15 Best 3 Man Tents for Wild Camping in 2024

My two eldest children are getting to the stage where they are desperate to go wild camping. I decided it was time to invest in a 3 man tent to do the job for us and thought I would share what I found. The following are the best 3 man tents for wild camping that I could find.

If you’re in a hurry, my two favourites are:

How to choose a tent for wild camping

When choosing a tent, whether it is for wild camping or family camping, there are various factors you will need to consider:

• Weight – This is the packed weight of the tent. Lighter tents are great for wild camping and trekking, where you will be carrying your kit with you to find a place to camp. Anything over 2.5kg might be a little too heavy for a long hike, but you may be able to spread the load between you by separating the fly, poles and groundsheet where possible.
• Berth – This is the number of people that the tent is designed to accommodate. You may find this number will result in a fairly “snug” sleeping arrangement for the number it claims
• Bedroom Space – This is the amount of space designed for sleeping in. This is usually the main inner tent
• Outer Tent Space – The outer tent space is the total amount of space the tent will take up. This is usually the size of your flysheet and will include the storage space inside the tent
• Tent Style – This is the shape of the tent. Styles include Tunnel, Dome and Ridge, as well as many others
• Waterproofing – This is measured by Hydrostatic Head, which is how large a column of water your tent could resist
• Storage – This is the area in your tent where you can store your kit, that isn’t your sleeping area. If carrying a lot of gear, make sure your 3 person tent is big enough for you and your gear by having a large storage area.
• Seasons – This is the number of seasons that the tent is designed to be used in. A 3 season tent will be designed for spring, summer and autumn. A 4 or all-season tent will be warmer and include the winter.

Best 3 man wild camping tent for under £200

Eurohike Tamar 3 Man Tent

The Eurohike Tamar 3 dome tent is an entry-level, budget tent for those who are just starting out with wild camping. If you are afraid to commit fully to wild camping and just want to test to see if you like it, then the low entry price of £60 may be perfect for you.

With a hydrostatic head of 2,000 for the groundsheet and fly, this tent should keep you dry if there is a downpour in the warmer months in the UK.

With a bedroom size that is 210cm wide, you won’t be too snug as a ground of 3 in this tent either. Most self-inflating mats are between 50-60cm wide, so you should have a little more space between each other.

At 3,800 grams, this tent is potentially a bit too heavy for one person to carry, so you may need to share out the load between you.

If you are looking for a cheap start to wild camping, this tent would be a good option for you.

Full specifications:

Forclaz Quickhiker 3 Person Tent

The Forclaz Quickhiker Dome tent is another entry-level tent, which actually packs some good features in a tent for just £100.

Packing down to just 40cm x ø20cm, this tent has a fairly small bedroom width of 180cm. This should still be ok for 3 but might feel a little snugger as there won’t be much room between you.

The groundsheet offers a 5,000mm hydrostatic head, with the fly at 2,000mm, which is plenty for the milder months in the UK.

With storage on either side of the main sleeping area, you should be able to store all the gear you take with you.

If you are after a tent for getting started with wild camping, this tent offers you a good balance between price, size and weatherproofing.

Full specifications:

Coleman Cobra 3 Tent

The Coleman Cobra 3 tunnel tent is an affordable tent weighing just under 3kg.

With a hydrostatic head of 5,000mm for the groundsheet and 3,000mm for the fly, the protection offered by this tent against the wet weather is much higher than most tents at this price point.

The bedroom width has a max-width of 195cm, which narrows down to 90cm. This might seem quite narrow, but the length of 275cm means you can shuffle up to the wider part of the tent at the top and store some of your gear at the bottom of the tent.

For new wild campers, this tent would be a great option, as well as those who are maybe looking to upgrade from a much cheaper tent.

Full specifications:

Vango Nevis 300 Tent

The Vango Nevis 300 Tunnel tent is a small tent packed with lots of benefits.

At just £130, you get a tent that can withstand pretty much any precipitation you would expect in the uk, with a hydrostatic head of 9,000mm for the groundsheet and 3,000mm for the fly.

The bedroom has a width of 175cm, which is quite tight for 3. Most camping mats will max out at 60cm, so you might struggle to get 3 larger mats into this tent.

At a weight of 2,500g, this tent should be fairly comfortable for one person to carry without needing to spread the load between you.

This tent would make a great long term tent for the occasional wild camper.

Full specifications:

Forclaz Trek 500 Dome Tent

The Forclaz Trek 500 3 man dome tent packs down to just 39cm x ø18cm, which is one of the smallest sizes on this list.

This small packed size is echoed in the size of the tent, with the bedroom measuring just 180cm wide. This should be just large enough for 3 to fit into.

The hydrostatic head for the fly at 2,000mm should cope with most rain in mild weather in the UK. The groundsheet offers 5,000mm of protection, which is plenty during the milder months.

Weighing in at 3,550g, this tent is on the heavier side, vs. other options available.

For milder month wild camping, this tent is a good option, but there are better available from other brands at a similar price.

Full specifications:

Naturehike Cloud-Up 3 Tent

The Naturehike Cloud-Up 3 dome tent is another entry-level tent, offering a more lightweight option that most tents in this price bracket.

The hydrostatic head of 3,000mm for both groundsheet and fly is sufficient for camping in milder weather in the UK.

The internal size for the bedrooms is small, at a width of 180cm, however, this is in line with most tents at this price point.

The weight of 2,800g is very good compared to most tents in this price range.

If having a lighter weight tent is important to you, this tent would be a good option for you.

Full specifications:

Vango Helvellyn 300 Tent

The Vango Helvellyn 300 tent is a semi-geodesic tent, offering more stability in windy conditions than most tunnel tents in the under £200 price range.

This tent offers great protection from the rain, with a hydrostatic head of 6,000mm for the groundsheet and 3,000mm for the fly. This should be fine for pretty much any weather in the UK.

The internal space is similar to others in this price range, with a fairly small width, but enough to accommodate 3 people.

The weight at 3.5kg is a little heavy and may need to be split between you when going wild camping.

If you are after something that offers good protection from pretty much any UK weather, this tent could be ideal for you.

Full specifications:

Vango Scafell 300+ Tent

The Vango Scafell 300+ tunnel tent offers a very large storage area for a tent at this price and weight range.

The bedroom width at 170cm is quite tight for 3, however, with a storage area of 180cm x 190cm, there is plenty of space for your gear. You might even be able to fit another person in here, as long as they don’t mind not being in the main part of the tent of course.

The weight of 3,600g is a little heavy for 1 person to carry.

The hydrostatic head of 3,000mm for the fly and 6,000mm for the groundsheet will keep you dry in nearly all weathers the UK can throw at you.

The is a great tent for those who want extra storage space for their gear, as well as more than adequate protection from the rain.

Full specifications:

Best 3 man tents for wild camping between £200 and £400

Forclaz Trek 900 Self-Standing Tent

Full specifications:

Wild Country Hoolie 3 Tent

The Wild Country Hoolie 3 is a tunnel tent that packs down very small compared to other 3 man tents.

Packing down to just 30cm x ø21cm, this tent will fit into almost any backpack you can find. Of course, there is a compromise here as this tent is quite narrow, with a width of just 165cm for the bedroom.

The hydrostatic head for this tent is quite high, with a rating of 5,000mm for the groundsheet and 4,000mm for the fly. This should cope with pretty much any precipitation in the UK.

If you want a tent that packs down small and doesn’t weigh too much (3kg), this tent would be a good choice.

Full specifications:

Vango Halo Pro 300 Tent

The Vango Halo Pro 300 tent is a semi-geodesic design tent built to withstand the majority of harsh weather the UK cant throw at you.

With a hydrostatic head of 6,000mm for the groundsheet and 5,000mm for the fly, there is very little that could penetrate this tent.

The size of the tent inside is quite tight at 180cm wide, however, this should be adequate to accommodate 3 people and their camping mats.

It is also on the weighty side, at 4,200g. This would probably need to be divided up between the 2 of you if you are hiking to your camping spot.

Overall this is a great tent for those looking for a trusted brand with a high level of weatherproofing.

Full specifications:

OEX Coyote III Tent

The Coyote III tunnel tent is designed to provide a large storage area for gear and provide strong resistance against rain.

With a hydrostatic head of 5,000mm for the groundsheet and the fly, this tent can withstand most British weather fairly easily.

The bedroom width of 180cm is quite snug for 3 but should give enough room for your camping mats. The storage area of the tent measures 180cm by 170cm, which is plenty of space to store gear for 3 people.

This tent is on the heavier side, weighing 4,300g. This will need to be split between you for carrying.

This tent is a good option for those looking for extra storage and a tent that can take the worst of the British weather.

Full specifications:

Best 3 man tents for wild camping over £400

Nomad Tellem 3 LW Tent

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The Nomad Tellem 3 LW tent is the heaviest tent on the list at 4,940g, but for its weight, it provides you with a large amount of space for storage.

In terms of width, the tent is in line with other tents of this class at 180cm wide. Length is where you gain in this tent, with the overall tent measuring 400cm, of which 230cm is in the bedroom area. This should allow you to store some gear inside the tent inner. The added bonus is that the storage area of the tent is big at 180cm x 160cm.

The hydrostatic head of 4,000mm for both groundsheet and fly means this tent can cope with UK precipitation fairly well.

A good option for those wanting space and not too concerned at taking a heavier tent with them.

Full specifications:

Lightwave g30 Trek XT Tent

The Lightwave g30 Trek XT tent is a large, 4 season tunnel tent built for all year round use.

The bedroom width of 160cm is on the small side, so you may find this quite snug compared to other options for 3, however, this tent does give you lots of storage, with an overall length of 420cm.

Compared to other tents this size, the weight of 3,350g is quite light, although still fairly heavy for one person to carry.

The hydrostatic head of 5,000mm for both groundsheet and fly offers great rain protection. The fly has been designed to sit quite low to the ground as well, meaning that you get much better storm protection than other tents will offer.

For experienced wild campers looking to camp in all weathers, this tent would be a great option.

Full specifications:

Lightwave t30 Hyper XT Tent

The final tent on my list is the Lightwave t30 Hyper XT tunnel tent. This 3 man tent offers a great balance between space and weight.

At a width of 160cm for the bedrooms, this might be a little tight for some, however, the bedroom length of 225cm and storage area of 200cm x 160cm might just sway it for those carrying a lot of gear.

This tent weighs just 2,730g, which is very light for a tent of this size and quality.

Particularly attractive is the hydrostatic head of 5,000mm for the fly and 7,000mm for the groundsheet. These will help you keep dry in any of the 4 seasons this tent is designed for in the UK.

For the pro wild camper, this tent would be a solid investment.

Full specifications:

Summary

As you can see there are lots of factors to consider when looking for a tent for wild camping. From my research, I believe that the best 3 man tent for wild camping is the Vango Scafell 300+ as it offers a great balance between price, space and weather protection. If you’re still not sure about wild camping in general and just want to try it out in the warmer weather, the Eurohike Tamar 3 is an amazing entry-level tent.

Is there anything that I have missed that you need to know about? Let me know and I will try and add it to this guide.