The Best 8 Person Non Toxic Tents Without Toxic Flame Retardants [2023]

Choosing the best 8 person tent for your next camping trip is an important step to make sure your adventure is as comfortable – and fun – as possible. Whether you’re hiking through the Grand Canyon, exploring an Ozark trail, or just doing casual weekend car camping, an 8 person tent will feel like a serious upgrade if you’re accustomed to a smaller 2-4 person tent.

If you’re also concerned about exposure to toxic chemicals, make sure that your 8 person tent does not contain flame retardants.

Our list of the best 8 person tents without flame retardants are compiled from our research and usage non toxic tents, tent fabric composition, pole set construction and analysis of features, benefits, and shortcomings.

8 Person Non Toxic Tents for Camping

REI Co-Op Half Dome Tent

• Big Agnes Bunk House – Best Lightweight 8 Person Tent
• The North Face Wawona 8 – Best 8 Person Tent for Families
• Big Agnes Mad House 8 – Best 8 Person Tent for an All-Weather Basecamp
• Mountain Hardwear Stronghold 8 – Best 8 Person Tent for High-Altitudes Camping

Best Lightweight: Big Agnes Bunk House 8 Person Tent

The Big Agnes Bunkhouse 8 is a great camping tent that offers plenty of space, storage and stability, while weighing a modest 20 pounds – the lightest 8 person tent on our list.

The Big Agnes Bunk House 8 is a tunnel-shaped, cabin tent structure, supported by DAC poles which form three arches along the tent body. This unique shape performs well in windy situations, as long as you secure the guy lines and correctly position the tent to follow the direction of the wind. The DAC poles are designed to be lightweight and durable, as they are made from a proprietary alloy that is stronger and lighter than aluminum.

The shelter has two large, vertical doors on either end, allowing for easy entry and exit. There is a spacious vestibule at the front of the Bunk House 8, where you can store gear and shoes. This super large vestibule is a great feature and really gives the tent an expansive feeling. It also keeps muddy, dirty clothes and shoes outside the tent.

The Bunk House 8 weighs a little more than 20 pounds, so you definitely don’t want to go backpacking with this camping tent. You’ll also need at least one other person to set the tent up, especially when adding the rain fly. You can also use the rain fly as a shelter, which is great when you want shade for eating or relaxing, but don’t need the entire tent.

The tent is one of the best designs for car camping, and we love it even more because of Big Agnes’ commitment to never using toxic flame retardant chemicals in any of their products.

Best Layout: The North Face Wawona 8 Tent

The North Face Wawona 8 tent features a well-designed, spacious layout that maximizes internal space and storage areas.

The North Face Wawona 8-person tent is the perfect shelter for families or groups of friends who want to spend a weekend together outdoors. This spacious tent makes family camping a breeze, with the interior divided into a main area and a separate sleeping area, making it feel like two separate rooms.

The main area has a large vestibule where you can sit in chairs and enjoy the great outdoors, or even set up a dinner table. There’s also three doors, so everyone can enter and exit easily. The tent-wide window offers a beautiful view of the surrounding area, while also providing excellent airflow and breathability.

Best for All-Weather Basecamp: Big Agnes Mad House 8 Person Tent

The Big Agnes Mad House 8 is a large tent made with heavy duty materials and constructed to withstand extreme weather conditions.

Looking for a tent with weather protection that can withstand the harshest of conditions? Look no further than the Big Agnes Mad House 8. This 4-season tent is built stronger and more stable than standard mountaineering tents, and has even been used as a base camp dining room on Mount Everest.

The dual room set up allows you to comfortably sleep multiple groups of people, and the oversized bin storage pockets offer plenty of space to stash your gear. Plus, there are two large vestibules for even more storage. Color-coded webbing and buckles make set up easy, and the tent is also compatible with Big Agnes gear lofts. So whether you’re camping, mountaineering or looking for a dependable family tent, the Mad House 8 is a fantastic option.

Best for High-Altitude Camping: Mountain Hardwear Stronghold 8 Person Tent

The Mountain Hardwear Stronghold 8 is a geodesic dome structure designed for winter camping in high altitude basecamps.

So you’re stuck in a storm with a group of 8+ people and you all need shelter? Well, worry no more because the Stronghold 8 is here to save the day on those long, stormy camping adventures.

The Stronghold 8 has been field tested in some of the world’s most remote locations – from Kilimanjaro to Yosemite Valley. The unique dome shape provides spacious peak height for fully upright standing, and effectively sheds wind and snow. The tent has a built-in perimeter snow skirt to create off-ground space and prevent moisture and cold from entering.

This tent can sleep more people than the standard 8 person tent and includes 10 storage pockets to keep things organized inside, making it a great family camping tent. Plus, with a great ventilation system of four perimeter vents, one roof vent, and five windows, you’ll all be able to breathe easy.

How do I choose the correct tent size?

Choosing the best camping tent size is an important first decision, because an overcrowded tent can become irritating and end up detracting from your camping experience. While there is no industry standard for determining per-person tent footage, a minimum space of 20 square feet per camper is typically recommended, as seen on the KOA website .

The ideal amount of space per person is considered to be 30 square feet. This should allow space for both people and gear like backpacks, shoes, equipment and pets. Whether you’re car camping, backpacking or even pitching a luxurious canvas tent, try to estimate as much space per adult as possible, in order to make sure your trip is truly comfortable.

Why should I choose an 8 person tent?

As you evolve to a bigger capacity camping tent, you will find that, much like real estate, the larger your tent, the larger the number of features and benefits. People who enjoy “glamping” will often choose a canvas tent like the Teton Sports Sierra 16′ Canvas Tent because these large tents are spacious and can actually sleep up to 8 people.

However, these tents are not great for car camping or weekend trips because of their weight and complicated set up. For example, the Sierra 16′ canvas tent weighs 80 pounds!

The best 8 person tents provide significantly more space, in addition to cool features like a privacy wall room divider to create separate rooms. This gives you dedicated multiple living areas to keep kids, a space for people to change clothes in private or areas where people with allergies can sleep away from pets.

A larger camping tent often comes with stronger weather resistance capabilities, such as guy lines and stronger poles. They usually have other cool features like a larger windows for ventilation, more mesh to keep out bugs, vestibule and window awnings for shade, and gear lofts for storage.

Keep in mind that even the best 8 person camping tent won’t comfortably sleep 8 people, unless you plan on piling on top of friends and family members like sardines. While an 8 person tent can technically fit 8 standing adults, it will comfortably sleep 4 adults or 2-3 adults and 1-2 small kids, including a sleeping bag for each person. If you’re willing to be crammed and uncomfortable, you can probably sleep 5-6 adults. However, there will not be much room for movement inside the tent.

Also, don’t forget to factor in the extra space your dog(s) will need inside the tent if you’re bringing furry friends on your camping trip.

Can a camping tent be too big?

Considering that even the largest tent is considerably smaller than a 1 bedroom apartment, it’s unlikely that a camping tent will ever feel “too big”. This is especially true when more than 2 people are using the tent, in addition to storing gear and bags. Having more space also improves ventilation so that your living space doesn’t become stuffy or claustrophobic.

What important tent features should I consider when researching the best 8 person tents?

1. Tent Peak Height

This measurement indicates if a person can be fully upright in the tent, or will need to bend over. Tents with peak height of 60 inches or less will be 5 foot tall or shorter, and will require most adults to bend. Tents with a peal height of 70 inches or more will be 5.8 feet and tall, and will allow most campers to stand upright inside the tent.

The nice feature of 8 person tents in comparison to 2 – 4 person tents, is that larger tents usually have a peak height of 5.8 feet (70 inches) or more, which allows many people the ability to stand fully upright.

2. Number of tent poles

The number of poles included in a tent might seem like a random technical detail, but it’s a clear indicator of how easy or difficult it will be to pitch, or set up, the tent. Tents with 5 poles or less are generally easy and fast to set up, while tents with 6 poles or more can be a lot more complicated.

3. Type of tent pole

The poles used in a tent build the structural frame and are essentially the skeleton of the tent. It is important to consider what type of poles are used, and what material the poles are constructed from.

Aluminum tent poles are considered to be the best because of their strength, light weight and flexibility in different weather conditions. The main drawbacks of aluminum tent poles are that they are more expensive and can corrode in wet weather. However, they are very durable and reliable in ensuring your tent retains its structural integrity.

4. Tent Rainfly

The rainfly is one of the most important components of a tent, as it is your main protection from rain and moisture. It serves as the barrier between your tent and the world. Not all tents have a rainfly, and in these cases the tent fabric is typically already waterproof.

Rainfly can also be used as separate tarp-like structure in some tents. This is useful if you want to set up an area for socializing or eating, but don’t feel like pitching the entire tent.

5. Tent Vestibules

This is an important detail that’s sometime overlooked when purchasing a tent. A vestibule is where you can store gear, remove dirty shoes and clothes before entering, or hang out during rainy weather. Having a large, functional vestibule will keep your tent spacious and tidy, and ultimately more livable.

6. Tent Doors

This is an obvious feature, however people often overlook the number of doors their tent provides. Having 2 doors is significantly better than having 1 door. 2 doors will allow people to move in and out of the tent without disturbing others. Multiple doors is particularly useful with children, because it allows adults to move freely after the kids have fallen asleep.

7. Vent System

The system of vents used in your tent is key in figuring out how comfortable the tent will be, especially in warm weather. Most tents have vents in the ceiling or walls. Ideally, doors and windows should also have mesh screens that allow you to get fresh air without allowing bugs inside. In addition, vents should be protected with awnings so that rain can’t enter the tent.

8. Guylines

Guylines are run through loops on the exterior of the tent that allow you to tie down the tent to ensure that is no movement. This is important in windy conditions, especially for larger 8 person tents.

You should also take note on whether the guy lines are “pre-cut” – this will make tent set up easier because the lines are already cut to the correct length.

9. Instant Tent Set Up

Any tent created with the goal of having the quickest and most painless assembly possible is referred to as an instant tent. In most cases, this indicates that the tent poles are already secured to both sides of the canopy via one mechanism or another. As a result, you won’t need to spend any time putting the poles together or threading them through loops, hoops, or sleeves because they are already connected.

An instant tent is ideal when you have other important priorities to focus on, like managing small children or severe weather conditions.

Why should I avoid flame retardant chemicals in my 8 person tent?

As we’ve discussed in our other articles on the best non toxic tents and the best 4 person non toxic tents, repeat exposure to flame retardant chemicals can cause a number of health problems, including respiratory illness, kidney or liver cancers, and reproductive defects, among other health problems. This is not to say that you’re going to develop serious health problems if you used a tent with flame retardants. Rather, it’s better to be aware of the dangers these chemicals present, and try to limit your exposure over the long term.

If you like this article, check out our non toxic tent guides:

• The Best 4 Person Non Toxic Tents for Camping: 4 Person Tents Without Flame Retardants

• Non Toxic Tents: The Best Tents Without Flame Retardants Harmful to Human Health

• Sustainable Tents: The Best Tents Made From Recycled Materials

• The Best Waterproof Non Toxic Tents: Waterproof Tents Without Flame Retardants Harmful to Human Health

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