Camping Editor Iain Duff looks at a selection of extra-large tents for your family camping adventures in 2022
For longer family holidays you need a large family tent, with spacious living and sleeping areas. It’s important to have enough space for the whole group to relax comfortably. And don’t forget you will need storage space for your baggage and gear. So why not consider going large?
In this round-up, we are classing XL tents as seven-berth and above – some can even house as many as 12 people! – and they are available in either inflatable or traditional poled versions.
Even if there are only four of you, the super-size might be the best option as it allows you to really spread out and relax. If the weather is poor, that extra space will really be appreciated as you’ll spend more time inside. It’s the same for trips early and late in the year, when it gets dark earlier.
An extra-large tent like the 2022 Tent Of The Year, Coleman’s Weathermaster 8XL Air, provides plenty of flexibility and comfort for longer breaks but there are other factors you need to take into account.
They can be bulky and heavy so make sure there is enough room in your car to get them to the campsite. The bigger your tent, the more you’ll be tempted to splash out on camping equipment, so you’ll need to consider how to transport that as well. It’s worth considering a trailer or a roof box – or even both!
Check the dimensions of the tent’s footprint as some campsites will limit the size of tent you can put up on a pitch or charge extra if it exceeds a certain size. And of course, pitching a large tent can be hard work, so make sure you’re all prepared to muck in.
Tunnel tents are the most popular style and, in their XL versions, they are likely to have one large inner tent for sleeping and often a separate second bedroom. A large living area provides usable space for furniture and storage and they will usually have a front porch area that can be used as a kitchen/diner or for storage.
Other XL family tent options are vis-à-vis and pods, where three bedrooms lead off a communal central hub.
COLEMAN WEATHERMASTER 8XL AIR
We first reviewed Coleman’s Weathermaster 8XL Air a couple of years ago. It impressed us then, but the more we use it the more we love it. So much so, we named it Tent Of The Year in our annual awards – the first time the title has gone to a tent that’s not brand-new.
The main reason we like it so much is its flexibility. It’s a classic inflatable tunnel tent with multiple rooms and loads of living space
