The North Face Wawona 6 Six-Person Camping Tent

Product Information

It ended up tied with our Editor’s Choice tent, the Core 6-Person Instant Cabin Tent with an overall score of 86/100 points.

Even large 6-person tents may be less than six feet in the center and the sloping sides make it harder to move around.The downside of this tent compared to the North Face Wawona 6 is that there’s limited vestibule space. It comes with three doors, which can make a big difference if you have 6 people staying the night in one space. This is a hard feature to come by, as nearly every 6 person tent we tested only provided two doors. However, while we love the generous dimensions and clear attention to detail, the Snow Peak Alpha Breeze falls short in a few areas. In addition to being heavier and pricier than most options here (while also smaller), the tent’s slanted rear detracts considerably from usable space. Setup is also fairly involved given the unique pole structure, although many will find this to be a worthwhile trade-off for the convertible vestibule and all-around solid structure. In the end, the Alpha Breeze isn’t the most convenient or livable option here, but the combination of build quality, toughness, and sleek looks nevertheless stands out in the market. Weather resistance plays a huge role in a tent’s versatility and livability. Pretty much any tent serves its purpose by keeping the bugs at bay during fair weather, but as we all know, mother nature doesn’t always play nice. The main factors we look for in evaluating a tent’s weather performance are waterproofing and wind resistance.

Dome-style tents are generally better at standing up to bad weather and many come with full-length rainflys for added protection in heavy rain or snow. Chief among them is the use of an additional ridge support pole, which pulls the side walls of the Trail Hut outward for improved shoulder room inside the tent. This extra width complements the Trail Hut’s already above-average floor space of roughly 32 square feet, which is rectangular to allow sleepers to lie head to toe for maximum comfort. Its cabin-style design with straight sidewalls is great if you’re tall or want to set up cots inside. Even the 4P version of the Nemo Aurora Highrise includes standup height ceilings, which adds a ton of livability in any camping tent. Only three poles were needed to erect the main structure and they’re made from a high quality, flexible aluminum material.

Analysis and Test Results

A CAMPER'S RETREAT. We've refreshed our much-loved 6-person tent from single to double-wall construction, re-engineered its poles and made it easier to set up. Don't worry, we've kept the huge vestibule that makes it feel more like a home than a tent. Taking all the above factors into account, we found the North Face Wawona 6 to be the best waterproof tent overall. We love the Wawona because it combines weatherproof construction with excellent material quality and tons of external storage, and does it all at a price that’s almost too good to believe.

On the cheap end of the spectrum, you get less mesh and fewer options to get air flowing without opening up doors or windows (thereby compromising weather protection). In addition, some entry-level designs like Coleman’s Sundome include single-wall panels (this means there’s just one layer of fabric to protect you from the elements), which can lead to a muggy interior on warm days and more condensation in the night. In the end, many campers are willing to compromise in ventilation given the large price gap between designs, but it’s undoubtedly another feather in the premium tent market’s cap. Mesh-heavy designs help with airflow in warm conditions Build Quality and Durability Easy to pitch and nails all the essentials. A well-made tent from a well-established brand at department store prices. See Review Coleman also includes a few extra livability perks in their latest skydome including a floor layout that’s fit for a queen-sized air mattress and a fast-pitching clip-in canopy design. Our favorite feature of the lot though is the integrated awning on the front of the vestibule, which sits far enough away from the front door of the tent that you can actually leave it open in light rain for extra ventilation without letting water into the tent. We’d say space is particularly important in a waterproof tent, because chances are you’ll be waiting out a storm in it at one point or another. Having a little extra headspace or enough elbow room to sit up and play cards is a great way to keep cabin fever at bay, and if you can find a tent that’s tall enough to stand up in, that’s even better. Weather Resistance We’ve been outspoken fans of the North Face Wawona line of tents for some time, so it should come as no surprise that the Wawona 6 takes our top honors as the best waterproof tent overall. This tent also took top honors in our recent camping tent field test, and our testers all had universal acclaim for just about every aspect of the Wawona.

But you’ll need to offset this against how often you’ll be using the tent and in what weather conditions. You’ll also find a handy buyer’s guide down at the bottom of this article, which we’ve designed to help you understand how the best waterproof tents work and how to select the right one for your next trip. The new Skydome 4 was an easy choice for this list because it combines a roomy floorplan and respectable peak height with a full-length rainfly that’s built to handle serious precipitation. We feel that this new model is a clear cut above the usual Coleman fare, which often relies on single wall designs or partial flys, yet it still comes in at a very Coleman price.