Camping Tents With AC Ports (2024 edition)

Let’s face it: Summertime camping can be a hot and muggy affair. But, with the right camping tent with AC, you can stay cool and comfortable, even when the temperature outside is sky-high.

Finding the right camping tent with an AC port can be challenging since you have so many great options to choose from. To help you out, we created this ultimate guide to finding the right tent for your warm-weather camping needs.

Reviews of the Top 5 Best Camping Tents With AC Ports

When doing our research for this article, we looked long and hard for the best camping tents with AC ports on the market today. 

However, despite our best efforts, we were only able to find one tent – the Bushnell Shield Series Instant Cabin Tent – that has true AC ports. This means that they can be used with a traditional window AC unit, like what you’d find in your home.

The rest on our list don’t have AC ports that allow you to install a window AC in the tent. Instead, they have E-ports, so you can place an extension cord inside the shelter for use with a portable free standing air conditioner.

What does this mean for you? Well, if you want to use a window ac unit, then you’ll need one of the first two tents on our list. Otherwise, if you have a portable air conditioner for tent camping, then any of these great shelters are a solid choice.

1. Bushnell Shield Series Instant Cabin Tent

The Bushnell Shield Series Instant Cabin Tent is one of the few shelters on the market today with a dedicated AC flap for use with window AC units. This tent features an instant set-up design with pre-attached poles, so it can be set up in about two minutes.

We particularly like this tent because it has a large open floor plan with an impressive 80 inch (2m) center height. This means that it is tall enough to allow most campers to stand upright and walk around without having to hunch over.

However, this tent with air conditioning also comes with two removable room dividers so you can create up to three separate living and sleeping spaces for up to 12 campers. Additionally, the Instant Cabin Tent uses heat shield technology, which is a reflective coating that blocks UV rays for a cooler sleeping experience while camping.

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2. 10′ x 9′ Ozark Trail Six-Person

The Ozark Trail Six-Person Tent is a solid option for those seeking camping tents with AC ports. Users appreciate its easy setup and spacious interior, which comfortably accommodates two twin mattresses.

The tent’s design ensures good ventilation and a dark interior, ideal for late sleepers.

However, some users reported issues with rain resistance and durability in strong winds. The zipper and stakes could be improved, and condensation might be a concern in cold weather.

Overall, it’s a comfortable and practical choice for casual camping trips.

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3. CORE 10 Person Lighted Instant Tent

The CORE 10 Person Lighted Instant Tent is a versatile shelter for use on warm weather camping trips. While it doesn’t have a dedicated AC flap, it does have an E-port that allows for electrical cord access to power a small AC unit for a tent.

This tent can house up to 10 people with its spacious interior that can be divided into two separate rooms for added privacy. It has an assortment of different gear storage pockets to help campers stay organized. Meanwhile, the large screen porch allows for added lounging space but is also a great spot to store extra equipment.

We particularly like the tent’s 84 inch (2.1m) center height, which is high enough for most people to walk around comfortably. Plus, the tent has built-in LED lighting so you can still hang out and relax at night. It also has adjustable vents on either side of the tent for better airflow on particularly hot days.

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4. Coleman WeatherMaster 6-person Tent

The Coleman WeatherMaster 6 Tent is an ideal choice for family camping trips in the summer. Its patent-pending hinged door allows for easy entry and exit, while two spacious rooms comfortably accommodate up to six campers. The addition of a floor-less screened room provides extra space for dining or gear storage.

Ventilation is ensured through Coleman’s Comfort System, which includes adjustable airflow and a mesh ceiling.

Constructed with Coleman’s WeatherTec System, the tent features leak-free seams, weather-resistant fabric, and a sturdy frame designed to withstand wind.

Last but not least, it has an electrical port so you can plug in your air conditioner and keep your family cool.

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5. Coleman Skylodge 12 Person Camping Tent

The Coleman Skylodge 12 Person Tent is a spacious and feature-rich shelter designed for comfortable family camping. Its expansive interior can accommodate up to 12 people and be configured into separate rooms using included dividers. The tent boasts an E-Port for easy electrical access, perfect for powering a portable AC unit or other devices. With multiple storage pockets throughout, campers can keep their gear organized and easily accessible.

One of the Skylodge’s standout features is its impressive 7-foot center height, allowing most campers to stand upright comfortably. The tent’s Dark Room technology is a game-changer, blocking out up to 90% of sunlight, helping maintain a cooler interior temperature and allowing for flexible sleep schedules. Large windows and ground vents provide excellent ventilation, crucial for comfort on warmer days.

The Skylodge’s instant setup design with pre-attached poles allows for quick and easy assembly, saving valuable time at the campsite. While it’s primarily designed for warm weather use, its WeatherTec system with inverted seams and a tub-like floor adds protection against light rain. At nearly 48 pounds, the tent is on the heavier side, but its included wheeled carry bag makes transportation manageable. Overall, the Coleman Skylodge offers a blend of space, comfort, and smart features that make it a solid choice for family campers seeking a home away from home.

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Air Cooled Camping Tents Buyer’s Guide

Finding the right tent for your needs is all about knowing what to look for. Up next, we’ll walk you through some of the basic things to keep in mind while shopping for your next tent with an AC flap. Plus, we’ll give you some top tips for adding a camping air conditioner unit to your tent.

How To Choose Camping Tents With AC Ports

Ease Of Set-Up

Unless you really enjoy pitching tents, it’s usually best to get a tent with an instant set-up design. This style of tent comes with pre-attached poles that simply need to be unfolded and extended to complete the pitching process, saving you time when you get to camp.

Weather-Resistance

The main purpose of a tent is to protect you from the wind and the rain. However, some tents do this better than others. If weather-resistance is your number one priority, look for a tent that has a full-coverage rainfly, which can provide better protection from the elements.

Alternatively, all mesh windows and doors on a tent should have zippered nylon panels that can keep moisture out in the rain. A tent with a durable bathtub-style floor and seam-sealed zippers is also a must-have if you’re camping somewhere that’s particularly rainy.

Interior Space/Sleeping Capacity

The amount of interior space you need in your tent depends on two factors: how many people you camp with and how much gear you carry. A larger group requires a bigger tent to be able to accommodate everyone while also maintaining some semblance of personal space.

But, if you also tend to pack a lot of gear, then you might want to get an even larger tent than you technically need. Doing so will help everyone in your group stay more organized without feeling like you’re trampling all over each other during your trip.

Room Dividers

Room dividers are an important but often overlooked aspect of any family camping tent. Many modern tents come with removable dividers that can help you reconfigure your shelter into a living and sleeping area or two separate bedrooms.

These dividers are very useful if you’re camping with another family or if you have older kids. Having these dividers can help ensure that everyone has the personal space and privacy they need while you camp.

How To Add AC To A Tent

When shopping for a tent with an AC port, you need to also decide what kind of camping air conditioner unit you want to use. Here are your two options and how they affect what kind of tent you can use:

Window AC Unit

A window AC unit, like what you might have in your home, can be used only with a tent that has a proper AC flap. The main benefit of using a window AC unit is that they can generally have more cooling power. 

This means that you can often use a fairly small window AC unit but still cool a large tent during the hottest days of the summer. Plus, they tend to be quite affordable and easy to find.

Portable Tent AC Unit

Portable tent AC units are an ideal choice for someone that doesn’t have a tent with a dedicated AC flap. To use one of these air conditioners, you simply need a tent with an E-port that can accommodate the device’s plug cord.

Although portable tent AC units tend to be a bit more expensive than their window-based counterparts, they actually sit inside the tent. This means you can place them wherever you want inside your shelter to better direct the flow of air wherever it’s most useful for a more comfortable camping experience.

FAQs

Here are our answers to some of your most common questions about tents with AC ports:

How Can I Keep My Tent Cool?

You have a few options when it comes to keeping your tent cool while camping. Here’s what you need to know:

• Pitch Your Tent In The Shade. A tent sitting in the sun will heat up much faster than one in the shade. So, opt for sheltered campsites in the trees whenever possible.
• Use A Camping Air Conditioner Unit. Portable air conditioners are a great option for cooling down your tent when you’re in a developed campground with hookups.
• Open Up All The Vents And Windows. Most tents come with built-in vents and many others have windows. If it’s really hot outside, make sure these are all opened up to encourage airflow.
• Remove The Rainfly. If you’re not expecting any rain, consider removing the rainfly of your tent. This will expose the mesh tent body, providing you with more airflow as you sleep. But, you should always be ready to put the fly back on to your tent if it starts to rain.
• Try A Camping Fan. Small camping fans can be a useful way to get even more airflow in your tent. They are particularly useful if you have a big tent and just one air conditioner unit to cool everything down. Plus, some are battery-powered, so they can be used without hookups.

Do You Need A Tent With An AC Port?

A tent with an AC port is a must-have if you’re looking to use a window AC in your tent. However, if you have a stand-alone portable AC unit, you can use a tent that only has an E-port for extension cord access instead of an AC flap.

Can You DIY A Tent With An AC Port?

If you’re not happy with the different camping tent with AC port options available to you, or if you already own a tent, you might be wondering if you can DIY an AC flap. While you certainly can make your own tent with an air conditioning hole, it’s not necessarily a good idea unless you’re very confident with your sewing skills. This is because, without precision sewing skills, you could end up making a lot of unnecessary small holes in your tent fabrics, leading to leaks over time.

Making your own AC opening is potentially a more economical way of cooling down your tent. However, if done incorrectly, this can permanently damage your tent and make it impossible to use. So, if you do choose to DIY a tent with an AC port, be sure to measure your air conditioner quite a few times to avoid any mistakes. 

Additionally, keep in mind that if you want to get a new AC unit, you’ll need to find one that has the exact same dimensions as your old one. Otherwise, it might not fit in your DIY AC port.

The Verdict

After reviewing all of these great tents, one stood among the others as the clear winner. If we had to choose just one of these tents, we’d go for the Bushnell Shield Series Instant Cabin Tent because it offers a full AC compatibility, thanks to its built-in AC ports. 

At the end of the day, what’s important is that you find the best tent for your needs. Thankfully, you have plenty of great tent options to choose from when it comes to staying cool during your next summer camping trip.