Family camping affords us the opportunity to unplug from the diversions of everyday life and connect with the natural world and one another, creating lasting memories in the process. For those with a family of little campers, you’ll need a tent spacious and comfortable enough to house the entire crew and their gear. That’s where the Tranquility 6 Person tent from Therm-a-Rest comes into play.
On Performance & Design…
Therm-a-Rest’s entry into the tent market gives you a fully freestanding design featuring a gothic inspired arch construction with high ceilings, big windows and truly livable space. Built upon the foundational principles of convenience, livability and a spacious design, there’s a lot to love about the Tranquility 6 person tent from Therm-a-Rest. All of which is why we’ve named it our “Editor’s Choice” for best new family tent.
With a history steeped in 45 years of camping experience, there was no question that Therm-a-Rest’s first foray into tent manufacturing would manifest thoughtful design features. It begins with a unique aesthetic inspired by Renaissance-era architecture. And while there’s nothing wrong with having a tent that stands out from the crowd at your favorite camp ground, the design is more than just aesthetically pleasing. The gothic arch design with a ridgeline sheds rain, adds strength, and provides enough headroom to keep even the tallest campers content.
The unique construction also creates built-in vestibules that are not dependent upon the rainfly. Think of these corner spaces as an outdoor mudroom of sorts. Just like at grandma’s house, each side of the vestibule offers a space to store all the damps, dirties and undesirables that you’d rather not have inside the tent. Outer mesh pockets are the perfect spot to dry out your packtowls, or stash your socks which may or may not have earned a quality aroma over the course of your adventurous day.
And while these added touch-points help set the Tranquility apart – what’s true, is that all the details are for not if the tent isn’t livable. On that point, the Tranquility 6 offers a generous 66 square feet of living space – and yes, it’s enough room to legitimately sleep a family of six humans. Extra-large doors make it easy for everyone to enter/exit, or take in the view. And Therm-a-Rest designed the tent so the doors can transform into an awning for extra shade. Internally, each corner is equipped with three-tiered organizer pockets so there’s a place for everything from flashlights to stuffed animals.
When your family includes little adventurers – you don’t have the time nor the attention span to wrestle with a complicated tent set up. That’s why when it comes to family tents, convenience should always be near the top of the list in your considerations. Towards those ends, the Tranquility once again scored big points with our team. The lightweight 5-hub pole structure makes set-up convenient enough that Mom and Dad can crack a brew while the kids put this tent up. Add in the fact that the backpack stuff sack makes for easy transport AND saves room in the family car, it’s a win all the way around.
Admittedly, when you’re going to be lugging your tent a couple hundred feet from your car, you don’t need an ultralight, high-tech design. And traditionally, a family tent isn’t something that you’ll need to toss on your back and head out onto the trail with. But weighing in at 17 pounds (11 lbs 7 oz for the 4 Person version) with a design that packs neatly into a backpack, the Tranquility 6 will have you rethinking your families camp destination of choice.
The Thermarest design team also ensured that you get lots of weather protection and durability out of this massive tent. A 1500mm waterproof polyurethane coating on the fly resists rain, and the tent itself withstands nasty gusts of wind. So while camped out in Lassen Volcanic National Park in the midst of two days of thunderstorms, we sat comfy cozy with a game of UNO while our camp neighbors frantically rushed to dig trenches and hang up additional tarps to stay dry.
Bottom Line…
Gumption tested, gumption approved. The Tranquility 6 Person Tent has everything you want in a family tent – including some features you didn’t even know you needed.
*Gumption Gear Review received the item featured in this review from Therm-a-rest at no cost and receives no monetary compensation for this or any related review. The item featured was provided solely in return for our honest views and opinions.