Tents that are both cheap and of good quality are very hard to come by these days. Personally, a tent that is under $100 is ideal for a single person, a couple, or even a small group of friends or family.
Therefore, I would like to present to you the best tents under 100 that I found. They’re so great that I couldn’t help but share them, and I have no doubt that you’re going to love them as much as I do.
As always, I’m not going to hold back anything and I won’t just tell you what I like about each of them, but I’ll also tell you about any problems I had.
Best Tents Under $100 – Top 5
#1 Coleman Sundome Tent
The Coleman Sundome Tent comes in green or blue and has different sizes for 2, 3, or 4 people.
The tent and rainfly are made with thick and durable 75 denier polyester taffeta, and the tent has welded corners and inverted seams which stop any water from getting in. The rainfly is for extra protection but when it’s not on, the top half of the tent is mostly meshed so that lots of fresh air can flow in.
The two person tent has measurements of 82.7 x 59.1 x 47.2 inches and weighs 6.38 pounds, whereas the 3-person tent’s interior is 7 x 7 x 52 inches, only weighing 8 pounds. The tent for 4 measures at 108 x 84 x 59 inches and weighs 9 pounds.
What makes this one of the best tents under 100? Well, let’s see, first of all, it only takes around ten minutes to set up because of its pin-and-ring design that is very easy to do.
Aside from the large windows and plenty of mesh, there is also a floor vent that contributes to the ventilation. The ground vent works together with the mesh ceiling very well, because any hot air that enters is able to rise up and escape.
There’s an E-Port that lets you easily bring electrical power into the tent, and mesh storage pockets that have been sewn into the walls so that you can keep small items close by and organized. Also, the tent has a large D-style door so that it’s easy to get in and out of this tent.
To ensure that Coleman’s tents are weatherproof, they have to get tested against wind and rain before being available for purchase.
As for the wind test, large and strong fans blow winds of 35+ MPH while the tent is rotated on a platform and then afterward the tent is checked for any pole damage or tears.
In the rain room over 35+ gallons of water rain over the tent for ten minutes, starting from a light drizzle and then gradually increasing to heavy downpour. Then, the tent is checked for any water leakage and if over two tablespoons of water manage to get inside, then it’s a fail.
I’m just not happy about two things – the mesh walls are rather loose, and therefore not completely bug-proof. I’m not one of those people who fear every little insect, but the sound of a mosquito buzzing throughout the night would annoy anyone.
The other issue is that I don’t trust the fiberglass poles. If I had been stuck in a thunderstorm, I don’t think my tent would have lasted.
- Quick and easy to set up
- E-Port
- Plenty of mesh for ventilation
- Large D-door
- Weak poles
- Loose mesh
#2 Wenzel Pine Ridge Tent
Another one of the best tents under $100 is this one by Wenzel. Available in blue or red, this is an excellent tent for 4 people. It can even fit 5, depending on how much gear everyone has.
It does come with a nylon taffeta sheet that you can use as a room divider by hanging it from the ceiling, which makes it perfect for a small family so that the parents and child/ren have a room each. This is where the doors come in handy because there are two. It looks like one large door, but it’s actually two D-shaped next to each other so that, if you use the room divider, each room has a door.
It has three windows and a mesh roof to create cross ventilation.
The floor size is 10 x 8 feet, it weighs 11lbs and 9oz, and its center height reaches 58 inches.
All of the seams are welded, not sewn, and it has a tub-like floor. Both of these things help make this tent waterproof. The floor has been sonic-sealed to eliminate needle holes is the main reason water cannot get in.
The shock-corded fiberglass poles help make this tent easy to set up, and because they are multi-diameter, they provide even more space inside.
I really like the removable rainfly on this tent, because it has fly ridge poles so that the awning provides protection over the door and rear window, plus it’s made out of the same durable and weather-resistant polyester (with polyurethane coating) as the rest of the tent.
I’d say this has got to be one of the best 4 person tents under 100, because of all the great features it has. It can easily be set up by just one person in around 15 minutes, and it does have an electrical cord access port, a storage pocket, a privacy flap, and a gear loft.
We need to talk a bit more about the multipurpose gear loft because it has something quite unique and has got to be my absolute favorite thing – it has an integrated light reflection system. It is specially designed so that you can place a lantern or flashlight in the center of it, and as long as the light is facing up, you’ll see that it completely illuminates the inside of your tent.
My only complaint has to do with the rainfly and the zippers. During my camping trip there was quite a lot of rain, and even though the tent did very well some water did manage to leak in. I can’t be sure if it’s because the rainfly doesn’t cover the door enough, or if it’s because the zippers are not waterproof. I’d say it’s both of these things to blame.
Also, having said that, I feel like they really missed an opportunity here. They could have easily extended the front of the rainfly, providing more protection for the doors, and maybe even make it possible to leave shoes outside of the tent where they’d be safe from rain.
- Lots of mesh/ventilation
- Two doors
- Easy set up
- Light reflection system
- Not enough rainfly coverage
#3 Hui Lingyang 4-Person Pop Up Tent
This 4-person pop-up tent by Hui Lingyang comes in blue or green and is one of the best inexpensive tents out there.
Setting this tent up couldn’t be any easier. Spend less time pitching tents and more time enjoying your camping trip right away, thanks to the pre-assembled poles and instant pop-up tent.
It has an interior of 9.5 x 6.6 feet, and the center height reaches 4.3 feet. So, it can easily fit 4 people, or 2-3 people if you have a lot of gear.
The outer fabric layer can be closed for cold nights, or rolled up and buckled, and when it’s hot there’s a door on either side for cross ventilation. Having two, very large doors also makes it easier to get in and out.
Also, the two front vents and a rear hooded vent prevent condensation. It’s clear that this tent is great for summer.
The four meshed windows also help a great deal with fresh air and stopping insects from coming in.
There’s a small vestibule that doubles as a mud mat so that you can leave your shoes and for more space inside and less dirt.
Inside the tent are two storage pockets to keep things organized, and there’s a lantern hook too so you can illuminate your tent with ease.
Included with the tent you’ll receive the carry bag, wind rope, and stakes as well.
- A lot of ventilation
- Two doors
- Instantly pops up
- Vestibule/Mud mat
- Difficult to put away
#4 Wenzel Alpine 3-Person Tent
The Wenzel Alpine 3-person tent comes in the colors dark blue with yellow, or light blues. It has a 3-pole pentadome design, and the shock-corded fiberglass frame with pole pockets make it very easy and quick to set up. One person can pitch it in just ten minutes.
Weighing just 8 pounds, and with dimensions of (W x H x D) 8.5 x 4 8 feet, 3 people can easily fit inside with their gear. The tent and removable rain fly are made with durable polyester, and there’s a D-style door and 2 windows.
The windows have mesh, and even the door is mostly meshed for plenty of ventilation. Also, I absolutely love that there’s an integrated mud mat with a drainage strip. It’s great to have somewhere to keep your shoes before entering the tent to minimize the amount of dirt coming in.
Being one of the best cheap family tents, it’s lightweight and therefore easy to carry around with you.
You’ll also find that there is a gear loft and a hanging gear pocket so that you can keep small items like keys and phones in one place, and avoid any clutter on the floor.
This tent under $100 is suitable for 3-seasons. As long as it’s been staked down well, the dome shape helps to withstand any strong wind. As for rain, it does a great job to stay dry even through a storm. Just try to pay attention as to which direction the door is facing so that wind doesn’t blow rain right inside.
Had the fiberglass poles been made with aluminum instead they would be stronger, but this isn’t a huge issue.
Even though set up is easy with this tent, the pole pockets are quite small which means you do have to fiddle around with them for a while to get the poles in. This just means that it can be a bit annoying and take time, so again not a big problem.
Personally, I’d rather use this tent for two people instead of three, because with three inside it is quite cramped and I prefer extra space even when I’m sleeping.
- Good amount of mesh/ventilation
- Quite easy to set up
- Weatherproof
- Integrated mud mat
- Better for 2 people
- Small & annoying pole fittings
#5 Bessport Camping Tent
This camping tent under $100 by Bessport have 1- or 2-person tents that come in three colors: green, grey, or orange.
The 1-person tent weighs 4.4lbs, has an interior of 87.8 x 33.5 inches, and a center height of 42.1 inches. Whereas the 2-person tent is bigger, with an interior of 86.6 x 48.4 inches, weighing 5.2lbs, and with a center height of 43.5 inches. This has got to be one of the best 2 person tents under 100, and I’ll tell you why.
The tents are lightweight, durable, and breathable. These three things are the most important features a tent should have. Being light makes it easier to take with you backpacking, and being durable means that the tent will last long. Breathability is essential so that moisture does not build up overnight and cause condensation.
Made with tough 68D polyester that is tear-resistant and waterproof, and a heat-sealed seam construction that makes it impenetrable and doesn’t let in any water leakage.
The welded floor design elevates the bottom of the tent and protects you from the wet ground.
There’s also as lots of micro-mesh, for more ventilation, and great #8 zippers. The zippers have weather-resistant fabric on the cuffs adding even more protection, and because the zippers are 2-way it makes it even easier to get in or out of the tent.
Both of the tents have storage pockets inside them so that you can keep small items organized, are very spacious, and there are two large, round doors on either side.
Also, there are two vestibules so that even when you have the full-coverage rain fly up enough fresh air can come in. Plus, you can keep shoes and/or gear there, giving you even more space inside your tent, and they’ll be protected from the weather.
Pre-attached poles with clips are what make this tent so easy and quick to set up in a matter of minutes. The tents have been engineered to have a more wind-responsive frame with redesigned poles to keep it more stable, making it a great 3-season tent.
I really like how, from the inside of the tent, I can see lots of the surrounding nature and, if the rainfly isn’t on, I can stargaze at night.
Included with the tent you’ll receive 12 aluminum stakes, a carry bag, and 4 reflective guy line ropes.
All I can complain about really is the fact that there is no gear loft with these tents, and I find having one to be very useful.
- 2 doors
- Great value
- 2 vestibules
- A lot of mesh
- Weather resistant
- No gear loft
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