Over the last decade or so, outdoor recreation has experienced a significant surge in popularity. Influencers can’t get enough of it, and everyone else wants to get out there as they watch the show on their phones. For Naturalists, dating back to the 1800s, exploring the wilderness was often done alone in a type of personal exploration, a desire to return to the pastoral and find some kind of wild sense of self buried deep inside. That is a noble pursuit, and one that, if you have the time, many nature writers recommend. However, the idea of trekking out alone into the wilderness to find oneself is not the only way to enjoy the outdoors. Now, more than ever, people want to have a human connection while they are out in the wild. In 1850, it might have been more difficult to find a group of five or six friends to go to the middle of nowhere. Today, it’s pretty much the standard.
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Tent sizes have no standard, because there is no consistent baseline. Today, we’re going to talk about the benefits of an 8-person tent. Not because you have 8 people in your family, or because you have 7 friends trying to get together in the woods. We’re going to talk about all the myriad uses of a tent that size, and why it might be the best size on the market (even if there are only two of you).
The Question of Geometry
Walk into your favorite outdoor retailer and have a look at the diagrams for the square footage of the tents. They are all basically the same size and shape: square or rectangular. Now, there are some octagons, or hectagons for sure, and some odd rhombuses in the mix. For the most part, square wins out. The inherent problem with this diagram is that it tells nothing of the shape of the tent from the ground up. The fact is that most dome tents immediately begin cutting at a low angle, moving upward from the ground. This can eliminate 20-30% of usable space before you even unroll a sleeping bag. Luckily, not all tents were created equally.
Vertical-walled tents, those of the canvas variety, such as wall tents or bell tents. Canvas tents are constructed with rigid poles and taut fabric stretched over the frame. This design is durable and makes it possible to use every inch of floor space. Ironically enough, canvas tents and the vertical wall design are the exact design and fabric that those folks in the 1800s, heading deep into the wild, would have used. And now, as we’re discussing getting a group together to hit up the local spot, that design still seems to hold out.
Dome tents are great, and they have their uses, but in the larger sizes, canvas tents prove to be a more durable, versatile, and reliable structure. The square bottom, that top-view you’re so accustomed to seeing at a retail store, is a great design in a canvas tent. It feels like an old single-room wood cabin. Wall tents in this design have high, pitched roofs, so they accommodate nearly any-sized person. But the real luxury comes in the round floor design.
Bell tents have a round footprint and straight, vertical walls. The round interior space provides an awesome dynamic that encourages conversation, provides plenty of space for stretching out, and is even easy to cordon off sections for meals, games, or just relaxing.
There are different options of shapes, and flat and rounded walls, but let’s take a look at what an 8-person tent is good for.
So Much Space, So Little Time
It may be the case that you have never walked into an outdoor store looking for, or searched in the bar of an online shop, an 8-person tent. Maybe that seems like a ridiculously large tent, but let’s have a look and see. Truthfully, this might be your next go-to size, even if it’s a solo mission.
Size Doesn’t Count
Consider the number of companies out there making tents. Dozens? Hundreds? If only there was a way to ensure that they were all making the same sized tents, that would consistently accommodate the number of people the size has been assigned. Well, half of that is true (maybe half of half of that). There is an organization called the ISO: International Organization for Standardization. They provide a rough guide for the size of tents, but even then, it’s not universally consistent. This soft attempt to make everything consistent breaks down pretty quickly if we simply consider that not everyone is the same size. A 6’4”, 400lb hunter is not looking for the same sleeping situation as a lithe, 5’3”, 100lb mountain runner. Why would anyone assume they could make a “person” scale fit a tent?
Got Feet in Spades
If it doesn’t matter whether it says 4-person, 8-person, or 300-person, then what’s the best metric? A good ratio for camping on the move vs. comfort camping is this:
If you’re moving each day, on a short trip, or won’t spend much time in the tent, subtract the number of recommended users by 2. If you’re looking for a casual, comfortable experience, then cut the suggested number in half. So, if you have a crew with their gear staying overnight and then heading up the mountain for a summit and back, a quick trip, then six people in an 8-person tent will work. If you want to relax in the lap of luxury, spread your legs, maybe set up a chair, then no more than 4 people in your 8-person tent.
The Final Commodity: Space.
Space and time are the two things we humans don’t have any more of. There is what there is, and that’s that. Unless we change the perspective. If you are really looking for a luxury experience, and you want to make the tent an experience, then an 8-person tent for two lovebirds is the way to absolutely secure a luxury glamping experience.
Consider an apartment in Manhattan. Billionaires aren’t going around looking for roommates in the financial district. In one of the tightest, most densely populated places on the planet, space is the ultimate luxury. That is just a microcosm of what space means in your tent. If you’re touching walls, bumping your head, lying at an angle, that’s not comfort. That’s being tolerant. An 8-person tent for a couple looking to have a luxurious weekend is the only way to go.
The Luxurious Solution
Let’s go back to this billionaire in downtown NYC. For those looking for an 8-person tent, that might be the most ideal situation for a vacation, but the point still stands. When someone has enough means, when they don’t have to worry about the little things, they immediately become more comfortable, more relaxed, and their cortisol levels drop (the stress hormone). It’s true that not everyone can afford a penthouse in Manhattan. And as I said, that’s not everyone’s idea of relaxation. But consider the 8-person tent with an immense amount of room. Walls too far away to touch. A ceiling only reachable on your tippy toes. Space for you, and room for those you love. That is real luxury, and to get that experience, you’re going to need some extra space.
Luckily, canvas tents come in all shapes and sizes. What to consider is the square footage, more than the number of people they claim can fit inside. If you’re worried about enough space, get the size online and pace it out in your yard. White Duck Outdoors has two amazing options in rectangular and circular sizes of tents to accommodate a crowd of 8 or a large space for a few.
The Alpha Pro Wall Tent
If you’re looking to make a home away from home, the Alphe Pro Wall Tent is the design you want. It’s got four flat, vertical walls that rest at 90-degree angles. The roof is tall and pitched in the center. From a distance, it looks like a stellar white cabin in the woods. The seams are double-stitched, and the frame is unbelievably durable. Each size comes with a stove jack for the winter months, and the doors prop open and the windows can be drawn up for the summer months. The sizing with the Alpha Pro is key.
This classic canvas tent comes in four sizes, ranging from 12’x14’ to 16’x24’. The beauty of this design is that it’s easy to pace off the area you’ll need for you and your crew. The smaller size would most likely sleep 8 people. The question is, would it be good for 8 people when they had all their gear, if they were sitting up, or if a few people were changing? That probably won’t be the case. The Alpha comes in 16’x’20’, which is a perfect 8-person set-up when everyone has their gear. At that size, six could sleep on the narrow width of the tent and two more at their feet in the length direction, all with enough space to still store gear, and maybe set up a couple of compact camping chairs. When extra space is needed, and it usually always is, the Alpha Pro Wall Tent won’t let you down.
The Regatta Bell Tent
The Regatta Bell Tent comes in 10’, 13’, 16.5’, and 20’ diameters and will be by far the most attractive tent in the campground. This round design is optimal for conversing, enjoying company, and really, just lounging around. In the 16.5’ and 20’ sizes, 8 people can spend an entire evening in a tent and never feel bothered. In the warmer months, the walls pull up, and the evening breeze moves between the canvas walls. The pitched center pole provides a unique shape that drains rainwater and provides an angled shape so the sun doesn’t settle directly on the roof. It stays cool in the summer, and in the winter, all models are equipped with a stove jack, so you can keep it warm.
Big is Good, Bigger is Better
Either of these two options would be incredible for the 8-person camping experience. When it really comes down to it, space is the key element of luxury. If you’re looking for a singularly good time with just a couple of people, then going after the 8-person tent size will allow you to have exactly that. It’s best to consider what you want from your camping experience. No one wants to trek a 200-lb tent up the side of a mountain. That’s not what these tents are for. But if you’re looking for a relaxing experience with enough room to kick your feet up, then the extra space will be appreciated. Think about what you want, get what you need.
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