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Since ancient times, mankind has been mesmerized by the enchanting allure of the stars above. Even in our modern age, stargazing continues to captivate the hearts of many, drawing people from all corners of the world to witness the celestial wonders. For those seeking a truly immersive stargazing experience, embarking on a camping trip away from the city lights becomes a tranquil journey of relaxation and celestial exploration.
However, for beginners in the world of camping, choosing the perfect tent for stargazing can prove to be a perplexing task. To unravel this celestial enigma, we have crafted this article to equip you with all the essential information and key features to consider when searching for a tent that will elevate your stargazing escapades.
Venturing through a vast selection of tents, we have meticulously compared and analyzed various options suitable for stargazing. After an exhaustive search, we have narrowed down the top 5 best tents that promise to enhance your camping experience and open up a window to the wondrous night sky.
With our expert guidance, you can now embark on your camping journey with confidence, knowing you have chosen the best tent to gaze at the stars and create cherished memories under the celestial canopy.
What Does a Stargazing Tent Do Anyways?
To sum it up, basically a stargazing tent is a tent that is either constructed as stargazing tent intentionally or in some situations companies produce such tents on accident. When it comes down to it what makes a star-gazing tent a well… stargazing tent is its ability to see the sky clearly at night.
However, you will notice most tent companies don’t advertise this feature much. So it’s people like you and I who love watching stars and gazing into the night dark sky looking and watching peacefully that find these types of tents and then tell their friends about it and then before long you have a small group of people who love doing this niche type activity all over America and the world.
No surprise because camping is fun on its own but watching the stars has always been one of the most relaxing activities I’ve personally done outdoors besides sleeping out the woods bush crafting, which is also another very niche alternative to sleeping in a tent that you can see the sky so clearly.
Why You Want A Star Gazing Tent?
A camping trip into the wild is an experience only people know have done and being out in nature with all kinds of beautiful scenery such as the trees, flowers, mountains, or kills.
The screams, fish splashing to wild animals. You name it, all kinds of things interesting to potentially life-threatening scenarios happen when going into the woods.
Most of these outdoor attributes would make most people want to stay at home and yet, people just love it so much! They simply can’t get enough of the great outdoor life on the backcountry backpacking trip. But there is something special about being outdoors during the night, especially when you are staying the night outdoors. The sounds you hear, the nighttime scenery which is usually a bright hot fire near by, and then what a lot of people lack is a tent that they can enjoy the nighttime sky.
It comes down to a lot of people spend so much of their life busy, at work and always trying to stay ahead of the rat race and being able to get away from the noisy lifestyle one usually is in is a nice way to escape it all and gain some mental clarity.
For some, it might not be ideal to sleep with basic to no shelter like in bushcraft but the next best thing is probably the stargazing tent because it lets you have shelter and a view that is going to make it possible to view the night sky easily.
What are the main functions of a stargazing tent?
You most likely are stargazing in the summer or at least in nice weather conditions I only can assume so you will have a solid campsite and then other things like condensation, dew or rocks and bugs, and all those types of things you need to think about.
7 Best Tents for Stargazing
1. Kelty Dirt Motel – Best Overall
A newer company has designed the ultimate way to view the stars. The Kelty Dirty Motel 3 Season tent is one of the better choices for backpacking and camping for a tent that holds up to 2-4 people and when the rain cover is off it has a full open screen which is the most unique design our team could find across the online world of tents.
Let’s discuss the main features of this stargazing tent, shall we? The main selling point for this tent is it does offer more room for your head and shoulders, it’s a 3 season so you can camp in early April and late fall with this tent and you should be comfortable enough. The stargazing system has to be the best thing about this tent other than the durable and strong materials used to create this and the waterproof polyurethane coated with nylon that is 3000 mm water resistant.
This is one of the only tents designed for stargazers, so in our opinion even though it is still a newer company to produce such tents, from the digging we did on this company and these tents we found that many users were extremely satisfied and getting a high-quality tent like this for star gazing does seem like a costly thing to do but when you enjoy the camping lifestyle and love gazing into the night’s sky it is rather a good investment because you will be able to use your stargazing tent for many years to come.
2. MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2-Person
A very close second with the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2-person tent that is one of the lightest for backpacking and camping. Take this along hiking with you and your loved one and enjoy the night of star gazing. This tent to is another 3 seasons, it offers a roomy spacious design, lightweight for travel, and has a 3000mm extreme shield for weather protection.
Backpacking can be heavy but with this star gazing it is only going to be 3.5 pounds, and let’s talk about the tent features now. The tent floor is 30D ripstop nylon and has polyurethane and DWR, a great extreme shield waterproof coating that was designed to last three times longer than some of its competitors according to the company. When packed up this tent is only 18×6 inches so it doesn’t really take up very much space up at all when you are backpacking.
Overall, this is one of the better options besides the Dirt Motel, our team couldn’t find anything that would be better than this for star gazing. Not specifically designed for it but consequently, it has a perfect open dome for viewing the sky during the night.
3. AmazonBasics Outdoor Camping Tent
The AmazonBasics is a brand you can trust and I own lots of items from them myself so you should expect the same quality from them for just about anything they have. This tent wasn’t actually designed to be a star-gazing tent, yet the design allows you to enjoy the sky from all kinds of angles.
A dome-styled tent that can fit 4 people is a 3-season tent and is durable and resistant to water. This tent is also coated with polyester fabric and welded 1000D polyethylene. Simply remove the rainfly to start gazing into the beautiful stars and get a nice airflow from the back windows on this tent and a cool airport to get the fresh air and air flow circulating inside the tent.
All in all, it may be difficult to find a tent that was designed to go star-gazing but for a well-rounded choice, there is nothing wrong with using the AmazonBasics camping tent for your next adventure. It is overall great in value and price. However, it may lack some of the features you would see in some of the more expensive tents, speaking in terms of usability, and for star gazing it is actually one of the better options out there.
4. Timber Ridge Camping
Family camping? Star gazes with the entire family in this 6-person tent. It is a big tent and can room friends or family very easily and the design of this tent when the cover is removed it makes it a very enjoyable view to view the sky during night time.
Measuring 10×10 and 78 inches in height, comfortably sleeps 6 people that provides more than enough room for the entire family to enjoy a tenting trip. Assembly is not required with this tent because it has a quick open system that instantly opens the tent, very quick and easy to set up and you can do it in under 10 minutes which some bigger tents can take way more time and a lot more hassle in doing so, especially if you are by yourself and don’t have much help around you. A well-ventilated tent allowing plenty of airflows, 3 roll-up windows, and O shaped door to easily enter or exit the tent.
If you are planning on camping with your family then this is the better option probably and should be your first pick however, if you and your wife or friend or pet plan on going out backpacking and planning a star gazing trip, maybe it would make more sense to get a smaller tent and I suppose this will be the only real concern you should have with this tent and some of the other ones we’ve already listed in our top 7 tents for star gazing.
5. Gigatent Dome Tent
Incredibly spacious tent with a floor of 7×7, the Gigatent Dome is a great option for 3 or 4 people to sleep in and it will be comfortable. The center peak inside this tent is 51 inches and has lots of room for a child to walk inside and around the tent. Fiberglass poles, high-quality materials that will hold up in all kinds of weather conditions.
What could be better than a tent that is affordable and roomy with the high-quality features some of the more expensive tents have on the market? The tent was designed to be very simple to set up and only takes a quick minute to do so, so it will not give you any stress when you are setting it up. Mesh will keep bugs out at night and other insects. A 3 season tent will be a great pick if you would like to enjoy star gazing.
So, with this tent, it is a great option but it is made for more than 2 people. This company is still a new company and we couldn’t find too much on this tent but from comparing it with other tents that are on our list we feel confident that it will be a nice addition to your camping gear.
6. Coleman Sundome Tent
What can you expect from Coleman? Pure excellency you guessed? Yeah pretty much, with this Coleman Sundome tent it is a very well-constructed tent by a respectable company who have been producing tents and outdoor gear as far back as I can remember. This is a dome tent and is a good option to take the cover off and use it for star gazing.
A waterproof tent that actually has welded corners and inverted seams to better keep the water from getting in and just so you know the rainfly is included which offers extra weather protection and will be good in high winds or when it is down pouring rain. It has been tested by the company to hold up against withstanding 35+ mph winds according to the company. A tent that has excellent ventilation with large windows and a ground vent for enhanced airflow in this tent and also it has an e-port so you can easily plug your electrical outside into a power resource if you have that option.
7. Coleman Dome Tent with Screen Room
Almost similar in design to the last Coleman dome tent on our list but this one has a screen room and holds more people! This is the Coleman Dome Tent with Screen Room which is the perfect camping tent for the family, easily enter the screen and sit and watch the stars on your folding camping chair.
Pretty much have the exact features as its sister tent without the screen, but we will go over the features once again so you won’t be confused or mixed up in any way. The Coleman dome tent with the screen is weatherproof and has welded corners also inverted seams for added protection against the weather. Set up takes roughly 15 minutes advised by the company and the bug-free screen is one of the nicest features we like about this tent.
Easily enjoy the outdoors with the family or friends and when it’s time to hit the hay, remove the cover and watch the gorgeous night sky as you are resting in your tent watching the stars gazing away and getting a real sense of nature on your next camping trip.
Conclusion
As the stars above continue to ignite our curiosity and wonder, finding the perfect tent for stargazing is the key to unlocking an enchanting experience like no other. Our journey to identify the best tents for this celestial adventure has led us to present you with the top 5 options, carefully selected to cater to your stargazing aspirations.
Remember, the best tent for stargazing is not solely about shelter; it’s a portal to a world of celestial beauty and cosmic exploration. The features we’ve highlighted and the essential considerations we’ve shared will help you make an informed decision, ensuring that your camping trip is nothing short of magical.
Whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or a curious beginner, let the stars guide you as you embark on your camping escapades. With the perfect tent by your side, you’ll witness the celestial marvels, embrace the quietude of the night, and forge unforgettable memories under the sprawling expanse of the night sky.
So, take a leap into the world of stargazing and camping, and let the wonders of the cosmos enchant you, one twinkling star at a time. Happy stargazing!
Read more: 15 Ways How To Make Your Tent Cozy
