Posted on by Beckworth & Co.

So most tents aren't too difficult to set up. You just have to take out the poles and create the frames. Sometimes they give you trouble and sometimes they don't. Despite the fact that it isn't too crazy to set up a tent, I still prefer using an instant tent. Instant tents usually come with a pre-installed frame. That means you take it out of the bag and you can unfold and set up the tent in literally seconds. Sometimes it may take a minute but either way its very fast.

Instead of providing you with a list of all of the instant tents out in the market, we decided to just provide you with a list of just a few listed on Amazon with great reviews and we feel will stand the test of time. For good measure, we included our own instant tent as well which I have personally tested myself when I went on a camping trip to Havasupai.

When I opened up the instant tent, everybody else in the group of 10 was still setting theirs up. It took me about 30 seconds to set up. Afterward, I was helping the other people set up their tent which was NOT instant. People in our group was telling me, "Hey, you should sell that". I told them, "We do, I'm just testing it". 

I would recommend some of these tents for a shorter trip or day trips to the beach where you just need some quick shelter. 

Compliments
Complaints
  • Easy to set-up and put away.
  • Great for 1-2 people
  • A lot of good ventilation for breathing. 
  • I would recommend it for the beach more so than camping
  • Heavy rain may cause leaking. Not recommended for that type of environment where there is a lot of rain.
  • 4 is the absolute maximum so make sure you know that it may be uncomfortable with 4
  • Wish there were lighter color options
  • The door isn't the easiest to get in and out of
Compliments
Complaints
  • Took 2 minutes to set up (some people took longer) which was nice for a tent as durable as this.
  • High ceiling so most people can stand up which is a very nice feature.
  • Most people really liked the size of it so make sure you watch the video and know what size you are getting so you can expect it
  • The stakes could have been more stable
  • Water still gets in on some of it so it can't claim it is completely water resistant on top
  • Very heavy but that makes sense because it is quite large and durable
Compliments
Complaints
  • Great for the price and size
  • The side door is awesome in addition to the normal front entrance
  • 40 pounds, high-quality material.
  • Great for warm weather camping
  • The stakes are a bit weak. They should invest a little more and get some heavy duty ones
  • The roof isn't zipped on (but most are not zipped on)
  • Zipper gets stuck more often than average
  • Not great for super high winds or cold
Compliments
Complaints
  • The fastest and easiest tent to setup
  • Great portable tent for the beach or short camping trips
  • Nice touch to have  floor as well, even when it's just for hanging out at the beach
  • There were some flaws in the material on the floor and walls but the customer service was top notch and they helped me fix the issue
  • Not good for winter camping or extended camping trips or if the weather conditions are too rough