2018 Best Family Camping Tents With Full Rain Fly – 25 Models

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Here I give the list of the best family camping tents with full rain fly, all suitable for at least 3-season camping, very reliable, and with an easy setup.

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Camping tents with rain fly – about terminology

♦ Some family camping tents are single-layer, which means the walls and the roof are waterproof. In such a case you do not have any fly. Typical examples of this type are the Nemo Wagontop tent and Coleman Instant tent. There are both good and bad sides of such a design, like a good packed size (because of less material) on one side, and the issue of condensation on the other side.

♦ In some other designs, the walls are waterproof and the roof is a mesh. This design is suitable for family camping tents and you should have a much better ventilation in such tents. So the roof mesh must be protected and these tents have a minimal fly on the roof only.

You have such type in many cabin style tents and in instant tents. When you see such tents, you realize that such a minimal fly is there also to allow for unimpeded views through the huge windows which you usually have there.

But there are also dome type tents with such minimal fly. You will notice that these also have a window and a door with the window, so again the minimal fly is there to allow for views. Typical examples of this type are the Core 6 Person Dome tent and the Coleman 6 person Sundome tent.

♦ The third group is with tents that have a full-coverage fly. These are fully double layer designs, so you have:

• an inner tent which contains a lot of mesh, and,
• the full fly which protects the interior.

These tents are generally the most reliable structures (assuming that the fly is reliable and that the seams are fully sealed of course).

Here are all three types presented in pictures:

In this third group, you have mainly dome style tents (but not always, see the Arctic Oven tent below), and this can be the simplest dome with an X-shaped pole structure or an extended dome shape where the dome is extended on one side or on both.

Below, I give my list of excellent examples of the camping tents with full rain fly, ordered by the inner floor area from the smallest to the largest.

 

As you will realize from the text below, these are all relatively small camping tents so the declared capacity is in the range 6 – 8 people.

Note, this is not a sponsored text and I am not paid by the manufacturers, I am only expressing my own unbiased views about these products.

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1. Marmot Orbit 6P Tent

The inner area of this tent, which is only 77.5 ft² (7.2 m²), is in a big contrast to its total protected area. Namely, the porch which you have here is gigantic, around 100 square feet. So the total protected area is 182.5 ft² (16.9 m²), and this gives 30.4 ft² (2.8 m²) per person. You realize that in spite of its high position here in the list (the tents are ordered by the inner area), the tent offers far more space than many other tents. But the fact is that the inner area is really too small for the declared 6 people capacity.

The tent is built from quality materials, you have the best DAC poles, the fabric is polyester, and the waterproof rating is 1500 mm for the fly and 2000 mm for the floor. Obviously, this is a full-coverage design and the fly is huge. The porch is with three entry doors, so the tent is very functional. Please read more in my full review.

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2. EXIO 6-Person Compact Backcountry Tent

The Exio tent has the word ‘compact’ in its name and this refers to its inner tent area which is quite small and you have 80 ft² (7.4 m²) there. But this is an extended dome style design, and the tent comes with two vestibules. The front vestibule looks like a porch, so you have extra 70 ft² (6.5 m²) of the fully protected area. As you realize, this makes it a quite luxurious option for camping, both for groups and for families.

The fly of this tent is full coverage as you see from the picture above, it goes all the way to the ground and you are fully protected. You have 2000 mm waterproof rating on the fly and 3000 mm in its bathtub floor, so these are great numbers, certainly good enough for any 3-season use.

One of the great features of this tent is its price. You can get it for half of the money needed to buy any of its closest competitors, and I am pretty sure this is not on the account of quality. This is a very reliable tent, please see more in my full review.

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3. ALPS Mountaineering Taurus 5 Outfitter Tent 

This is a 5-person tent so the inner area which it offers is only 80 ft² (7.44 m²). But the two vestibules add 32 ft² (3.25 m²), so the total protected area is 112 ft² (10.7 m²), and you have 22.4 ft² (2.14 m²) per person. The materials used in the construction are very durable, the floor is no less than 210D nylon and the fly is 75D polyester. The poles are a high-quality aluminum.

The waterproof rating for the floor and the fly is 1500 mm and with such a full fly you have a complete protection from elements. There are only very small mesh sections on the inner tent, so it is better suited for a cooler environment. Please see more in my full review.

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4. Eureka Boondocker Hotel 6 Tent

The Boondocker tent is high in the list here because of its modest inner tent area which is only 82 ft² (7.6 m²). But make no mistake, this tent has two huge vestibules. In fact, one of them is a true garage and the total space per person is 23 ft² (2.16 m²). This is a new tent on the market which they launched in 2018.

The tent is with a unique detail here in the list and this is related to its full coverage fly. It has a window on the fly and it is with mesh and panel, and you have a zipper on the inner tent to get to this external window to close it when needed.

You have two entrance doors and one window. The waterproof rating is 1800 mm for the fly and 3000 mm for the floor. So the tent offers a full protection in a 3-season use. Please read more in my full review.

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5. Kelty Trail Ridge 6 Person Tent

The Trail Ridge 6 tent is a very typical dome style tent with a simple X-shape poles structure, and an easy setup. The structure is freestanding and very lightweight. So this is an excellent choice if you need to carry it to some shorter distances. Note that there is also a bigger cousin of this tent, the Kelty Trail Ridge 8 with the same features, so no need to present it separately.

Note that the gear loft is included as well as the footprint. As you see from the picture above, the tent is with a stargazing design. You have two doors and two vestibules, so the tent offers lots of space for the storage of gear. You have 82 ft² (7.62 m²) of the inner floor area, plus 34 ft² (3.2 m²) under the two vestibules.

The fly is the main point of the story, so indeed, it is a full coverage type, and the mentioned vestibules are the part of it. All in all, this is a really simple but reliable tent from a renown brand.

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6. Marmot Limestone 6

The Limestone 6 is somewhat similar to the Kelty Trail Ridge tent, so here again, you have a dome type tent. Though the poles are of a different design and the walls are quite vertical, and it looks almost like a cabin type tent. This is a very lightweight and freestanding structure, completely reliable and suitable for any weather conditions in a 3-season use.

You have 2 doors and the tent is covered with a top-quality waterproof fly which creates two vestibules. The total inner area is 83.3 ft² (7.75 m²) and the two asymmetric vestibules create additional 27 ft² + 12 ft² (2.5 m² + 1.1 m²) of a fully protected area.

Note that you have 3000 mm waterproofness rating for the floor, and 1500 mm for the full coverage fly.

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7. Mountainsmith Conifer 5 Plus Tent

The Conifer 5 Plus tent is a 5-person extended-dome style lightweight and portable hiking and backpacking tent. With its full coverage fly and the impressive waterproof rating, this tent offers a full protection from elements. Note that you have 2000 mm for the fly and 5000 mm for the floor.

The inner area is not particularly big, you have 84 ft² (7.75 m²) but the tent is with two vestibules that add 33 ft² (3.1 m²). So this is plenty of the protected area. I mentioned it was portable, so indeed you have 14.69 lb (6.7 kg) and it is also nicely packable. Please read more in my full review.

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8. Eureka Midori Basecamp 6 Tent

The Eureka Midori is an incredibly lightweight tent and nicely packable. This is a very simple design but it offers all you need for occasional camping tours. Its weight makes it a very versatile option, suitable even for hiking and backpacking tours.

The structure is freestanding and the inner area is 85 ft² (7.9 m²), so it offers a bit more than the models above. But you also have 2 vestibules which provide 38 ft² (3.5 m²) in total. Please see more in my full review.

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9. Eureka X-Loft 6 Person Tent

It is unusual to see a tunnel type tent in this group, and this X-Loft 6 person tent is exactly this. So this is a double-layer structure with an inner tent and a full-coverage fly. When covered with the fly it looks like a dome tent.

The tent offers 85 ft² (7.9 m²) in the inner tent and there are also two vestibules with the total area of 46.5 ft² (4.3 m²). So the total covered area is 131.5 ft² (12.2 m²) and this is quite a lot of useful space. The waterproof rating is 1800 mm for the fly and 2000 mm for the floor. This is quite decent for a normal 3-season camping. Please read more in my full review.

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10. Kelty Sequoia 6 Person Tent

The Sequoia 6 Tent is a completely new model that they launched in February 2018. The full fly is quite unusual to see in such a tall structure – you have  82 inches (208 cm) the peak height here. This makes it very livable of course. The inner floor area looks relatively small, so you have 87 ft² (8 m²), but see the vestibule – it offers another 42 ft² (3.9 m²) of the covered space.

So this is an impressive tent which offers a full protection; the waterproof rating is 1800 mm for the fly and for the floor. The poles are incredibly durable steel material. The packed size is also impressive, please see more in my review.

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11. Mountain Hardwear Optic 6 Tent

The Optic 6 tent is an unusual design with two doors positioned next to each other around the same corner. This creates a large angle for views around. This must be the reason for the word optic in the name.

The two vestibules are asymmetric and one allows for the awning configuration which you can see in the picture. You have all quality materials here, and those include DAC DA-17 aluminum poles.

The waterproof rating is impressive, 3000 mm for the fly and the floor, so this tent provides full protection in a 3-season use. The tent provides 86 ft² (8 m²) of the inner area, and there are also two asymmetric vestibules that add some covered space so the total protected area is 112.6 ft² (10.5 m²). Please follow the link below to read more.

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12. Kelty Outback 6 3-Season Camping Tent

The Kelty Outback 6 is a reliable and inexpensive entry-level tent, and a tent for occasional use for families and groups. This is a dome structure, very lightweight and with an easy setup.

The inner tent is mostly a mesh and on the floor, you have a 68D polyester and with the polyurethane coating. The same material is on the full-coverage fly. The waterproofness rating is quite appropriate for a 3-season use and you have 1800 mm. 

The tent is only with one door which is not so great, and the poles are fiberglass, so a bit of care is needed. But as I said, this is an entry-level tool. It offers 87 ft² (8.1 m²) of the inner floor area and an additional 22 ft² (2 m²) of the protected space under the vestibule. Note that it is only 6.9 kg of weight, so it is portable in backpacks if used by groups of friends.

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13. Big Agnes Tensleep Station 6 Tent

Here you have the new 2018 version of the famous tent from Big Agnes. The full coverage fly is with 1500 mm waterproof rating so you will surely be protected in any weather conditions in a 3-season use.

The tent is extended dome type and its declared capacity is 6 people. The floor area is 90 ft² (8.4 m²), but you also have two vestibules which provide 38.5 ft² + 10 ft² (3.6 + 0.9 m²). The main front vestibule is particularly functional and it allows for several awning configurations with the help of trekking poles, one is shown in the picture.

The packed size is also great 27 x 15 x 5 inches (68 x 38 x 12 cm), so you can transport it on a motorbike. Please see more in my detailed review.

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14. Mountainsmith Cottonwood 6P Tent

This tent is here in the list because of its fly, and it is indeed a full coverage type with a single but large vestibule which looks more like a porch than a vestibule. The waterproof rating is really good, 2000 mm for the fly and 5000 mm for the floor. The poles are aluminum. Now imagine all this for just some $160 or so as of the moment of writing this text.

The inner tent area is 90 ft² (8.4 m²) and the vestibule area is 29.5 ft² (2.7 m²). The declared capacity is 6 people, so this is quite enough space for all the users and their stuff. The weight is only 13 lb 5 oz (6.04 kg) and this is why I have included it in my list of the best 6-person backpacking tents.

The tent has some unique features, there are windows on the fly, with panels and mesh. The structure is freestanding but the porch has its own pole and it should be staked. Please follow the link for more.

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15. Big Agnes Flying Diamond 6 

This is one of the most versatile tents here and on the market in general, with many exceptional features. You have 2 rooms here, created by a removable divider.

The tent is an extended dome type, but it looks like a tunnel tent with the two entrances from the two ends. You have lost of space here; the inner floor area is 92 ft² (8.5 m²) and the two vestibules create 26 + 6 ft² (2.4 + 0.6 m²).

Inside, you have an incredible number of storage pockets, 16 in total. I do not remember any tent with so many storage elements.

The waterproof rating is great just like everything in this tent, so you have 1500 mm here thanks to its polyurethane coating. The poles are a top quality DAC product.

The full fly offers multiple configurations both on the vestibules and on the main tent body, you will see them in my full review, so please follow the link below. Ventilation is excellent due to no less than 6 vents on the fly. So this is a very versatile and reliable tent for a 3-season use.

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16. Marmot Halo 6P Tent

This interesting design includes an innovative encircling overhead pole and this is the reason for the word ‘halo’ in its name. The tent is formally a dome shape, but the extra halo pole shown in the picture above adds lots of interior volume.

You have no less than 96.7 ft² (9 m²). of the inner floor area here, plus 64 square feet (6 m²) under the vestibules. So this is a very livable construction with lots of floor and elbow room. Two large doors only add to this overall feeling. The poles are top-notch DAC Press-Fit aluminum.

You have ground level vents and an integrated fly vent, so this together with mesh on the walls and ceiling provides a really good ventilation. The walls material is a durable 68D polyester taffeta and the floor is 150D with 3000 mm waterproof rating. The mighty fly which creates two vestibules is a ripstop polyester 68D 210T with 1800 mm rating. The interior height is impressive for a dome tent, you have 76 inches (192 cm) in the center.

Note that they have a 4-person version in this series, and a footprint as well which can be ordered separately.

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17. Outwell Cloud 5 Encounter Tent 

The Cloud 5 tent is a 5-person structure with 2 rooms. So you have the inner tent with its own fully sewn-in and sealed floor, plus a front room with a removable bathtub floor.

You have 2 entry doors and 2 PVC tinted windows, plus 2 inner doors. Obviously, the shell (the fly) is a full coverage type and its waterproof rating is impressive 3000 mm. The floor is with 10000 mm waterproof rating.

The tent offers an area of 114 ft² (10.6 m²), and this is more than enough for 5 people. The poles are fiberglass. Please read more in my full review.

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18. Slumberjack Trail Tent 6

This Trail 6 tent is a simple dome structure with the inner area of 99 ft² (9.2 m²), but it also has two vestibules and when you add them to the numbers you get the total protected area of 154 ft² (14.4 m²), and this means 25.7 ft² (2.4 m²) per person.

The poles are fiberglass and the fabric is durable 75D polyester with 1200 mm waterproof rating for the fly and the floor. The tent has been on the market for a number of years already, there are many reports and everything is known about it. So you know what you buy, this is a reliable tent at a fair price. Please read more in my detailed review.

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19. ALPS Mountaineering Taurus 6 Tent

The Taurus 6 is from a series which includes tents for 2, 4, and 6 people. These are tents with a very simple structure, only 2 fiberglass poles, but you have 2 doors and 2 large vestibules. Note that the fly is with solid windows.

The tent is nicely positioned here in the list in view of its good size. The inner area is 100 ft² (9.3 m²) but you also have two vestibules which add 45.5 ft² (4.2 m²). So the total protected area is 145.5 ft² (13.5 m²).

The waterproof rating is very good, you have 1500 mm for the fly and 2000 mm for the floor. This is all quite durable polyester. Please read more in my full review.

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20. Marmot Limestone 8 Tent

The Limestone 8 is only by the name similar to its smaller cousin Limestone 6 presented above. In this case, you have an extended dome style tent with an extra room in the extended section which you see in the picture above. This is what makes this tent very special here in the group; it is formally a 2-room tent.

The tent has 2 doors and it is a very reliable tool for a 3-season use, with 5 DAC DA17 color-coded poles, and fully waterproof.

The floor area is 119 ft² (11.06 m²), and you have extra covered space under the two vestibules which add 27 ft² + 18 ft² (2.5 m² + 1.7 m²).

The picture above shows it with the fly which is with this front vestibule that allows for several configurations, including the awning setup.

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21. Coleman Octagon 98 Full Fly Tent

Here you have a cabin style tent with steep walls and with an interesting feature visible in the picture, and this is the hinged door on the front. The inner tent is mainly a mesh in the upper part, and the fly is with 6 vertical zippers which you can open and have panoramic views. It comes with a removable divider inside, so formally this is a 2-room tent.

The declared capacity is 8 people, but the floor area is only 122 ft² (11.3 m²), so better downgrade the capacity by half if you use it for family camping. The tent is really livable and pleasant, and it offers a full protection from elements. The rating by users on Amazon is exceptionally high, 4.5/5. Please see more in my detailed review.

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22. EXIO 8-Person Compact Backcountry Tent

The EXIO 8 is a very nicely built tent with the capacity of 8 people and with the design that makes it suitable for a 3.5 seasons use. Here you have 121.7 ft² (11.3 m²) of the inner floor area, plus a vestibule which provides additional 20.7 ft² (1.92 m²).

Obviously, the fly is a full-coverage type and I wish to stress the excellent ventilation achieved by 6 vents which you see in the fly. The tent is with 2 doors, one on each end and the bigger door is also with the mentioned vestibule.

The tent comes with several bonuses, and these include the footprint, the gear loft, and this together with a really fair price. The footprint allows for the fast fly variant. Yet another great feature is a series of wall pockets on each side of the tent, so you have plenty of options for organization.

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23. Chinook Titan Lodge Aluminum Tent – 8 Person

The Chinook Titan Lodge is in this list because of its full fly, but it is also a rather big and tall tent. So the hight is 88 inches (224 cm) which is not so frequent in dome style tents and its declared capacity is 8 people in the floor area of 140 ft² (13 m²). I have included it in my list of very tall tents.

This is a true 3-season freestanding tent with a strong frame created by 4 poles that have 5 intersections. The waterproof rating is 2000 mm. So clearly, it is designed to withstand lots of pressure. It has 2 rooms and 4 extra large doors. Such a luxury you will not see in many dome type tents on the market. The weight is 30 lb 4 oz (13.7 kg) and the packed size is 30.5 x 12 x 11.5 inches (77 x 30 x 29 cm). Please follow the link to read more.

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24. Arctic Oven Tent 6 with vestibule 

This tent is exceptional in many ways, so to start with its general shape first. You have a cabin style tent with very tall and steep walls. The structure looks freestanding, but obviously, to make it fully functional you have to stake it down.

This is also a winter tent in the best sense of this phrase, designed to work in any environment. A part of such a design is the stove pipe jack which you have on the roof. So the tent is built to be used with a wood stove.

Yet another feature that makes it completely different from other tents is the Vapex fabric used for the inner tent. This is a special breathable material, so the tent is without any mesh. But this material is what makes it a 4-season tent.

Back to the fly which is the main feature discussed in this text, this is again something exceptional. It is full size and you also have large flaps all around the perimeter and you can see them in the picture above, so you can press them by snow or by sand for extra protection against wind.

The tent offers 152 ft² (14.1 m²) of the inner area, plus 46 ft² (4.3 m²) in the vestibule. Note that this is one of the most expensive tents on the market, please see more in my full review.

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25. NTK Super Arizona GT Tent

The full coverage fly tents are usually smaller structures as you realize from the examples above. But this NTK Super Arizona is a great exception. You have 210 ft² (19.5 m²) of the floor area here and the tent is very tall, with the peak height of 83 inches (210 cm). If you feel that this is too big for you, note that they have also a 9-person version.

So this is a 2-room structure with an awning configuration and it is suitable for a 3-season use. It is quite elongated and it looks like a tunnel tent, but this is a rather specific extended dome tent. You have two entry doors here and the waterproof rating is quite impressive 2500 mm. I should add also that it comes with a really fair price tag. Please read more in my full review.

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Final thoughts

So this was my list of family camping tents with full rain fly, and as you realize you have a plethora of options to choose. This can be confusing indeed, so perhaps this may help a bit:

• All of them are 3-season tents, and they all provide full protection for such a use. So these are reliable tools, and you can only check their features in detail to see what suits you best, and check the prices as well.
• But some of them are even more than that, so you have the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 6 which is described as a 3-season-plus tent. Of course, one cannot avoid mentioning separately the Arctic Oven, which is a unique design for 4-seasons and with all features needed to use a stove in it; but it comes at a price.
• If you need some privacy in the tent, note that some of them have dividers to create rooms. You have this feature in the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 6 and also in the Marmot Limestone 8 Tent.
• The lightest option is the Eureka Midori 6 tent. This is also one of the most affordable and the most packable options.

So good luck in searching for your full fly tent. Please use the comment box below if you would want to add something or if you have some questions. I wish you a nice day.

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