10 Best 3 Room Tents Reviewed & Comapred - (2021)
Core 11 Extended
Best 3 Room Tents Reviewed & Comapred
When you invest in a three-room tent or a multi-room tent, you not only get to share a space with others, but you have the privacy you need to be comfortable. Still, with any outdoor gear, it can be hard to know which option is the best for your needs.
That’s why we put together a concise list of the best three-room tents currently on the market. We hope to make your shopping journey simpler and easier. To move beyond customer reviews in our search, we dug deep into the durability, functionality, and ease of use that each tent offers.
By the end of this article, we hope to leave you confident and well equipped to purchase the perfect three-room tent for your camping needs.
Best 3 Room Tents Reviewed
The tents are listed in no particular order. We’ve included our favorite features along with some specific design aspects we think other folks should take notice of before buying a new tent.
Need a tent for a specific amount of people? Then check out these articles:
Material: Polyester taffeta rainfly with polyester 68D mesh on the inner tent. The floor is made from polyethylene 1000D and equipped with 11mm fiberglass poles.
Size: 12’ L x 7’ W x 5’ 8” H
This spacious tent sleeps six and is big enough for two queen size air mattresses. The size of the tent alone makes it a great car camping tent that can easily fit the whole family. Plus, with the WeatherTec system, you can be sure that no matter the weather, you will be warm and dry.
The WeatherTec system features a tub style floor to keep excessive water from entering the tent with patented corner welding. All of the tent seams are inverted, and the zippers are covered to further protect the interior of the tent from water. The tent windows are also angled to allow you to keep the windows open during light rain without worrying about water coming into the tent.
If the wind is your worry because of the size, then you can rest easy knowing that this tent is designed with a durable enough frame to withstand 35+ mph winds.
An added feature is the extended door awning that provides more space inside by giving you room to store gear in the entry vestibule. For additional organization, the interior features an array of small storage pockets throughout.
Removable dividers separate rooms
Attached mud mat
Comes with easy to carry duffle
Moveable and hangable media pocket that holds a tablet
Spacious sleeping space and storage room
Not especially waterproof or weatherproof
Somewhat tricky to set up
Material: Fabric of tent body and rainfly made from polyester taffeta with polyester mesh for windows. The frame is made from fiberglass and steel poles.
This Ozark Trail 10-person tent not only features three rooms, but it includes removable separators for additional privacy. You will have ample space for three queen size air mattresses in this tent, with extra room to spare. It is a three-season tent with extensive ventilation on the top and throughout the sides.
Although there is a rainfly, there isn’t a lot of waterproofing throughout. Since the tent uses polyester taffeta fabric, the tent can be expected to be water-resistant, but not entirely waterproof. Keep this in mind if you plan to camp in areas prone to rainstorms.
The tent offers a crazy amount of storage inside and outside the tent in the vestibule areas. There is even an E-Port for electrical access. They also made sure that you’d be able to watch a movie in the tent by including a moveable and hangable media pocket that holds a tablet.
You can expect there to be room for your whole family or a large group of friends in this tent. The best part about it is that you still have your privacy while sleeping, and you don’t lose out on any ventilation.
Material: Thick polyethylene floor with welded waterproof construction. The rainfly is made from 68D polyester with a PU 600mm waterproof coating. All seams are taped, and the poles are made of steel.
As an Instant cabin-style tent, this Ozark Trail design really is a portable camping cabin. The sheer size of each room with the ease of setup makes this one a favorite among many camping families and groups.
The waterproofing and ventilation make it a great warm-weather tent, but it will not provide much protection during cold months. The entire roof of the tent body is made of mesh to create a fun and airy environment that provides airflow. There are also some floor vents to keep air circulation at a maximum. You can also choose to add a cooling system, which is a unique feature.
The “L” shape design also gives the tent a more “homey” feel and provides a designated entry space. The awning extends over this area to provide an outdoor living area as well.
Freestanding and instant setup
Wheels on carrying bag
Material: Tent shell made from 185T polyester with taped seams and 3000mm waterproof coating. The floor is polyurethane. Materials are also UV-protected and fire retardant. It comes equipped with four fiberglass poles.
Initially designed for a European market, the Coleman Ridgeline is a durable, weatherproof, and trustworthy tent. It uses Coleman’s WeatherTec system with a tub style floor using water, UV, and wind-resistant materials. This tent is meant to stand up to the weather of almost any kind. Coleman also claims the tent materials to be fire retardant.
Although there are three rooms, the tent is designed for the two wings to be sleeping areas and the center to be a shared space for dining or hanging out. You can make this room an area for sleeping as well if needed.
Unlike many of the other tents on our list, the Ridgeline is not freestanding. This means that the way you stake the tent and the structural poles must be placed correctly to ensure it stands fully functional.
The unique dome-style design gives you plenty of space to stand in the center and then gradually slants down the wings. This design provides the tent with a more aerodynamic shape to stand up to wind even better.
3-season capabilities
An stand up to high winds
WeatherTec System for UV and wind as well as rain
Not great in hot weather
Core 11 Person Extended Tent
Material: Water-resistant polyester fabric with taped seams and water beading H20 Block Technology coating on rainfly. It comes equipped with fiberglass poles.
The Core 11-person tent has room enough for three queen size air mattresses. Although this tent is only water-resistant, the rainfly is designed with H20 blocking technology to encourage rainwater to bead up and roll off.
There is a quality ventilation system in place, and the ceiling is mesh as well. The rainfly can be manipulated to be rolled up into the center. This opens up the ceiling areas on the wings. This rainfly toggle system gives you a chance to enjoy the night sky with the ease of securing the rainfly into the center. Then, if it starts to rain, you can quickly resecure it to protect the interior of the tent.
As another dome-style tent, you can choose to use all three rooms as sleeping areas, or you can just use the wings. Then, the middle section becomes a great hangout space.
Dividers for a multi-room option
Rainfly toggle system
One of the unique features of this three-room tent is that hinged door. This makes getting in and out of the tent quick and easy. There is just enough space for three queen-sized air mattresses and plenty of room outside for gear.
The weatherproof technology is inherently water-resistant but is not entirely waterproof. You should be able to trust it for light rain, but consistent, heavy downpours could cause the tent to leak. The welded floor is a great addition to keep water at bay, but the seams are not taped, they are inverted. You may want to consider taping the seams yourself, and then you’d be set.
There is plenty of ventilation, so warm weather shouldn’t be a problem in this tent. Takedown and setup are both a snag-free process with the use of a patented ping and ring system. With such a large tent, it can be difficult to set up alone, so be sure to enlist a few helpers!
Unique, hinged door
Three color options including green, black, and blue
Smaller than other similar tents
Core 12 Person Instant Tent
Material: Durable polyester tent fabric with steel poles and stakes
Earlier in our list, we featured the Core 11 tent. Now, these two tents have a lot of similarities, mainly the H20 block technology in the rainfly and the ventilation system. However, there are still notable differences which is why we chose to include both.
The Core 12, well, sleeps 12 people, so it is a bit bigger than the 11. The general design of the tents also differ dramatically. The Core 11 aims for a dome-style design, whereas the Core 12 gives more of a cabin feel.
You should also be able to set this tent up much faster. While it is a bigger tent, it does employ their instant set up technology. The telescoping steel poles come preassembled in the tent so you can simply unroll and pop it up.
Optional room dividers
Instant setup (2 minutes)
Not the best for high winds
Ozark Trail Vacation Tent
Material: Tent body and rainfly are made from polyester taffeta materials, and the floor is made from polyethylene. The tent comes equipped with steel and fiberglass poles.
Size: 20’ L x 11’ L x 78” H
Ozark Trail offers a wide variety of large tent options. The Vacation Tent model here is ideal for families or groups that like a little extra privacy and wind protection. Ten guylines allow you to secure the tent tightly, but the stakes provided are kind of flimsy. You may need to invest in new stakes to ensure more security.
The front covered porch area is a stand out feature with this tent. It gives a nice space to hang out and relax outside of the tent, and the awning also can zip down to create more privacy inside the tent. The addition of a mud mat is excellent if you are using this tent for a fishing, hiking, or hunting trip. You can leave your boots outside the tent without worrying about getting the inside dirty or your shoes getting wet.
Although Ozark Trail uses polyester taffeta, a water-resistant material, it is not fully waterproof. The polyethylene flooring does help quite a bit in keeping water away, but it is not recommended for heavy, sustained rain. It should keep you dry in light rain or on and off showers, though.
Front porch covered area
Plenty of support for windy conditions
Ozark Trail Cabin Tent & Screen Room
Material: Polyester tent materials and steel poles
Unfortunately, for this Ozark Trail tent, they do not provide in-depth material descriptions. The good news is that polyester is usually a water-resistant material. All of the seams are fully taped and factory sealed to make it even more water-resistant.
It does fit three queen-sized air mattresses, but that includes using the screen room as a bedroom. It is best utilized as a two-bedroom tent with a screen room used as a common space. There are room dividers included, so if you do use the three bedrooms, you will have privacy. Plus, there are also three entry doors. This allows people to come and go from the sections without disturbing others.
The design of this tent is more of a cabin-style tent than some of the other Ozark Trail tents listed. The fully screened room adds bug protection but provides much-needed ventilation on warm summer days.
Additional screen-room to be used as a front porch
Material: Polyester tent fabric and steel pole/stake materials
The final tet on our list is another Ozark Trail favorite. As an instant tent, you can save valuable time during setup as the tent poles are pre-assembled and in the tent. You have a unique room layout compared to some of the other tent options on our list as well. There is an extended, large main area and a small additional room in the back.
All of the rooms can be broken apart for privacy with the provided room dividers. The two main rooms in the front you can stand up inside, whereas the back room is a bit shorter. There is still plenty of space to lay down and sleep back there. You will have room for two queen mattresses and a smaller twin-sized mattress in the rear bedroom.
This tent is a super affordable option for families looking only to do a few trips each summer. It is not recommended for heavy rain or windy conditions. The seams are taped, but there is not a waterproof coating on the tent. You may be able to add a coating after purchase yourself to make the tent more waterproof.
Instant set up (2 minutes)
Protected entryway
Not all the rooms are the same size
How to Choose the Best 3 Room Tent
Even if the tents on our list are not your “perfect” multi-room tent, we will share the criteria we used to pick them. These specific aspects of the tent construction and functionality are what drove our choices, and what helps us to know to tell the quality tents from the sub-par.
No matter the type of tent you are searching for, you can use these feature qualities to help you choose one that will last you for many future adventures.
Duribility & Sturdiness
Even the best three-room tents are never really going to be used for a backpacking venture. That doesn’t mean that it won’t go through some wear and tear, though. This is especially true if you are camping with kids.
You want a tent that can stand up to the use and abuse a toddler would bring. Plus, you want it to be able to withstand various environmental conditions as well. This means that it should have some UV protection, water protection, and wind protection.
Look for materials such as:
All of these materials are what give the tent structure and weatherproofing. Beyond the materials, you should look for construction features such as:
Waterproof coating (DWR, Silicone)
Additional guylines
Now, other features could be included, but these are the primary ones to look for when tent shopping. Higher-quality tents will usually be higher on the price range. However, spending a little bit more upfront is likely to save you in the long run, because it will last longer.
Keep in mind that you can also add waterproof coatings and seam seals if necessary. You will need to reapply waterproofing eventually even for the highest-quality tents if they’re used often. Coatings wear off eventually. So, having a water-resistant fabric for the tent is the most important. The coating can be added to the tent yourself and will need to be updated from time to time.
When talking about three-room tents, you can expect them to be big and sometimes cumbersome. If you are camping with small kids or just a group of friends, you don’t want the tent set up to take away from the relaxation of the trip.
Many of the tents on our list are actually an “instant” set up. This generally means that it will take two minutes or less to put it up. Companies can do this by making sure that the poles are already installed into the tent material and that the tent is freestanding.
Then, users can unpack, unroll, and pop the tent right up. Usually, this will take a bit of adjusting to situate the tent correctly, but overall, it will speed up the process exponentially. This setup option is quite easy, but the only downfall is that the tent will not be as compact in the storage bag and is bulky to transport.
Other tent companies work to streamline the setup process by color coating clips and poles or at least making the pole sleeves a continuous, snag-free tube. This type of setup process will take groups at least 10-20 minutes to complete. That still is not very long! Plus, once you’ve set it up once or twice, it will be much easier.
One specific set up aspect that should be mentioned for even the best multi-room tent is that it is recommended that you have two or more people helping you. It is possible to set up a tent this size alone, but then you should expect it to take longer than the expected timeframe.
The size of almost all three-room tents will be similar. You should expect to be able to fit at least two queen-sized mattresses inside. However, some tents can fit three queen-sized mattresses. So, it will ultimately depend on how many people you want to have sleeping in the tent. For most tents this size, you can expect to sleep a minimum of six people and up to twelve.
Another size aspect to consider is how tall the tent is in all of its rooms. In most cases, the center of the tent will be the tallest point, and you will at least be able to stand up in that room. Then, the side rooms may or may not have enough headspace to stand up inside.
As far as layout goes, there are two main options: dome-style or cabin-style. Dome-style tents will usually not be freestanding tents, but they will be more secure against windy conditions. They will also tend to taper down on the wings leaving the center the only room you can easily stand up inside. There will be ample sleeping space still.
Freestanding, cabin-style tents are often easy to set up, and will often have enough space to stand in every room. They will not be as wind-resistant, but if you usually camp in mild conditions, this won’t be a problem.
Cabin-style tents will also play with the room layout a bit more than other styles. They can use the standard strip layout, but they sometimes go for an “L” or “T” shape. A personal favorite is the “L” shaped cabin-style tents. This is because the entry section will have an awning, giving you a fully covered outdoor room. The added, shaded lounge space is suitable for storing gear or to hang out in on hot summer days.
Your intended use will ultimately determine the size and layout of the tent.
Additional features beyond the standard tent features like rainfly and ventilation will often make the tent more expensive. They can add a lot to your comfort while camping, though.
Some additional features can include:
Mud mat by the entrance
E-Port for an extension cord
There are all additional comfort features that could be included, but these are common features to look for if you want just one step up from a standard tent without spending too much money. Many of these features are easy to live without but often amplify your camping experience and comfort.
In terms of your budget, we can only recommend that you decide on how much you’re willing to spend before you start tent searching. Like any other piece of gear, you’ll find that some of the best tents are extremely expensive, while others are much more reasonably priced.
So, consider your personal budget constraints along with what features you’re willing to pay for, and use those considerations to help with your decision making process
Finding the best tent with three rooms can be quite the journey. It is hard to narrow down the exact style and space you need until you have a chance to test it out! Sometimes it is best to go to an outdoor retailer to see some tents set up in person first. This will help you narrow down the layouts, sizes, and materials you prefer.
After that, you can start to dig deeper online. Use reviews like this one to give you a starting block on your shopping journey. We work hard to collect realistic data, but we also realize that we might not list all of the tents you favor.
That’s why we include the criteria we looked for when we chose the best three room tents on the market today.
We hope that you found our list helpful in finding the best 3 room tent for you. Happy shopping, and don’t forget to keep our tent choosing criteria at the forefront of your decisions.
https://www.overstock.com/guides/how-to-set-up-a-tent
https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/helpandadvice/gettingstarted/newtotents/typesoftent/