Last Updated on 21/05/2024
In this guide to the best camouflage tent, we share our recommendations for camo tents in different sizes and shapes to suit any purpose. If you want to remain as hidden as possible when camping, whether that is from animals or humans, a camouflage tent is the best option. By the end of this guide, you will have all the knowledge you need to make sure you get one of the best camo tents.
While most campers aren’t looking to use a camouflaged tent for military reasons, this is why they were first created. Camouflage has a long history dating back hundreds of years but today, in the consumer market it serves mostly hunters and people who like the design.
The problem with brightly colored tents that can be spotted from a mile away is that they can draw unwanted attention to your presence and location. By staying out of sight and well hidden you can keep to yourself and leave no trace so that you don’t get moved along by angry farmers or have the police show up because of curtain twitchers. Tents with camo patterns are some of the most discreet and inconspicuous which is why we created this guide
7 Best Camouflage Tents
Russian-Bear Hot Tent with Stove Jack
- CAMO TYPE: Light brown to dark brown brush pattern forest floor
- CAPACITY: 8 People
- WEIGHT: 115 lbs / 52.1 kg
- PACK SIZE: 52 x 11.9 in / 132 x 30 cm
- SEASON RATING: 4 Season with Stove Included
- MAX HEIGHT: 7.2 ft / 219.5 cm
The Russian-Bear Hot Tent with Stove Jack is in a league of its own and is by far the best camouflage tent you can buy in the world. The camo design is not one used by the military, but it is extremely effective in forested or bushy areas as well as in long grass and more open spaces. The combination of light, mid, and dark browns is very leafy, grassy, and perfect for undergrowth.
Inside, the tent is massive and will fit 8 people on sleeping pads, or with a wood stove inside, you can fit 5 people on camping cots. Designed for four-season use, this tent includes the full stove set in the image above so that you can keep it toasty warm inside the tent even if the temperature outside is in the minus twenties. The pack size is massive, and the weight will be too much for one person to carry in one go, so it is a tricky one to use too far away from your vehicle.
Snow, rain, wind, and sun are no match for the Russian-Bear Hot Tent. The frame is super solid (I have seen people hanging from theirs) and is designed as a dome so that snow won’t build up too high on the roof, and it doesn’t make a difference in which way the wind is coming from. There is plenty of ventilation, and this is a camouflage tent you can use all year around.
VERDICT: The Hot Tent with Stove Jack from Russian Bear is the ultimate camo tent for extreme and cold weather. You can choose from a number of sizes to suit your needs, and the camouflage works in a wide variety of landscapes. If you want to stay comfortable, warm, and well-hidden when camping, then this is by far the best option if you can afford the hefty price tag. You get what you pay for, though, and this thing is built to last.
Hyke & Byke Zion Camouflage Tent
- CAMO TYPE: Light Stealth
- CAPACITY: 2 People
- WEIGHT: 6.13 lbs / 2.78 kg
- PACK SIZE: 17.5 x 6.3 in / 44.5 x 16 cm
- SEASON RATING: 3 Season
- MAX HEIGHT: 42 in / 107 cm
The Hyke & Byke Zion Camouflage Tent is available in both one and two-person models however, we prefer the larger tent even if we are on our own. The smaller one-person tent weighs significantly less. The camo pattern is mostly lighter browns which would work better in late summer and autumn than it would in spring.
The two-person tent has a door on either side for easy access when your partner or tent buddy is still sleeping. This also allows you to open both doors for maximum airflow on hot days and nights. You won’t have to worry about mosquitos or gnats either because the no-see-um mesh lining on the internal tent is super fine and will block any kind of insect from getting in.
The porch space is big enough for a backpack and boots but not much else, although the internal tent is spacious enough to keep some of your gear at your feet. When the rain starts hammering down, you will be comforted to know that the outer shell can withstand a water collum of 5000 mm, and so no amount of rain is going to cause a leak.
VERDICT: The Zion Camouflage Tent from Hyke & Byke is a solid choice for hunters, backpackers, outdoors people, or bushcrafters. The sizing is actually quite generous compared to some lightweight camo tents, and there is lots of space to both sit up full and stretch out if you’re tall. While the internal tent often gets overlooked when looking for a new hunting shelter, this one is really kitted out for places where there are more mosquitos and midges than there are leaves on trees.
SJK Nightfall 1 Person Highlander Lightweight 3 Season Tent
- CAMO TYPE: Honeycomb overlaying a blurry light brown and stand leafy pattern
- CAPACITY: 1 Person
- WEIGHT: 3.64 lbs / 1.65 kg
- PACK SIZE: 19 x 5 in / 48 x 12.7 cm
- SEASON RATING: 3 Season
- MAX HEIGHT: 44 in / 111.8 cm
The SJK Nightfall 1 Person Highlander Lightweight Tent has an unusual camouflage pattern that is surprisingly hard to spot at any kind of distance. The background pattern is a blurry leaf blend with some dirty green in there and a wide spectrum of browns. Over the top of this is a honeycomb or spiderweb pattern that really breaks up the colors even more.
This is the best camo tent for solo stealth camping and lightweight hunting trips where you need a large vestibule space to keep your gear. The inner tent sits at one side, leaving you space for your backpack, boots, overalls, jackets, bibs, and whoever else you have with you. I much prefer a tent set up like this so that you can keep your sleeping area clean, dry, and uncluttered. This makes finding and accessing things from your sleeping bag much easier.
The tent is only rated for three seasons, but if you have a warm enough sleeping bag and an insulated sleeping pad, then I don’t see any reason you couldn’t use it in winter. Snow would not be an issue as the roof is steep enough, and the double pole construction is pretty durable. One of the poles fits through a fabric sleeve on the outside while the other just clips in (also on the outside), which is awesome for setting up in the rain so that the inside of your tent doesn’t get wet.
VERDICT: The Nightfall 1 Person Highlander Lightweight Tent made by SJK is our favorite 1-person camouflage tent because of the enormous amount of porch space inside to keep hunting gear. This tent also performs well for backpackers and hikers who prefer to keep a low profile when camping. Overall we would definitely recommend this to someone looking for a light and small camo tent for hunting trips – but not so small you can’t sit up or keep all your gear inside.
GEERTOP Ultralight Single Person Bivy Tent
- CAMO TYPE: ERDL Highland pattern
- CAPACITY: 1 Person
- WEIGHT: 2.8 lbs / 1.25 kg
- PACK SIZE: 17.3 x 14.7 in / 44 x 12 cm
- SEASON RATING: 3 Season
- MAX HEIGHT: 23.6 in / 60 cm
The GEERTOP Ultralight Single Person Bivy Tent weighs even less than the SJK Nightfall but is also significantly smaller. The camo pattern is a leaf ERDL highland design that is brown dominant and a popular military camo pattern around the world. As well as blending into almost any landscape to some extent because it is so low to the ground you can camp in long grass almost completely undetected.
The hybrid style of bivvy tent like this is popular among backpackers who prioritize weight and pack size over how comfortable it is to stay in. Hunters, too, may like the fact that it is so small and lightweight, but if you have lots of gear, then you may want to also pack a tarp to extend your cover space outside. The main issue for me is that you can’t sit up inside, which makes everything else more effort – like getting dressed or getting into your sleeping bag.
The outer shell is made from PU-coated nylon with a 5000 mm hydrostatic head, and the base is made from an even thicker 8000 mm HH-rated nylon. Along with the sealed seams, this tent is 100% waterproof and will keep you dry. Because it has such a low profile also means that wind is never much of an issue, and it’s much easier to find sheltered camping locations.
VERDICT: The Ultralight Single Person Bivy Tent from GEERTOP is the camouflage tent we would choose if we needed to save pack weight. It is small and compact, but the triple pole system really helps keep the tent up and off your sleeping bag. Our favorite feature of this tent is the bug mesh lining which means you can unroll the roof and fall asleep under the stars.
Napier Sportz Camo Truck Tent
- CAMO TYPE: Mossy Oak Break-Up Infinity™
- CAPACITY: 2 People
- WEIGHT: 25 lbs / 11.3 kg
- PACK SIZE: 29 x 9.25 in / 73.6 x 23.5 cm
- SEASON RATING: 3 Season
- MAX HEIGHT: 5.6 ft / 170 cm
The Napier Sportz Camo Truck Tent is an awesome way to turn your pickup bed into a sleeping cabin and add some camouflage to your vehicle at the same time. The camo pattern is a Mossy Oak Break-Up Infinity which is one of our all-time favorites and is expertly disguised in any forest. You can use the support beams to turn the door into a semi-rigid awning so that you can park up and enjoy the view or even take a couple of shots from your sleeping bag if the opportunity arises.
With 5.6 feet of headroom, you can stand up inside if you are short enough. Even if you are over 6 feet tall, you are still able to stand up in a crouch which helps with getting dressed and entering your sleeping bag. The design is very similar to a standard dome tent that uses two full poles and a half pole for the main cabin and then a single pole to create a doorway arch. A little tip for setting this up is to build it on the ground and then lift it onto the tailgate of your truck and fasten it down – much easier than setting it up on the truck bed.
One feature we love about this camo tailgate tent is the super deep bathtub flooring inside. This provides excellent protection against rain and durability from any dirt in the back of your truck. It is amazing how different it feels to sleep in a tent on the back of a truck to one on the ground, and the hard floor certainly has its benefits.
VERDICT: The Sportz Camo Truck Tent from Napier Outdoors is only for people with pickup trucks, but we don’t see any reason why you couldn’t peg it down on the ground. Sleeping in a tent on your truck bed gets you up off the ground and gives you a nice flat surface for your airbed. If you are worried this tent would cost too much, then you will be pleased to see that it costs less than a night in a decent hotel.
NTK Hunter GT 3 to 4 Person Woodland Camo Dome Tent
- CAMO TYPE: ERDL Woodland Camo
- CAPACITY: 3 – 4 People
- WEIGHT: 7.7 lbs / 3.5 kg
- PACK SIZE: 19.9 x 5.9 in / 50.5 x 15 cm
- SEASON RATING: 3 Season
- MAX HEIGHT: 4.4 ft / 135 cm
The NTK Hunter GT 3 to 4 Person Woodland Camo Dome Tent is the smallest of three sizes that all have the exact same design. The leaf camo pattern is fairly universal and can be used in any environment to look like a bush from a distance or embedded among some foliage to almost disappear to the untrained eye. This is one of the most comfortable camouflage tents after the Russian Bear and has been made with lots of care and attention to detail.
NTK has been around since 1975, making outdoor gear on the slightly higher end. The simple 2.5-pole design combines a standard dome tent with an extra half beam to create the gable above the doorway. This not only protects the inside of the tent from rain when you open the door, but it also opens up the inside to create more space. You can easily fit a queen-sized mattress inside.
All the waterproofing is taken care of from heat-sealed seams, PU-coated stitching, a bathtub floor, and a minimum hydrostatic head of 2500 mm of rain. Setting up is fast and easy, using the pins on each corner to secure the thick fiberglass poles before clipping on the inner tent. Once that is done, you can add the outer shell and peg it down, but tents that pitch like this (inside first) are always at risk of getting wet inside if you are setting up while it is raining.
VERDICT: The Hunter GT 3 to 4 Person Woodland Camo Dome Tent made by NTK is the same design as what most cheap tents are modeled on. The difference is that everything about this tent is high quality, built to last, and designed to keep you dry and comfortable. Set up in under 5 minutes and sleep well in this cozy camouflaged tent for one.
Mil-Tec Recom Camouflage One-Man Tent
- CAMO TYPE: Digital Flecktarn
- CAPACITY: 1 Person
- WEIGHT: 5.7 lbs / 2.6 kg
- PACK SIZE: 20.8 x 4.7 in / 53 x 12 cm
- SEASON RATING: 3 Season
- MAX HEIGHT: 33.5 in / 85 cm
The Mil-Tec Recom Camouflage One-Man Tent is like a little tank built to withstand the strongest storm and stay camouflaged in the backcountry. You can get two different types of camo, including a woodland leaf pattern and a more digital flecktarn pattern, as seen above. Both include a similar range of darker browns and greens and are fairly universal in the types of places you can pitch them to take advantage of the stealth disguise.
We really liked the way the doorway is shaped so that you can pitch it against the wind with the door open, and it doesn’t really blow inside. This also works in the rain when it is windy, which is good for using a small stove to make a hot drink or cook. You don’t get enough headroom to sit up, but because the tent is a side entry, it isn’t too difficult to get in and out once you open both doors (internal and external).
If we could change one thing, it would be to swap the fiberglass poles for some lightweight aluminum for extra strength, but overall we like the design. There is plenty of porch space to keep your backpack, boots, and hunting gear, and at 240 cm long, you have more than enough space to stretch out without touching the fabric at either end.
VERDICT: The Recom Camouflage One-Man Tent from Mil-Tec is a really stealthy tent for one person to hunker down in for the night. It is shaped like a blade and so deals with the wind very effectively if pitched at the correct angle. This low profile also enables you to tuck yourself behind small bushes, shrubs, or long grass and remain undetected overnight.
Alternatives to Camoflague Tents
If you already have a tent and don’t want to splash out on a new setup just for the camo pattern, then you can always try one of the following alternatives instead:
Camouflage Netting
Camouflage netting is one of the best multipurpose camouflaging you can use to hide a tent, a car, or just about anything else around that size. The only issue for lightweight tents is that the netting itself can get quite heavy, and so can really push down on the structure of the frame if it is too weak. Still, if you have a bright-colored tent, it might be hard to completely block out the color without doubling up the army netting, which adds even more weight.
Camo Pattern Tarp or Rainfly
Camouflage pattern tarps are my favorite way to disguise a tent because they also add an extra layer of waterproofing and insulation. You can set them up above your tent using tarp poles by running a rope between two trees and camping between them or by simply draping the tarp over your tent and pegging it down. You can choose between a range of patterns to suit your environment, and they are super lightweight and packable.
Camouflage Wind Blocker Blinds
We spotted these when researching this guide and thought that this would actually work well to camouflage a tent from being spotted straight on. From above, you would still need some other kind of camouflage, but if there are no hills around, then this is probably the best alternative to camo outer shell tents. Like the camo tarp, this option would provide an additional benefit on top of keeping your campsite hidden, only this time it would be that it blocks wind.
Camo Hunting Blinds
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of different hunting blinds out there that you could essentially use as a tent. You will need to make sure they are waterproof in heavy rain as well as source and add your own groundsheet and bug netting, but you could quite easily sleep in a camo hunting blind shelter. You might need to look for the multi-person hunting blinds so that you can fully lay down, as many blinds are designed to be sat in, not slept in.
Camo Hammocks
These are essentially the same as using a camo tarp over a tent, but you have the advantage of being off the ground and camping in a very dense forest. Hammocks are probably much better for stealth camping for this reason alone – you can camp in much thicker woodland, and it doesn’t matter how level the ground is, so people won’t be expecting anyone to camp in them anyway.
Camo Bivvy Bags
We did recommend one or two bivy tent hybrids above, but you can get some really good army Goretex bivvy bags for under $50, which are the most discreet way to camp out there. You can sleep in agricultural fields, underneath hedges, behind a wall, or even next to a hiking trail without drawing any attention to yourself whatsoever (until you stand up). These are great additions to rain fly sheets if you want to really stay camouflaged and out of sight.
The Benefit of Camo Tents
We tried to think of multiple reasons why camo tents are a good choice for camping or hunting, but there is only one real benefit of camouflage pattern tents. Remaining hidden, stealth camping, or whatever you want to call it, there are times when we would rather not stand out in a brightly colored tent. On long-distance hikes, for example, you will often find yourself having to pitch a tent without getting permission from the landowner.
So long as you leave no trace that you have camped other than maybe a bit of flattened grass, you can use a camo tent to camp in some fairly urban areas. In another common scenario, you might be camping solo and don’t want to draw the attention of any passers-by (women especially) and so you can pitch your camo tent among some foliage or under a tree and remain almost invisible from a distance.
Guide to the Best Camo Tents
Here is our guide on the features you should prioritize and look for to avoid getting an army gimmick tent instead of a high-performance camo tent:
Type of Camo Pattern
There are literally dozens, if not hundreds, of different camouflage patterns out there in the world, which you can learn all about at Camopedia. Some of the more common camo patterns you will be able to use to describe the other hundred are:
- Brushstroke – Greens, browns, and tans with brushstroke style pattern first used in the United Kingdom
- Six Colour Desert – All light browns, tan, and pastel green
- Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) – One of the most popular camo schemes
- Digital Pattern – Digital camo uses patterns like DPM and makes them heavily pixelated for softer edges
- Duck Hunter – Large irregular spots of greens, tans and browns on a solid color background
- Flecktarn – German pattern using a woodland swatch of colors with a disruptive pattern
- ERDL Pattern – One of the most popular camo schemes along with DPM, often referred to as M81 Woodland
- Leaf – A 60% enlarged version of the ERDL pattern with a forest swatch of colors to blend into leafy undergrowth
- Mossy Oak – This is a brand that creates trademarked designs with realistic imagery that blends into specific terrain
There are so many more different variations out there that we can’t list them all here, but the nine above are probably the most common.
Material
With camo print tents, you will not find any made from canvas, and most will be made from either nylon or polyester with a PU overlay. The main thing to look for in camo material tents is that it has a hydrostatic head or water collum rating of at least 1000 mm. Some tents have been treated to be flame resistant, which is a good thing if you plan to have a campfire.
Season Rating
The season rating of a tent will typically be either three or four. Three-season tents are recommended in spring, summer, and autumn when the weather isn’t too cold and wet. Four-season tents can be used all year round but will be especially good at handling more severe weather like strong wind and snow build-up on the roof. These are just guides, and there are plenty of three-season tents out there that would do perfectly well in a snow blizzard.
Waterproofing
As we mentioned above, you should be looking for a tent that has a water column or HH rating of at least 1000 mm for the outer flysheet and a least 1500 mm for the ground sheet. This just means it has been tested to hold a tube of water, measuring that height as a measure of how waterproof it is. Obviously, if you had that much water in your tent, you would be completely underwater and hopefully swimming to the surface.
Other things that have an impact on waterproofing are how the seams are sealed – is it silicone, is there a seal strip, or are all the seams heat bonded? Heat-sealed is by far the best option but is only really found on higher-end tents like the NTK Hunter GT. Also, having an internal tent inside your outer shell provides additional waterproofing and also improves airflow and condensation.
Weather Protection
Other considerations apart from rain are sun and wind, which can both expose a tent’s weaknesses. The wind is perhaps the most damaging of the two, but the sun can make a tent almost unbearable to be in without good ventilation. The best camouflage tents are able to handle all kinds of weather, but they will be especially waterproof and sturdy to withstand wind.
To prepare for strong winds, you should look for a camouflage tent that has strong poles. Lightweight alloys like aluminum are the best options, but fiberglass is fine on smaller tents. To prepare for the sun, you should seek a camo tent that has either double doors or lots of ventilation as well as some fine bug mesh so you can leave the doors open at night for airflow.
Bug Protection
Bug protection is super important and is one of the main reasons I rarely camp under a tarp without a breeze to keep the bugs at bay. Camo tents, just like any other, should have a bug mesh lining so that you don’t wake up covered in bites or, worse – woken up by a nasty sting. Some mesh is better than others, and a good indicator of finer mesh is when it is described as no-see-em, which means it should block even the tiny midges that often swarm beneath trees.
Having bug mesh means that you can leave your door open at night when it is hot and humid, but it also stops things from getting under your outer shell and into the area where you sleep. If you like to do a bit of star gazing when the weather is right, then you can often set up your camo tent without the outer shell, so it is just bug netting and the frame.
Durability
Because many camo tents are designed for military use as well as for camping trips, durability is really important. A thick floor that is totally waterproof is a necessity so that you can stay dry as you sleep and it doesn’t get easily ripped. The poles and frame need to be strong enough t be pitched in exposed locations that may have gale-force winds (all tents are at risk in gale-force winds).
Comfort
When looking for a camo tent that is comfortable to camp in, there are a few different things you need to think about. Mostly, it is ticking off as many of the features listed here as possible. Firstly, you want to make sure your tent is waterproof, windproof, bugproof, and ventilated so that you can stay bite-free, dry, and warm or cool. Next, you need to make sure that the tent is the right size and shape for your needs, with enough room for you and your gear. Headspace and having enough room to sit up fully is often something campers can insist on for comfort.
If you can achieve these basics, then you should, at the very least, be mildly comfortable when you camp. The camouflage pattern has nothing to do with comfort, so it is a good idea to look at a bunch of camo camping tents and then decide which has the best features.
Capacity
Choosing the right sized tent for your body size and needs comes down to personal preference. If staying lightweight is your priority, then you won’t mind being inside a more compressed cabin. If comfort is more of a priority, then I would always recommend getting a capacity that is greater than your needs – so a 2-person tent for one person, a 3-person tent for two people, and so on.
If you have lots of gear with you, then having a vestibule outside your sleeping cabin but still covered by the outer shell is a big advantage. Often referred to as a porch, a vestibule space allows you to leave your muddy boots, wet clothing, big backpack, and all your other gear at the door so that you have enough space to stretch out in bed.
Set-Up
We couldn’t find any decent popup camo tents, so the only option is a poled frame that you have to set up. For most people, setting up a tent just once will give them the knowledge they need to set it up much faster the next time. This is why you should always test your tent at home before you take it out for a spin.
One thing we do prefer is an external frame so that you can set your tent up with the outer shell first so that if you have to pitch your tent in the rain, the inside of your tent doesn’t get soaked before you’ve even gotten in. A question you should ask yourself is, do you want a freestanding camo tent that doesn’t need to be pegged down to stay up or a non-freestanding tent that does?
Hunting Blind Potential
If you are looking for a camouflage tent to take hunting and potentially use as a hunting blind, then ideally, you will be wanting a window towards the top of the tent. You can always open the door of your hunting tent and take a shot from inside, but a window would be better. The alternative to using a camo tent for a hunting blind is to use a hunting blind as a tent to sleep in.
How Do You Camouflage a Tent?
If you already have a tent that you like using and don’t want to buy a whole new setup, then there are a few different ways you can camouflage a tent. The first way is to use camo netting, but it can be heavy on the frame of a lightweight tent, and so may need some additional support. A better way is to use a lightweight camouflage tarp over the top of your tent or even set it up with tarp poles or a ridgeline.
Some other ways to camouflage a tent are to use a hunting blind wind shelter around the sides of your tent, paint on some disruptive patterns by hand, or you can even use natural foliage and leafy branches to disguise your tent from standing out.
Should You Camoflague a Tent When Hunting?
You don’t need a camo pattern tent when hunting unless you plan to use it as a hide from which to hunt. If you are just using your tent as a basecamp, then most of the animals in the area will be well aware of your presence, and a little bit of camouflage is likely to affect that. If you want to remain hidden from other humans, however, a camo tent would help, but it is a pretty bad idea on hunting grounds – you are better off sporting some bright orange, so you don’t get shot at.
Are Camo Tents Worth it?
The final question we wanted to answer is, are camouflage tents any good? Yes, they are, and there is no real downside other than you may end up struggling to find your tent in low light. The main advantage for people other than hunters is that you can get away with camping in some places where you might get moved on in a bright tent. We do not condone camping on private land, but it is hardly ever possible to ask a landowner unless you happen to meet them in person.
This guide to the best camouflage tent should have hopefully given you the knowledge you need to get a half-decent tent that you can stealth camp in.
