Written by Katie Martin on 31st Mar 2026
The question we get asked more than any other: "What size tent do I need for my family?"
The answer is almost never what the berth count says on the box. A "4-berth" tent fits four sleeping bags on the floor. It does not fit four people, their bags, a pushchair, wet coats, and a dog -- with enough room left to actually enjoy the trip.
Here's how to get it right, organised by family size, with honest recommendations from across our range.
The Sizing Rule Every Family Gets Wrong
Tent berth ratings measure sleeping bodies, not comfortable camping.
The berth on a tent is just a guide. Always go for a tent that has more berth than you’re looking for. Double up where you can, up to 8 berth. An 8-berth is comfortable for 5 people. If you’re going beyond 5, you may need two tents.
Lisa Walton — OLPRO
This isn't us trying to upsell you a bigger tent. It's thirteen years of watching families arrive at campsites, pitch their 4-berth tent, and spend the weekend tripping over each other.
For a full breakdown of tent types, materials, and waterproofing, see our complete guide to choosing the right tent.
The extra berths give you three things that transform a family camping trip:
What extra berths actually give you
Somewhere to sit when it rains. Somewhere to eat that isn’t your sleeping bag. Matters enormously with children.
Bags, shoes, coats, food, toys. In a correctly-sized tent, these have a home rather than being piled in the corner.
Parents in one compartment, kids in another. Privacy matters — especially as children get older.
Best Tents for Couples and Small Families (2-3 People)
What you need: A 6-berth tent minimum. This gives you two proper sleeping compartments (one for parents, one for children) and a living area with standing room. An 8-berth is even better if you want real comfort.
Our Picks
Stafford 4.0 -- £339 (Poled, 4-berth)
The Stafford 4.0 has something most 4-berth tents don't -- a vis-a-vis layout. That means the two sleeping compartments face each other across a central living area, rather than sitting side by side at one end. You get a genuine room in the middle with standing room at 190cm, which makes a huge difference for changing clothes, sitting out the rain, or letting a toddler play while it's wet outside.
Developed with explorer Ed Stafford. 480 x 210cm. 16kg packed. 5,000mm waterproof.
Abberley XL Breeze -- £499 (Inflatable, 4-berth)
If you want the speed of inflatable, this is our lightest air tent at 16.5kg. (New to inflatable tents? Our [complete guide to inflatable tents](/blog/complete-guide-inflatable-tents/) explains how they work and what to expect.) The bedroom has a removable divider -- keep it as one open room for a couple, or split it into two 2-berth sections when a child arrives. Made with OLTECH REPRO recycled fabric.
490 x 310cm. 30-minute pitch time. Darkened bedroom for early-morning lie-ins.
Blakedown Breeze -- £649 (Inflatable, 4-berth)
The premium option for smaller families who want space and light. At 600cm long (over a metre longer than the Abberley), it has a generous living area with two tinted roof skylights -- brilliant for natural light without glare. Nine windows total make it feel open and airy even when zipped up.
600 x 280cm. 30kg. 5,000mm waterproof. 25-minute pitch.
Best Tents for a Family of 4
What you need: A 6-berth tent minimum. This gives you two proper sleeping compartments (one for parents, one for children) and a living area with standing room. An 8-berth is even better if you want real comfort.
Our Picks
Stafford 6.0 -- £419 (Poled, 6-berth)
Two 3-berth blackout bedrooms with a central living area. The bedrooms are fully removable -- take one out and you've got a huge living space with a single bedroom, which works brilliantly for a couple with young kids who all sleep together. Ed Stafford collaboration.
620 x 300cm. 18kg. Two doors. 5,000mm waterproof.
Kinver 5.0 -- £429 (Poled, 5-berth)
Three doors and five windows make the Kinver the brightest, most accessible tent in this size range. The single bedroom splits into a 2-berth and 3-berth section via a removable divider -- parents on one side, kids on the other. Mixed fibreglass and steel poles give it extra stability compared to pure fibreglass.
590 x 300-360cm. 22.6kg. 25-minute pitch. Large front canopy for outdoor cooking.
Orion 6 -- £429 (Poled, 6-berth) -- Our "Grow With You" Pick
This is the clever one. The Orion comes with two separate 3-berth bedroom inners, but you don't have to use both. Start with one bedroom and a massive living area when the kids are small. Add the second bedroom when they're older and want their own space. It adapts as your family grows -- which saves buying a new tent in three years.
A roof skylight fills the living area with natural light. Fastest pitch time in our family range at just 20 minutes.
550 x 240cm. 18kg. Two doors convertible to canopies.
Discovery -- £899 (Inflatable, 6-berth) -- Our Premium Pick
The largest inflatable tent we make. Three doors, seven windows, a full enclosed front canopy with its own separate groundsheet (essentially a bonus room for cooking and storage). Darkened sleeping pods. 220cm standing room. Comes with a spare air beam -- the only tent in our range that does.
If budget allows and you want serious family camping comfort, this is the one.
725 x 420cm. 30kg. 30-minute pitch. OLTECH REPRO fabric.
Best Tents for Families of 5-6
What you need: A 6-berth with good bedroom separation, or an 8-berth for real comfort. Multiple bedroom compartments become essential -- teenagers won't share with parents, and younger children need their own space for earlier bedtimes.
Our Picks
Hive Poled -- £499 (Poled, 6-berth) -- Our Most Unique Desig
Nothing else in our range looks like the Hive. It's hexagonal -- a six-sided living area with three bedrooms radiating off the back. Each bedroom fits a double airbed. Five roof skylights flood the central space with light, and at 240cm it's the tallest tent we make. You can stand anywhere in the living area without ducking.
The three separate bedrooms work brilliantly for families of 5-6: parents in one, older kids in another, younger kids in the third.
530 x 680cm. 20kg. 25-minute pitch. Seven windows total.
Wichenford 8.0 -- £499 (Poled, 8-berth) -- Our Best Value Large Tent
Three bedroom inners: one 4-berth (with a removable divider to split into 2+2) plus two 2-berth rooms at either end. This flexibility is the Wichenford's strength -- configure the bedrooms to suit your family, or remove one entirely for extra living space.
700 x 300cm. 28kg. Large central living area with room for a table. Two cable entry points for electric hook-ups. Two canopy poles on both doors.
Best Tents for Large Families and Groups (7-8)
What you need: An 8-berth tent is the practical maximum for a single tent. Beyond 8 people, consider two smaller tents pitched side by side -- it's actually easier to manage and pitch than one enormous tent.
Our Picks
Stafford 8.0 -- £519 (Poled, 8-berth)
Three separate blackout bedrooms, any one of which can be removed for extra living space. The Ed Stafford collaboration with PVC windows for clear outdoor viewing. Same footprint as the Wichenford (700 x 300cm) but a different bedroom configuration -- three separate inners rather than one large plus two small.
700 x 300cm. 28kg. Two doors. 5,000mm waterproof.
Wichenford 8.0 -- £499 (Poled, 8-berth)
Already covered above, but worth repeating here -- the Wichenford is £20 cheaper than the Stafford 8.0 with more flexible bedroom configurations. The 4-berth-with-divider room is particularly useful for groups, as it can be one large shared room or two smaller ones.
Quick Comparison Table
Every tent above includes 5,000mm waterproofing, sewn-in groundsheet, blackout bedrooms, standing room, and OLPRO’s lifetime warranty. Free UK delivery on all orders.
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