Going camping in the summer can be an excellent way to get outside and enjoy nature. Yet, with all that heat... a tent for hot weather can get warm quick. Believe me growing up and living in Florida, I've been camping on plenty of hot days.
Now to be honest almost any tent can give you enough ventilation for a comfortable breeze to blow through. With the thin walls and open netting you can unzip your tent anytime you want for fresh air.
However, there are a few tents that may work better in hot weather based on the features they come with. We'll be taking a look to find the best tent for hot weather. In addition, some of the tents work better depending on how many people you plan to go camping with.
IMAGE
PRODUCT
PRODUCT DETAILS
OUR #1 RATED
Coleman
Sun Dome Tent
Polyester sun dome tent for camping with easy setup and a spacious interior for moving inside.
Coleman
Dark Room Cabin Tent
Dark room cabin tent to block 90% of sunlight for sleeping and to reduce internal temperatures.
Mountainsmith
Morrison 3 Season Tent
3 season free standing tent with large tent fly ventilation windows and two doors.
Coleman
Dome Tent w/ Screen Room
Taffeta 75D spacious 6-person tent with room for 2 queen size air beds and a screen room.
CORE
9 Person Dome Tent
Dome tent to sleep 9 people and fits 3 queen air mattresses with an adjustable ground vent.
Tent Ventilation & Airflow For Hot Weather
As I had mentioned, the ventilation and airflow of almost any tent will work great for those hot days outside. Yet, the more openings on a tent you can find the better. You'll want to make sure to unzip those windows and leave only the netting open.
In addition, you'll also want to remove the rain fly to keep the fabric layers as thin as possible. This way, the air can flow better and not get trapped inside as easy.
Unless of course if it's hot and then starts to rain, because you have to love those tropical storms. In that case you'll need your rain fly engaged to stay dry.
Seasonal Ratings For Tents
When looking around at different tents, you'll come across tent ratings. You may see the 3 season or 4 season tent options available. Make sure to only go for a 3 season tent if you're looking to use the tent for hot weather.
3 season tents feature thinner fabric and lots of open ventilation for better airflow.
3 season tent (Big Agnes Seedhouse SL3)
4 season tent (Big Agnes Battle Mountain)
In contrast, a 4 season tent features a design built for use in the winter time. They have thicker fabric and focus more on insulation and keeping warm air inside. This would be miserable in hot weather, so go with a 3 season tent for use in the summertime.
How Do I Choose A Tent For Hot Weather?
One of the most important parts to choosing a tent for hot weather, is to pick one with your desired size. Smaller tents can sleep 1 to 4 people, while some of the larger ones can get over 10 people inside. It really depends on how many people you plan to bring along with you camping. Do keep in mind though that humans put off heat so you may want some extra space for comfortable sleeping.
Buy a tent for hot weather with lots of open mesh. The mesh windows are what allow the fresh air to blow through and keep your tent cool inside. You may even want to get a tent air conditioner. This can be another way to keep your tent cool on the hottest days if you've got the space. There are some of the larger tents that even come with ports to make installation simple.
Choose a tent for hot weather that is well made so it lasts. This really goes for any tent that is going to need to endure a lot of wear and tear. How you store your tent can affect how long it lasts as well. My recommendation is to make sure your tent is bone dry before packing it back into its bag. This way you can avoid any mildew buildup.
Below is a checklist of things to look for when choosing a tent for hot weather:
- Ensure the tent matches your desired size.
- Buy a tent with plenty of open mesh for air flow.
- Choose a tent for hot weather that is well made.
What Is The Best Tent For Hot Weather?
We've looked at a range of tents for hot weather and have selected five tents. The main things we've looked at are quality, price, size, and ventilation. We've reviewed these five tents for hot weather and listed some pros and cons for each tent.
our #1 rated
Coleman
Sun Dome Tent
Quality
Price
Our rating
The Coleman sun dome tent is available in two styles and three color options. The tent features a spacious interior to sleep up to 2 people with an easy setup. It also has an option for dark room technology, which helps to block out 90% of sunlight. This also reduces internal temperatures for a comfortable sleep.
Customers who purchased this tent liked that it comes with a carry bag with everything you need inside. People said that it was easy to setup in under 15 minutes. Customers also said that there's an additional window and screen on the door for extra viewing and airflow.
Some customers who used this said that the included stakes are only okay generic skinny steel ones. A few customers who used this tent said that it does not come with a footprint to keep cost low. Some people also said that only the top half of the door screen unzips.
PROS
CONS
our #2 rated
Coleman
Dark Cabin Tent
Quality
Price
Our rating
The dark cabin tent from Coleman is a large cabin style tent, available in 3 size options. The different sizes come in 4, 6, and 10 person options. The tent blocks 90% of sunlight with the dark room technology. In addition, the tent has a strong frame to withstand 35+ mph winds.
Customers who purchased this tent said that it's great for fitting a queen air mattress with plenty of space. Some customers also said that the setup and take down was quite easy, and could even be done by one person. Another customer commented that the tent even stayed dry through 5 straight hours of rain.
Many people who purchased this tent said that it's too heavy for any kind of backpacking or hiking use, and is better for car camping. Others reported that their walls had leaked during heavy rain. A few customers also said that ventilation can be a pain depending on weather.
PROS
CONS
our #3 rated
Mountain Smith
3 Season Tent
Quality
Price
Our rating
This 3 season tent made by Mountainsmith is available in one color and size option. The tent features a two door vestibule layout for two people. It also has large tent fly ventilation windows for increased airflow. In addition, it comes with a bathtub floor construction.
Customers who purchased this tent said that it works very well for backpacking. People said that they liked how functional it is for almost any kind of temperature and weather condition. Many customers found the level of quality for the price quite impressive.
A few customers who purchased this tent said that it can be a little heavy when carrying in a backpack. Yet, if you split the parts across two people, it's not too bad to carry. Other customers reported that the stakes are only okay and not too great. A few people also said that when sleeping with two people inside, the ventilation can be sub par.
PROS
CONS
our #4 rated
Coleman
Dome Tent
Quality
Price
Our rating
The Coleman dome tent with screen room comes in both a 6 and 8 person size option. The tent features a separate screen room for bug free lounging and open airflow. Additionally, it has enough space to fit two queen size air beds. It also sets up in 15 minutes with a rain fly and carry bag included.
Customers who purchased this tent said that it sets up quick and tears down fast. People said that it gets decent ventilation with the rain fly off on summer nights. Customers also commented that the screen entry is an excellent place to kick off your shoes.
Other people who used this tent said that the rain fly does not do anything to protect the screened porch from moisture in rain. Instead it all gets wet. Customers also said that the back panel is complete open screen and does not allow you to close it for privacy. Some customers also said it can be quite tough to actually fit 8 people inside.
PROS
CONS
our #5 rated
CORE
9 Person Dome Tent
Quality
Price
Our rating
This 9 person dome tent made by CORE is available in one size and color. The tent features polyester material and a center height of 6 feet. It can sleep 9 people and fit three queen air mattresses. In addition, the tent has a gear loft with a lantern hook and pockets.
People who purchased this tent said that it is very easy to setup in under 10 minutes. Customers said that it works well to stay dry even in a massive rainstorm, without a drop of water in the tent. Customers also said that it was quite massive and an excellent value for the money.
Some customers who used this dome tent said that it had leaked on them due to a defective part. However, they were able to get a replacement part with the customer service team. Many customers reported that it included storage bag is way too tiny. Other people also said the tent stakes that come included with the tent are not that great.
PROS
CONS
To Conclude
Each tent for hot weather we've reviewed works for those looking to go camping in the summer time. All the tents feature decent ventilation, solid waterproofing, and an easy setup in under 15 minutes.
After comparing all the products the best tent for hot weather is the Coleman Sun Dome Tent.
This tent is a decent size with lots of openings making it perfect for hot weather. It can work well to sleep multiple people as well. We also like the fact that the tent has the option for dark room technology.