The Big Agnes Bunk House 4 tent is like having a cozy cabin for camping. It’s large enough to stand up inside, has plenty of room for two cots, and the attached awning makes a great front porch for hanging out.

As someone who spends a lot of time backpacking, I didn’t think I’d ever want a giant tent like those I’d seen at campgrounds. For a long time, we used a two person tent, but you couldn’t stand up inside and there wasn’t much room for gear. After considering the purchase of a small RV, we decided instead to make a serious upgrade to our camping setup and purchased this tent.

The first time we used it, we had our sleeping pads on the ground, and while we could stand up inside the tent, there wasn’t much point to it. Gear was spread out on the massive floor and while there was room to walk around, there was no reason to. We would enter the tent standing up, then need to crouch down to get in our sleeping bags or to access gear inside the tent. Then we added cots to our setup and it changed everything.

We placed the cots on the sides and left space in the middle to walk in. Sitting on the cots is a much easier way to get dressed, and raising our sleep systems off the ground makes it easier to get in and out of our bags as well as warmer since the ground isn’t taking away from our body heat.

Gear now gets conveniently stored under the cots instead of spread out inside the tent. And we placed a small table between the cots for use as a bedside table. We can also access what’s on the table from the tent’s back door, unzipping it partially to grab what we need without entering the tent.

The front awning provides a nice space to sit when it’s raining, to get out of direct sunlight, or for protection from wind. Now we like to think of our new setup as our little cabin in the woods.

View at Big Agnes   View at REI

What I like about the Bunk House 4

All of the materials and tent construction are high quality, while setup is easy, with color-coded pole segments and attachment points. Like most car camping tents, this tent is free-standing so it can be repositioned before staking. And unlike most car camping tents, this tent has full coverage for the rain fly so it will withstand inclement weather better to keep you and your gear dry.

My favorite feature is the large front vestibule and awning – which to me set this tent apart from the competition. I also appreciate the large “welcome” mat the front entry. This is a great spot to take off your shoes to leave them before entering the tent. And I love that the interior has plenty of tabs for hanging a string of lights for ambiance. All in all, this tent should last for years of comfortable camping.

Specs

Total Weight: 16lb 3oz
Packed Size: 6″ x 16.5″ x 26.5″
Floor Dimensions: 92″ x 90″
Floor Area: 58 square feet
Vestibule Area: 49 square feet
Peak Height: 72″
Retail Price: $599.99
Version: updated in 2023 (we have the earlier version)
Note: Poles for the awning are not included. We purchased these adjustable poles from REI.

View at Big Agnes   View at REI

MY REVIEW POLICY

I purchased the Big Agnes Bunk House 4 tent with my own funds. As an independent gear reviewer, my policy is to review only items that I have used on multiple outdoor trips and that I feel are quality products worthy of recommending.

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