Keen on going camping but not sure which 4 person tent you should use? Don’t fret, because in this article, I compare the best 4 person/man tents in Australia to help you figure out which one is right for you!
Before we dive straight in, keep in mind that most tents that describe themselves as ‘4 person’ are actually 4 person capacity tents. This means that they can fit 4 adults, but it will be a tight squeeze and there won’t be any room for gear in the tent.
Most 4 person tents can comfortably sleep 3 adults, or 2 adults and 2 children, so please bear this in mind. If you think that you need more space, consider buying a 5 person tent instead.
Best 4 Person/Man Tents Australia
OZtrail Tasman 4V Dome Tent
Our Pick
It is well-built, with some people saying that they have been caught in unexpected rain and snow while using this camping tent, but did not notice any leaking at all. Front and rear doors plus large windows will help keep you cool on hot days.
I haven’t been able to find any major flaws with this tent so far, I highly recommend it!
Coleman Sundome 4 Person Tent
Best Budget 4 Person Tent
The Coleman Sundome 4 Person Tent is great for someone who is doing some easy camping on a budget. This is a high quality camping tent that comes with all of the features that you would typically expect.
It holds up well in light to moderate weather conditions, with many customers saying that the waterproofing is good enough for most storms.
The dark material that it's made from blocks out most sunlight entering the tent, which helps you sleep in beyond the absolute crack of dawn!
A few people have commented that the pegs bend out of shape easily and are not suitable for very windy conditions.
Coleman Instant Up 4P Silver Series Tent
Best Instant Up 4 Man Tent
This Coleman Instant Up is widely loved for Australians who want a decent instant up tent. Many, many people have been commenting on just how simple it is to set up and pack away this tent.
It comes with all of the standard features that you would expect, such as ventilation windows, internal storage pockets and the like. I quite like the awning, which gives you some shade and potentially extra room to store your gear.
It is a remarkably sturdy, solid unit that will hold up well in a variety of weather conditions.
Do be aware that it is quite a bit heavier than the Sundome and Tasman discussed earlier, coming in at 12.7kg.
Coleman Northstar Instant Up 4 Lighted DarkRoom Tent
Best Premium 4 Person Tent
The Coleman Instant Up DarkRoom Tent is an excellent option for those who have a bigger budget. It is a fully-featured 4 man tent that comes with a number of extras that really allow you to camp in comfort.
My favourite is the sun-blocking technology. Anyone who has been camping before will be familiar with waking up to blinding light at the crack of dawn. With this tent, 95% of the sunlight is blocked out, meaning that you can sleep in as late as you like. The kids also won’t be waking you up as soon as the sun comes up.
Strip lighting inside the tent means that you won’t be operating in darkness during the day or night.
The exterior of the tent is just as good as the interior. It has a 3,000mm waterproof rating, higher than any of the other camping tents reviewed in this article, so you can sleep peacefully without worrying about leakage.
Like other instant tents, it sets up in just a few minutes. This is truly a fully-featured, premium unit.
What To Consider When Buying A 4 Man Tent?
Before you go rushing out to buy your tent, consider the following important factors.
What Size Tent Do You Need?
As I mentioned earlier, most 4 person tents can’t actually comfortably sleep 4 adults. They can either sleep 2 adults and 2 children, or 3 adults comfortably. The exception to this is the OZtrail Tasman 4V Dome Tent, which can actually sleep 4 adults comfortably.
For those doing family camping, or those who have a lot of gear or bags that need storing in the tent, take this into consideration. You may wish to consider upgrading to a larger size instead, perhaps even a dedicated family tent.
Having a decent ceiling height is important too. A high ceiling will let you stand up while in your tent (useful for getting changed), and will also make it feel much roomier and spacious.
Weight
Larger, more feature-rich tents tend to be heavier as well. If you have to lug it quite far from where you park your car, do consider the weight. The tents in this article range from 5kg to 17kg!
What conditions will you be camping in?
Some tents are more suitable for certain weather conditions than others. This is typically expressed with the ‘season rating’. 2 and 3 season tents tend to be for mild to moderate weather, whereas 4 season tents are suitable for use even in cold conditions.
Think about what conditions you'll be camping in, then make your choice accordingly.
Waterproofing
Storms are unpredictable in Australia, with sudden, unexpected downpours very common. You don’t want to be woken up at night with water dripping on your face, so make sure that you choose one with a decent waterproof rating.
Ratings range from 1,000mm (the lowest rating that is considered waterproof), all the way up to 10,000mm. The most waterproof on this list is the Coleman Instant Up DarkRoom Tent, at 3,000mm.
Ventilation
We all know how brutal and unforgiving the Australian sun can be. Tents can act as greenhouses, trapping in hot air. Make sure that yours has some ventilation windows to let the hot air escape, otherwise you’ll be in for a hot and sweaty evening.
Setup time
Few people enjoy setting up and packing down tents. Trying to fit both ends of the poles onto the pins, clipping the outer layer to the poles, banging pegs into rocky ground. It’s not a whole lot of fun.
Thankfully, there are a range of tents known as ‘instant up’ or ‘fast pitching’, which can be fully set up within just a few minutes. The 2 Coleman tents in this article are both examples of this category.
Warranty
A warranty lets you sleep easy knowing that your purchase is covered if it is defective in any way. It is also a good sign that the manufacturer has faith in the quality of their product, and that they stand behind this quality. All tents in this article come with a 1 year warranty.
Feel free to check out the details on OZtrail warranties and Coleman warranties.
Build Quality
Poor build quality means a painful setup experience, higher risk of accidental damage to the tent, as well as frustrating and flimsy pegs, poles or zippers.
Cheaper tents naturally have poorer build quality, as the manufacturers save on material to keep costs low. I strive to recommend units with decent build quality only.
Extra Features
Depending on what you plan on doing, extra features such as those below may be entirely unnecessary, or absolutely essential:
- Sunlight blocking can keep your tent nice and dark beyond the crack of dawn. This lets you and the kids sleep in as much as you like.
- Awnings add shade around your tent, keeping it cool and giving you a place to store gear out of the sun. Awnings usually don’t hold up well in strong winds, so don’t leave them up if you will be away from your tent for a while.
- Built in lighting. Rather than trying to attach lanterns or torches to your tent, built in lighting can make it easy to find whatever you are looking for. It is also great for playing games inside if the weather is poor.
Summary
There are a ton of different options out there when it comes to choosing the best 4 person tent Australia.
For me, it’s hard to go past the OZtrail Tasman 4V Dome Tent. Striking an excellent balance of quality and price, it is spacious, well built and holds up well in the elements. People have used them in wind, rain and snow! It’s also the only one on this list that can comfortably sleep 4 adults. For $100, it’s a bargain.
If you are looking to get an affordable 4 person tent that is still good enough to take on most camping trips, check out the Coleman Sundome 4P Tent.
Finally, the Coleman Instant Up 4P Silver Series Tent and the Coleman Instant Up DarkRoom Tent are both outstanding 4 person instant up tents. The DarkRoom tent comes with extra waterproofing, sunlight blocking and built-in internal lighting.
Be aware that both of these are much heavier than the other 2 conventional tents.
Hopefully, the comparison and reviews we have done in this article make it easy for you to figure out which one is right for you! Let me know which one you're thinking of getting in the comments below!
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