Whatever it is you take to a festival, there is a fair chance you will return without it. Items of clothing, phones, dignity, or sometimes even the tent you took - which is a shame if you have just bought one of the best tents on the market. It’s par for the course, and everyone who goes to a festival knows this. Below, we rank the best festival tents you can buy today.
If you’re looking for a tent to cart off to a muddy field, you’ve come to the right place. There are two things people demand from a festival tent: low cost and easy to put up. All of our picks below bear these two critical features. And if they make it back from the festival in one piece or at all, then that’s a bonus and it’s something you don’t have to buy again next season.
In giving you the best chance at bringing your tent back in one piece, our recommendations are also sturdy compared to the competition. As an added bonus, all of our recommendations are thoroughly waterproof, too because, you know, British weather (see our explanation below on waterproof ratings).
The best 2-person festival tents:
Best low-key 2-person tent
Low-key, so it won't attract attention.
Value for money and well-made, this is one of the best options for festivals. Its higher waterproof rating gives peace of mind and makes it suitable on other camping trips. One of the best festival tents around.
Pros
- SPF50+ sun protection
- Sturdy
- Good ventilation
Cons
- None. Fantastic little tent.
Best value festival tent
www.gooutdoors.co.uk
Superfast pop-up pitching.
The cheapest among our best festival tents by far, this is a big drawcard. We like this tent's easy-pitch design. Many people will find this exactly what they need for festivals.
Pros
- Excellent value
- Lightweight
- Practical design
Cons
- Not a high waterproof rating
Editor's pick
Blackout room blocks 99 per cent of daylight.
A great quality tent with good features. Suitable for festivals and camping, though it's a bit heavy to put into a hiking pack. A good one to consider if you are looking for one of the best festival tents
Pros
- Sturdy
- Easy pitch
- Great for general camping, too
Cons
- Blackout room might make you miss the gig
Best lightweight 2-person
www.outdoorgear.co.uk
Excellent for backpacking, too.
For festival-goers who like backpacking. too. Super light and easy to take places beyond the muddy field.
Pros
- 50cm x 10cm packed size makes it good for summer backpacking, too
- Great value
Cons
- It’s a snug 2-person tent
Best compact 3-person
www.gooutdoors.co.uk
Also suitable as a spacious 2-person.
Impressive value, this is a go-to for anyone wanting a quality basic tent. Ideal for two people wanting some extra room.
Pros
- Roomy design
- Value
Cons
- Basic if wanting to use for longer camping trips, too
Best spacious 4-person tent
Roomy for those who want space.
The extra height really lends to the feeling of spaciousness, which we always look for in the best festival tents. A generous 4-person tent for festival-goers who don't mind having the social hub tent.
Pros
- Spacious
- Superfast pitching
Cons
- Stands out
Best compact 4-person tent
www.gooutdoors.co.uk
Dark bedroom blocks 80 per cent of daylight.
A surprisingly roomy tent that doesn't draw attention. Great for small groups and is excellent value.
Pros
- High-vis guy lines
- Lots of internal space
- Low-key
Cons
- Could do with a higher waterproof rating.
Best tent for bigger groups
www.blacks.co.uk
Dual-area tent.
A spacious tent that feels bigger than it is thanks to the dual-area. A worthwhile purchase for those who go on camping trips in their spare time.
Pros
- Great for groups
- Also great for regular camping
Cons
- Sleeping area is quite low
How waterproof is waterproof? Waterproof ratings explained:
Like fill power with down insulation, waterproof ratings are very simple but widely misunderstood – or not known at all. All the tents you see here use the hydrostatic head as a means of showing how waterproof the fabric is. Hydrostatic head is the industry standard for measuring waterproof fabrics; the waterproof fabrics used for tents, or waterproof jackets, and so on.
The figure given (for example, 3000mm), indicates how high a column of water sitting on the fabric would need to be before water begins seeping through. It’s perhaps a slightly odd thing, but it’s an effective means of measurement. It’s all to do with pressure.
Obviously, testing labs don’t actually use such volumes of water, they use machines that apply downward pressure. Thus, a tent with a hydrostatic head rating of 3000mm can withstand a three-metre column of water before it leaks through. It sounds like a lot, but see below for our guide to waterproof ratings:
1000mm: Will keep out light rain – more water-resistant than waterproof.
2000mm: Minimum waterproof. Will keep out rain.
4000mm: Will withstand fairly heavy rain. Good for tents, a minimum for every day rain jackets.
10,000mm+: What you should expect in hiking and ski jackets. They have to deal with rain and snow but also the extra pressure applied by backpack straps and so on.
For tents, a bare minimum of 2000mm is what you want. Tent floors have a higher rating than the tent fly because it has the extra pressure of you and your gear pressing down on them. But for extra waterproofing, adding a tarpaulin on the ground underneath the floor will help.
I actually take care of my gear, are any of these good for regular camping as well?
Absolutely. Any of these tents are ideal for camping trips. They are all of a sturdy design and are fully waterproof.
As a note, for those hoping to take their tent backpacking or on light hikes, the Eurohike Quick Pitch and OutdoorGear Backpacker Pro 2 tents are the two that are light enough to be carried comfortably in a pack. Just be aware that they both have modest waterproof ratings and won't deal with heavy rain.
What else do I need for camping at a festival?
On top of one of the best festival tents, packing minimally is a good approach to keeping costs down and reducing the chance of losing possessions. However, there are some essentials you need:
www.gooutdoors.co.uk
Not that anyone gets much sleep at a festival, but when you eventually pass out in your tent, youu2019ll be glad to have some form of padding. The self-inflating nature of this double-sized mat makes camp setup even easier.
www.gooutdoors.co.uk
A sleeping bag with synthetic insulation is cheaper than down feathers and copes in the damp better, too. This one is effective in temperatures down to about 0u00b0C. It has a handy internal pocket for your phone, (an excellent touch) and a tough rip-stop outer.
www.gooutdoors.co.uk
Chairs just get broken at festivals before they can even get nicked. So at least you can enjoy sitting on this waterproof rug for a time before it gets stolen. Who knows, it might be low key enough to avoid thievery. Dimensions are 145 x 132cm.
A bobble hat or similar is compulsory. Comes in five different patterns.
Chris Williams is a contributor to What's The Best. He also writes for CAR and Parkers.
Subscribe to the What’s The Best Newsletter to keep up to date with more of the latest reviews and recommendations from the What’s The Best team.