Guide

The best tents under $200

Under $200 covers two very different things: fibreglass-poled family domes that give you enormous floor for the money, and aluminium-poled backpacking tents that give you far less floor but will survive being carried. Both are here, ordered by space per person, with the pole material and floor rating in the table so the difference is visible.

How this list is ordered

Approximate price under $200. Ordered by floor area per person, highest first. Prices are snapshots from the last catalog update.

6 tents qualify. Top of the list on that measure is the Coleman Sundome — 15.8 sq ft per person at 9 lb 11 oz, ~$118.

#	Tent	Type	Sleeps	Sq ft each	Weight	Peak	Approx. price
1	Coleman Sundome	Car camping	4	15.8 standard	9 lb 11 oz	59 in	~$118
2	Kelty Late Start 2	Backpacking	2	15.3 standard	4 lb 5 oz	40 in	~$160
3	Kelty Grand Mesa 2	Backpacking	2	15.0 standard	4 lb 1 oz	43 in	~$150
4	Coleman Skydome	Car camping	4	14.0 standard	13 lb 11 oz	55 in	~$140
5	Naturehike Cloud-Up 2	Backpacking	2	13.9 tight	3 lb 1 oz	41.3 in	~$164
6	Naturehike Mongar 2	Backpacking	2	13.9 tight	4 lb	39 in	~$119

Prices are approximate snapshots from the last catalog update. Floor area per person, weight per person and pad fit are our arithmetic on published figures — the formulas are on tent specs, explained.