Years after years, the Burning Man event is held at Black Rock City, right in the middle of a desert. Due to this reason, it is not easy to overcome the whole duration of Burning Man without a good tent. Thus, we want to introduce you to the best tents for Burning Man.
Burning Man has evolved from a simple bonfire ritual into a world-famous event with thousands upon thousands of people participating each year. Still, it adheres to the ten principles of immediacy, leaving no trace, participation, civic responsibility, communal effort, radical self-reliance, gifting, radical self-expression, decommodification, and radical inclusion.
Buying Guide For The Best Tents For Burning Man
Beating The Heat
As we have already mentioned, the Burning Man event has always been held in Black Rock City. For this reason, the very first thing that you must focus on when choosing the best tents for Burning Man is how resistant they are to the heat. After all, we all know just how destructive the UV rays can be, especially when you must bear them for more than one full week.
Besides, we want tents that can give us some much-needed ventilation. At the end of the day, a good air circulation system can tremendously help prevent your body from heating up.
Shade – For When The Mighty Sun Comes Up
Most of us know that heat is, undoubtedly, the most problematic and dangerous aspect of the desert. Generally, the desert’s heat is amplified by its lack of cover from sunlight and the sunlight’s deflection from the sand.
Consequently, having something to block the sunlight from touching both your body and the sand beneath you can quickly cool things off. For this reason, it is always a good idea to pick out a tent with the best ability to cast shade.
Wind Proof – Sturdiness Against Fierce Winds
Due to deserts being practically void of any tree, there is just nothing to stop the winds from building up their momentum. As a result, there will be a point where these winds become strong enough to topple even a strong camel. If you forget to properly anchor your tent, the chance of it getting blown off is actually quite high.
Nonetheless, even if you do the anchoring process correctly, there are still winds so strong they can still upend the tent. Unfortunately, the Black Rock Desert is perfectly capable of producing these winds. In this case, it is better if you can get your hands on one of the tents specifically designed for high winds, as they can guarantee you a safe place to stay for the week.
Dust Proof Capability
Do you know that dust storms and whiteouts are two very common occurrences at the Burning Man event? In fact, we can say that they are practical features, not inconveniences. Of course, there have been cases where it got so bad; the organizer had to close the event’s entry due to layers of dust virtually flying everywhere.
As you can easily guess, if you leave these specks of dust to their device with no protection plan for your tent, the tent will be affected drastically. For instance, if you forgot to close the window for just five minutes, you will come back to a room full of dust and sand. Hence, our sincerest recommendation is first to check and ensure that the tent can block dust and dirt.
So, we suggest you prioritize single-wall tents that have canvas, specifically duck-canvas, as the main wall material. Furthermore, canvas as the main solid material means these tents can divert the UV rays, significantly lessening the heat you will have to endure without the need for an AC unit.
What About The Zipper?
When it is long-term camping we are talking about, the quality of the best Burning Man tent’s zipper is never something to compromise. This statement is especially true if you plan to camp in the Black Rock desert for the full event. It is an absolute must if you want to enjoy the Burning Man event in all of its glory.
So, we want the most suitable zipper for this kind of situation, which is, more often than not, a Vislon zipper. Also known as “tooth” zips, Vislon zippers are the most resistant against corrosion as well as dust penetration, things that the desert is infamous for.
Protection From Harmful UV Rays
Despite having a tent on your head, you are still not truly safe from the dangers of harmful UV rays. This is because most of the tents currently available on the market do not use nylon or polyester, materials that can provide some UV protection.
Thus, you must look very hard for those tents which use them or coat the fabric in special chemicals in the least. When you are unsure if the tent can protect you from UV rays, you can check by lighting a flashlight on the tent and observing for a silver coating.
Capacity – Space Is A Big Deal
As you may know, there is no way that one single person can enjoy the Burning Man event to the fullest. Hence, at least a couple or a team of three joining together for each tent is common at this event; so make sure that your tent can fit at least two people with space to spare. After all, none of us can enjoy a cramped place, right?
Weight
As we all know, the Burning Man event’s most vital policy is to leave no trace. Thus, it is only proper that you clean up all of your belongings and take them with you after the event. Therefore, it is best if you can get tents that are lightweight in nature to lessen the burden.
3 Seasons Or 4 Seasons?
Currently, there are two popular choices of tents, 3-season, and 4-season. Just as their names suggest, 3-season tents tend to be more lightweight, while 4-season tents can withstand more extreme weather. As we are looking to camp in a desert, our recommendation is 4-season tents.
The 7 Best Tents For Burning Man
Kodiak Tent Canvas Deluxe – Best Dust Resistance
The first thing you will notice about the Kodiak Tent Canvas Deluxe is its material, breathable and watertight duck canvas. As we have mentioned above, nothing can beat the duck canvas as the main material for tent walls when it comes to resisting dust. Thus, we recommend it as the best dust-proof tent for people having severe trouble with dust in their tents.
The Kodiak Tent Canvas Deluxe has a6’6″ ceiling height
Of course, that feature is not all there is, as the Kodiak Tent Canvas Deluxe is really spacious, providing a 6’6″ ceiling height. You will not feel limited moving around this tent, even if you are standing straight up. If you are participating in Burning Man, you will move around a lot, so this feature is quite a godsend.
However, we don’t like that it is a one-person tent, as there is virtually no one who goes to the Burning Man event alone.
Pros:
- High-quality canvas material
- Incredible dust resistance
- Spacious
- Flex-bow frame
Con:
- Only fitting for one person
Coleman Cabin Tent with Instant Setup – Best For Fast Setup
As you can clearly figure from the name, the most impressive advantage of the Coleman Cabin Tent with Instant Setup is the incredibly fast setup time. With a smart design choice, you can unfold and set this tent up in less than one minute, which is quite impressive if you have any experience setting up tents.
The Coleman Cabin Tent has sturdy welded corners
Despite being so easy to set up, the Coleman Cabin Tent has some of the sturdiest structures. To be more specific, the manufacturers welded the corners and inverted the seams, ensuring that there is no way wind can get in the tent and destroy it from within. Naturally, this also adds the benefit of preventing dust.
Nonetheless, we are not that satisfied with the number of windows as well as their placement.
Pros:
- Fast setup time
- Sturdy
- Dust prevention
- Good groundsheet
Cons:
- Limited windows
- Awkward window placement
DANCHEL 4-Season Heavy Duty Canvas Tent – Best Ventilation
The DANCHEL 4-Season Heavy Duty Canvas Tent is made of cotton canvas. Moreover, it has a spacious area with a high ceiling and meshes on all four windows. As a result, it possesses arguably the best ventilation out of all the options on this list.
The DANCHEL 4-Season Heavy Duty Tent has a cotton canvas shield
Besides, the cotton canvas wall of this tent has also received a rainproof treatment on its surface. For the most part, you won’t need this feature. However, as Burning Man happens right in the desert, we all know how hard-hitting the rain can be if it happens once in a blue moon.
Nevertheless, having to spend at least 30 minutes to more than one hour for a tent setup is a huge minus in our eyes. After all, setting up a tent in the scorching heat is not a pleasant experience.
Pros:
- Spacious area
- Good ventilation
- Rainproof treatment
Con:
- Takes forever to set up
ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 2-Person Tent – Best For Couple
The ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 2-Person Tent is a tent capable of housing two persons with plenty of extra room to move around. With its design, you will be able to snug together warmly in the desert’s cold nights after spending the day competing. Therefore, we do not think that any other product is as fitting as this one for couples participating in the Burning Man event.
The ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 2-Person Tent is great for couples
Besides, this light tent’s wall material is polyester, which will resist water and, more importantly, UV rays. Hence, you will be completely safe from these dangerous rays as long as you are in this backpacking tent.
Moreover, you will receive two additional vestibules, which will offer some extra space for storage. Remember, Burning Man’s most important rule is to leave nothing behind, so these vestibules are incredibly helpful.
On the other hand, as this backpacking tent focuses too much on being lightweight, it cannot effectively resist the strong winds that occasionally appear in the Black Rock desert.
Pros:
- Perfect for two persons
- Water and UV protection
- Additional storage space
- Good groundsheet
Con:
- Too lightweight
NTK Loredo GT Sport Camping Tent – Best UV Resistance
When we talk about tents that can help multiple people to survive the Black Rock desert for nine days of Burning man, the NTK Loredo GT Sport Camping Tent is, without a doubt, the best choice thanks to its incredibly strong protection against the UV rays. The secret for this resistance is its double wall of 190T polyester, laminated with polyurethane.
The NTK Loredo GT Sport Camping Tent has NANO-FLEX fiberglass rods
Furthermore, the frame of this reliable tent consists of 100% virgin NANO-FLEX fiberglass rods. These rods have shock cords, so the tent can withstand even the strongest of desert winds without any chance of toppling.
However, it suffers the same problem as the DANCHEL 4-season tent. Namely, you will need to spend quite a bit of time under the scorching sun to set it up. Believe us, it is not pleasant at all.
Pros:
- Double polyester wall
- Incredible UV protection
- Sturdy frame
- Mosquito mesh
Con:
- Complicated setup process
Snugpak Bunker 3 Person Tent – Best Portability
The Snugpak Bunker 3 Person Tent is actually even lighter than most one-person tents despite being spacious enough to fit three people without any problem. Also, it has quite an interesting design, allowing you to fold it into a compact cube. Thus, it is unarguably the most portable option on this list, making it easier for you to carry it in and out of Burning Man.
The Snugpak Bunker 3 Person Tent has great portability
However, you should not overlook its sturdiness due to the portability. With the DAC Featherlite TH72M aluminum poles that have received NSL anodization, the Snugpak Bunker 3 Person Backpacking Tent can cling into the ground firmly. Besides, these poles have press-fit connectors. Therefore, they can withstand most of the fierce winds of the desert.
On the other hand, the all-black inner tent does make it a lot harder to discern the time of the day from inside the tent.
Pros:
- Light but sturdy
- Incredibly portable
- Strong poles
- Mosquito mesh
Con:
- Hard to discern time
Tahoe Gear Bighorn XL Tent – Best For Multiple People
True to its name, the Tahoe Gear Bighorn XL is big enough to fit a total of 12 people. Thus, if you are a leader of a registered big Burning Camp group, we recommend it as the best fit for you, as it can provide a spacious area for your team to interact and bond easily.
The Tahoe Gear Bighorn XL King Tent has a huge area
With its 18’x18’ cone shape, you can be sure that the Tahoe Gear Bighorn XL king tent has more than enough air ventilation to keep everyone comfortable inside the tent. Besides, this dome tent’s wall is polyester, so you can be sure that no UV rays can penetrate it.
However, we wish this tent could endure any wind over 35 mph. As we all know, there is still a chance that winds in the desert can go over this number; it might not be safe in such a case.
Pros:
- Huge space
- Good ventilation
- UV resistant
- Lifetime warranty
Con:
- Not good against strong winds
Additional Tips
Tips for Maintaining and Keeping Your Tent Secure At Burning Man
As we all know, the Black Rock desert’s weather is always on the extreme side. There is no shortage of cases where everything was quite pleasant only for severe hail, wind, lightning, dust, etc., to appear in mere minutes. For this reason, keeping the tent secure may be one of the biggest challenges for people participating in the Burning Man event.
For this problem, our suggestion is to have a thorough look at the stakes accompanying your tent. They are lightweight and small most of the time, being made from either plastic or aluminum with a design focusing on being a backpacking tent. Therefore, it is much better if you can get some rebar stakes to replace them.
How Do You Stay Cool At Burning Man?
Burning Man takes place in a desert, so finding ways to stay cool is always a priority for its participants. From our experience, the easiest thing to do is making sure to park your car facing North, pulling out the awning. Doing so will certainly block the sun in the morning and cast a big shadow on the outdoor living area. Thus, things will be cooler throughout the day.
Certainly, there is also the option of using a swamp cooler, also known as an evaporative cooler. After all, we will be staying in a desert, so something that can both lower the temperature and add some humidity is simply perfect.
Besides, you should always cook outside, as the additional heat created during the cooking process may push the tent’s temperature over the edge. Most of us overlook this fact, but cooking does generate lots of heat.
Burning Man Night Temperature
Most of us are aware of the potentially extremely high temperature during Burning Man. However, not many prepare themselves for the incredibly cold temperature at night. That’s not all; as Burning Man will take place on an elevated plateau, it becomes even colder, sometimes going down to the low 30s degrees Fahrenheit.
Make Sure Your Tent Fit The Year’s Theme
If you are not familiar with how the Burning Man event works, the organizer will pick a theme for that year long in advance.The annual theme is published on their official website. Thus, if you don’t want to feel out of place, we recommend checking out the theme before any preparation for the camp.
FAQs
Where Do You Camp At Burning Man?
There are three available options if you want to camp at the Burning Man event. You can join an already-registered camp, camp by yourself in an open camping area or the walk-in camp area, or register a new camp.
How Do You Wash A Tent After Burning Man?
Firstly, you will need to prepare your cleaning space and gear beforehand. Then, you set the backpacking tent up and beat it with your broom. Afterward, blow the dust out with a leaf blower. Finally, you only need to disassemble the groundsheet and clean it separately.
How Do I Protect My Hair At Burning Man?
Because it’s the Black Rock desert we are talking about, the best way to protect your hair is by preparing a complete shower setup with enough shampoo and conditioner in your backpacking tent. Believe us, without something like this, you will come home with nasty and damaged hair. Or you can just shave it all.
What Is Not Allowed At Burning Man?
The first thing you need to keep in mind is that there is no driving on the Burning Man’s playa. Of course, you can still drive your vehicles to your camps and when you leave the event. Otherwise, you must use bicycles.
Is Burning Man Clothing Optional?
You see, there is a high chance that the temperature can reach 100 degreesFahrenheit while Burning Man is taking place, as it is organized in a desert. Thus, clothing is almost always optional, but you should always keep in mind the rule of no trace left.
Can You Go To Burning Man Without A Camp?
Yes, nothing is stopping you from registering a new camp or just camping in the walk-in or open camp area.
What Kind Of Tent Should I Buy For Burning Man?
A good tent for Burning Man should be durable, heat-resistant, dust-resistant, and spacious enough for at least two people.
Conclusion
All in all, if you want to participate in a Burning Man event, the most vital aspect of your tent must be a strong resistance against UV rays. For this reason, we believe that the NTK Laredo GT Sport Camping Tent as the best among the best tents for Burning Man. You will also have the added benefit of it being capable of housing at least eight people.
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