Best Instant Tents of 2025, Tested and Reviewed

I’ll be honest: I’ve heard of pop-up tents, but never really gave them much thought. If I’m being real, I felt they were a bit hokey and heavy. Plus, I’m an avid backpacker, so they didn’t really fit with those intentions. But I am car camping more often these days. And I don’t want to struggle with putting up a tent after a long drive. So that made me wonder, can it truly be that simple? Let’s just say that after some extensive testing, I now see the benefits of creating a plush campsite within mere seconds using one of the best instant tents.

How I Tested the Best Instant Tents

For this testing process, I focused on three four-person tents in my backyard. I live in a remote part of Alaska where the weather changes fast, so these tents went through 40-mph wind gusts, heavy rain, blazing sun, wet snow, ice, and even moose brushing up against them. Executive gear editor Scott Einsmann, senior staff writer Laura Lancaster, and OL contributor Theo Harris also tested instant tents. We all assessed the ease of setup and breakdown, durability, how they stood up to the elements, and any special features.

Best Instant Tents: Reviews & Recommendations

Best Overall: Gazelle T4 Hub Tent

If you’re buying an instant tent you probably want a tent that’s fast to set up and pack up. So I started my testing with a timed test. Starting with the tent completely packed in its storage bag it took me 1 minute and 50 seconds to get it set up — minus the rain fly and stakes. It took 2 minutes and 48 seconds to get it back in the bag. That’s pretty darn instant. 

The interior space is generous. I’m 6-feet 6-inches tall and 220 pounds. You could comfortably fit three of me inside the tent or one of me and a spoiled dog. The center height is 6 feet 4 inches and the the tent is about 5 feet 4 inches at its shortest point. I measured the interior dimensions at 90 by 90 inches. 

The build quality is excellent and there are some smart touches throughout the tent and its carrying bag. For example the spring pressure to pop out each hub is light and smooth. The stake points are all reinforced. The bag has grab loops on either end for easily sliding the tent out of a trunk or truck bed. 

While it gets high marks for ease of use and space, the windows are small and it doesn’t have much airflow. It gets toasty inside when it’s in the sun, and I’d suggest pairing it with one of the best camping fans. 

This tent is quite large when folded up and heavy. I weighed it at 31.8 pounds and measured it at 67 x 11.5 inches packed. It will take up substantial storage space when not in use. I don’t recommend this tent if high winds are forecasted because it catches a lot of wind due to its height and shape. Gazelle only offers a limited 1-year warranty. — Scott Einsmann

The Bass Pro Shops 8-Person Hub Tent was fast to set up, even for an instant tent. Like the Gazelle T4, its walls and ceilings pop out when you pull at the center of them, which makes setting up quick and easy even, if like me, you’re on the shorter side. (If you are also shorter, I recommend throwing the rainfly over the top before getting the sides of the tent set up.) And once you’ve done that, the interior room is impressive, with vertical walls and plenty of head height. 

Unlike other instant tents that OL has reviewed, there are three additional poles to add on to this tent once you’ve set it up. The three poles frame the door, adding structural integrity which would be helpful in a moderately windy environment (I wouldn’t trust this, or any instant tent, in heavy winds). It took longer than I would have liked to figure out where these poles belonged on the tent, and unfortunately the directions on the bag added minimal insight.

While many of the best instant tents only have one door due to their design, in the case of the Bass Pro Shops tent, I really wished there had been a second door. The sheer amount of interior space, plus a room divider in the middle, makes this a viable option for two groups of people, or a family that would like to put two groups of children to bed at different times. But the lack of the second door means that you’ll more likely than not end up using the room closer to the door for gear storage than for sleeping, as the people who tested this for me did. They were aided in their efforts to keep their gear organized by the sheer number of pockets this tent has, a nice bonus. 

While I am on the smaller side, I should note that this is a very heavy tent, and that I need both my hands to move it from my car to the tent site.  — Laura Lancaster

Best Budget: Coleman 4 Person Camp Burst Pop Up Tent

This instant tent’s key traits are its simplicity, ease of setup, and affordability. As a four-person tent, it is as basic as you get with a similar design to the Decathlon Quechua 2 Second Pop-Up. It does have an integrated rainfly that can roll back, allowing ventilation and air circulation. 

There are a few other features that impressed me. It stores compactly, like a huge frisbee, so it doesn’t take up much space in your shed or vehicle. It does take a bit more time to put away, but once packed, it’s barely noticeable.

I was quite impressed at its durability. I had it set up for two months in all weather. Several inches of snowfall crushed it, and it took me at least a week to hike to it and I expected it to be broken. But it popped back open with all parts in working order.

The four person tent is just under $100, and the two person is just over $50. Many times you can catch them on sale for even cheaper. This is a great option for beginners, as a kids’ tent, or for budget-minded car campers.

Amazon Basics Instant Camping Tent

Most of the instant tents I’ve tested have been the pop-up variety, which utilize tension to create and maintain their shape. The Amazon Basics Instant Tent is another beast altogether, closer to a folding table.

When you open the package, the initial impression is of unfolding a giant spider, with six black legs flopping outward. The structure of the tent comes from extending each of the six poles out in two places: along the top of the tent, to create the ceiling, and at the sides, to create the height.

If, like me, you’re on the shorter side, you’ll want to make sure you do the ceiling portion first, or you won’t be able to reach it once the vertical height is achieved. Regardless, extending poles in 12 different places takes a bit of time. 

Once this is done, the rest is standard cheap tent fare. There is one door, a few windows, and two pockets. A rainfly that just covers the mesh at the top of the tent.
This tent is fine, and it doesn’t cost very much. But I wouldn’t call it instant. Most people would be better served by purchasing one of the best camping tents. They don’t take any longer to set up or take down and you’ll get some experience with more classic tent designs that will serve you better when you are ready to upgrade. — Laura Lancaster

Core 9-Person Instant Cabin Tent

This instant cabin tent might feel like a spacious home away from home.  I also couldn’t believe how easy this huge tent was to set up. The tent body is permanently fixed to the frame, and the six poles are telescoping, which makes the setup a breeze. Set up takes just minutes.

Another awesome feature of this instant cabin is the ability to have two divided rooms. This allows you to fit two queen air mattresses comfortably. You can also make one room a screen room for air to cool the main cabin. Speaking of air, another big advantage of this tent for summer camping trips is its excellent ventilation. This tent features multiple mesh windows, a mesh ceiling, and an adjustable ground vent for plenty of air circulation to stay cool during the summer months. 

The only drawback to this spacious tent is the weight that comes with it. At 37 pounds, this is the heaviest tent by far in my test. And the packed size takes up a lot of space in your car. But if you’re looking for a large tent that can be put up in minutes and fits the whole family, this is the tent for you. — Theo Harris

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Pop-up tents are popular for one reason: They are fast to set up. But, too often, they are a real chore to tear down or lack the structural integrity of a traditional tent. Not so with the Decathlon Quechua 2 Second Pop-Up.

As expected, it turned tent-shaped with two easy tugs on the red pulls at either side of the tent (only thing left to do was put six stakes into the ground to secure it). 

To tear it down again, you simply remove those stakes, then push the buttons attached to the red pulls. (If anything, this worked too well—I jumped a little at the speed at which the tent collapsed in itself with only moderate pressure applied.) Then simply fold up the tent (I highly recommend looking at the directions for this) and stuff it back into its bag. Like the MSR Habiscape, this one has a sideways opening (if not the same generous extra-large size), making this easier to deal with than vertical-open models. All in all, this was the fastest I had ever put away a camping tent, even though it was my first time doing so with this model. 

Unfortunately this tent is lacking in some details. The most obvious one is that there is no way to set up just a mesh body—the structure of the Decathlon Quechua 2 Second Pop-Up is attached to the rainfly. It also has fewer pockets on the inside than other models—only four small pockets plus a diamond-shaped overhead mesh storage area. Two adult testers were comfortable with a dog in the two-person model. — Laura Lancaster

Decathlon has updated their Quechua 2 Second Pop-Up design since this review, but set up remains the same.

The Toogh 3-4 Person Instant Tent is super simple to set up. All you have to do is lift up the top of the tent and then press the end of the poles to automatically lock everything into place. It can be done in about a minute or two and is convenient when you roll up to a campsite, especially in the dark. The tent itself has just two poles that cross like a dome tent, although it feels more like a cabin tent. It comes with a rainfly that has a bit of an overhang at the entrance to keep rain and bugs out. 

This tent feels very spacious and could fit four people who don’t mind sleeping close to one another. Inside the tent, there is enough room for a queen mattress and duffel bags or backpacks.  It also features a double pocket on both sides and a net in the center for added storage. There is also a spot to hang a light or fan from the middle if you choose to do so. I liked all of the thoughtful details and felt like the tent fared pretty well in the rain. The rainfly isn’t the strongest, but the tent is definitely breathable and provides adequate space. — Theo Harris

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The Rest of the Field

I also tested the Bushnell Preserve Series 4 Person Instant Cabin Tent, but the interior poles were too long due to manufacturer errors. I was not able to completely set up the tent. My wife and I struggled immensely to get the two side poles in, so much so that one of the poles (which had no flex) snapped during the process. The manufacturer is correcting this issue, so if you do decide to try out this tent, set it up at home first to verify you’ve received the correct poles.

Regardless of the too-long poles, I found this setup to be the most complicated. But the end result is a palace. The tent initially pops up and the hubs all locked into place quite easily. My challenge was with the three interior poles that need to be placed alongside and over the door to give the tent more structure.

Even without testing, I can tell how sound this structure would be with its 210-denier fabric. At 64-square feet, a large front door, plenty of windows, and a peak height of 6.5 feet, it can house a small family.

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Ease of Use

Most instant tents are so easy to set up that you don’t need an instruction manual. They have pre-attached poles, an integrated pole system, or at least poles that are easy to install. Most rainflys, if they aren’t already attached, should also be fairly simple to install. If you can’t put your instant tent up in a few minutes, its design is flawed—or you didn’t buy an instant tent. 

Materials 

You shouldn’t have to trade convenience for solid construction. Some high-end instant tents, and even some affordable ones, feature materials that are waterproof, UV-resistant, and strong enough to outlast bad weather. You should also expect tent poles and stakes to perform just as well as regular a tent. They shouldn’t break or bend easily and should stand their ground in windy conditions. 

Ventilation 

Summer camping conditions can get pretty steamy. And unless you have a camping fan you plan on using, you’ll want a tent that circulates airflow, especially at night. Look for tents that feature windows, multiple doors, and multiple mesh screens to circulate air so you don’t sweat through your sleeping bag. After all, fresh air is why you came camping in the first place. 

Capacity 

Camping solo? With a friend? Or maybe with your five children? Whatever your camping adventure brings, you will want to pick a tent size that will fit your needs. One- to two-person tents are usually lightweight and portable for backpacking and hiking while four- to six- to nine-person tents are better for packing in your car and setting up at a nearby campsite. Larger tents usually offer more room for all of your gear, and some easily allow you to stand up inside. —Theo Harris

FAQs

Final Thoughts 

While I was a little skeptical about the value and utility of instant pop-up tents, after testing several and seeing how easy they truly are to set up and put away, I feel these are perfect for beginners, car campers, and families. I am a full-on convert.