Best tent with AC port: what tents have AC ports in 2023?

Nothing beats going camping if you want to go back to basics and experience the great outdoors.

And while most of the appeal of camping is to be at one with nature, some climates are bare near impossible to comfortably camp in. 

Camping doesn’t have to be luxurious, but it doesn’t have to be downright uncomfortable either. 

Hooking an AC unit up to your tent is the best way to make the temperature and humidity inside as comfortable as possible. 

While many people opt to modify their current tents, this isn’t ideal and can end in damaging your tent beyond repair.

So if you’re on the lookout for a new tent and would like to hook up an air conditioning unit, then you should absolutely consider a tent with a dedicated air conditioning port. 

But what is the best tent with AC port?

Let’s find out…

In a hurry? Here’s our top 3 picks for the best tent with AC port.

Best tent with AC port

Ozark Trail 12-person 3-room Instant Cabin Tent

Great for larger families and car camping

This Ozark trail tent is HUGE and the largest tent on the market featuring a dedicated AC port. Suitable for up to 12 people and featuring three separate rooms, it’s the perfect choice for a large family or if you like to have lots of space to move, chill out and store belongings. 

It comes with two AC unit ports, one at either end of the l shape. Perfect if you’re planning an extended camping trip to keep it well ventilated, comfortable and fresh. 

Both ports are located near the bottom of the tent, meaning you’ll only have to mount your ac unit on a low table or box for it to reach the port correctly. 

Along with the two AC unit ports, the tent also comes with an electrical port for you to feed cables through to a generator without rain or wind coming in. Having the ability to have electricity in your tent without worrying about the weather is a great way to ensure you can stay connected with the outside world. And more importantly, to ensure your kids don’t go ape without the use of their gadgets.   

For natural ventilation, there are seven fully closable windows. Perfect for saving electricity or for colder nights where you might not need the full force of an AC unit, but some extra air is still needed. The windows themselves are nice and big and let a lot of light in, making the tent feel even bigger than it already is. 

The tent can fit 3 queen-sized mattresses while still allowing easy access to move around and store belongings. Each room has storage pockets on the walls to store essential items such as phones.

Despite its large size, the tent is super easy and stress-free to put up thanks to its pre-attached poles. You basically just have to unfold and extend the tent out to where it all needs to be. While the manufacturer’s literature states it takes two minutes to put up, it takes 15 to 30 minutes in reality. Still a super-fast setup time for a massive 12 person tent.

Check current price on Amazon

Wenzel Klondike 8-person tent

Great for medium/large families

The Wenzel Klondike is the cheapest tent on the market with a ground ventilation system large enough to allow the use of a window ac unit. It’s perfect for small families, couples who like lots of space or solo campers who want to feel like they’re in a home away from home. 

The tent has one main room and a porch/screen room. However, the screen room can be used as a second room if desired and is more than adequate to sleep in. The two side panels and two front panels can be completely zipped up, making it as rain and windproof as the main room. 

With two separate rooms, you can set it up to best suit your needs. Whether that be two different sleeping areas, one sleeping area and a “living room”, one sleeping area and a “kitchen”, or one sleeping area and a “bedroom” for your doggo/s. Both rooms have proper flooring, but the screen room lacks ceiling hooks and the height that the main room has.

The AC port is located in the main room at the back of the tent. The vent is large and low to the ground, making it easy to install the AC unit effectively. 

The tent can fit up to 2 queen size mattresses. While the main room will comfortably fit a queen, the porch room will “just about” fit a queen. There are storage pockets on the walls of both rooms and ceiling hooks to hang lights in the main room.

The only downside is that it doesn’t have a power slot for cable access, meaning you will have to feed cables through a window or door if you’re looking to have electricity in your tent.

The tent isn’t an instant or pop up tent, and the process is much like a traditional tent. While it’s relatively simple to set up, it definitely isn’t as quick or easy as the others on this list. Especially the first couple of times you do it. 

Check current price on Amazon

Bushnell Shield instant cabin tent

High quality, durable and perfect for all sized families from couples to large families

The Bushnell Shield cabin tent is perfect for smaller families, couples or solo campers. It’s durable, well constructed and is one of the smallest tents with AC port. It’s also one of the best all-weather tents, providing solid sun protection, wind protection, and stays waterproof in a downpour. 

Besides its inclusion of the AC port, the Bushnell Shield has other features great for camping in stifling weather. It uses heat shield technology which is basically a reflective coating on the underside of the rainfly. It blocks the sun’s UV rays, keeping the tent naturally colder and darker. 

Although it’s the perfect tent for AC use and summer weather, that doesn’t mean you have to worry about any torrential downpours you may encounter. 

Along with heat shield technology, the tent also has fantastic weather shielding features. It uses water repellent fabric, has a tub floor and fully taped waterproof seams. Its sturdy frame and heavy-duty tie-downs make it rigid enough to withstand strong winds. 

Check current price on Amazon

How to rig a window ac unit in a tent

If you’re planning to or have purchased a tent with a dedicated AC port then you don’t have much rigging to do.

The main thing you need to do is find a suitable platform to sit your window AC unit on. You can use something as simple as a milk crate or a sturdy box you have lying around. But if you want your AC set up to look as impressive as your new tent then we recommend this tent AC stand.

It’s ideal for standing an AC unit on. It has individually adjustable legs to ensure that your AC unit sits perfectly in the port of your tent. The legs can also be folded flat for easy transportation to and from your trip. When folded down the platform is just 3 inches thick.

After you’ve got your platform sorted to stand your AC unit on, you’re pretty much set to go.

What tents have AC ports?

There are only a few tents that come with actual AC ports.

In fact, as you have seen, there are currently only 3 models on the market that cater for air conditioning.

• Bushnell Shield Cabin Tent (available on Amazon here)
• Wenzel Klondike Tent (available on Amazon here)
• Ozark Trail Cabin Tent (available on Amazon here)

Can I put an AC unit in my tent?

Yes, you can purchase a 12V AC unit and run it with a power bank or solar charger.

You will need to create a hole through the use of zippers if you do not have or plan to purchase a tent with a dedicated AC port.

How do you cool a tent with AC?

There are a few ways that you can cool your tent with an AC unit.

The first way is to use a power bank or solar charger to power the AC unit.

The second way is to purchase a 12V AC unit and use the cigarette lighter in your car to power it.

The third way is to purchase an adapter that will allow you to plug the AC unit into a standard outlet.

What are the best tents for AC?

The best tents for AC are the ones that come with a dedicated AC port as listed above.

However, if you do not have one of those, then you can purchase a tent with zippers and create your own hole.