Last-minute Glastonbury panic? We've tested the best festival tents for 2025 (with options for every budget)

A must-have for a festival? A tent strong enough to withstand not only the elements, but everything else that comes with the chaos a festival can bring.

When it comes to festival tents, we’re looking more at affordability that plush interiors or fancy additional features. Let’s be honest – you’re not going to a summer weekender to enjoy a decadent glamping experience. You’re there to lose your voice, get covered in mud, and soak in whatever might be going on: rides, music or drinks.

After a hard day’s work doing all the things above, it’s imperative that you have a comfortable tent to hunker down in. Getting the right mix of setup ease, size, and durability is important to making your festival experience one that isn’t ruined by dodgy tent poles and torn fabrics. Below we’ll run you through our top picks, as well as some tips to make your festival camping experience a memorable one.

The best festival tents 2025

Mountain Warehouse Black Out Double Skin Tent

The best for a good night's sleep

Buy from Mountain Warehouse

This pop-up tent from Mountain Warehouse offers impressive light-blocking even on those sunny, bright days. Ideal for those times when you’re desperate for a lie-in or you need to recuperate from a busy festival day. We would recommend you pack a torch or lantern to read, socialise or simply find your belongings inside.

Clever ventilation features also set this tent apart from others in the same price bracket. There’s a three-panel door, as well as mesh strips around the base of the tent to allow for airflow underneath the outer shell. Its lightweight design makes it a breeze to carry and pitch in seconds, ideal for festival-goers who want to spend less time setting up and more time enjoying the music.

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Trespass Swift 200 Pop Up Tent

Best super affordable option

Sleeps: 2
Waterproof: 2,000mm HH and taped seams
Weight: 1.9kg
Packed: 77 x 77 x 6 cm
Pitched: 245 (L) x 145 (W) x 100 (H) cm

Available at around the £40 mark, the Trespass Swift 2 is a great pop-up tent for anyone on a budget. It’s also incredibly light, weighing in at only 1.9kg, making it convenient to carry around during a hectic festival. Being on a budget does mean some drawbacks, though, namely in the way of extra features – it doesn’t have any. If you’re someone that cares for nice looks, then you might be disappointed too.

Still, you aren’t buying this tent for grand aesthetics and luxury. It does what it needs to, popping up easily so long as you attach the guy ropes yourself. The door doubles as a ventilation panel, and there are two more small mesh windows with prop-up arms to allow for airflow.

Eurohike Pop 400

Best for families

Sleeps: 4
Waterproof: 2,000 HH
Weight: 5.2kg
Packed: 78 x 78 x 9 cm
Pitched: 390 (L) x 215 (W) x 160 cm (H)

This Eurohike tent is heavier and more difficult to carry than the other options on this list, but it’s far roomier and a much better option for festivals with the family. Due to its bulk, though, it’s not as easy to set up and pack away.

However, we were impressed by the tent’s building quality: it felt sturdy and durable thanks to extra pole support for the arches. There’s also plenty of space inside, two entrances, a mesh door to keep insects at bay, and two large storage pouches for organising your possessions. It may be a bit finicky, but it’s a well thought out tent overall.

Quechua 3 Man

Best dome tent

Buy it from Decathlon

Sleeps: 3
Waterproof: 2,000 HH
Weight: 3.4 kg
Packed: 78 x 78 x 9 cm
Pitched: 210 (L) x 195 (W) x 120 cm (H)

After a dome tent that’s easy to assemble? This three-man from Decathlon’s Quechua range is easy to setup and take down. This is thanks to a mostly free-standing design held in place by a pole installation.

The cover itself feels solid, and it’s held in place by guy ropes you’ll need to attach yourself – if you pull them tight, the front entrance can helpfully create a miniature porch for muddy boots or shoes. Oh and a final festival bonus: when packaged it’s small enough to be strapped to a backpack.

If you’re looking for more non-pop-up options, have a read of our review of the best two person tents.

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Coleman Galiano Pop Up Tent

Best mid-range festival pop-up

Buy it from Amazon, Charlies, Decathlon

Sleeps: 2 (4-person version also available)
Waterproofing: 2,000mm HH rating and taped seams
Weight: 2.6kg
Packed: 77cm diameter
Pitched: 230cm(L) x 135cm (W) x 90cm (H)

If you’re willing to pay a little more for your tent, the Coleman Galiano is well worth the money. It’s durable and it’s eight pegs feel high-quality and secure when dug into the ground. Ventilation was also a strong suit, with its separate mesh windows and mesh inserts across the upper panels keeping things fresh.

Despite a lack of instructional images and some finicky assembling, it’s a lightweight tent with some clever tricks. You can peel back its door and fasten it, opening the tent up to make the inside light and airy. The same goes for the entire top cover, making it ideal for some shade while chatting to friends or family.

What should you look for in a festival tent?

Ease of setup

• Small pop-ups and dome tents are nice easy options for setting up quickly.
• Keep an eye out for simpler designs, which often mean far less stressful departures as you pack up.
• Opting for a bigger tent? Clear instructions and less complex designs can make them more manageable.

Ventilation

• Look for tents with mesh or panels to prevent things from getting too hot and stuffy.
• Latches and hook that allow you to hold vents or entrances in place can help you create pathways for a cooling airflow.

Weather resistance

Good wind and rain resistance is a must, especially when it comes to the Great British weather.

How waterproof is your tent?

If you want to know a tent’s ability to resist water, check the Hydrostatic Head (HH) rating provided by the manufacturer.

• For basic water resistance and protection against light rain, 1,500-2,000 HH should suffice.
• A tent fabric with a HH rating of 3,000 should repel steady rain. An HH rating of 5,000mm might be required to cope with a storm.
• Taped seams, or seams that are sealed with waterproof tape over the stitching, can also help to prevent water from seeping through.
• Zips may also leak, so look for storm flaps – a strip of overlapping fabric that protects the zip from direct rainfall.

Windproofing is also important. Tents with sturdy poles and frames will maintain their structure better. As can tents with lower profiles and more aerodynamic shapes.

Portability

• Always check the weight. Anything over 5kg can be strenuous to carry for more than a few miles.
• Also, remember to check both packed and pitched measurements and see if the tent might be too bulky for your intended use.

Interior features

• Look out for storage pockets or organisers sewn into the walls, these can help you keep smaller items from getting lost.
• Hooks, clips or hanging loops can also be useful, allowing you to hang a camping light. There’s nothing worse than scrambling around trying to find your phone or sleeping bag in the dark.
• If you’re going to a family festival, some bigger, more expensive tents may have room dividers, which can give the family members some space and privacy.

Additional Features

• Some tents may feature fold-out awning or canopies which provide shade in hot festival weather, without requiring you to escape into a stuffy tent.
• If you’re sensitive to light and want to at least try and have a good night’s sleep, blackout fabric is a great option, saving you from waking up with the sun after a late night.
• Reflective detailing, such as guy lines, prints or fabrics can help with visibility when it’s dark. It can also make your tent more distinctive and easier to find.

Some final festival tips

Here is a selection of other tips to look out for if you’re heading to a festival this summer:

Do a tent test run: Practise putting up and packing away your tent before you go, this will save you a lot of time and frustration.

Place your tent carefully: Avoid setting up your tent near pathways to avoid any unwanted trampling. It’s also a good idea to try and camp near toilets and water supplies.

Camp near a landmark: Setting up your tent near a recognisable area, flag or landmark can help you find your way home if you’re out late.

Plan ahead: Work out set times for the artists you want to see and make sure you identify any potential clashes.

Stay hydrated: Always keep a water bottle on you and make sure you know where it can be refilled, especially in hot weather.

Wear Ear protection: If you can keep your ears protected, you’ll thank yourself long term. You can buy earplugs that attach to your belt, keychain or keep a pair in your wallet or purse.

Stay connected: Establish meeting points with the people you’re there with, exchange phone numbers and use location sharing apps to keep you from getting lost.

Be careful of your valuables: Always keep your valuables with you and don’t bring anything you won’t need. A crossbody bag can help you keep everything in one place without being too bulky.

Snacks: Keep non-perishable snacks on you to keep your energy up. Granola or breakfast bars, dried fruits and nuts can be good, convenient options.