Whether you’re heading to Leeds/Reading, Latitude, Camp Bestival, Wilderness Festival or another camping festival this summer, one piece of kit can make or break your experience: your tent.
After all, your tent isn’t just somewhere to sleep. It’s your bedroom, living room, changing room and shelter from whatever the temperamental British weather decides to throw at you. With hundreds of options on the market, choosing the best festival tent can feel overwhelming.
Here’s everything you need to know before investing in a tent for your next festival adventure.
Start with the Right Tent Size
One of the most common mistakes festival-goers make is buying a tent that’s too small. As a rule of thumb, always size up. A ‘two-person tent’ will technically sleep two adults, but once you add clothing, bags, wellies and camping gear, space quickly disappears.
For maximum comfort:
● Solo campers should consider a 2-3 person tent.
● Couples should look at 3-4 person tents.
● Small groups should choose a 4-6 person tent.
● Families may benefit from 6+ person tents with separate bedrooms.
The extra space can make a huge difference, particularly during longer festivals or periods of wet weather when you’re spending more time inside.
Don’t Ignore Hydrostatic Head Ratings
If you’ve ever woken up in a puddle at a festival, you’ll understand the importance of waterproofing. When comparing tents, look for the Hydrostatic Head (HH) rating, which measures how waterproof the fabric is.
As a general guide:
● 1500mm–2000mm: suitable for light showers.
● 3000mm: good protection for most UK conditions.
● 4000mm+: ideal for heavy rain and unpredictable festival weather.
Remember that even highly waterproof tents can lose performance over time through wear, UV exposure and dirt build-up. Treating your tent to the Fabsil MOT before festival season can help restore water repellency and maintain protection throughout the summer months.
The Fabsil Tent MOT
- Clean: Use Tent + Awning Cleaner for smaller tents and Universal Cleaner for tents with larger surface areas. If you want to spot clean a particularly stubborn stain, Outdoor Wipes are great for targeting specific smudges.
- Reproof: Once clean and dry, apply either Universal Protector UV (safeguards outdoor materials against rain, stains and UV rays, preventing the sun from degrading and wearing the fabric) or Fabsil Gold (a highly concentrated, extremely durable solution) for powerful protection against the elements. Both solutions are excellent at protecting your tent from dirt and all manner of festival-related blemishes (think mud, swilled beer, sun cream, etc.) and allow to fully dry
Other Festival Tent Criteria
● Consider a blackout tent for better sleep – blackout technology blocks that early morning sun, allowing you to sleep for longer.
● Look for good ventilation and breathability – look for tents with mesh ventilation panels, adjustable vents and dual doors to reduce condensation.
● Porches and living areas are worth the extra space – somewhere to hang out when it’s pouring outside, somewhere to store muddy boots and wet gear, and somewhere to keep all your stuff away from your sleeping area.
● Think about durability – look for tents with strong groundsheet materials, reinforced seams, durable zips, fibreglass or aluminium poles, and ripstop fabrics.
● Colourful or neon guy ropes are important – these will prevent other festival goers from tripping over the ropes, and potentially onto your tent. Bright colours make them easily visible, with neon ropes discernible even in the dark.
Our Top Festival Tent Recommendations
● Best budget festival tent – Vango Tay 300
● Best blackout festival tent – Quechua 2 Seconds Easy Fresh & Black
● Best family festival tent – Berghaus Air 600 Nightfall
Ready for Festival Season?
The best festival tent isn’t necessarily the biggest or most expensive; it’s the one that suits your needs, keeps you comfortable and stands up to the demands of British weather. By considering factors like waterproofing, ventilation and blackout technology, you’ll have a comfortable home away from home at your next camping festival!
