Unlike many compact tipi tents, the pole is positioned off centre so it doesn’t impact the bedroom space. Instead, it mounts at the front of the opening and is held in place by a secure fabric loop. It’s an ideal size for a young family. And because the inner bedroom pod is already attached to the flysheet, once you’ve clipped the poles into each of the corners you just clip the flysheet to the poles and you’re done. This also means you can’t get the inner fabric wet if pitching in a storm. It took us less than four minutes to pitch.

Tents are sized according to the number of adults they can feasibly sleep (two-, four-, six-person and so on), but unless you’re looking for an ultralight adventure tent for one person, the rule of thumb is that if you halve the stated person number, you’ll get the number of adults the tent will actually sleep comfortably. A four-person tent will give two adults plenty of extra space for bags without being squashed but, if you’re camping with kids, a six-person tent (with separate bedrooms) is ideal. You’ll want to take an eye mask if you plan on sleeping past dawn as it is very light in the mornings – but you’re using it for adventure, rather than sleeping off festival excesses.To pitch, you simply pull on two chords that clip and bend the poles into position. With the flysheet, bedroom and groundsheet already fitted, you’re ready to go in 30 seconds, if that. Once pitched, you can move it into position and peg out. To pitch, you simply peg out the flysheet and insert the pole. The tent’s inner can be removed if you want to use it as a sunshade or bivvy, and if the weather is warm the centre pole can be extended to increase airflow.

Decathlon popularised the pop-up tent and revolutionised festival camping, but those early designs, while easy to put up, were extremely difficult to fold away again. Thankfully, the design has evolved and, while it’s still incredibly simple to pitch, it can also be put away without (much) swearing. Courtesy of colour coded straps and clips, it’s easy to fold the tent in half, after which a pull cord system then holds everything in place while you fold it again to fit the bag. It’s still a faff, but so much easier than previous versions. UV protected fabric, good waterproofing and lots of internal storage options make this a thoroughly practical tent for anyone who wants a comfortable time under canvas but doesn’t have any interest in faffing about with poles and pitching. Don’t invest hundreds of pounds on a large tent – or hi-tech mountaineering design – that you only need for one weekend at a festival. In this situation, we suggest borrowing one from a friend. That being said, pop-up and fast pitch tents are generally small and designed for two adults at most. Some of the latest fast pitching designs have a little more space – with room for young children – but if you need an easy-to-pitch tent for a large family looking to camp for more than a long weekend you’ll need to invest in an inflatable design. These come in sizes that sleep up to 12 adults. How much should I spend?It’s expensive compared to basic pop-up and fast pitch tents, but this high-quality design is made using tough ripstop polyester, has excellent alloy components and is extremely waterproof. It’s an investment, but will last for years. Be warned, though, that you’ll need to be at least five-feet eight inches (172cm) tall and have a relatively strong grip to lift and clip the tent together.

The classic pop-up tent is ideal for one person or a very cosy couple looking for somewhere to sleep, rather than basecamp in for any length of time. The large round bags are awkward to carry, so a car is generally needed, even though they’re quite light. The outer fabric is made from silicone coated ripstop that will survive any weather and there are two doors with mosquito net protection, so you can avoid clambering over people in the night. While they take a little longer to pitch than pop-up designs, inflatable tents, especially large six to 12 person designs, take a fraction of the time to pitch compared to standard large tents. Just peg out and pump them up. They’re expensive and often hard to deflate, but great if you’re planning a week or so under canvas.