One of the most fun things you can do with your friends and family is go camping. It’s a great way to spend some quality time with one another away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
You get to pick a spot in nature and make a home that you can enjoy for a day or even a few. Directly from your camp home, you can do all kinds of outdoor activities including fish on rivers, hike in the woods, and more.
Best 12 Person Tents for Family Camping
- Core 12 Person Instant Cabin Tent (Editor’s Choice & Best Seller)
- Bushnell Shield Series 12 Person Instant Cabin Tent (Professional’s Choice)
- Browning Camping Big Horn Tent (Best Value)
- Ozark Trail 16×16-Feet 12-Person 3 Room Instant Cabin Tent (Best L-Shaped 12 Person Tent)
1. Core 12 Person Instant Cabin Tent | Editor’s Choice & Best Seller
- INSTANT SETUP: Setups in 2 minutes or less! The poles are...
- COMFORTABLE: The water repellent rainfly is removable in...
- TWO ENTRYWAY AND THREE ROOM OPTIONS: Enter from the side...
- WHAT'S IN THE BAG: Tent, rain fly, awning poles, two room...
- 1 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY: We strive for total satisfaction...
This one is extremely comfortable and it has everything you would want in a tent. Not only is it made out of extremely durable 68D polyester, but it comes with a fully removable rainfly. That way, you can get rid of it if you feel like gazing out at the stars at night.
This tent features a built-in advanced ventilation system that ensures that you can fully adjust the air intake vent to your liking. This intake vent is designed to bring in cooler air from the ground while it also features a mesh ceiling which is designed to allow hot air to escape easily.
Within the tent, you’ll find two doors. One of them is a D-syle door and the other is a T-style door. The tent comes with two different room dividers that you can use if you are aiming to increase the privacy within it.
There also happen to be different internal storage slots along with a loft overhead that can be useful for storing gear. Along with this, you can enjoy the E-port that’s included.
This Core Instant Cabin Tent is great because it features an instant set up which means you don’t have to spend a lot of time doing it. It should only take less than 2 minutes in total.
Specification:
- Size: 49 in x 16 in x 11.5″
- Material: Polyester
- Special Feature: Tent Stakes, Rainfly
- Item Weight: 47.8 Pounds
- Closure Type: Zipper
- Floor Length: 18 Feet
- A lot of floor space
- Good resistance to water
- Plenty of ventilation
- Easy to setup
- Sort of heavy
- Not the most durable option
2. Bushnell Shield Series 12 Person Instant Cabin Tent | Professional’s Choice
- INSTANT TWO-MINUTE SETUP TECHNOLOGY: Poles come pre-attached...
- HEAT SHIELD TECHNOLOGY: Features a special reflective...
- 2 A/C PORTS/GROUND VENTS: This 18ft x 11ft floor plan and...
- DURABLE: Durable 150 denier fabric is tougher than the...
The Bushnell Shield is another good tent. This tent has a lot of room on the inside and it comes with two curtains within it. That way, you can split up the tent into more rooms as needed. The tent is 78 inches tall in the center. Therefore, it’s a good option for those who might be taller.
This tent has a very easy setup process as it should only take a few minutes due to it having a pre-attached frame. This tent has excellent ventilation it featuring eight mesh windows that will allow for plenty of good airflow and sights.
This tent has a weather shield system installed to protect everyone inside from poor conditions. It has a rainfly that offers extended coverage which helps to create an awning of sorts. That way, you can relax in the shade without worrying about the sun.
The tent has a reflective coating on it to protect campers from the pounding sun. They refer to this as Heat Shield technology. This works to reflect the harmful sun rays which protect campers from harmful UV exposure and keeps the heat out of the tent.
Specification:
- Material: Aluminum, Fabric
- Special Feature: Waterproof, Rainfly
- Closure Type: Zipper
- Pole Material Type: Aluminum
- Floor Area: 198 Square Feet
- Pretty easy setup process
- Heat Shield Technology works
- Weather Shield Technology works to keep you dry
- The ventilation is very good with mesh windows
- The ceiling is made out of mesh which means you can’t use it in certain seasons
- It’s very heavy
3. Browning Camping Big Horn Tent | Best Value
- Our Browning Big Horn Series is a free-standing tent with...
- Two-room wall divider, extra tall center and straight side...
- Six large windows, two doorways and mesh roof offer easy...
- Fully equipped with mesh storage pockets, polyester fly, guy...
- Base Size: 10' x 15', Packed Size: 12" x 30", Center Height:...
This particular tent is a fairly standard one for a 12 person tent. It’s not too hard or time-consuming to set up and use. As soon as the tent is up, you can leave it as a large tent or you can split it up as you wish. Each of the rooms of the tent has its entrance. Also, the tent comes with three different storage areas.
This tent features a build makeup of a combination of steel rods for the uprights and fiberglass poles which ensure that the tent is sturdy and strong enough to handle both heavy rain and winds.
It features a weather-resistant polyester fly at the top. However, it doesn’t offer sufficient coverage for the entire tent which means you can get leaks during rainstorms.
Specification:
- Material: Polyester, Fiberglass, Steel
- Item Weight: 34.6 Pounds
- Closure Type: Zipper
- Pole Material Type: Fiberglass
- Maximum Height: 87 Inches
- Comes with a full lifetime warranty
- It’s very large and comfortable
- It’s a good price
- Likely to leak
4. Ozark Trail 16×16-Feet 12-Person 3 Room Instant Cabin Tent | Best L-Shaped 12 Person Tent
- 16' x 16' instant cabin tent
- Sleeps 12
- Fits 3 queen airbeds
- Sets up in under 2 minutes
- 7 fully closeable windows
This tent requires no assembly at all. The Ozark Trail 16×16 12 Person Tent can be set up in as little as two minutes. The poles come pre-attached to the tent which means you don’t need to do any complicated setup. All you need to do is unfold them and you will be ready to extend them.
The tent has a total height of six feet right in the center. Therefore, it’s a tent that you can comfortably stand up in for most. The tent has a lot of windows on the sides which means that you are going to be able to get a good view of your surroundings. There are three different rooms set up within the tent with a cabin-style design. Along with this, there is a large awning in the front which means you’ll be able to go outside and relax in the shade.
You can fit up to 12 people in this tent. There are three queen-size air beds included with two-room dividers inside. This means you can create a much more private living space within the tent. There happens to be an oversized vent on the ground which will give you the ability to situate an air conditioner if you need it for more comfort.
It even has an included power outlet that you can plug directly into the tent for easy access. There are seven windows in total and they are all easy to maintain. The seams of the tent are fully seamed and the front door of the tent offers extremely easy accessibility.
Specification:
- Material Polyester
- Closure Type: Zipper
- Maximum Height: 12.6 Inches
- It’s a very large and spacious tent
- It’s very durable in heavy rain
- It’s very heavy and bulky
Who Needs a 12 Person Tent?
If you are looking to make a camping trip with more than a few people and are looking for a tent that will provide the extra space you need, the 12-person is the best option for you. This is the tent of choice for large families and groups of campers.
Family Camping
If you have several kids and all the gear you will need for a camping trip, a 12-person is the right option. You will have the space to accommodate your entire clan and all their needed gear. This is great for storing extra food and you may even be able to fit more than 1 small family.
Additional Rooms
Some of these tents also have room dividers you will need to get some privacy. Some 12-person tents are even equipped with enough space to accommodate a full queen-sized bed. This is the perfect setup to make sure everyone has plenty of space, especially when it comes time to sleep.
Tall People
Anyone who measures over 6′ tall will certainly appreciate the increased dimensions of the 12-person tent. Many 12-person tents will stand over 7 feet tall and this gives those taller campers plenty of room to stand and move about. Cabin-style 12-person tents mean that there is plenty of space to operate within the tent and move along vertical walls.
Buying Guide
Size
The most important thing you will need in a tent that will accommodate a considerably larger party is size. You will need plenty of floor space so that all the campers can sleep comfortably.
For tall campers, you will want to make sure that the peak height is well overhead, so that no one has to walk around hunched over. As a rule of thumb, a family model of this size will need anywhere between 150- 200 square feet of floor space.
Materials
A tent made out of top-quality materials will last longer than most. Take special care to choose fabrics suitable to your needs. The most common options are polyester and nylon, both of these have impressive durability and are also very lightweight.
In addition to durability and weight, it will be the waterproofing of your fabrics that will keep you safe from unexpected weather conditions. This is most commonly provided by a coating of polyurethane. You will also want to be sure that the rain fly you are using has a waterproof polyurethane coating. Furthermore, look for “bathtub” flooring which will keep the inside dry regardless of the puddles beginning to form outside.
It is also important that the tent you have selected will be sturdy in harsh weather conditions. The typical 12-person tent has tent poles made of fiberglass, aluminum, or steel. There are also carbon fiber poles that are lightweight and very strong, but they can also be considerably expensive. Steel is by far the strongest option, but it is also the heaviest.
Portability
You can expect that your 12-person tent is not going to be very portable. The typical 12-person tent weighs about 35 to 60 lbs., so they are best carried around in the car and set up from there. You can also imagine that a 60 lbs.
Tent is going to take up considerable space in the car and this is something to consider when choosing the ride for your outing. As you may imagine, the 12-person tents that come with all the bells and whistles will be even larger and heavier.
Ease of Pitching
12-person tents can be daunting due to the great task it is to pitch them. But you will also find that many of the most modern designs are considerably easier to pitch than many of their conventional counterparts. Instant tents will come with reattached tent poles that can be unfolded and snapped into place.
Even still, you can’t expect that a 12-person tent will be as easy to set up as 3 four-person tents or 4 3-person tents. Look for the type with color-coding that makes setup even easier. Finally, practice before you get to the campsite and assume that pitching a 12-person is a task for two people.
Waterproofing
Rain is a potential hazard despite what the weather report says or what season you are in. You will want your tent to be completely waterproof to keep you, your troupe, and the gear high and dry.
You can tell how waterproof your tent is by examining the hydrostatic rating. A 12-person tent with a rating of 1500mm is the accepted minimum.
You will also want the floor of the tent to reach a good way up the walls. This “bathtub” design means that water from puddles forming outside will not be allowed to reach the interior of your tent. Also, be sure that your 12-person tent comes with a quality rainfly.
Camping Location and Tent Use
The construction and design of your tent should be selected for the time of year and your camping destination.
Storage
While this is often overlooked, having suitable storage options in the interior of the tent is especially convenient. This could be in the form of pockets along the sides of the tent or even a gear loft near the top.
Ventilation and Screen Porch
When you are camping with a larger group of people, you will need extra ventilation to ensure that the moisture escapes the tent easily and is replaced by fresh clean air. A good 12-person tent will have windows along every wall and zippered mesh to ensure the airflow is optimal.
Room Dividers
This is the feature that separates one room from another in a larger 12-person tent. Some of these options will be fixed, but others can be taken down and even adjusted as needed.
Shape
Another important consideration will be the shape of the tent you are planning on using. The shape of the tent will greatly affect the overall camping experience.
Square – this is one of the most common shapes and a real space saver. Square tents will allow for the most efficient space plan in your tent. This will allow you to accommodate the most people and in the best possible way.
L-Shaped – this is another space-efficient floor plan applied to many 12-person tents. Typically, an array of dividers is used to separate the space inside into a good number of rooms or chambers. The biggest problem with this tent shape is that it can be difficult to pack and set up.
Long Rectangular – Finally, the long rectangle 12-person tent can be separated into several rooms. But they will need to share doors so look for an option with plenty of doors to get in and out.
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Last update on 2022-05-30 / Rating by Author / Affiliate links, Images, Descriptions & Price from Amazon Product Advertising API