The Best Tents For Desert Camping That You Can Buy Right Now

Compared to being in the woods, camping out in the desert is a whole different ball game.

You have to put up with the sand-filled winds and hot weather, as well as other things that you may not encounter at other campsites.

To cope with these things, you will need the right tent.

Today, I will be going over the best tents for desert camping that I have tried over the years.

What Is The Best Tent For Desert Camping?

Coleman Dome Tent

As a brand, Coleman needs no introduction.
In my opinion, they are one of the best manufacturers of camping products around as they seem to cater to everyone’s camping needs.

One such product of theirs is their basic Dome Tent.

Coleman are known for their sturdy build quality, and this Dome tent is no exception.

This is a solid tent, that you can rely on to keep you safe from those desert storms.

One feature of this tent, like some of the other ones on this list, is that they have ‘darkroom technology’

This basically means that the whole of the inside is black, as to keep the sunlight out, ensuring that you remain cool in the hot desert sun. It also means that you will be in complete darkness at night, giving you the perfect setting for sleep.

The outside of the tent is very good-looking. In fact, when I used this tent, I often got compliments from other campers over how good it looks.

Setting this tent up could not be easier. With its pre-attached poles, you will have this tent in next to no time.

The only this I dislike about this tent is that I chose the version with a screen room.

Although it won’t be a problem when camping out in the desert or other dry areas, if you take this out camping on a rainy day, the screen room will most likely let some water in.

As I said, if you use this tent ONLY for desert camping, this won’t be a problem.

What I Like

• The style
• The dark room technology
• Very easy setup

What I Don’t Like

• The screen room (although they do a version without the screen room)

E-Z UP Camping Cube

E-Z UP is not a brand that is well known for camping. In fact, they only make around eight products that are dedicated to camping. However, what they lack in choice, they make up will quality.

The Camping Cube tent is amazing for desert camping.

It is a strong, sturdy tent that oozes with quality and isn’t that bad looking either depending on which of the four available colors you choose from.

What makes this a perfect tent for desert camping is that it (according to their website) blocks 99% of UV rays, whilst also providing very good airflow. If you want to stay cool and out of the sun, this tent will provide you with the perfect shelter.

Not only does this tent protect you from the sun, but it will also protect you from any bugs that try and sneak in by having a tub-style protective floor.

One interesting feature of the Camping Cube is how pet-friendly it is. I love camping with my dog, and the inclusion of a ‘pet portal’ doggy door made this tent perfect for my adventures with my furry friend.

The only downside that I found with this tent is that there is no real way to cover the vent in the ceiling. This renders the tent useless for camping out in wet weather unless you buy an additional cover for it.

What I Like

• The doggy door!
• UV protection
• Plenty of room
• Really good airflow

What I Don’t Like

• Seems to be only designed for dry weather

DANCHEL Cotton Bell Tent

Up next is a completely different style of tent that is also perfect for camping in the desert.

The Cotton Bell tent by DANCHEL is a cotton canvas bell style tent that comes in different sizes ranging from 3-6m (10-20ft) and also comes with a 5-year warranty on damage excluding normal wear and tear.

This includes two chimney holes at the top that allows you to have up to two stoves running inside the tent. These holes can easily be covered up when not in use.

The design of the tent allows it to withstand virtually any type of weather, be it wind or rain, so not only can you take this out into the desert, you can take it anywhere you wish to camp (it is even snowproof).

There is plenty of room to stand up and move around, you just need to watch out for the pole in the middle of the tent.

The only problem with this style of tent is that it takes a while to set up.

On my first use, it took me around 45 mins to fully assemble. The good thing is that, because it is made from canvas, I didn’t have to endure the usually rustling sound of normal tents for all that time.

What I Like

• A different style of tent
• Very spacious
• Holds up to anything mother nature throws at it

What I Don’t Like

• Long time to setup

TETON Sports Mesa Canvas Tent

Up next we have another canvas tent. This time by TETON Sports.

TETON Sports have been producing quality camping products since 2005, and if you are looking at camping out in the desert, they have just the tent for you.

The Mesa canvas tent comes in two different sizes, a 6 person tent and an 8 person tent.

The one I own is the smaller 6 person one.

Being a canvas tent, it is designed to withstand almost any type of weather. Canvas is a material that is highly breathable, yet still conducts heat very well. This makes it perfect for the hot days and cold nights that you tend to get in the desert.

I really like that they made the door extra wide, as it makes carrying equipment in and out of the tent a breeze.

Unlike the previous canvas tent, this one is really quick and effortless to setup. Although it’s not as simple to erect as a pop-up tent, you will have no problems setting this up.

One other feature of the Mesa is that it comes with a built-in awning that you can set up your camping chair under.

The only real downside to this tent is that due to it being a canvas tent, it is more expensive than tents made of polyester or nylon. But, as they say, you get what you pay for, and if you have the cash to burn, opting for a canvas tent is really worth it.

What I Like

• Its a canvas tent
• Plenty of room inside
• Built-in awning

What I Don’t Like

• Canvas tents are usually more expensive than other tents

Quechua Pop Up Camping Tent

The last tent for desert camping on the list is a pop-up tent made by the hiking company Quechua.

This beautiful-looking tent is one that will not only turn heads but will also provide you with a strong, safe place to sleep.

Once constructed, this tent stays where it should in strong desert winds. On the Quechua website, they say that they have tested this tent in a wind tunnel, whilst on a turntable, and it withstood a 50km/h wind.

There are two sizes that you can choose from, a 2 man and 3 man tent. Whichever size you need, you will be very happy with it.

The outside of the tent is white. This helps reflect the sun’s rays. Whether or not this was an intended design choice, I’m not sure.

The inside is dark. Very dark.

Just like the Coleman tent, all of the interiors are pitch black. This one, however, blocks out 99% of light, even in the daytime.

This makes it just perfect for camping out in hot climates.

As for downsides, I’m really struggling to find any. The tent looks good, performs well, and even sets up quickly.

The only gripe I can think of is that taller people will struggle to stand up straight in it.

What I Like

• Blocks 99% of light, even in the blazing sun
• Looks great
• Stays cool in hot weather
• Really quick to set up

What I Don’t Like

• Nothing, I love this tent!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you pitch a tent in the sand?

To pitch your tent on sandy grounds, you will need to buy some long, wide tent stakes. I recommend that you get some that are around 2ft long as this will make sure that they stay secure in the ground.

If you can get ones longer than 2ft, then get those. The longer the better.

What should I look for in a desert camping tent?

When buying a tent for camping out in the desert, you should look to see if the tent:

• Has sufficient protection against the sun. I highly recommend that you get a tent that has dark insides and light outsides.
• Can withstand windy conditions easily.
• Allows for good airflow, without letting sand in.