The Naturehike Kota 8 Person Camping Tent is lightweight, compact, and ventilated, with two doors and two windows, high waterproof rating, and a really great price tag.
Key features & benefits
- Extended dome type tent.
- Two doors.
- Two windows.
- Ventilated.
- Aluminum poles.
- Lightweight and compact.
- Easy to use.
- Very good price.
What this is about
Naturehike has a series of Kota tents, and it includes a 4-person and a 6-person tent together with this Naturehike Kota 8 tent presented here. But all of them are completely different, you can see this if you check the Kota 6 which is also presented here in the site.
The Kota 8 is an extended dome tent and its structure is obvious from the aerial view below. The added loop on one side makes the floor extended, while the short pole makes the side walls vertical.
The tent offers a stand-up height in the middle where you have 72 inches (183 cm) of height, see the picture below. For a dome tent this is not bad.
The inner is all one single room and you can see below how this looks.
Doors and windows
There are two doors here. One is a rear smaller D-shaped door visible in the picture above. It is paired with the zippered fly door.
But the main door is on the right in the pictures below. The inner tent has an inverted-T zipper, but the fly is with two side zippers, so you can create an awning as shown in one of the pictures (the awning poles are not included).
They have made the fly partial coverage type so that on the two sides you have two windows. They are with mesh and with inner zippered panels for full rain protection.
Materials and elements in the package
All the elements in the package are shown in the picture below, plus a carry bag.
The poles and stakes: There are two long poles that support the dome, one medium pole, and one short pole, all shock-corded 7001 aluminum alloy. Three main poles connect to the base with grommets, see the picture below. The short pole is a cross pole that pulls the side walls up and make them vertical.
The 15 iron stakes are really cheap and it is best to replace them with something more reliable and durable.
The fabric: The fly is made from a durable 65D 210T polyester with 3000 mm+ waterproof PU coating and UPF50+ sun protection. So these are impressive numbers.
The floor is a very durable 150D Oxford fabric also rated 3000 mm+ waterproof. It is bathtub type and it extends up for around 7 inches.
Ventilation
The inner tent is mostly mesh so vapor can easily escape everywhere. The fly is well separated from the inner tent, and air can circulate to reduce condensation.
They have added three roof vents. Those on the sides of the main door are well designed, one shown above. But the top vent is not really the best design for situations with side wind and rain. I think it was not needed here at all. Namely, if you have a look at the fly design above the windows, you realize that vapor can escape there easily.
Please see a bit more in this video:
Who is the Naturehike Kota 8 tent for
Regarding the area, the tent looks huge, but the actual floor area is “only” 128 ft² (11.86 m²). In the case of 8 users this would give 15.9 ft² (1.48 m²) per person.
In front of the rear door you have a small triangular vestibule to store your boots, it offers almost 1 square meter of covered area, see it in the picture:
The dimensions are such that you can put 8 sleeping pads on the floor as they suggest in their floor plan given below. Namely linear dimensions of the floored part are around 4.6 meters of length and 2.7 meters of width.
But the space is not square, the narrowest part is on the right in the picture where you have 1.8 meters of width. So as usual, it is best to downgrade this to 4-5 people maximum.
Regarding seasons & climate, this is a 3-season tent and this makes it different from Kota 6 which is a 4-season tent.
So here you have a two-layer construction and an almost full-fly for a very good rain and wind protection. They have made those openings on the sides to have windows, but the tent would be more reliable with a full fly.
Ventilation is practically optimal, so the tent will perform well in any climate.
Regarding the weight, with 18.74 lb (8.5 kg) this tent is quite lightweight in view of its overall size. The packed size is also very good, you will see below how I rate it.
The carry bag is exceptionally large so it is always very easy to pack the tent in. In addition, you have compression straps to wrap up the tent before packing it in the carry bag.
Regarding the price, it is more than fair for such a high quality tent. I give links below so you can compare and find the best option for you.
Specifications
- Weight: 18.74 lb (8.5 kg).
- Official capacity: 8 people.
- Dimensions: 17.7 x 9.3 ft (539 x 283 cm).
- Inner area: 128 ft² (11.86 m²).
- Inner area per person: 15.9 ft² (1.48 m²).
- Peak height: 76 in (193 cm).
- Packed size: 24.8 x 11 x 11 in (63 x 28 x 28 cm).
Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons
In summary, the Naturehike Kota 8 is a well-designed extended dome tent with good materials, very solid weather protection, and excellent ventilation. It stands out with low weight and compact packed size for its class, and the aluminum pole structure with vertical side walls improves usable space.
Waterproof ratings are high for both fly and floor, and overall build quality is clearly above average for the price.
If you need a lightweight, spacious 3-season family or group tent with good value and easy handling, the Kota 8 is a strong option, provided expectations about capacity are set correctly. It is included in our list of best 8 person camping tents.
Below you can see how this tent stands against my standard rating criteria that I apply consistently to all of them here in the site so that you can easily compare:
Naturehike Kota 8 Person Camping Tent
Pros
- Lightweight.
- Compact.
- Quality craftsmanship.
- Full protection.
- Great price.
Cons
- Not really for 8 users.
BEST PLACEs TO BUY:
For more tents of this shape please check in the category Dome Tents. Let me know if you have questions, there is a comment box below.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to set up the Naturehike Kota 8 Person Tent?
The tent uses a simple extended dome structure with four shock-corded aluminum poles that connect via grommets. One person can pitch it in 15-20 minutes, while two people can do it in under 10 minutes. Practice once at home to familiarize yourself with the pole crossings and fly attachment for faster setup in the field.
How well does this tent perform in windy conditions?
The aluminum 7001 alloy poles and included guy lines provide good stability when properly staked and guyed out. It handles moderate winds well due to its dome shape and low profile in parts. For stronger gusts, always use all guy lines and consider upgrading to heavier-duty stakes, as the stock iron ones may bend in hard ground.
Will I experience condensation issues inside the tent?
Condensation is minimal thanks to the mostly mesh inner tent, separated fly, side windows, and roof vents that promote strong airflow. In high-humidity or cold conditions, open vents and windows fully and guy out the fly to create gaps for moisture escape. Avoid bringing wet gear inside to further reduce buildup.
What are the best stake upgrades for this tent?
The included iron stakes are basic and prone to bending. Many users upgrade to aluminum Y-shaped stakes like MSR Mini Groundhogs or titanium shepherd’s hooks for better holding power in varied soil. Naturehike also offers their own aluminum spiral or hook stakes as reliable, lightweight replacements.
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