9 Convincing Reasons Not to Buy a Pop Up tent

Last Updated on 10/2025 by Mom Goes Camping

When I was a kid, there weren’t too many options for tents. You basically got a dome-shaped tent or an A-frame tent. Now, there are tons of options — including pop up tents.

Well, lots of options doesn’t always mean good options!

I get the appeal of pop-up tents. Dealing with tent poles can be really annoying. And there are countless stories along the lines of “a group of engineers went camping and couldn’t figure out how to put up the tent…”

But, while pop-up tents seem really cool and practical, they absolutely suck in real camping conditions. Don’t believe me? Here are 9 reasons NOT to buy a pop up tent!

Quick Summary: Why Pop-Up Tents Disappoint

Pop-up tents promise convenience but deliver frustration. The biggest problems? They fold into massive 27-inch discs that are impossible to carry hiking, they drip condensation all night because they can’t breathe, and they’ll blow away in even moderate wind. Plus, you can’t replace broken poles, so one bent frame means your tent is trash. Save your money and get a traditional tent that actually works.

1. They Are 27 Inches (70cm) Across When Packed!

Pop up tents vary in size when folded, but most of them are around this size when collapsed. They basically look like a giant disk when packed away.

I once had Couchsurfing guests come visit and they were carrying a pop up tent with them. The huge thing was really difficult for them to carry around the city. It was really windy and a gust of wind almost blew the tent right out of their arms. I had a vision of them flying away like Mary Poppins with the pop up tent!

So you can forget about using a pop up tent if you plan on backpacking. The massive size means they are only practical if you are camping close to your car. Even then, they take up way more trunk space than a traditional tent would.

2. Condensation Forms Inside Pop-Up Tents

Pop up tents are made from a waterproof, non-breathable material. When the temperature drops at night, the temperature inside the tent is warmer because of your body heat. This temperature difference causes condensation to build up within the tent.

As one UK camper described his experience using a pop up tent on a camping forum:

“Unlike the other traditional style tent which had no condensation, the pop up tent had literally a puddle in the morning. No bed wetting jokes please!”

Note that this is a problem with all single-layer tents. However, good single-layer tents have vents to reduce condensation. Most pop up tents are cheap and don’t have proper ventilation. Thus, the only solution to solve condensation is to leave the door open. But mosquitoes anyone?

After waking up in a wet sleeping bag one too many times, I learned this lesson the hard way during my early camping days.

Also read: How to solve tent condensation

3. Pop-Up Tents Are Not Actually Waterproof

Most pop-up tents are made from waterproof fabric, but they have “glued seams.” The glued seams eventually come undone and rain starts leaking through!

Tent seams can be really confusing. What you need to know is that quality tents will sew or weld the seams with waterproof material between the seams. Really high quality tents will have the seams sealed with tape. They still eventually may need a new coating of waterproofing, but not for a long time.

With pop-up tents, the seams are usually just glued together. After a few uses (or even right out of the box), these seams start to separate. I’ve heard too many stories of campers waking up in puddles because their “waterproof” tent leaked at the seams.

Scared of bad weather? Read: What to do if it rains when camping

4. Wind Is the Enemy of Pop-Up Tents!

The moment a gust of wind hits your pop-up tent, it is going to bend up like a pretzel! The flexible frame that makes these tents “pop up” also makes them incredibly unstable in wind.

Most people who use pop-up tents say that they have to take them down when it gets windy. That is kind of ridiculous – especially if it is simultaneously raining and windy (which happens a lot when camping!).

I’ve personally watched pop-up tents at music festivals collapse and tumble across fields like giant tumbleweeds. It’s almost comical until you realize someone paid money for that tent.

5. Pop-Up Tents Don’t Have a Vestibule or Porch

This might not seem like a big deal if you’re new to camping, but one of the first rules of camping is to always leave your boots and shoes outside the tent. Otherwise the tent gets stinky and lots of dirt gets tracked inside.

Most modern tents have a little vestibule or “porch” in front of the tent where the rain fly extends over. You can keep your boots and some other gear there so it doesn’t get wet if it starts raining.

Without a vestibule, you’ll have to put ALL your gear inside the tent with you (making it cramped and dirty) or just hope it doesn’t rain. Or that a slug doesn’t crawl into your boots at night and make them all slimy. 😉

Trust me, after years of camping, having a vestibule makes a huge difference in keeping your sleeping area clean and your gear organized.

6. They Are Easy to Set Up but Hard to Pack Away

Yeah, you might be able to get a pop-up tent setup in 2 seconds, but getting it folded back down can be tricky. Some models require multiple people and a YouTube tutorial to figure out.

I’ve watched campers struggle for 20 minutes trying to fold these things back into their carrying bags. The tent wants to spring back open, the fabric fights you, and you end up sweating more trying to pack up than you would have just assembling a regular tent.

The first time you use one, budget at least 15 minutes for the teardown process while you figure out the folding technique.

7. No Replacement Poles Available

The poles in pop-up tents are really flimsy and prone to bending. This happens with other cheap tents too – but the difference is that you can usually find replacement poles or splints for standard tents. I’ve even used the medical tape from my first aid kit to repair a tent pole in a pinch while backpacking.

Some brands of pop-up tents do have replacement poles available, but most do not. The poles are often custom-shaped and integrated into the tent design. So, that basically means your entire tent is going in the trash when the poles inevitably get bent.

This is terrible for both your wallet and the environment.

8. It Isn’t That Hard to Put Up a Standard Tent

The main draw of a pop-up tent is that it is easy to put up. For people who have never been camping before and are worried that you need an engineering degree to put up a tent, this is a huge draw.

But it really isn’t that hard to put up a standard tent – even for beginners.

My daughter learned how to do it when she was 4 years old. If she was tall enough, I am sure she could even do it by herself. Most modern tents use simple color-coded poles and clips that make setup intuitive.

Tip: If you find it difficult to put up standard tents, get one with pole clips. Clips are easier and faster than pole sleeves, and they’re becoming the standard on most quality tents.

9. Pop-Up Tents Are Too Cheap to Last

As the quote goes, “I am too poor to buy cheap things.”

This doesn’t just apply to pop-up tents, but to most camping gear. If you try to save money by buying cheap gear, you will end up paying for it in the long term because you’ll be replacing the gear so often.

There are higher quality pop-up tents available. But when you compare the cost vs. quality, you’ll get a lot more value with a traditional style tent.

My 3-person tent cost about $50 and has held up very well over 5-years’ worth of intensive backpacking trips in 6 different countries. There were serious winds and rains during some of these trips. (I also have this cheap ultralight tent which only cost about $120 and has performed beautifully.)

By comparison, you can expect your cheap pop-up tent to last for maybe a few trips – assuming no hard winds or rains. That $30 savings becomes $90+ when you have to replace it multiple times.

When Pop-Up Tents Actually Make Sense

Pop-up tents aren’t completely useless. I have friends that use them when they go traveling in Greece. In Greece, wild camping is illegal. But, when dark falls, they quickly put up the pop-up tent for stealth camping.

However, these friends also bring a large, durable tent. This is what they use when they are somewhere remote (and don’t have to worry about being stealth). They definitely don’t rely on their pop-up tents when it is windy or rainy!

Other Situations Where Pop-Up Tents Work:

Your kids want to “camp” in the backyard – Perfect for letting kids have an adventure without worrying about durability
Music festivals – When you know the tent is going to get ruined anyway and you’re too drunk to care (though it is appalling that thousands of tents are discarded at festivals!)
Beach day shelter – For a few hours of sun protection at the beach, not overnight camping
You’ve got arthritis – If you have mobility issues and can’t put up a normal tent but still want to enjoy the outdoors
You invest in a quality model – If you’re prepared to shell out the cash for a quality pop up tent with a waterproof rating (hydrostatic head) of at least 2000mm and with proper vents to prevent condensation

Yes, There Are Some Decent Pop-Up Tents

I still advise against pop-up tents in almost every situation. But, if you are going to get one, then make sure it has:

Strong, flexible poles that can withstand windy conditions
Ventilation windows to reduce condensation
Sealed or taped seams, not just glued
Guylines for staking out the tent walls in bad weather
A hydrostatic head rating of at least 2000mm

Below are some better quality options if you’re set on getting a pop-up tent.

1. Coleman Pop-Up Tent

This pop-up tent has a roof panel that provides extra rain protection and ventilation, so condensation is less of a problem than cheaper models. It’s more durable than budget pop-up tents and has gear storage pockets inside. Still not perfect, but better than most.

2. Quechua Pop Up Tent

Quechua is a brand which makes good quality gear for budget prices. Their pop-up tent is one of the few that has ventilation windows that you can leave open when it rains. The seam quality is also better than most pop-up tents in this price range.

Better Alternative: Easy-to-Setup Traditional Tents

You are still better off with a standard tent.

Below are some tents which are easy to set up. As you can see, they all have the same type of construction: 2 poles which criss-cross over each other. The inner tent gets clipped in place. Then you throw the rain fly over and secure it down.

It might not be as fast as a pop up tent, but it’s still pretty quick. And these tents will hold up better, won’t drip condensation on you, and can actually be used in the rain and wind.

Mountainsmith Morrison 2 Person Tent

This tent can be set up easily because it is free-standing and uses clips for the two poles. I particularly love that it has 2 doors, so you can get in and out without waking up your camping partner. It also has a proper vestibule for gear storage. Get it here.

Alps Mountaineering 4-Person Tent

This tent is really similar to the Mountainsmith tent above. The difference is that it is much larger and better for families. There are all the features you’d want in a camping tent: quick setup, real waterproofness, ventilation to prevent condensation, storage pockets, and good headroom. Get it here.

Read this complete guide to buying tents to get more recommendations based on your camping style.

Final Thoughts on Pop-Up Tents

After years of camping in various conditions and countries, I can confidently say that pop-up tents are a solution to a problem that doesn’t really exist. Yes, they set up quickly, but that 2-minute advantage disappears fast when you’re dealing with condensation, leaks, wind damage, or struggling to pack it back up.

Save yourself the frustration and invest in a quality traditional tent. Your future camping self will thank you when you’re staying dry and comfortable instead of wrestling with a collapsing tent in the rain.