From a positive perspective, the lightweight design increases portability which is certainly important in carrying the tent to its intended location. From a negative perspective, the weight is indicative of a lack of high quality material and components used throughout the shelter. The included carrying bag does not have wheels to aid in transportation, but at only 29 lbs. We don’t find that to be a noteworthy drawback as the nylon handles and shoulder strap work just fine in carrying the tent.
One thing we love about ozark trail instant cabins are the accessories that can be added to the shelters. These include sidewalls, weight bags, and a host of other great add-ons that can really increase the use and versatility of the canopy tent. Perhaps our two favorites are camping tent additions that connect to the frame of the shelter and leverage the stability of the 10×10 frame to support a camping tent structure. The weight of this Ozark Trail is lighter than most of the same size alternative steel frame canopy tents, coming in right about 29 lbs.
The most popular product in their line is the 10×10 Instant Slant Leg Tent with a blue canopy top. The legs are locked into place with old school metal push button locks, something you won’t see on many modern pop up tents now-a-days. These push locks get very difficult to use over time, especially if the tent is used on the beach and exposed to sand and saltwater, causing rust build up. Many newer tent brands like EZ-Up use revolutionary thumb lock sliders or larger easy to release buttons, which are a much better user experience when setting the canopy up or taking it down. With the push buttons you need to worry about pinching fingers or not being able to release the button when it gets rusted, which is never a pleasant experience. The legs extend to give the top peak a height of about 8’10” which will be plenty of headroom for anyone underneath.
Although we always recommend using anchors such as weighted sand bag or stakes with guy lines attached to the top corners. The most popular product in their line is the 10×10 Instant Slant Leg Tent with a blue canopy top. It is made with a steel construction frame and polyester material for the canopy, which is in line with just about every shade tent on the market today. The frame is that of a pyramid structure, which are generally found in all value brand canopy tents as they require less material to manufacture vs. that of a full truss system and as a result can keep the price lower.
The Ozark Trail Commercial Canopy is packed with the features that you need. The frame is powder coated aluminum and steel with push button locking on the frame and height adjustments. The heavy 400D polyester top provides 99% UV protection and is water and fire resistant. There are 4 walls included and one of the walls has a zipper in the center for easy access under the canopy. The canopy also has an awning, banner holder, stakes and guy ropes.
That is why we always recommend tents with a full truss structure as they are able to withstand rotational pressure since the cross section of the main support runs through the tent’s center as opposed to outer perimeter. We researched five best ozark trail tents canopy offers over the last 2 years. A frequent reader of our site put the lightweight Cool Cabana pop up beach canopy to the test during a West Coast vacation. We put the lightweight Cool Cabana pop up beach canopy to the test during an East Coast vacation. The assembled weight of the tent is 25 pounds, and it’s suitable for three seasons, excluding winter. Digging our toes in the sand under one of the best full-overhead coverage beach tents on the market.
There may not be many bells and whistles, but we don’t think it’s necessary here. For adjusting the height of this model, there is a push switch system that is designed to make things as easy as possible for the user. You’ll find orange buttons on each leg that are quite large so that you can effortlessly press them and move the poles up and down. With the massive influx of instant canopies taking over the market, it can be hard to find one that lives up to its claims. For a day at the beach, sunny picnic party, or other outdoor event, you want something that’s going to protect from the harsh rays of the sun, but is still easy enough to transport and assemble on site.