Imagine you, on a family camping trip in the woods, secured in your tent when it’s pouring outside. It is rather unfortunate, but at least you’re safe inside.
And while everybody’s chilling, the tent shows heavy leakage, and water starts to get in.
Horrifying, right? Well, it can easily turn into a reality and not the only dreadful scenario if you’re not equipped with the best tents.
But by solid tents, do I mean those extravagant, luxury tents that promise a lot and cost too much?
Not at all! Hell! You can even get the best tent under 100$!
Yeah, I’m not crazy.
After a lot of scouring the market, testing, and heeding pro campers’ opinions, I’ve come up with this list of the best budget tents that are well under $100 and won’t make you sell your kidneys.
Best Tent Under $100 Review
From this list, you will find a suitable tent according to your needs and preferences well under $100.
#1. Coleman 4-Person Sundome Tent
Specification Summary
- Material: Polyguard 2x fabric
- Dimension: 108” x 84” x 59”
- Capacity: 4 people
- Weight: 4 pounds
- Additional Items: Rainfly, Carry bag
Need supplies for your outdoor ventures? Rely on Coleman, as they can provide everything you’ll need to have a beautiful experience on your adventure.
Coleman is a prominent brand that sells mainly outdoor supply products like tents, portable coolers, sleeping bags, portable lights, furniture, and many more.
This particular 4-person Coleman tent is one of the greatest tent deals you can get spending less than 100$, guaranteed.
If you are looking for the easiest tent to set up, this is the one for you.
With an area dimension of 9 x 7 feet and a center height of 4 feet 11 inches, the backpacking tent is very spacious and comfortable for 3 people.
For 4 people, it might be a little tight, but it’s manageable. This tent will be your perfect shelter for going camping on warm sunny days.
Available large windows and ground vents provide ample scope of airflow and ventilation, keeping the inside of the tent cool and cozy.
Don’t worry about getting caught in a dire rainy situation because the tent is equipped with welded corners and covered seams to keep the interior of the tent dry.
A rainfly comes with the tent to keep your tent entrance and other parts more secure when raining.
Made of quality grade fabric, the tent has high wind resistance also that’s why it is also included in my list of the best tents for high wind.
You can set up this tent relatively fast and with great ease. Tent walls come equipped with mesh pockets to hold your essentials together in one place, within hand reach.
The tent also comes equipped with an E-Port. With the help of an extension cord, bring a power supply inside your tent to make your little shelter more convenient and comfier.
#2. MOON LENCE Pop Up Family Camping Tent
Specification Summary
- Material: Polyurethane fabric
- Weight: 4.9 kg
- Dimension: 5” x 82.6” x 49.2”
- Capacity: 4 people
- Color: Green
Another trustworthy vendor for your outdoor venture supplies is the brand MOON LENCE.
The brand has a rich collection of quality tents, camping chairs, portable hand carts, backpacks, and many more.
This backpacking tent from MOON LENCE is an exceptionally good choice because of how compact and convenient its design is.
Its instant pop-up mechanism lets you make the tent ready within 1 minute only. The packaging comes with a carry bag to easily carry the tent around.
Camping trips with family never disappoint when it comes to luggage quantity, and trust me, I know how that feels.
This tent won’t add much insult to your injury, as it weighs only 4.9 kg.
Although the tent is designed for 4 people, there’s barely enough room for that in reality.
Having an area dimension of 94.5″ x 82.6″ and height of 49.2″, it is decently cozy for 3 people and roomy for 2 people.
This tent is a really comfortable option for trips planned for 2-3 members. Durability and wind resistance of your tent are qualities you need to keep in check.
Made of 190T water-resistant polyurethane fabric and an additional 210D Oxford Ground, 200 mm thick sheet having great water and UV resistance, the tent provides you extreme security against rain, sun, and harsh wind; no extra rain fly is necessary.
Lots of air ventilation is available in the tent due to having large doors and ground vents, which will keep your interior cool and fresh even on a warm, sunny, or rusty, rainy day.
Packaging comes with 10 alloy stakes and 4 guy lines for a more secure setup.
#3. Coleman 4-Person Skydome Tent
Specification Summary
- Material: Nylon
- Dimension: 96” x 84” x 56”
- Weight: 4.9 kg
- Capacity: 4 people
- Color: Blue
Coleman makes it into our list with another one of their innovative products again.
This professional backpacking tent is a bit pricier than my first pick Coleman 4-Person Sundome Tent, as this one comes with some additional features and benefits.
This tent is very spacious, but there’s not enough room for four people to stay. For 3 people, it’s roomy and comfortable, with a large dimension of 96″ x 84″ x 56″.
Walking around is more convenient in this tent because the walls on the side are more vertical than typical Coleman tents, which gives 20% more headroom area.
Due to its tub-like floor, which means waterproof fabric is fitted on the surface, water doesn’t pool under the tent-like typical backpacking tents when it’s raining.
Also, the welded corners and inverted seams provide solid protection against water and keep the tent interior dry during a rainy day.
Rely on its durability without any worry because its strong framework can withstand a harsh windy day.
Wasting your time setting up a complicated tent rather than spending those precious moments with your loved ones is the last thing you want to do on a family trip.
Setting up this tent is a very expedient and time-saving process, thanks to the pre-attached poles that come with it. It’ll only take 5 minutes.
The mesh body and wider doors provide excellent air ventilation, so extra vents aren’t necessary.
Wider doors also allow you to easily move your beds, gears, and camping equipment in and out of the tent.
Being lightweight and easier to carry are other good reasons among many for this tent to be your sweet portable home at the campsite.
Lastly, don’t forget to check out our comparison review of Coleman Sundome Vs Skydome.
#4. Coleman Instant Setup Cabin Tent
Specification Summary
- Material: Polyester, Polyethylene, Fabric
- Weight: 18 pounds
- Dimension: 96” x 84” x 59”
- Capacity: 4 people
- Additional Components: Stakes, Carrying bag
From Coleman’s quality and reliable set of camping products, another one makes it into our list, and it’s a bit pricier than the rest.
And I know you’ve been looking for budget tents, but I had to include this one in the list because of how good a value deal it is for its price.
This tent is a 3-4 season tent, meaning it is well equipped to face the unbearable wrath of the sun as well as the arrival call of early winter.
Having integrated darkroom technology, the tent blocks 90% of the sunlight, which keeps the inside of your tent dark and doesn’t let temperature build-up.
With this tent by your side, you can go camping in the hottest of places without a worry in the world. This tent comes with a tub-like floor to prevent water pooling beneath the tent when raining.
It also has welded corners and covered seams to give you protection on a rainy day. Integrated rainfly provides further protection from rain without hindering any airflow.
This tent is on the list of budget tents under $100 because it is a very good value deal that will provide you tremendous protection in dreadful weather situations.
Although the capacity says 4 people, it is actually suitable for 2-3 people to stay in comfortably. Its double fabric body is long-lasting and durable against the wind.
As this is an instant setup tent, you can set this tent up using the pre-assembled poles, easily under 1 minute.
Carry it around with great convenience using the package-included carrying bag.
#5. Coleman 2-Person Sundome Tent
Specification Summary
- Material: Polyester mesh
- Dimension: 60” x 84” x 48”
- Weight: 3.4 kg
- Capacity: 2 people
- Additional Items: Rainfly, Carry bag
When it comes to budget backpacking tents and value deals regarding camping equipment, none comes as par with the brand Coleman.
It’s not surprising that another one of their products has made its way into my list.
So far, we’ve discussed the best backpacking tents suitable for a family or group of 3-4 members.
But maybe you’re a bachelor and a solo camper who loves to lose themselves into the vastness of nature, or maybe you and your partner just want to get away from your cacophonous city and spend time somewhere; bucolic, and you might be thinking, what about me?
This dome-type tent from Coleman is a very good choice for 1-2 people, which will provide you with reliable protection from harsh weather.
Welded corners and floors and covered seams will help keep the water out while raining.
An extra rainfly is included with the packaging, which provides further protection from the rain.
The robust framework consisting of insta-clip pole attachment can withstand great wind force and allow fast and easy setup.
Ventilation inside the tent is an essential point to be cautious about, especially in the summertime, when a lack of airflow can heat your tent to a very uncomfortable level.
The tent comes with large windows and ground vents with an adjustable Vari-Flo technique for superior air ventilation that keeps your tent cool and refreshing.
E-port allows bringing power supply into the tent. For being lightweight, you can easily carry this tent for your camping trips.
Depending on your preference, it may be a little tight to stay in for two people, but it’s very roomy and cozy for a solo camper.
#6. CAMPROS 8-Person Camping Tent
Specification Summary
- Material: Polyester fabric, PU coating
- Dimension: 168” x 108” x 72”
- Weight: 17.4 pounds
- Capacity: 8 people
- Seasons: 3 seasons
- Additional Items: Rainfly, Stakes, Carry bag, Guy lines
If you’re planning to go on a camping trip with a large group of friends and don’t want to split for a night’s stay, I may have found the perfect option for you. This product is the best 8-person tent by tent specialist brand CAMPROS.
CAMPROS is a prominent brand focused solely on selling backpacking tents. They can provide you with good quality tents for good value according to your needs.
This tent is very spacious and can accommodate 8-9 people at most. 8 large sleeping bags or 3 queen-sized air beds easily fit in it.
For a luxuriously comfortable stay, it is fit for 6 people. With a center height of 6′, it is very convenient to stand and walk around in the tent.
A zipper system white curtain hangs from the ceiling to divide the tent into two separate rooms.
Want to host a scary movie night in the woods? The curtains are perfect as a screen to watch movies using a projector.
The tent comes with a huge mesh door, 5 large mesh windows, and a mesh top.
Mesh doors and windows allow excellent air circulation inside the tent and also protect you from mosquitos and other bugs.
This tent is made of robust 185T polyester fabric with an additional 1000 mm coating of polyurethane hydrostatic. It is durable against wind and will protect you in light rain.
The tent is easy to set up and carry. 2 people can effortlessly set it up in under 5 minutes.
Packaging comes with additional stakes and guy lines for a secure setup.
#7. Londtren 4-Person Easy Pop-Up Tent
Specification Summary
- Material: Nylon, Polyester fabric
- Dimension: 110” x 78” x 51”
- Weight: 3.7 kg
- Capacity: 4 people
- Additional Items: Stakes, Carrying bag, Wind ropes
Another trustworthy vendor for your outdoor adventure and tour supplies is the brand Londtren.
They sell cheap but good quality tents, picnic blankets, sleeping bags, etc.
Pop-up tents are getting popular day by day because of their effortless setup procedure. Our choice this time is a pop-up tent brought to you by Londtren.
This tent is a very convenient choice because it is spacious and setup-friendly.
With a large area dimension of 9.2 x 6.5 feet, the tent is comfortable for 4 people to stay in. For 3 people, it’s very roomy.
For setting up this tent, you won’t have to put in any time and effort at all.
Just open the bag, leave it be, and go enjoy your time; the instant pop-up mechanism and pre-assembled poles will do the job for you.
With a front door, a back door, and 2 side windows, all mesh, the tent gets very good air circulation and protection from bugs.
All doors and windows have nylon seals for cold weather or when privacy is necessary.
The tent is made of nylon, with covered seams made of 190T polyester fabric which provides great protection against UV rays, strong wind, and rain.
8 tent stakes and 4 wind ropes of 3 mm thickness come with the packaging.
A vestibule comes with the tent to keep your muddy shoes and dirty or wet clothes separate from the main tent.
It has storage pockets to keep your small essentials in one place and lantern hooks to hang your lanterns.
#8. Coleman Dome Tent With Screen Room
Specification Summary
- Material: Polyester fabric
- Interior Dimension: 120” x 120” x 68”
- Porch Dimension: 120″ x 60″
- Weight: 9.48 kg
- Capacity: 6 people
A tent with a screen room can be a game-changer for you on a warm sunny day or a hot summer night.
Coleman makes it into our list of budget tents again with another one of their exceptional products. This time it’s a spacious, dome-shaped tent with an additional screen-in-room.
Although the tent’s a bit pricey, it made into my list because of the amazing features, including the screen-in-room it provides at its price.
The tent’s said to be spacious enough for 6 people, and in reality, it is. Having a 10 x 10′ interior and a 10 x 5′ screened porch makes the tent very roomy and comfortable.
A separate screened-in room offers you extra ventilation and lounging without having to worry about bugs.
When camping on a particularly hot summer night, enjoy the flavor of cool outdoor while being protected inside the tent.
Apart from the screening room, there are two mesh window awnings for further air circulation in the tent, keeping the tent cool and fresh.
The durable tent is made of 75D polyester taffeta fabric, making it sturdy against strong wind.
Coleman’s usual protective measure from rain, welded corners, and inverted seams is embedded in this tent also. Inverted seams needle holes are unexposed from rain, making the tent longer lasting.
A rainfly is included with the tent, which provides full protection against heavy rainfall.
Mesh pockets attached to the tent wall are a place for your losable essentials.
The carry bag included in the packaging allows the tent to be easily carried around.
#9. CAMPROS 6-Person Camping Tents
Specification Summary
- Material: Polyester, Polyurethane
- Dimension: 132” x 84” x 72”
- Weight: 6.02 kg
- Capacity: 6 people
- Additional Items: Carry bag, Stakes, Guy lines, Rain fly
Tent specialist brand CAMPROS makes into our list again with one of their large family tents.
The tent is said to accommodate 6 people easily. With a large area dimension of 11′ x 7′ and a center height of 6′, this tent is a very spacious and cozy choice for your family and friends.
Its great center height allows you to walk around the tent freely with your head high.
The tent’s made of high quality and durable 185T polyester fabric, which gives reliable protection from strong wind and light rain.
An additional coating 1000 mm thick, high-tech coating of hydrostatic polyurethane fabric offers great water resistance keeping you safe in heavy rainfall.
On top of all this, the tent comes with an included rainfly for further protection from wind and rain.
This exceptional protection against harsh weather makes it the best tent under $100 for 6 people.
The tent is easy to set up and only takes 5-10 minutes to do so.
Also, the inside of the tent remains cool and fresh because the mesh door, top, and 4 large mesh windows allow great air circulation.
Enough stainless-steel stakes guy lines come with the packaging, which provides strong wind resistance.
The tent is comparatively lightweight and fits easily into the carry bag provided with the packaging.
Carry it with you to your trips and tours with great convenience.
#10. AsterOutdoor Family Camping Dome Tent
Specification Summary
- Material: Polyester fabric
- Dimension: 82.7” x 82.7” x 47.2”
- Weight: 5 kg
- Capacity: 2 people
- Additional items: Rainfly, Stakes, Carry bag
To meet different sorts of outdoor needs of yours and to enhance your backyard parties, try AsterOutdoor’s vast and versatile collection of quality products.
They sell tents, camping chairs, gazebos, canopies, shade sails, walk-in-greenhouse, and similar products.
The last product from my list of budget tents is a dome-shaped tent from AsterOutdoor.
The tent is made using 100% polyester fabric and is durable and sturdy against wind and light rain.
For further protection against dreadful weather, an 800 mm thick polyurethane rainfly along with robust stakes are provided with the tent.
The rainfly will keep your tent interior dry even in heavy rainfall.
Stargazers are in for a treat with this one. If you love gazing at the clear summer sky, full of stars and the moon, this is the one for you, as this one comes with a sky-view mesh roof feature.
The huge D-shaped mesh door provides great ventilation and also allows you to move your airbeds and camping gears in and out of the tent easily.
2 mesh side windows also allow great air ventilation, keeping the tent cool on a hot summer night.
Spacious enough for 2 people, the tent also has large gear pockets and a lantern hook for a more comfortable stay.
Solo trip or a lovers’ venture, this tent is an excellent choice as it’s also easy to carry and set up.
How To Choose What Tent To Buy?
Going camping with your family or loved ones is a fun and refreshing experience, and people often make some of the best memories of their lives when traveling.
But if things go south on a trip, the memories might become the worst ones.
So, it is important that you’re prepared for dire situations before a trip.
And one part of that leads to choosing the best cheap tent to buy for your camping trip.
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Tent Capacity
Before buying your tent, the first thing to ask is – will the tent space accommodate all your members.
Don’t blindly trust manufacturers, as they typically tend to oversell this point.
Usually, a tent that says it is capable of fitting 4 people is, in reality, comfortable for 2-3 people to stay in.
If your companions are claustrophobic or turn too much while sleeping, you might need to choose a bigger tent.
Height and headroom are other points to be careful about, as too short tents will hinder you’re walking around when needed, and it might feel suffocating.
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Seasonality
Choose your tent according to its seasonality so that you are equipped with proper measures against the harshest weather.
Tents are divided into 3 categories, 3 season tents, 3-4 season tents, and 4 season tents, according to their ability to withstand dreadful situations in certain seasons.
3 season tents are designed for summertime outings, when there is less chance of rain and almost no chance of snowing.
They are designed to keep you cool on a sunny day and protect you from rain and very light snow.
3-4 season tents are a little more equipped to defend against snowfall. You can use them during the autumn or spring when the snowfall starts to get more intense.
4 season tents are designed to keep you warm during a heavy snowy and windy day.
Typically, they are the most robust-built and used by mountain climbers.
Needless to say, 3 season tents are relatively cheaper, and they are the most popular ones too as most camping trips are arranged in summer.
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Safety And Security
Basically, you’d want to know beforehand if your tent can keep you cool when it’s too hot and sunny outside, keep you and your essentials dry when it’s raining or withstand heavy windy situations.
Guess what atrocity might come your way based on your camping spot and prepare accordingly.
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Design And Set-up
You won’t want to waste your time setting up a complicated tent when on a trip.
Nobody does! Moreover, imagine a heavy storm is coming; you’d want to pack things up and move to your car fast.
So, finding a tent that is not too complex to set up and easy to carry is really necessary.
Know what different types of tents are made of and how they work, like a dome, cabin, A-frame, pop-up, tunnel, etc.
Find the one to your liking, and then look for good vendors for solid products.
A friendly piece of advice, don’t feel shy to test your product to the fullest before purchasing.
How To Set Up A Tent
In short, let me explain to you some simple steps, the fundamental process of setting up a tent, and some other necessary basics that you need to know.
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The Base
Choose a flat, suitable spot, clean it, and then lay the base with a footprint or tarp.
Be wary about your tent’s orientation beforehand.
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Spreading And Staking
Lay your tent’s base across the tarp. Stretch two opposite corners until the tent floor is flat and stake them.
Nail the stake deep and at a 45° angle for maximum holding power. Once one side is done, stake the other two corners similarly.
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Assembling Poles
Unfold your tent’s pole segments. Check for the manual that will tell you which pole goes into which sleeve.
Finish inserting all the poles into their corresponding sleeves.
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Raise It
Now it’s time to raise your tent slowly by the main poles. Find out the distinctive pockets in which each end of the poles should fit.
After filling up all the pockets, raise your tent to its glory.
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Additional Support
Set the rainfly if the tent has one. For dire weather, you might want to use additional stakes to give your tent more support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need To Buy Additional Pegs?
It depends on what type of soil you’re setting up your tent on. Typical pegs that come with the packaging are enough for normal soft soil.
But if you’re camping on a beach or snow-covered field, you’ll need long pegs that are specifically designed for those conditions.
Is It Worth Buying Expensive Tents?
If you like to go camping with your friends or family on a regular basis, spending a few more bucks for one of those expensive tents isn’t a bad idea if you can afford it.
Choose a tent that is durable, long-lasting, and will give you high-end protection.
This way, you and your camping trip companions will be more secure, and you won’t have to buy new backpacking tents frequently.
Should I Use a 4-Season Tent For Extra Protection?
4-season tents are mainly for camping in winter. They are sturdy and can withstand weather challenges that might even flatten a 3-season tent.
If you don’t likely have to face extreme weather conditions on your camping trip, it’s not really necessary.
But use it for the peace of your mind; nobody will stop you.
Final Words
I hope this read helped you find the most suitable tent for you and your family that you can easily afford.
Finding the best tent under $100 wasn’t an easy task, and my hard work will pay off if it can help you in any way.
Always be careful and prepared for any sort of situation in the great outdoors. Must keep additional stakes and wind ropes with you when going camping.
If possible, carry an additional rainfly too.
