Living closer to nature has always been a popular choice since the dawn of time. Today is no different, with many reasons being cited for the interest in a tent domicile in this day and age. Some people need a durable tent for travel jobs. Others are saving money and protecting their privacy by living ‘off the grid’. Backpacking and a simple wish to enjoy nature is another strong motivator.
Whatever your reasons, we’ve got you covered. Today we’re going to review some of the best tents available in order to help you to make an informed decision about which one is best for you.
Table of Contents
Comparison Table
| PRODUCT | FEATURES | LATEST PRICE |
|---|---|---|
1. Heimplanet: The Cave  |
| Check Price |
2. Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Tent  |
| Check Price |
3. Luxe Tempo 2-Person 4-Season Tent  |
| Check Price |
4. Rightline Gear SUV Tent  |
| Check Price |
5. Free Space Glamping Bell Yurt-style Tent  |
| Check Price |
6. Standing Room 64 Family Cabin Tent  |
| Check Price |
7. Coleman WeatherMaster 6-Person Tent  |
| Check Price |
8. Flytop 4 Season 1-2-person Tent  |
| Check Price |
9. NTK Laredo GT 8 to 9 Person tent  |
| Check Price |
10. Crua Core | 6 Person All Weather Insulated Camping Tent  |
| Check Price |
We’ll tell you their merits, perceived flaws, and which tent we thought the most deserving to be called the ‘Best tent to live in permanently for 2020’.
Without further ado, let’s meet the contenders!
Our Best Tent To Live In Permanently Reviews and Comparisons
1. Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Tent
Product Highlights
First up we have the Kodiak Flex-Bow which is made of marine-grade, durable cotton duck canvas and rated for 4 seasons (excepting extreme weather conditions). It is water-resistant, spacious enough for 8 people, and even has a canopy in front of the double-doors. It’s a roomy tent that will keep you warm and dry.
Features
- Dimensions:10 x 10 feet wide with a height of 6’6 feet
- Steel rod frame
- Puncture-resistant vinyl with welded seams
- Weight: 68 pounds
What We Like About the Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Tent
First off, we love the durability. This tent is built to last. It also is quite roomy inside and unless you are very tall you can stand up instead of hunching down. This is a huge plus if you are using a tent for long periods of time.
Four large, No-see-um mesh closable windows along with 2 tunnel vents mean that you won’t bake to death inside, either, providing great ventilation and keeping those pesky bugs at bay.
The water resistance is no joke for this tent. You can pitch it in 6 inches of water and the inside still stays dry.
What We Don’t Like About the Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Tent
If you are fairly nomadic the weight might be a bit hefty. That durable material means you’ll be toting 68 pounds of a tent with you wherever you go. You are also going to need to take some preventative measures if you use it somewhere humid, as it’s a little prone to mold and mildew otherwise. The rain also sounds loud hitting the material but that’s the price you pay for durability.
PROS
- Quite roomy
- Tough, durable material
- Well-ventilated
- The floor is tough against water damage
CONS
- A bit on the heavy side
- Mold and mildew prone in humid environs
- Amplified rain-volume
2. Luxe Tempo 2-Person 4-Season Tent
Product Highlights
A cozy 2-person tent with the nomad lifestyle in mind, the Luxe Tempo is a lightweight, 4-season tent that does the job nicely. Made of high-grade polyester and cross-stitched for extra durability, it utilizes aluminum framing and even comes with an awning in the front. If you want to live in nature without losing steam transporting your home then this is a good tent to consider.
Features
- Dimensions: 6.88 x 4.59 feet with a height of 3.6 feet
- No-see-um mesh windows with 2-way zippers
- 2 large vestibules included for gear
- Weight: 5.7 pounds
What We Like About the Luxe Tempo 2 Person 4-Season Tent
Setup is quick and easy and we love the corner gear pockets and central mesh pockets inside. The weather resistance is solid and it’s great in wet, windy, or cold conditions, as advertised, and the weight is perfect for those who like to spend a little time finding a scenic place to sleep.
What We Don’t Like About the Luxe Tempo 2 Person 4-Season Tent
With sleeping bags and gear this tent is better suited for couples, as it is going to be a tight fit for 2 friends. If you are taller than 6 feet and 2 inches then you might be a little uncomfortable as well. The zippers are nice for being 2-way but they aren’t the most durable so you must be careful with them.
PROS
- Quick setup
- Mesh pockets and huge vestibules
- Keeps you warm and dry
- Negligible pack weight
CONS
- Bit small for 2 people
- Also small for tall people
- Needs better zippers
3. Heimplanet: The Cave
Product Highlights
If you like the idea of a tent that sets up in under 10 minutes and can resist winds of up to 110 miles per hour, then Heimplanet’s ‘The Cave’ might be the right tent for you. With a geodesic dome design built out of modular air-beams, this inflatable shelter is quite durable.
The inflatable portions are housed in tough polyester fabric and may be divided for additional durability.
It fits 3 people comfortably or you can fit a queen-size inflatable mattress inside if there are just 2 of you and this tent will definitely keep you snug and dry.
Features
- Dimensions: 54 square feet dome with 3.33 feet interior height
- Innovative inflatable design for quick setup and high wind resistance
- Inflatable bladders easy to repair and protected with polyester
- Weight: 10.58 pounds
What We Like About Heimplanet’s ‘The Cave’
Setup is a breeze, taking about 6 to 10 minutes with your pump. Just unroll it like you would a sleeping bag, start the inflation, and then stake it down. At 11 pounds it’s pretty light, too, and the wind-resistance is phenomenal. You can camp in Colorado during a storm and stay cozy and warm inside.
If you are worried it might ‘pop’, don’t be. Once you’ve got it inflated you can divide that air-frame into separate sections so that it can’t be easily compromised. If you want a tent a little on the space-age side, consider the Cave.
What We Don’t Like About Heimplanet’s ‘The Cave’
You can store your shoes but that’s about it for the vestibules, your packs are going on the floor. The tent itself is light but you will have some additional weight depending on which pump you choose, so this is another thing to consider. No standing up without hunching down inside, either.
PROS
- Speedy setup without fussing with poles
- The tent is quite light
- Super wind-resistant
- Inflatable frame ‘segments’ to maximize durability
CONS
- More storage would be nice
- The pump needs to be factored into the overall carrying weight
- Sleeping room but little headroom
4. Rightline Gear SUV Tent
Product Highlights
The Rightline Gear SUV Tent is a clever tent that gives you plenty of space for sleeping 4 in one section while another 2 sleep in the SUV to which the tent is attached. It’s not only long and wide, but tall, and pet lovers can even use that extra section to keep their beloved pets dry if space is not otherwise needed.
You also get a lantern hook, pockets, and glow in the dark zippers on the No-see-um mesh windows. It’s a unique solution for the SUV nomads out there and we like it.
Features
- Dimensions: 8 x 8 feet and with a height of 7.2 feet
- Attaches to SUV to take advantage of vehicle sleeping space
- Roomy enough to sleep or stand
- Weight:19.8 pounds
What We Like About the Rightline Gear SUV Tent
We like the clever design, as there aren’t a lot of tents of this sort out there to choose from. While it can house 6, if you have fewer people then it is quite spacious, and you definitely stay dry inside as this tent doesn’t seem to leak at all. It is quite wind-resistant as well and seems to lock securely with many types of SUVs.
A great and unique choice for road nomads, in our opinion.
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What We Don’t Like About the Rightline Gear SUV Tent
While it does lock on well, it incorporates mesh in this and we’re a little worried about eventual wear and tear in this regard. The mesh component also creates a weak spot that insects can potentially exploit which might require some creative workarounds. Finally, the duffel is a bit tight for this tent and a larger one would have been nice for easier packing after a trip.
PROS
- Unique design
- Lots of space
- Dry and comfortable inside
- Quite wind-resistant
CONS
- Potential wear and tear issues for SUV attachment
- While generally snug, fitting may allow insects on some SUV fittings
- Carry bag a little small
5. Free Space Glamping Bell Yurt-style Tent
Product Highlights
Looking for a little luxury? This Free Space Bell Yurt-style tent can sleep 4 people or host 8 of them sitting in chairs. It’s made of a durable cotton canvas that breathes well and is excellent for all 4 seasons and fit for long-time use. The groundsheet unzips for a little ambiance somewhere scenic and best of all, this yummy Yurt is quite easy to set up.
Why not ‘rough it’ in style, after all?
Features
- Dimensions: 13 foot wide and 8.2 feet high in the center
- Yurt style offers great form and function
- Breathable cotton canvas
- Weight: 43 pounds
What We Like About the Free Space Glamping Bell Yurt-style Tent
We like the general atmosphere of this tent. You feel like a proper nomad instead of like you are trapped in a cloth box. It seems to keep the rain out, as the cotton fabric is treated to be resistant and we didn’t experience any leaks. Setup only takes 15 minutes and can be done alone or with help and the groundsheet is pretty solid and tear-resistant.
What We Don’t Like About the Free Space Glamping Bell Yurt-style Tent
Windows can leak during very prolonged storms (many hours) so a makeshift rainfly of some sort might be a good idea. The weight means that it’s definitely not a backpacking tent and while you can set it up in 15 minutes once you are familiarized there is a bit of a learning curve. The first time will probably take about 45 minutes.
PROS
- Form and function in one stylish tent
- Water-resistant for moderate use
- 15-minute setup
- The solid floor will not tear easily
CONS
- Prolonged inclement weather may produce leaky windows
- Too heavy to be considered portable
- Setup proficiency requires patience
6. Standing Room 64 Family Cabin Tent
Product Highlights
Essentially a ‘cloth house,’ the Standing Room 64 Family Cabin Tents gives you a lot of room and it is modular. You can add other components, such as a gazebo, but by itself, you’ve got an interior roomy enough for 4 people with 4 storage pockets, outlets for plugs, huge mesh windows, and 2 doors. It’s also waterproof so your roomy docile stays warm and dry.
Features
- Dimensions: 10 x 10 feet and 8.2 feet high
- Waterproof, durable fabric
- Modular
- Weight: 8.15 pounds
What We Like About the Standing Room 64 Family Cabin Tent
We like that it’s lightweight and yet roomy and the modular aspect is great as well. You can add functionality to it and it feels much less like a tent and more like an ‘alternative house’ and this is definitely preferred for long-term camping. The velcro opening for power outlets means you can work with an automobile to get a little electricity and the setup is a breeze.
It’s not a tent, it’s a cloth cabin!
What We Don’t Like About the Standing Room 64 Family Cabin Tent
This is designed for a 10 x 10 slant canopy, such as produced by companies like ‘EZ-Up’, so the additional purchase of the frame is required. The zippers sometimes have to be reseated and this leads to potential tear worries, so we wish they were of better quality.
PROS
- Lightweight and roomy
- Modular design means that upgrade and customization possible
- Setup is quick and easy
- Outlet covers mean you can have power!
CONS
- Zippers felt a little cheap
- 10 x 10 canopy frame not included
7. Coleman WeatherMaster 6-Person Tent
Product Highlights
The Coleman Weathermaster 6-person tent is a spacious offering from a name that has earned a lot of trust over the years. It offers a screening room, great for stowing gear or grabbing snacks in a ventilated area and the interior space is big enough for inflatable queen-sized mattresses.
Weathertec sealing helps to keep you warm and dry and the E-port on these tents allows you to easily access a power source. The floor is polyethylene and it has a polyester taffeta rainfly as well.
About what you’d expect from Coleman, it’s solid and functional.
Features
- Dimensions: Main – 11 x 9 feet and 6 feet 8 in. high Screen room -9 x 6 feet
- Weathertec system to protect fabric and seams
- Hinged doors
- Wind-strong fiberglass and steel frame
- Weight: 32 pounds
What We Like About the Coleman WeatherMaster 6-Person Tent
First off, more tents should have hinged doors. Not having to zip or unzip a tent is a delight and we’re surprised we don’t see it more. The Weathertec system covers a lot of standards, such as waterproof flooring, zipper and seam protection, Velcro wind fly attachment, and more. Coleman also has a ‘comfort system’ that allows you some solid control over ventilation. Setup is also made quick and easy with a color-coding system.
Well played as always, Coleman.
What We Don’t Like About the Coleman WeatherMaster 6-Person Tent
While overall a great product, there are a number of reported issues with the seams so you may want to consider a few preventative sealing treatments in advance. Also, while this tent is pretty good at keeping you dry it doesn’t seem to retain a lot of heat and might not be a good choice for the mountains or other areas with robust winter weather.
PROS
- Hinged doors!
- Weathertec standards help make this tent more durable than most
- Great ventilation control
- Quick and easy setup
CONS
- Seam durability seems hit or miss with this model
- Can get a bit chilly inside
8. Flytop 4 Season 1-2-person Tent
Product Highlights
The Flytop 4 season 1-2 person tent is a great choice for backpacking nomads in milder climes. It’s lightweight, offers excellent resistance to the elements, and comes in a wide range of colors if you feel like having a little fun with your portable dwelling. Setup is quick and easy and won’t prompt you to swear after a solid day of hiking.
Not a lot of bells and whistles but it’s a solid tent that does what it’s supposed to do.
Features
- Dimensions: 4.9 x 6.9 feet and 3.7 feet high
- Resistant to cold, wind, rain, and sediment
- Quick setup
- Awning
- Excellent portability
- Weight: 5.9 pounds
What We Like About the Flytop 4 Season 1-2-person Tent
We like that this backpacking tent does its job. The inside is good at keeping you warm and dry. Setup is quick and painless, as is carrying it around all day. At just under 6 pounds you really won’t notice it unless you pack a lot of things anyway. The awning is short and sweet and great for shoes or a little cooking-cover.
All in all, The Flytop is a nice little tent for nomads of the wild.
What We Don’t Like About the Flytop 4 Season 1-2-person Tent
You might want to bring your own stakes, as the included ones can easily bend if the ground is a little hard. Larger vestibules would have been nice as well, as there is only room for a backpack and some shoes.
PROS
- Great in all kinds of weather
- Easy to set up and put away
- Lightweight
- Comes with a convenient awning
CONS
- Needs better stakes
- Larger vestibules would be nice
9. NTK Laredo GT 8 to 9 Person tent
Product Highlights
The NTK Laredo is a roomy, durable, and weather-resistant mobile-dwelling for up to 9 people. It’s got an antifungal floor, mesh protection from insects, and good headroom for most people who will be using it. The poles are a proprietary fiberglass compound that NTK apparently stands by, as they come with a lifetime replacement warranty.
Roomy, rugged, and it comes with guarantees. That’s always something we like to hear.
Features
- Dimensions: 10 x 15 feet and 6.2 feet high
- Antifungal flooring
- E-port for cabling
- Galvanized steel parts with fiberglass frame
- Weight: 23.59 pounds
What We Like About the NTK Laredo GT 8 to 9 Person tent
Even when it’s raining cats and dogs you are going to stay bone-dry inside and it’s nice in a world with so many leaky tents. We like the lantern-hook and interior pockets and the copious space inside. Even if you don’t decorate much you have a lot of space for your gear or even things like firewood. The mesh is also of excellent quality, keeping those bugs out without reducing visibility when you want to look out.
Read Related Topic: Best Canopy Tent for Vendors
What We Don’t Like About the NTK Laredo GT 8 to 9 Person tent
While the overall setup is a breeze, there is a bit of a learning curve with the awning and if you don’t set it up right then it’s only going to get in your way. There is also only one window. This is not too big of a deal since the inner-tent is composed of mesh with the rainfly component placed over so it is a comfortable tent.
Still, at least one more window would have been nice.
PROS
- Keeps you dry even in persistent storms
- Pockets and a lantern hook help you stow and illuminate
- This tent is truly spacious
- Quality mesh used in inner tent design
CONS
- Awning setup can be exacting
- Not enough windows
10. Crua Core | 6 Person All Weather Insulated Camping Tent
Product Highlights
Our final entry is a strong one, this Crua-Core tent is spacious enough for 6 people and it doesn’t discriminate against the tall people in this regard. Like the Cave, it’s got an airframe, as well as extra installation, great ventilation, and superior resistance to the elements. Setup takes just minutes and it’s surprisingly portable for a 6-person habitat. It’s also nice, if rare, not having to fight with cheap, inferior zippers.
This is a solid tent that you’ll still love in the morning.
Features
- Dimensions: 16 x 12 feet and 7.5 feet high
- Airframe technology
- Added insulation
- Genuinely rugged
- Weight: 33 pounds
What We Like About the Crua Core | 6 Person All Weather Insulated Camping Tent
With an easy setup, roomy interior, and truly rugged construction that incorporates extra insulation for your comfort it’s almost impossible not to like this tent. You can attach the vestibule to a vehicle if you like and it even integrates seamlessly with many other Crua models.
We like this tent a lot.
What We Don’t Like About the Crua Core | 6 Person All Weather Insulated Camping Tent
The adaptors for the pump don’t fit as snugly and securely as we might like, making a 2-person setup more ideal so that someone can focus on keeping the hose properly attached. Putting it up needs to be done meticulously so that all air is completely removed before you stow it, otherwise, it’s not going to fit in the bag.
Pretty minimal as complaints go but you never know what someone might find to be a deal-breaker.
PROS
- Setup in minutes
- Big and Tall
- Extra insulation for comfort
- Upgradeable via other Crua models
CONS
- Pump air hose sometimes slips out
- You have to carefully get all the air out until you’re used to stowing this model
Final Verdict
With so many tents with nice features, which model gives you the best tent for permanent living? Surprisingly, for once it was quite an easy decision for us to make.
The Cave was pretty cool and came close but not close enough to win. Instead, we have to salute the other airframe tent on the list. The Crua Core 6-person tent reigns today as our official favorite from this list. It is built to last and incorporates convenience, form, and function into an almost flawless finished product.
If you only need it for a month then just about any tent will do but if you want something that will last and probably inspire neighbors and friends to get their own tents then we highly suggest you get a Crua Core.
You’ll be happy that you did.
BUYER’S GUIDE
When it comes to serious camping for long periods of time then you need to keep a few things in mind if you want a sustainable lifestyle choice instead of potentially expensive frustration. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when selecting a rugged tent that won’t wear it out on you anytime soon.
Location, location, location
If you are staying on your own land and building a house then you can easily pick a prime spot and have a good idea already of what the weather is commonly like. This gives you an idea if you will need to give the tent special treatments to increase UV or water protection, for instance, or extra durable flooring.
If you have a more nomadic lifestyle then portability needs to come with ruggedness. Consider if the tent is going to be in a fairly static or a highly variable combination of environs to help you decide what you really need.
Size and Weight
If you are going to be transporting a heavy tent to use with a vehicle then weight might not be such a big deal for you. If you are backpacking, however, then that is a game-changer and you need to consider what you can carry comfortably. You might have to skip some features of larger tents to accommodate this need so be prepared.
Size is also a big deal, no pun intended. If you are going to be living long-term in your tent you need to think about how tall it is, for one thing. A tent that isn’t tall enough means you’ll be stooping down quite a lot when you are using it.
Size also decides what sort of useful items can be stored inside, away from the elements, and for a sustainable long-term plan, this is something else that you need to consider.
Elemental resistance
You don’t want your tent to leak, period. UV rays are also a concern that people tend to forget since tents are generally a ‘nature vacation’ concern. When you are spending full-time living in one, that UV exposure becomes a critical consideration because cracking and other damage may occur.
You also want to ensure that you retain heat when it’s cold and that you have proper ventilation when it\s warm, so pay close attention to feedback on tents which you are considering if you don’t have a lot of experience. These are things that you don’t want to learn the hard way.
Choose the right materials and check out the stitching
Durable fabrics cost more but have a huge advantage over a lot of the cheap plastics that get used in some tents. This means that if there is some patching that needs to be done on the fly then this is something feasible, rather than a panicked, Band-Aid response.
You should also invest in some tools to this effect. You’ll want to have a patching kit. You want to be familiar with products that seal seams and other areas of the tent from water, such as Scotch guard.
Finally, check the stitching and overall construction. Look for durable cross-stitching, for instance. Look for durable zippers, especially the covered kind, because those covers help to keep them lasting longer and if you spot cheap zippers then you’ve locating ripping risk right off the bat.
Check the thickness of the floor and consider anti-fungal coating. Hose off the tent before your first use to ensure there isn’t a leak incident waiting to happen.
Simply put, go with a durable fabric, learn how to take care of it and to protect it, and test it frequently. This is how you can choose and keep a tent that will last a long time!
Passionate about the outdoors. He has accrued a wealth of experience and knowledge in naturalism, outside adventures, ski instruction, and writing. In addition to exploring the outdoors, he enjoys backpacking and camping.