Best 5 Person Tent of 2024 Reviewed

Overall Winner

ALPS Mountaineering Meramac 5-Person Tent

The ALPS Mountaineering Meramac 5 person tent checks pretty much every box that the overwhelming majority of people have for this class of tent. By far, one of its most impressive qualities is the waterproofing, which comes with the highest hydrostatic rating on our list at 1500 mm.

While the floor is made out of polyester, it too sports the same hydrostatic rating, so you should not have to worry about water seeping in from the bottom. On top of that, this 5 person tent boasts some of the most durable materials we found with 75D 185T Taffeta polyester, making the floor better able to handle uneven terrain or harder surfaces better than polyethylene.

The ALPS Mountaineering Meramac is also one of a couple of tents we reviewed, which comes with two doors that not only make it more mobile but assists with ventilation too. To that point, this tent does a decent job of balancing breathability, warmth, and waterproofing, thanks to two windows and a closed roof.

Bottom Line: When you need a tent that can hold up under a variety of circumstances, the excellent waterproofing and durability of the ALPS Mountaineering Meramac is where you should turn.

The Best Tents for 5 People

As the weather continues to warm, the call of nature rings out through bird songs and gentle breezes, beckoning you to go camping. Of all the things you need to account for, your shelter is easily one of the most important for health and comfort.

That said, a small to medium-size camping party does not need to carry large, heavy tents with them. This issue becomes even more pronounced for hikers or backpackers who want to find a beautiful, quiet, remote place to camp — away from everything and everyone else.

That is why we put together a list of the 7 best 5 person tent reviews of 2020, highlighting what each one does best. We also provide a thorough buyer’s guide so that you can find the right 5 person tent for your next camping trip.

Important Features to Consider

Comfort

Size Inside the Tent

Because of the way tent manufacturers gauge tents size, or rather the lack of uniform size ratings, this becomes one of the most critical comfort features to consider. 

While these tents might be rated for 5 people, most of them probably work best, accommodating four people or less, particularly if when trying to fit sleeping pads and other gear inside the tent. So keep in mind, unless you are comfortable with otherwise uncomfortable levels of closeness, you are better served to pay more for larger tents.

The key things to look for here are is the size dimensions or floor space inside the tent. While many tents are typically square, being as long as they are wide, it’s often better to have a tents that has a more rectangular floor area. Be careful not to check whether the manufacturer has sneakily included the vestibule/porch area in the total square feet number provided on their features.

Additionally, check out the peak height of the tent, and what type of walls it has. A lower-central height and dome tents walls will require more crouching/squatting compared to cabin tents with straight(er) tent walls and taller center height.

Breathability

Breathability matters a little bit no matter what to help remove the unpleasant smell of bodies in close proximity. However, breathability matters significantly more when camping in a warmer climate where removing heat is paramount to comfort. While doors and windows help with air circulation, your best ventilation comes from a mesh roof that allows hot air to rise and leave the tent without the wind.

Privacy

Given how relatively small a 5 person tent is compared to larger models, privacy is not something that you should expect. That said, some 5 person family tents come with a privacy divider that can make sharing the space a bit more comfortable. Keep in mind, a 5 people tent’s privacy divider does not properly divide the tent into separate rooms as it may with larger camping tents.

Quality of Materials

Polyester

All of the tents we reviewed and the majority of tents on the market use polyester for the tent sides and rain fly. Of course, there are good reasons to do so from the fact that polyester is strong for its weight to its naturally water-resistant properties. It also does not hurt that polyester is one of the less expensive materials used for tents.

Polyethylene

One area where you would typically not want to use polyester is with the floor due to potential waterproofing issues. Instead, polyethylene tends to work better as it is inherently waterproof, though it does not handle twisting or stretching force quite as well. On top of that, polyethylene also costs and weighs a bit more than polyester, but it can prevent you from needing to bring a tarp.

Fiberglass

While larger family tents might use aluminum poles (or even steel sometimes), that unnecessary weight does not serve smaller, 5 person tents quite as well. Considering how much less material and weight the tent poles need to support, fiberglass often works just as well– even in windy conditions. On top of that, fiberglass poles combine well with elastic shock cord to make setting the tent up easier.

Ease of Setup

Speaking of setting a tent up, 5 person tents tend to be easier to set up than tents larger (and even some smaller) than themselves. This is because 5 person tents are large enough to clearly see the demarcations in the structure without the profile being too large to manage by yourself.

Some manufacturers go a step further to make setting the tent up even more effortless by including clips which snap onto the poles, rather than threading the pole through a sleeve in the tent’s wall. That said, the clips create a stress point on the wall that is more likely to tear than an entire sleeve, which diffuses the force across the whole seam.

Generally, most tents these days are easy to setup with one person typically able to do it on their own in under 10 minutes, and two people within 5-7 minutes. All the tents on our reviewed list fall into this category.

Wind & Rain Protection

Along with size and durability, protection from the elements is one of the most essential qualities of all tents.

Tent waterproofing generally comes from polyurethane coatings that provide a hydrostatic rating measured in millimeters. If the tent does not use an inherently waterproof material for the floor, make sure that the floor material also has an excellent hydrostatic rating.

The floor’s material can be complemented by sound design, especially the inclusion of a “bathtub” floor, which lifts the edges of the floor off of the ground to prevent water from seeping in. Taped and/or sealed seams are also important for a similar reason, applying to the edges of the tent instead of the floor.

Gear Storage

One of the most common “additional” features of many tents is room to store your gear, whether this takes the form of a porch or vestibule area just inside the front door of the rainfly, or as a gear loft that attaches under the center point of the tents peak.

Best Camping Tents for 5 People: The Results

Wenzel Pine Ridge Tent – 5 Person

Best for Backpacking

The Wenzel Pine Ridge enters our list as a reasonably waterproof option, but its best quality has to be the ease with which your party can enter or exit the tent. This mobility is due to the split doors design this 5 people tent applies to both doors, so you have more space as well as multiple points of ingress/egress.

Another thing these large doors, in conjunction with two windows and a mesh roof, provide is excellent ventilation, perfect for camping in hotter weather. On top of that, this is the 5 people tent that we reviewed that comes with a privacy divider, so you do not have to worry about changing or sleeping arrangements quite as much.

That said, while the door design provides for excellent ventilation and plenty of room for movement, they can be a bit tricky to use– especially at night or in low visibility. It also does not help that the Wenzel Pine Ridge is not quite as good of a value as many other entries with similar specs– though it offers unique features not found elsewhere.

Still, the Wenzel Pine Ridge is lighter than most tents we reviewed at only 11 lbs 9 oz, making it a solid choice for backpackers.

Bottom Line: The Wenzel Pine Ridge tent provides excellent ventilation and mobility thanks to its double doors and double windows, as well as a mesh roof at a reasonable value.

World Famous Sports 5-People Camping Tent

Largest 5 Person Tent

The World Famous Sports tent not only comes in as one of the better values that we saw, but it cements that position with the most substantial profile on our list. At 10’ x 10’, the 100 square feet interior of this 5 person tent is nearly 10 square feet larger than any other product we reviewed and more than enough for a queen-size air mattress as well as other supplies.

While the sheer square footage is nice enough, this 5 people tent also tops our list as the tallest tent we reviewed, standing with a peak hi 78” or 6’6”. While not quite as mobile as some, the World Famous Sports tent still provides four openings and a mash roof to ensure that it offers more than enough ventilation.

On the other hand, this is one of the most cumbersome 5 people tents that we examined, tipping the scales at 16 pounds and making it a less than ideal choice for hikers or backpackers. Also, you need to set up and scrutinize this tent immediately upon arrival as it is known for coming with quality control issues– though the company is happy to make right any issues you might have.

While not at the top of our list, the World Famous Sports comes with decent waterproofing, sporting an 800 mm hydrostatic rating for the walls and rain fly, and a 1000 mm rating for the polyethylene floor.

Bottom Line: The World Famous Sports tent blends decent waterproofing and ventilation with a profile that is almost ten square feet larger than the next closest competitor.

HIKERGARDEN 5 Person Tent

Most Breathable 5 People Tent

HIKERGARDEN might be a somewhat new and unheralded brand, but they understand how to make their 5 person tents breathable. They accomplish this through the combination of a large door, an equally large window, and the most open mesh roof on our list.

Rather than using mesh for the central part of the tent’s roof, HIKERGARDEN uses mesh for the entire roof– though this means you likely need to keep the rain fly on most of the time. Thankfully, this 5 people tent has a hydrostatic waterproof rating of 1000 mm that extends beyond the edges of the wall’s profile.

It does not help that the HIKERGARDEN tent is the heaviest on our list at a whopping 18 pounds and not at all suitable for backpackers.

Still, this 5 people tent employs a “cabin-esque” design that stands up better to the wind and protects the fiberglass poles better than the standard dome design. This design also provides the HIKERGARDEN tent the second-tallest, with a peak height of 76” or 6’4”.

Bottom Line: The HIKERGARDEN tent can be a bit difficult to understand, but it comes with dependable waterproofing and came out on top when it came to ventilation.

SEMOO Family Camping Tent

Most Waterproof Tent

The SEMOO tent may not do everything better than its competitors, but it more than makes up for it by providing the best waterproofing that we saw. Keep in mind, the hydrostatic rating is not necessarily the highest, but the 1200mm rating for the rain fly with the 600mm rating for the lining is the second-best we reviewed.

This is also the only tent on our list that employs a hooped fly frame design to prevent water from pooling and divert it away from seams. On top of that, this 5 people tent has a polyethylene floor that uses 120g/m2, which makes it waterproof as well as one of the most durable floors on our list.

Speaking of durability, the rain fly and lining are made out of 190T polyester, providing it a bit more strength than some of its competitors. Unfortunately, this is also the smallest tent on our list at only 7’6 ½” x 9’6”, providing 71 square feet of floor space, which is almost 10 square feet less than the average.

On top of that, the SEMOO tent is not as breathable as some of the others with only a single door and window, though the mesh roof helps keep it from being unbearable.

Bottom Line: The SEMOO family camping tent may not be ideal for a large family, but it offers the best mix of waterproofing features while still being more durable than most.

3OWL Everglades 5-Person Tent

Best Budget 5 Person Tent

The 3OWL Everglades jumps off of our list as quickly the greatest value that we could find without having to sacrifice much in the way of main features. For example, this tent is the second largest on our list at 11’8 ⅔” x 7’10 ½”, providing 91 square feet of floor area, which is more than 10 square feet larger than the average. In addition to several sq ft of vestibule area that can be used for storage space.

On top of that, this is also one of the lightest tents that we reviewed at only 10 pounds making it a reasonable choice for backpacking campers looking for a remote site. To keep the value coming, the 3OWL Everglades tent also employs 180T polyester that also boasts a 1000 mm hydrostatic rating.

As if that were not enough, this 5 person tent reinforces its waterproofing with taped seams and a polyethylene floor. That said, despite being one of the largest 5 person tents in terms of square footage, it is also the shortest tent on our list with a peak height of only 5’7” tall.

It also does not help that the single front door which has no windows or roof meshing makes this one of the least breathable tents we reviewed– though it allows the 3OWL Everglades tent to serve better in cooler climates.

Bottom Line: For the kind of materials used and the waterproofing afforded, the 3OWL Everglades tent easily provides one of the best values that we encountered.

ALPS Mountaineering Meramac 5-Person Tent

Most Durable 5 Person Tent

ALPS Mountaineering is one of the more respected brands on our list, so it should come as little surprise that not only did the Meramac capture our overall winner award but is also one of the most durable options we encountered. A big part of this durability comes from the specific polyester that this 5 person tent uses compared to the competition.

Measuring 8’x10′ for 80 square feet of floor area, this 5 people car camping tent can fit a family with reasonable comfort and have a little bit of room for storage space inside the tent. While the peak height is 72”, the dome shape will impact your headroom towards the tent’s outer edges.

While the 185T weave is only the second-tightest on our list, the 75D weight is the strongest that we reviewed. It is also worth noting that the ALPS Mountaineering Meramac is the only tent on our list that does not use polyethylene for the floor, providing better durability on rocky or uneven terrain.

While the use of polyester for the floor might give some pause, you do not have to worry about water seeping in from the floor thanks to a 1500 mm hydrostatic rating– picking up the #1 spot on our list. Even better, this list-leading hydrostatic rating applies to the rain fly and tent lining as well, making the ALPS Mountaineering Meramac one of the most waterproof tents we saw– despite the polyester flooring.

As if that were not enough, this 5 person tent is only the second on our list to include two large doors which, when combined with two additional windows, makes it more mobile. While the ventilation is only decent, the closed roof allows the ALPS Mountaineering Meramac to serve as a true 3-season tent.

Bottom Line: The ALPS Mountaineering Meramac checks all of the boxes you want: from excellent waterproofing to high-end materials to plenty of mobility; this tent has it all.

Texsport 5 Person Camo Tent

Best Hunting 5 Person Tent

The Texsport comes with plenty of features that make it appealing, but the application of a camouflage color pattern makes it ideal for hunting camping trips. Of course, since hunting trips also last a while where the weather can change, it is nice that this 5 people tent possesses reliable waterproofing too.

The lining and rain fly comes with a 1000 mm hydrostatic rating while the rainfly extends beyond the door to further protect it from water seepage. The floor is made out of rip-stop polyethylene and employs a bathtub-style design, so you do not have to worry about its durability or its waterproofing.

One thing to consider, though, is that this tent might be a bit too heavy for backpacking– especially to more remote sites– due to its 14 lbs 12 oz weight. Thus making it one that is more suited to car camping. Also, as a somewhat niche 5 person tent, the Texsport does not offer the greatest value that we saw and is better suited for hunting than general camping purposes.

Still, the single large door combined with 3 windows and a mesh roof makes this tent more breathable. It also does not hurt that the Texsport uses high-end 190T polyester for both the rain fly and walls, increasing its overall durability.

Bottom Line: The Texsport Camo Tent offers robust waterproofing and better than average durability. Still, its best quality is its ability to keep your camp hidden from critters while on a hunting trip.

Last update on 2024-04-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API