To be fully waterproof a tent needs to have a rating of from 1,000 to 10,000mm (see details below).
I suggest looking for waterproof materials such as polyester taffeta, as well as tents that include a rainfly. But please don't forget about good ventilation. I prefer tents with mesh screens over the windows and doors.
My pick for the best waterproof family tent (6 person) is the Coleman Dome. For a budget and versatile waterproof tent that comes in a 1, 2, 3 or 4 person option, see the TETON Sports Mountain Ultra Tent.
Best Waterproof Tents (Top Picks)
Best Family (6-Person)
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Best Budget Option
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Best 2-Person Waterproof
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Top Waterproof Tents (Detailed Reviews)
We reviewed over 18 waterproof tents for this article. Below are the best waterproof tents that made our short list.
- Coleman Dome Tent with Screen Room - Best for Families (6 Person)
- TETON Sports Mountain Ultra Tent - Best Budget (1, 2, 3 and 4 Person Options)
- MSR Hubba Hubba NX - Best 2-Person Waterproof Tent
- Wenzel Klondike (8 Person)
- Coleman WeatherMaster Screened Tent (6 Person)
- Eureka Copper Canyon (4-6 Person)
- Marmot Tungsten Backpacking Tent (3 Person)
- Coleman Elite Sundome (6 Person)
Read our complete buyers guide for waterproof tents.
Best Overall Waterproof Tents
1. Coleman Dome Tent (Best Waterproof Family Tent)
The Coleman Dome is the ultimate waterproof tent for you and your family. It is incredibly spacious and includes a screened porch complete with a floor. This tent has so much room you can easily fit 2 queen size airbeds into it.
The tent is made from 75D polyester taffeta – a waterproof fabric – and its strong frame has been tested to withstand 35+ mph winds.
Its WeatherTec system with patented welded floors and inverted seams to keep you dry. The tent has 4 large windows and a well-designed rainfly to keep the rain out whilst still providing great ventilation.
The tent also has a mesh ceiling for stargazing on clear nights.
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2. TETON Sports Mountain Ultra (Best Budget WaterProof Tent)
4/5 Overall Rating
The TETON Sports Mountain Ultra Tent is definitely a great choice if you are looking for superior waterproofing. This tent is quick, smart, sleek and lightweight. It is targeted towards hardcore backpackers and trekkers.
The tent ranges from a 1-person tent to a 4-person tent. Its seamless design is great in terms of waterproofing and its rainfly provides complete protection from wet weather.
The rainfly is made form 66D ripstop, PU coated nylon which has a 3000mm rating. The 150D Oxford polyester footprint supports the high bathtub floor. This tent will definitely hold up in a thunderstorm.
All in one, if you are an avid backpacker/trekker looking for a light and efficient tent to take with you on your adventures, this is definitely the tent for you. It is portable and efficient with the only downside being that there are no windows once the rainfly is attached.
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3. MSR Hubba Hubba NX (Best 2 Person Waterproof Tent)
The MSR Hubba Hubba NX is one of the most popular backpacking tents on the market. This tent is great for families who enjoy both car camping and backpacking, as it can be used for both activities.
At 6-pounds 7oz, this tent is impossibly light and will be a fantastic addition to your family’s backcountry adventures. The tent also provides fantastic protection against the elements, and you can be assured it will remain rock steady in cases of wind and rain.
The interior of the tent is a little on the smaller side, and the peak height is only 44in, so this tent is best suited for sleeping rather than socialising.
All in all, if you have some cash to burn and are looking for a great backpacking tent for the whole family, then the MSR Papa Hubba NX is definitely recommended.
However, in order to achieve such a fantastically lightweight tent, some sacrifices needed to be made; such as a smaller interior and thinner fabric. So, if weight is more important to you than the interior space, this tent is fantastic.
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4. Wenzel 8 Person Klondike
The Wenzel 8 Person Klondike is a great option for families who are looking for a caravan-style experience. This tent is incredibly spacious and features a screened porch that is nearly as big as the sleeping area. It has a sleeping capacity of 8 and is 90 square feet (not including the porch).
The tent also has a headspace of 6.5ft, meaning you can comfortably move around the interior without having to crouch. This is a 3-season tent, which is made from water-resistant polyester. Tests have proven the tent to stay dry in excessive rain due to its double-stitched, lap-felled seams.
The Wenzel 8 Person Klondike is also incredibly well ventilated, with two large windows and a large ground vent. Unfortunately, the tent is a bit on the heavier side at 25lbs.
All in all, the tent is incredibly spacious, well ventilated and fantastically weather resistant. If you can overlook the issue of weight, then this is a great tent for families seeking a caravan-style experience.
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5. Coleman WeatherMaster 6 Screened Tent
4.5/5 Overall Rating
The Coleman WeatherMaster 6 is an incredibly spacious 2 room tent with a screen room. There is enough space to fit 2 queen-size airbeds. This tent is packed with amazing features including an e-port, hinged door and internal storage pockets.
Its WeatherTec system with patented welded floors and inverted seams will keep you dry no matter what. The tent also features a wind strong frame as well as weather resistant zippers and waterproof floors. A downside to this tent is its weight, the tent weighs 32lbs, however, the wight of the tent is to be expected given its generous space and height.
All in all, this incredibly spacious tent will keep you and your family protected from wind and rain. The screen room is a great place for bug-free lounging. This tent is on the heavier side, but that shouldn’t be a problem as it is intended for car camping and not to be carried around.
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6. Eureka Copper Canyon 4-6
4/5 Overall Rating
If space and comfort is your number one concern, then the Eureka Copper Canyon 4-6 is exactly what you need. The highest point is 7ft, meaning you won’t need to hunch over.
The floor is 64 square feet and can easily fit 4 people and all of your equipment. This tent features huge windows and an upper ventilation on the ceiling, making the tent extremely breathable. The ventilation will become affected if it rains, though. The rain will force you to have to close the windows which would in turn limit the amount of airflow.
All in all, this is the ultimate tent for families looking to camp in comfort. The volume of this tent is significantly larger than a lot of the other tents on the market. The tent is well-priced compared to other tents on the list.
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7. Marmot Tungsten Backpacking Tent 3
4/5 Overall Rating
the Marmot Tungsten 3 is sleek, sporty and functional as well as being incredibly light. It is the perfect tent for you to take on your next backpacking adventure. Although it is marketed as a 3-person tent, you will find it is probably best suited to 2.
The 68D polyester taffeta and PU coated rainfly, seams and floor will help keep you dry should the weather turn.
The tent is well ventilated and features a great waterproof wall feature. The set-up is relatively straightforward with easy color coded assembly. Both the floor and the rainfly are seam sealed.
All in all, the tent is very light and will make a great addition to your backpacking trips. It is well ventilated, weatherproof and easy to set up. Unfortunately, it is best suited for 2 campers, despite being marketed as a 3-person tent.
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8. Coleman Elite Sundome 6 Person Tent with LED Light System
4/5 Overall Rating
The most standout feature of this tent has to be its built-in LED system, which provides bright overhead illumination. It also has a nightlight mode to help the kids feel safe as they drift off the sleep.
The Coleman Elite Sundome 6 also provides you with great weather protection, with a door awning and rainfly. Its WeatherTec system of welded floors and inverted seams provides added protection from the rain.
This tent is also incredibly spacious and has enough room for two queen-size airbeds. The auto-roll windows provide much needed breeze on warmer days. Set-up is quick and simple and should not take you more than 10 minutes due to its continuous pole sleeves and patented pin-and-ring system.
All in all, this is a great family tent, it is spacious, includes an LED light system and is easy to setup. Unfortunately, it does lack in terms of protection from the rain and can leak at times. Rather use this tent in dryer weather to avoid disappointment.
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The Bottom Line
All in all, I rate the Coleman Dome Tent with Screen Room as the best waterproof tent for families, but it does have a lot of features which can be unnecessary if you aren’t an avid camper.
The TETON Sports Mountain Ultra is great if you are on a budget, and it has various sizes to choose from. One downside of the tent is that the windows disappear once the rainfly has been attached.
As far as 2 person waterproof tents go, the MSR Hubba Hubba NX is very good and amazingly lightweight. Unfortunately it is quite expensive, so don’t purchase this tent if you aren’t looking to use it often.
Buyer's Guide
How Waterproof Should a Tent Be?
Between 1,000 and 10,000mm (see below).
Good weather resistance is a necessity if you are camping in an area that is prone to wind and rain. Look for waterproof materials such as polyester taffeta, as well as tents that include a rainfly.
The WeatherTec system introduced by Coleman provides extra protection with welded floors and inverted seams.
Ventilation is another important aspect you want in a tent. Look for tents with mesh screens over the windows and doors and they allow you to have the windows open without the risk of pesky insects invading your tent.
What Does 2000mm Waterproof Mean for Tents?
A fabric’s waterproof rating measures the pressure at which water can get through it, and not its thickness or coating.
So a 2000mmH20 waterproof rating means the fabric can withstand 2000 mm of water before it can leak.
Tent's durability depends not only on its ability to withstand water but also do it persistently for a long time. This is where the plastic coating comes in.
Better tent durability is provided usually by thicker waterproof coatings made of various types of specialized plastic.
Compare this to an umbrella which usually has about 400-500mm rating but is good enough to keep you dry when held above your head only occasionally.
This is why to compensate for wear and tear that tents usually undergo, they require much larger waterproofing ratings somewhere between 1,000 and 10,000mm.
Other Features of the Best Waterproof Tent
Floor Space & Height
Once again, the interior space is dependent on your needs, if you are looking to spend a decent amount of time in your tent or you want to accommodate a larger number of people, you will want a tent with a greater square footage and peak height than someone who is just looking to use their tent to sleep.
Some of the tents on the list have an incredible peak height, where you won’t even need to crouch when roaming around your tent, but this isn’t a necessity.
Weight
The weight of your tent is dependent on the activity you need your tent for. If you are car camping, it's not the end of the world if your tent is a bit on the heavier side as you won’t have to physically carry it.
If you are trekking or backpacking, you’ll definitely want your tent to be below 10 lbs, as you will need to carry it from campsite to campsite.
Accessories
Accessories like a screened porch or vestibules are a necessity, but they will certainly improve your camping experience by providing extra space to spread out and store your belongings. The same goes for the internal storage pockets; they won’t make or break your tent, but they will make it easier to organise your things.
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