In the never ending quest by tent manufacturers to reduce weight, the sizes of backpacking tents has shrunk right alongside.
It makes sense; there's only so many ways to reduce the weight of a tent and if you use less material then the tent will simply weigh less. Mission accomplished.
Unless you're tall.
As someone who is over 6 feet tall (just barely though), the struggle to find a comfortably sized tent is rough.
It's even worse if you're 6' 6" or taller. Finding a tent that can fit you comfortably lying down or sitting up can be frustrating and exhausting.
We've found 4 great tents that are specially made for us tall folks.
Picture of me in Colorado, being tall
Here are 5 options that I'd recommend for people who are over 6 feet tall, in order of how highly I'd recommend them.
If you want to jump to a specific tent you can use the list right here.
Heads up: This list is meant for tall people who are looking for more room when they lay down in their tent.
A lot of other guides online cover tents for tall people that you can stand up in. As a backpacker, I don't spend much time standing up in my tent, I do enough of that on a trail.
So if you need a tall tent for standing up, look elsewhere.
You probably won't be able to stand up in any of these tents but they're perfect for tall people who have extra long sleeping pads/bags.
Big Agnes Copper Spur
If you want a tent that is built with tall people in mind but also doesn't compromise at all, the Big Agnes Copper Spur is your tent.
Big Agnes is well known in the backpacking world for their high quality tents and the Copper Spur is no exception.
Weighing in at just 3 lbs 1 oz and sporting a floor size of 88" x 42", the Copper Spur is a great 2 person tent for people over 6 feet tall.
The peak of the tent is 40" off the ground so you won't be standing up in this tent.
Big Agnes makes backpacking tents though, not car camping tents.
They're not made to stand up in, they're mainly focused on being lightweight and you'll definitely get that.
With the floor going up to 88" (over 7') long, you should be able to comfortably fit in the tent and sit up without feeling cramped inside no matter how tall you are.
Tarptent Rainbow
Tarptent isn't as widely known as some of the other companies on our list but for ultralight backpackers they're really popular.
They're basic design focuses on lightweight tarps that are held up by your trekking poles.
Some of their shelters are full tents and the Rainbow is their best tent for tall people.
The Tarptent Rainbow also sports a length of 88", same as the Copper Spur.
The interior height is 43" so a little bit taller than the Big Agnes tent.
Anyone over 6' would find this tent comfortable and light weight, coming in just under 3 pounds.
MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 Person Tent
MSR is another popular choice for tents due to their high quality and attention to detail.
The Hubba Hubba NX 2 is a 2 person tent that measures 84" in length and has a floor to ceiling height of 39".
This is a little bit smaller than the previous 2 tents we covered but still plenty comfortable for anyone over 6 feet tall.
One other perk of the Hubba Hubba 2 is that it has a large vestibule so it can easily store 2 fully loaded backpacks.
One thing to look out for; the interior of this tent is only 50" wide so if you're camping with a partner you'll want to make sure the combined width of your sleeping pads is not more than 50" or you'll be in for a little more 'coziness' than you may have assumed.
Some other advantages of the Hubba Hubba are that it packs down to just 18" x 6" so it will fit inside your backpack easily. It also weighs just under 3.5 pounds which is incredibly lightweight for 2 people.
REI Co-op Kingdom 4 Tent
First things first, this tent is not meant for backpacking.
It weighs 18 pounds and fits 4 people.
Also it looks like a house. Seriously. You do not want to haul this thing around on your back.
If you're car camping, it's a great option because of the insane amount of space on the inside.
The floor of this tent is 100" x 100" and the peak height is 75".
Yes, that's right. If you're 6' 2" you can literally stand up straight in this tent without hitting your head.
Of course, all of this space comes at the huge trade off of weight. If you were able to split supplies with 3 other people you might be able to take it backpacking but this thing is pretty heavy which is unavoidable for a tent this large.
LightHeart SoLong 6
If you're 6' 6" or taller, this is the only tent for you.
The SoLong 6 is over 8 feet long and 2 1/2 feet wide. This tent should be able to fit almost anyone into it with some room to spare.
The nice thing about the LightHeart Solong is that it's meant for backpacking.
It only weighs 2 pounds which is pretty lightweight for such a large tent.
It comes in at just under $300 for the base model. If you want seam sealing, stakes, footprint, poles, etc it will cost more and could be up to $400 ish depending on which options you choose.
Wrap Up
Finding a tent when you're over 6 feet tall can be hard but there are some high quality options.
From tarps, to tents, to "house tents", there are a range of options for every budget and weight limit you're considering.
Hopefully this guide was helpful and narrowed down your choices to make it a little bit easier.
If you have any questions or comments on these suggestions please leave a comment below!
I’d love to see a tall person do a review of tents for tall people. As a 195cm (6’5″) tall bloke none of the tents that you have proposed are suitable. The Tarp Tent slopes heavily at each end so the effective usable floor space is less than the claimed 88 inches. With a sleeping mat and sleeping bag inside, the effective space of the Big Agnes Copper Spur is less than the 14 cm at each end of the tent (floor length less my height) that can be calculated. Try stuffing your sleeping bag cover and using it for a pillow and all of a sudden that extra length just disappears.
I’d be happy carrying the extra weight of a longer tent just to have the internal room that average sized people have.
Hey, check out tent #5 I just added to the list. I think it will work pretty well for you. People up to 6′ 8″ tall said the tent fit them well, might work for you but it’s a little pricey.
rei half dome 2 plus is 92″ https://www.rei.com/product/128692/rei-co-op-half-dome-2-plus-tent im 6’4 and fit with room to go so I can sleep with my head in the middle of my pillow and not on the top due to the edge of the tent. only problem is its a tad heave at around 5 lbs
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I agree most tents small . I am 6ft1I bought BA coper spur2. Set it up in the yard you will not get long pad in. my head feet touched ends. back it went. there are tents out there but heay side. I hope they figure way make lighter.