Are you looking for a tent that can endure the desert’s bad weather while keeping you cool? Desert camping is different from normal camping because you need to consider sandstorms and windy weather. The best tents for desert camping can withstand extreme situations.
Looking for the perfect tent can be confusing. When you add a desert environment to that list, it comes even more puzzling. Buying a tent with open windows may seem like a good idea to reduce heat, but you have to deal with sand.
You have to take the heat, sand, airflow, and other things into consideration before buying a desert tent. We have compiled the best desert tents for you. Go through this list and find out which one suits your need.
The best tents for desert camping have sand protection fabric, heat management capability, and good air ventilation. The tent needs to survive the extreme weather of the desert with zero to minimal damage. You need to look for tents with mesh fabric windows, ideal interior space, and sturdy tent poles before you consider purchasing.
7 Best Tents for Desert Camping
1. Kodiak Canvas Tent
[amazon box= “B001NZWQ1C” title= “Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Canvas Tent Deluxe”]
Many consider this tent to be one of the best tents for desert camping. With its cotton canvas coated with HydraShield, it can withstand extreme wind and sand storms. It’s durable and will last you many years with proper use.
Sand prevention fabric
This tent is of natural cotton canvas fabric, which has a HydraShield coating. This coating prevents sand and sunlight from entering the tent and keeps the interior chill and dim. It will shield you against sandstorms and dust.
Bad Weather Defence
The HydraShield coating keeps the interior remain cool and not humid when it is daytime. It works far better than standard synthetic tents. The coating also ensures safety during heavy winds, rainfalls, and sandstorms.
Heat Control and Air Flow
This product also remains cooler than your standard tent due to its fabric type. There are two large air vents for all-day air circulation, and it increases cross-ventilation. The heat absorption quality of the tent keeps it cool even in the warmest temperature.
Bug Prevention
This tent also features two large D-shaped doors and four large windows. The windows have a mesh fabric that prevents mosquitos and other insects from entering the tent.
Spacious
Another huge plus point of this tent is that it comes in various sizes from 4, 6, and even 8-person sizes. It boasts large interior and 6-foot 6 inches ceiling height. You can not only put up beds but also tables and stove or heater to keep yourself warm during chilly nights.
Pros:
- Excellent sand prevention that will keep your tent dust-free
- Can survive extreme weather swings of the desert
- Has enough space that you don’ feel clammed
- No disturbances of bugs due to mesh windows
- Maintains a cool and dry temperature indoors
Cons:
- It is quite heavy to carry
- The zippers aren’t durable.
Our Thoughts on Kodiak Canvas Tent
This product is undoubtedly one of the best tents in the market due to its sand prevention coating and heat management qualities. If you want your desert camping experience to be hassle-free, then this is the tent for you. Not only is it spacious enough for more than six people, but it will also keep you chilled in warm temperatures.
2. Springbar Highline Tent
[amazon box= “B01570LZHY” title= “SPRINGBAR Highline Family Camping and Car Camping Tent”]
This product of excellent quality is one of the best tents for desert camping. With its spacious interior and weatherproof material, you can use this while traveling in big groups. Moreover, it is to be more affordable for all types of campers.
Size
It has 140 square feet of living space, and the ceiling height is a comfortable 6 foot 6 inches. The interior is more spacious than most tents.
It comes in 6 or 8 person sizes. There’s space for not only beds but also tables as well. It doesn’t feel clammed, and you can relax comfortably.
Design
One of the biggest plus points is the color of the tent. The sage green color stands out amidst the synthetic tents. There are large windows with strong but lightweight netting to keep out the pests.
Extreme Weather
The exterior material is 100% cotton canvas, and it is both weather and water-resistant. You can use this tent during windstorms, heavy rainfall, and any dust storms in the desert. It is also mold resistant.
Bomb–proof zipper
This tent has one of the best quality zippers you can find in the market. They are bomb-proof and very durable. It’s not going to tear off or stop working after using the tent a few times.
Accessible
It is a more affordable version of other tents in the Springbar Canvas tent series. It is perfect for everyone, especially newcomer campers looking for a first-rate tent. Despite being less expensive than other tents, it is of high quality.
Pros:
- Can handle both hot and wet extreme weather
- Easy to set-up
- A high-quality bomb-proof zipper that will last for a long time
- Mesh windows will keep out insects.
- Reasonable price for excellent quality
Cons:
- Needs to be wetted down before use
- Almost 80lbs, making it difficult to carry for long-distance trips
Our Thoughts on SpringBar Highline
If you’re looking for a premium quality family tent for an affordable price, then this product is for you. Not only can it withstand extreme swings of weather, but it also has a spacious interior and great temperature control. Plus, the zipper is one of the best you can come across so no need to worry about a malfunction.
3. Coleman Instant Family Tent
[amazon box= “B07FNZWHV7” title= “Coleman 8-Person Tent | Instant Family Tent”]
If you’re looking for an easy to carry and assemble the tent, this is the ideal choice for you. You can set this tent up under a minute. It also has strong materials to keep you safe from sand storms and maintain a refreshing indoor temperature.
Spacious
These 14 feet by 10 feet tents can fit four queen size beds easily. The ceiling height is 6 foot 7 inches. It is spacious, comes in family sizes, and can fit up to 10 people at once.
Darkroom Technology
This tent technology will shield you against sun rays. It also decreases heat during the summertime. Its heat reduction quality makes it one of the best tents for desert camping as the indoor remains cool.
Weathertech Technology
This technology provides security in bad weather. The rough polyester double-thick material keeps the indoor dry during rainfall. You can use it in any season without worry.
Reflective lines
The cords to keep the tent attached to the ground or guy-lines are of reflective materials. So, if you’re traveling in groups, it will prevent someone from bumping into your tent at night.
Sturdy yet Lightweight
The word “lightweight” may worry you that it is not strong to survive the desert weather. However, this tent has a strong and thick frame that can withstand sand storms.
Easy set–up
It can be assembled within a minute, making it one of the best tents for desert camping. The poles come already attached to the outer fabric, so you have to unfold the tent and spread the poles.
Pros:
- Easy set-up within a minute
- Easy to carry during traveling
- Has strong poles and good outer materials to protect against bad weather
- Shields sunlight and cooler interior
- Within budget
Cons:
- Poles are plastic, and they don’t come with replaceable parts.
- It is not durable and suitable for long-time use.
Our Thoughts on Coleman Instant Tent
This tent is one of the easiest tents to set-up, and it takes only one minute. If you’re looking for a family-sized tent that is lightweight and easy to carry, then consider purchasing this product. Moreover, its outer fabric can save you from any sandstorm.
4. Mountainsmith Morrison 2 Person Tent
[amazon box= “B07RDX2MG4” title= “Mountainsmith Morrison 2 Person Tent”]
This tent has become popular recently for its windows with god air circulation and mesh vents. It is one of the best tents for desert camping because it can withstand extreme weather
circumstances. Though it for two persons, it is spacious for healthy movement.Ventilation
The two-door and two vestibule layout combo is a huge plus point for this tent. There are also fly ventilation windows for good airflow and bug prevention. You can also attach the poles using clips to increase ventilation on hotter nights.
Storage Space
It has two side mesh pockets that are quite deep so you can store many things in it. There’s also a gear loft at the top, which helps find low light at night-time. The storage units give you more space to sleep in.
Heavy Rain Support
This tent is fit for endurance with its bathtub floor. There’s a serious side on the walls to ensure that rainwater doesn’t soak or come inside. It can survive more than 2-3 inches of a heavy downpour without damage.
Heavy Wind Protection
This tent has a cover that you can find during set-up. This cover makes sure that the wind goes over, not through the tent. The tightly grounded poles and states guarantee zero damage during heavy wind.
Compatible with Solo Trips
If you’re traveling by yourself or with a friend, this is a good choice for you as it is built for two people but spacious. Moreover, the set-up can be done by one person within 10 minutes. It comes with color-coded parts for easy assembling.
Pros:
- Good airflow because of large doors and vestibules
- Durable in extreme weather due to bathtub floor
- Easy to set-up and has color-coded parts
- Well-suited for traveling alone
- Can store many things in built-in mesh pockets
Cons:
- Footprint not sold together
- Quite heavy to carry despite being a 2-person tent
Our Thoughts on MountainSmith Morrison 2–person Tent
In brief, this is the perfect tent for those who are traveling alone or with another person. It is not a family tent, but it provides excellent storage space and wind protection. This tent is ideal for solo travelers exploring on their own.
5. DANCHEL Cotton Bell Tent
[amazon box= “B07H8KJ62D” title= “DANCHEL Cotton Bell Tent with Two Stove Jacket (Top and Wall)”]
When we think of desert tents, large bell-shaped tents immediately come to our minds. This product offers the desert aesthetic experience you’ve been looking for. It is also one of the best tents for desert campingavailable. It provides excellent heat and sand prevention.
Shape and Size
It is shaped like a bell and comes in various sizes. The most popular is the spacious 16.6 feet wide tent with a total area of 216 square feet. The round shape and the slanting roof make it ideal for desert social gatherings.
Cotton Fabric
The tent material is 285 GSM cotton fabric. GSM is the fabric’s expected value, and a bigger GSM number means it is a thick material.
The heavy fabric manages heat circulation. It keeps the interior cool in warm weather but warm in colder temperatures.
Stove Jack
The most amazing quality of this tent is the stove jack. The two jacks let you use industrial stoves to keep yourself warm once the sun sets and temperature falls significantly. This feature puts this tent in the best tents for the desert camping category.
Air Flow
You can remove the lower part of the tent without hassle. It creates a better airflow inside but provides shade in the sunlight. This tent also boasts four windows that you can zip. There’s net covered one entrance door.
Bug Prevention
Along with zipped windows, it features four air vents with mesh fabric. The mesh prevents mosquitoes and other insects from entering the tent.
Pros:
- Spacious inside that is perfect for social occasions.
- Excellent ventilation even in the worst weathers
- Heat management during both warm days and chilly nights
- Built-in stove jack to provide heat during colder night-time
- No need to worry about bugs inside the tent
Cons:
- Heavy to carry; almost 83lbs
- The zipper isn’t durable.
Our Thoughts on DANCHEL Cotton Ball
Now, this is the tent you should consider if you prefer to match the desert camping visual. With its large bell-shaped size, this tent is perfect for desert social events. Furthermore, it provides stove jack to keep yourself warm in chilly desert nights which is a huge plus point.
6. Quechua Fresh and Black Pop Up Camping Tent
[amazon box= “B01EDFPSQS” title= “Quechua Waterproof Pop Up Camping Tent Easy Set Up and Fold”]
This tent is a good choice for new campers who are on a budget. It is also a pop-up tent, so no time is wasted assembling it. It has outstanding heat blocking and ventilation abilities that will you survive the warm sand environment.
Easy set–up
It is undoubtedly the easiest tent to set-up as it comes with a pop-up design. It can be set-up by opening it within 2 seconds, which makes it perfect for novice campers.
Heat Management
This tent has a patented new and black technology that prevents 99% of the daylight and heat. The inside remains cool and refreshed. This feature makes it one of the best tents for desert camping.
Flysheet
There are also flysheets with two panels that help with inner air circulation. These flysheets can be drawn-out according to your need. You can also lift the whole back sleeping space flysheet by pulling on a rope.
The air remains refreshed because of the spaces between the flysheet and the middle part of the sleeping area. It also prevents natural condensation.
Ventilation
This tent provides large openings on all sides, which lets in the cool breeze when you need it. You can also shut it off when it is too windy, and you want to stop sand from entering.
Highly Durable
Not only does this tent offers great heat and light management, but it can also handle extreme heat and wet weather. It can endure 50 km/h winds, which was tested by placing the tent in a wind tunnel. This tent was tested and proven to survive 200mm of water per hour/m2, the average tropical rain.
Pros:
- Affordable but has great endurance.
- Can protect in extremely windy weather without damage
- Pop-up design so no need to worry about assembling
- Heat management that creates cool interior
- Refreshing and breathable on the inside
Cons:
- Small in size and can fit 2-3 people only
- Doesn’t come in family sizes
Our Thoughts on Quechua Fresh and Black
If you’re a camper with little experience and want to stick to your budget with a good tent, you should consider this one. Not only is it more accessible, but it is also a pop-up tent that requires zero assembling skills. It is also very durable and protective.
7. Ohnana Ravye 2 Person Tent
[amazon box= “B07DZKHXF2” title= “Ohnana Cool 2-Person, Heat-Blocking Rayve II Tent”]
While most people generally use this product is for outdoor festivals, its qualities make it one of the best tents for desert camping. With fluorescent blue linings and sunlight reflecting fabrics, it is a good choice for desert camping. It’s smaller in size, so it is ideal for solo trips.
Heat Blocking
The aluminum rain-fly coating of the tent reflects sun rays and decreases heat inside. The interior remains significantly cooler. The inside of the tent can remain 27 Fahrenheit or 14 degrees Celsius cooler than the outside.
Darker Interior
The light reflection blocks out sun rays, and so the inside remains dark, which leads to a good night’s sleep. Even in extreme sunlight and heat outside, the tent guarantees a dark and refreshing atmosphere.
Lightweight
This tent is much lighter than most tents. It only weighs 7.9-8.5lbs, which makes it perfect for long-distance trips. If you pack it into the carry bag, it is still light and compact to transport with.
Ideal for Solo trips
The interior space can fit only two people at a time and one queen size mattress. So, if you want to travel by yourself or with a companion and don’t want to carry big heavy tents, consider using this tent. It can also be assembled within 5 minutes with practice.
Ventilation
It has two ventilation slots that you can close fully. You can hang fans from the ceiling through a loop, and it can work as a night light as well.
Pros:
- Light reflection ensures a suitable temperature inside the tent.
- Can keep the interior dim even in extreme sunlight
- Can be carried with no trouble while traveling
- Easy and short assemble technique.
- Easy to spot during night-time
Cons:
- Doesn’t provide substantial sand prevention
- Not available in family sizes
Our Thoughts on Ohnana Ravye 2
This small tent is ideal if you’re going camping alone. The eclectic borders will set you apart from other campers. This tent has superb heat blocking quality that will make you stay cool and refreshed even in the warmest and driest weather.
How to Set up a Tent in Desert
Before going camping, you must practice assembling your tent, especially if you bought a new type of tent you’ve never used before. Below are the step-by-step guides for setting up a tent.
1. Find an area: Look for a place that has no bumps or rocks. Plain surfaces are best for setting a camp.
2. Unfold and Organize: Categorize your tent parts such as the poles, stakes, rainfly, etc. into separate groups, so you don’t have to keep searching for the next part.
3. Set Down Groundsheet and Stake Tent: Most tents have footprints or groundsheets at the bottom, which works as the floor. Set that down and stake your tent soundly. Big tents require staking while small ones usually don’t.
4. Link the Tent Poles: Most tent poles come together, and some are even color-coded. Read the manual carefully and assemble properly.
5. Set–up the Frame: Slide the tent poles on the tent’s exterior covers or secure the bottom of the poles through grommets at the foot of the tent. Use clips to connect the body of the tent to the poles.
6. Connect the Rain–fly: If your tent comes with a rain-fly, attach it on top of the tent by linking it to the tent base’s cords.
What to Consider When Setting Up a Tent in Desert:
Sand Prevention:
This consideration is a no-brainer when it comes to camping in the desert. Not only there’s going to be sand everywhere, and if you’re unfortunate, you might face sandstorms and heavy winds. Nobody wants to sand and dust inside of their tent.
Tents with sand prevention fabric are the best choice, but not many tents have sand prevention material. So, having mesh tent windows are the next best feature as these windows have vents and are closable. All the best tents for desert camping have this attribute.
Bug and Snake Prevention:
Another huge problem while camping in the desert is the abundance of insects and snakes. Hot climates and high temperatures attract all sorts of bugs, especially mosquitos. The best tents for desert camping come with high-quality mesh and a good flexible zipper that ensures no opening so snakes or scorpions can’t get in.
Ventilation:
Deserts aren’t places with good air circulation. The heavy winds mixed with sands are a common occurrence, and it is not ideal for survival. When you’re inside your tent, you need to be able to breathe properly and relax.
Without good ventilation, you’re going to struggle both outdoors and indoors. When you go to sleep at night, it’s going to be much warmer inside than it is outside. Windows with mesh, large air vents, and large doors with flexible use are essential for good cross-ventilation and cool inner temperature.
Spacious Interior:
Nobody wants to be clammed in hot weather. When you’re crowded inside a tent in warm weather, you’re going to sweat profusely. Instead of waking up refreshed, you will feel more worn out.
It would help if you had roomy tents that allow you to have your own space and move around comfortably. Tents with steep interiors are also a huge help.
Buyer’s Guide for the best desert camping tent:
Buying tents may seem like an easy task, but it is quite difficult
Tents with Mesh:
Mesh is a material made of woven strands of thread. It is partly see-through but can keep out insects and dust. Many tents come with mesh windows or air vents.
Tents with meshes are the best tents for desert camping because they screen out pesky insects and mosquitos. They keep out sand and dust as well. Meshes also increase air ventilation and keep the indoor cool.
The best tents have both mesh and fly. The fly helps to keep the interior condensation free and create a dry, cool environment. Meshes also provide wind resilience.
Sewn–in Groundsheet:
A sewn-in floor is necessary while camping in the desert. When the groundsheet is sewed into the tent outer, it leaves no opening or unsuspecting holes at the bottom. It will stop sands from entering the tent.
You want your tent floor to have no gap; otherwise, insects and snakes will enter. It also makes assembling your tent much easier. You can also remove the inner for storage space when you have sewn-in groundsheet.
Material and Weight:
While most tents are of polyester material, there are a few made with cotton or something different. The tent’s fabric and coating are crucial because you need something that can endure the worst weather and easily get damaged.
The material determines the weight of the package. While heavier tents offer better protection, they are also difficult to carry, especially if you’re camping by yourself. Try to find a sturdy tent that you can easily transport with.
FAQ
1. How to prevent sand from coming in?
During desert camping, a little bit of sand will inevitably get in. You can buy tents with sand protection fabric, but having a tent with mesh is also a great help. Solid tent may seem like a good idea due to the low chance of sand getting in, but they don’t provide good airflow.
2. How to keep my tent cool at night?
Your tent’s doors and windows can make a bigger impact. Try to find windows with mesh as it lets the air in and creates a good ventilation system. If your tent fabric doesn’t have a reflective quality, use a reflective trap over the tent to deflect sun rays.
3. Does the tent color matter?
The color of any tent matters during the daytime. Darker materials tend to absorb the heat and make the indoor much hotter, so lighter tones such as gray, beige, or white are better. At night-time, it doesn’t matter since there’s no sunlight.
4. How can I be relaxed in hot temperature?
Buying a tent with good airflow is essential to surviving in such weather.
Tents with windows and reflective fabrics are good choices. The best tents for desert camping keep out the sunlight and heat.
Conclusion
While all these choices may seem perplexing, you need to understand what sort of tent you need. In the end, your requirements need to match with the necessary qualities of a desert tent.
Hopefully, these tents have narrowed your search and showed you what you need to find the best tents for desert camping. Make sure to check the heat management and ventilation of any tent you’re considering.
Remember the more mesh a tent has, the better it is for desert camping. Always check the buying guide of the tent before you purchase it. Have a great and safe camping experience!
Max, a passionate lumberjack and outdoors enthusiast, loves fishing, camping, and hunting. He has extensive experience in the great outdoors and is eager to join Outdoor Fun Mag to share his adventures and knowledge. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, Max promises to bring laughter, learning, and an unforgettable outdoor experience.
