Best Blackout Tent For A Great Night Sleep: Our Top 5 Picks

Do you struggle to fall asleep with light blasting through your tent? Are you fed up with waking up in the morning to the morning sunshine while you’re camping?

If the answer is yes to either of these questions, you should consider getting a blackout tent. 

The great thing about blackout tents is they block out the light so you can get a better night’s sleep or stay asleep for longer.

That’s right!

No more having to wear horrible sleeping masks to get the sun out of your eyes. And this will help give you a better night’s sleep.

Not only will you get a great night’s sleep with them, but they’re also great for people camping with young children. Thanks to them blocking out the sun, they help you get your children to sleep early without them waking up.

So, in this article, we’re going to be introducing you to the best blackout tents on the market, sound good?

Great, let’s get started: 

IN A HURRY? HERE ARE OUR TOP PICKS…

Reviewing The 5 Best Blackout Tents

Coleman Cabin Instant Setup Tent

The Coleman Cabin Tent was designed for the camper that hates setting up camping tents. They built the blackout tent with pre-attached poles to give it instant setup abilities. It only takes around 60 seconds to put the camping tent up.

Not only can you set up the tent with ease, but you can also pack it away without too many issues. Everything fits inside the bag easily, so you don’t have to spend hours trying to cram everything inside the carry bag.

It features dark room technology which blocks 90% of sun rays from seeping through the tent. They also included a room divider inside the tent, which allows you to separate the space and provide privacy when you need it.

Overall, it’s a pretty good tent that blocked out the light effectively. I also really liked the hinged doors; the feature made it easy to get in and out of the tent. The downside was many people were complaining about its waterproofing ability; I guess that’s why it’s got the 1-season rating. 

Coleman Dark Room Skydome Tent

The Coleman Dark Room Skydome was built for the camper that likes to camp at any time of year. And this comes down to its four-season rating, thanks to the WeatherTec system they used to design the tent.

The WeatherTec system includes a tub-like floor, patented welded floors, and inverted seams, which helped keep the rain out during heavy downpours. They provided a more robust frame that can withstand 35 mph winds to make things better.

And these features aren’t the only good thing about the tent. They also added a wider door, making it easier to get in and out of the tent. It also helped you take your air mattress out of the tent to rearrange everything.

Overall, it’s a pretty great tent. It blocked out sunlight very efficiently, which helped you sleep in during the morning. They are also designed with quick pitch technology, so you can set up the whole thing in 5 minutes.

Coleman Festival Dome Tent

The Coleman Dome dark rest instant cabin tent was designed for the glampers that love going to festivals and partying all night. It blocks out 99% of the sunlight, so you shouldn’t have any issues sleeping during the morning.

Not only does it block out the sun, but it also provides you with plenty of space inside the dark room tent. This makes it the perfect space for a couple that loves glamping. You’ll be able to store a queen-sized bed and all the other creature comforts you want to bring.

Another great thing about the premium blackout tent is how much ventilation is provided to you. They added a large mesh roof and six huge windows. These things combined helped to maximize the airflow in the blackout tent.

Overall, I really like the Coleman Dome Camping tent; it looks great and provides plenty of room. It doesn’t seem like the run-of-the-mill camping tent, and I definitely see it as more of a glamping tent. I think the one downside was you couldn’t close the windows from the inside.

Ever Advanced Darkroom Instant Tent

The Ever Advanced Darkroom tent was built of a camper that likes to have a lot of space inside the tent. It’s incredibly roomy and provides plenty of storage space so you can keep your floor space tidy.

Unlike many blackout tents, they really wanted to focus on ventilation. Many darkroom tents become very hot, but this model features three large windows and a mesh roof. And this really helps to bring airflow into the tent.

Another great thing about the tent is the weatherproofing technology they used to build it. It uses rain and UV-resistant blackout fabric; you can stay safe in the rain or the sun, making it comfortable in all weather types.

Overall it’s a pretty awesome tent that performs well in most aspects. The one downside is that the pack size is rather large, making it difficult to travel with. But it was also straightforward to set up, which was nice to see.

Beesky Anti-UV Family Tent

The Beesky Dark Room tent was designed for the camper that likes to backpack. It only weighs 11 lbs, which makes it the easiest to carry on our list. To make things better, it also packs down small, so you should be able to fit it in your backpack.

It also provides excellent ventilation thanks to the mesh roof and sides; this stopped moisture building and kept the tent cool. And considering it had a mesh roof, it still blocked out 90% of the light.

They built the tent using high-quality materials, including 185T polyester, which is super durable. They also protected that with a 1000mm PU-treated rainfly to keep the rain out and fiberglass poles to keep the tent sturdy.

Overall the tent is okay, but it’s far from perfect. It provides excellent protection from the elements and blocks out the light. But it feels very breezy inside the tent, and there’s no way of blocking the mesh.

Our Top Choice

If you’re someone that likes going to bed early or sleeping in, in the morning but can’t sleep with lights shining through your tent, a blackout tent should be a top priority.

If you didn’t know where to start your search, I’ve helped you out by showing you five top darkroom tents. Each one has its pros and cons, and it’s up to you to decide which one will suit your needs the best.

And this is never an easy task!

If you want to know which tent I think is the best, it has to be the Coleman Festival Dome Tent.

One of the biggest benefits of this tent is it blocks out 99% of sunlight, which is 9% more than any tent on this list. So, if you’re looking for darkness, it’s not going to get much better than this tent.

Another thing that makes me sway to this tent is its waterproofing abilities. The tent is 100% waterproof thanks to the WeatherTec system that features a 4500mm hydrostatic head.

On top of that, they use an extremely sturdy frame, so you don’t have to worry about strong winds taking your tent down.

And the final feature that makes this tent stand out is the 360° view of the outside world. This is thanks to the six large mesh windows. The one problem I had with the tent was going outside to close the windows.

It’s classed as a seven-person tent, but in my opinion, it makes a better glamping tent for two people. But, it’s always nice to have the option of accommodating more people in the tent if you need to. 

While we’re talking about tents, why not take a look at the best 6 person tents for backpacking.

Things To Consider Before Buying The Best Blackout Camping Tents

Okay, you’ve taken a closer look at the options available to you. But you’re still not sure which blackout tent is going to suit you best. And that’s because you don’t know what things to look out for to make your decision easier.

So, in this section, I will list some of the most important things you need to consider before you make a purchase.

Go through this list while looking at the products to see which blackout tent best suits your needs and desires:

Size

One of the first things I like to look at is the size of the tent. The pitched size will give you an idea of how much floor space you’re going to have in the tent. 

If you like glamping, the chances are you’re going to need more floor space to accommodate all of your equipment. 

I also like to look at the pack size, which will give you an idea of how big the tent will be when it’s all packed away.

For people who like going backpacking, you’re going to need a tent that has a small pack size so you can fit in your bag. But, if you’re traveling to campsites, the pack size might not be too much of an issue for you.

Think about how you’re going to be using the tent to discover what size you should be looking at.

Weight

The second thing I like to think about is how much the tent weighs. Again, if you’re driving the tent to campsites, it might not be too much of an issue for you.

The one thing you need to remember is blackout tents aren’t lightweight, so make sure it’s something you’re going to be able to load in the back of your car.

The last thing you want is not being able to lift the tent into the back of your car. It will put your camping trip in jeopardy before you even leave.

For people who plan to backpack with a tent, the tent’s weight is extremely important. You’re going to have to carry the tent around with you for days and sometimes weeks, and adding 40-60 lbs to your backpack isn’t advised.

Think about how you’re going to be transporting the tent to decide how heavy it is.

Capacity

And, of course, one of the most notable features to look for in your new tent is the capacity it can hold.

Tents are rated by the number of people they can hold inside. So, if you’re planning on only camping with two people, you’d be looking for a two-person tent.

But here’s the thing:

Tent manufacturers quite often overestimate the number of people they can hold. So, you might find a four-person tent, and although four people can fit inside, it’s going to be a tight fit.

This leaves little room for all your equipment, which can be a significant issue. You have to choose between a comfortable night’s sleep or leaving your stuff outside.

When you’re looking at the capacity ratings, always go for one that can sleep more people than you need it to. This trick will provide you with the extra room you need to have a comfortable night and store your equipment inside the tent.

Storage Pockets

When you have limited space in your tent, organizing your gear can be very beneficial. And this is where storage pockets can come in very handy.

Storage pockets and gear lofts give you a place to hang your gear in an organized fashion, but more importantly, keep it off your sleeping area.

Blackout Effectiveness

And, of course, one of your key considerations when buying a blackout tent. So, let’s talk about it a little bit in this section:

Not all blackout tents are made equal, so, understandably, they don’t all offer the same amount of light protection.

Most blackout camping tents can block out 90% of the light from your tent, which is very good. Others manage to block out 99%, so you’ll have to think which % will work best for you.

Ventilation

One of the problems with blackout tents is they use incredibly thick materials to block the sun out. And this can make it feel hot in the tent when you’re trying to sleep and can make things quite uncomfortable.

So, to ensure you have a comfortable night’s sleep, you need to think about how much ventilation the tent provides.

Ideally, you’re looking for a series of mesh windows that can be opened and closed when you need to add some ventilation to your tent.

Weatherproofing

The last thing I want to mention in this section is the weatherproofing the tent provides. If you’re planning on camping in rough conditions, you need to ensure no water will seep into the tent.

Do some research beforehand to determine what other people thought of the tent’s waterproofing system. This will give you an idea of how the tent performed in heavy downpours instead of relying on the manufacturer’s honesty.

How To Blackout A Tent?

If you’ve already got a dark tent and don’t have the money to splash out on a new tent, you might be looking for another option.

So, in this section, I want to speak to you about some tricks you can use to blackout your tent if you’re on a budget. That being said, these tips won’t block out all the sun, but they will help reduce the amount of light that comes through the tent.

So, let’s take a look at a couple of tips that will help you along:

1. Use A Blackout Liner

One of the quickest and easiest ways to keep your tent dark is using a blackout liner. You can clip or wrap the tarp/blankets around your poles to help block out the sun.

2. Use A Blackout Sleep Mask

If you’re not a fan of potentially blocking your ventilation holes, then you have a more straightforward method of achieving darkness.

And that’s using a good old-fashioned blackout sleeping mask; they should block out the sun without any issues.

Of course, if you want the whole tent dark, you’re going to have to try a different method.

Frequently Asked Questions