Slumberjack Daybreak 4

The most affordable 4-person tent in this guide, the Slumberjack Daybreak 4-person tent is a smart choice for families camping on a budget. The single-door design, heavy materials, and lack of bells and whistles help keep the price down, but testers absolutely loved the full mesh body of the tent when set up without the rainfly, earning the Slumberjack Daybreak the playful accolade, “Best 4-Person Tent for Stargazing.”

Pros:

Price is the most magnetic factor of the Slumberjack—the Daybreak won’t break the bank. Slumberjack specializes in bringing outdoor gear like sleeping bags, packs, and even camp furniture to the everyday outdoor enthusiasts—folks who can’t justify spending $400 for a featherweight tent—and in that sense, the Daybreak is a smart buy.

The multi-diameter fiberglass poles can take a bit of muscling to line up into place, but after that, setup is easy and the build itself is sturdy and secure. The Slumberjack’s rain fly is 66 D polyester 1200mm—waterproof and sure to keep you dry in the rain. Testers were stoked that the door is designed to be propped up into an awning with the use of trekking poles.

Cons:

Single-door designs can be pretty annoying when you have four people sharing a tent. Also, a single vestibule, unless enormous, is insufficient. The tent is heavy—unsurprising given the price and the purpose. The poles are long and hefty; they could easily be considered jousting lances. Lastly, testers were concerned with floor durability, and recommended the use of a footprint.

Favorite Feature:

Testers were fans of the full mesh body—it made for excellent stargazing while car camping in the Utah desert—and this would be an excellent choice for anyone who camps exclusively in warm weather when bugs are a bigger concern than the weather.

Tester Comments:

“The full mesh design really helps take the focus away from the tent, and lets you focus on appreciating where you are. There is no better way to fall asleep; getting to fully take in the night sky without the worry of a mosquito in your ear or a spider in your sleeping bag.”

“Definitely versatile, straightforward, and well-designed. The interior space allows for easy movement and access to all corners of the tent. The rainfly offers a decent vestibule with access zippers on either side, convenient for keeping gear out of the elements.”

Key Attribute: Affordability

Bottom Line: A cheap and almost industrial design makes this Slumberjack a fine choice for casual car campers who want to fall asleep to the twinkling of constellations.