the journey, or wooden stakes might have broken.
Therefore, remember to carry additional stakes for emergencies; you will regret not doing so later on. Normally, the stakes are made of wood; however, to deal with the unexpected weather conditions, you should carry some steel tent poles, as well.
Say NO with plastic stakes.
Depending on the tents’ price, this outdoor gear can be made from various materials, including wood, steel, and plastic. Quality comes with a high price, so although stainless steel tent poles and fiberglass poles cost more than others, they are reliable, durable, and can withstand any weather condition.
On the other hand, plastic stakes come at a relatively low price. However, we are sure that you don’t want to risk your camping night with these. They are so fragile and weak that a heavy rain or a breeze can bring them down. Moreover, plastic stakes can wreak havoc with the surrounding environment. For those reasons, we highly advise you against plastic stakes.
How to waterproof tents
Torrential rains and storms can easily make your whole family and other personal items inside the tent get soaked, so you should purchase a rainproof tent for families, or try to waterproof tents on your own by following our instructions.
About two or three days in advance, you need to spare some time cleaning all parts of your tent carefully and seal the seams. The urethane coating and the durable water repellent coating are the essence of a rainproof tent. Therefore, don’t forget to refresh and re-apply them, then wait until they all dry.
In this way, your tent is sure to protect you from getting wet for the next camping days.
3 VS 4 Season Tent
We bet that you may be puzzled over 3 season tents and 4 season tents sometimes. So what are the differences between those two? 3 season tent can be called a pack backing tent, built to withstand rain, wind, and cold weather. However, as its target is lightweight, it doesn’t have a high level of strength and protection.
On the contrary, a 4 season tent or an extreme weather tent is designed to deal with every weather condition, including high winds, snow loads, and even blowing sand. To handle those harsh weather conditions, this tent is designed to have a strong and sturdy construction.
Best Family Tent Brands
If you have done some research on tents for camping, you must have come across a wide range of brands, making it challenging for you to determine the most suitable one. Today, we will introduce you to a list of the most renowned and reliable brands.
The first one is MSR or Mountain Safety Research. This brand has designed and produced high-quality tents, long-lasting, and withstand the harsh environment on mountains and terrain areas.
Kodiak Canvas brand should not be ignored thanks to its breathability and airflow if you are looking for a trustworthy tent brand. Made from canvas, this tent is not vulnerable to rips and tears, thus very long-lasting.
An outdoor tent with an easy setup is one of the quality products of the Coleman brand. Besides, Coleman family tents are versatile, famous for a rain fly, and used for various purposes. Its cabin tent is worth your try, as it can fit up to 9 people.
What Is The Best Way To Use Family Tents?
Having done the preparation step with food, drink, sleeping pads, hiking boots, and running shoes, you may struggle with the tent set up, and cannot find the best way to use your tent for family. Here are our useful tips that will be a big help when you need:
Choose a spacious and comfortable tent to hold all your family members.
It would be so irritating to find out that your tent is not large enough for you to let your hair down. Therefore, you need to determine the number of attendants to make it easier to purchase a suitable camping tent for families.
Choose convenient base camps.
If you have small kids and are planning to take them out for a camping day out, besides preparing a packed-size tent and all sorts of food and drinks, you should make for a safe and convenient base camp. This base needs to boast some playing grounds and open air space so that your whole family is likely to get a comfortable experience.
It’s best not to camp on the mountain or dangerous places, as your kids may run the risk of fallings and unwanted accidents.
Conclusion
In general, camping is such a meaningful occasion for gathering that it has become a favorite and popular recreational outdoor activity.
However, buying a family tent is nearly like buying a real house; thus, you need to consider various factors, including the size, price, design, and durability. Only in this way can you have a wonderful whale of time together with your beloved.
We hope that our best family tents for bad weather review above will be of a big help when you are struggling with choosing the most suitable family tent.
Overall, concerning every aspect of the tent, the best tent for heavy rain and wind is, without a shade of doubt, the Coleman WeatherMaster tent, thanks to its beautiful features and versatile functions. Besides, the Coleman Sundome tent is an ideal choice for the couple’s trip.
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