Their combination of space and affordability catches the eye of many campers, but the details on these shelters can be lacking. If you’re considering an Ozark Trail yourself, you’re in the right place. I didn’t pay much for this tent (just slightly over $100), and I don’t think there’s any other brand apart from Ozark Trail that you can buy a 10-person tent for this price.
With that being said, we have yet to see an Ozark Trail tent that’s actually “difficult” to set up, so there’s no reason to limit your search to “instant-only” if you don’t mind putting your own poles together. Ease of setup (how easy it is to pitch and take down a tent) is pretty much always a high mark for Ozark Trail tents. These tents are built for first-time and/or fairweather campers, so Ozark Trail puts a lot of effort into making them easy to use. The one exception to the rule here is for the larger cabin-style tents, especially those with an “instant tent” design that uses pre-attached poles. These shelters tend to be much heavier and bulkier when packed up due to the frame design, so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got room to transport them in your vehicle and store them in your home before buying. Again, Ozark Trail tents are mainly fair weather camping tents (so you won’t be hiking into the backcountry with them) which means weight and packed size aren’t a big priority.
Shape wise most Ozark Trail tents either come in a cabin or dome shape. Cabin tents typically have more room inside to stretch out thanks to their high ceilings and vertical walls, so most Ozark Trail shoppers will likely want to focus on cabin tents. With that being said, there are a few things you’ll want to know going into your purchase. First, all Ozark Trail tents should be considered “fair-weather” shelters. That doesn’t mean they all leak when it rains or collapse when it’s windy, but they simply aren’t built for bad weather. Light wind and rain should be fine, but you’ll want to take some steps to prepare for both (more on that below).
There are three of these large floor-level windows along the walls of the tent, plus the giant mesh doorway that can be left open in good weather. Apart from the roof though, there’s not a lot of mesh from the 5 windows and the door, because they’re not very big. Because it’s ridiculously inexpensive, the quality, design and weather protection isn’t the best, though I think it’ll work decently in summer (without rain, of course). They do not provide any info about its waterproof rating, but this is a tent with a minimal fly that covers the ceiling only. The windows and doors are with panels as mentioned above so you have all protection, but with so many zippers and windows, it is best to use it in areas without much rain. Ozark Trail Instant Cabin Tent with Built in Cabin Lights is a 10-person 2-room freestanding easy to use pleasant summer camping tent with a great price tag.
Speaking of camp tables Ozark Trail actually includes a small table with this shelter, which mounts at the base of the main support pole to make the most of the tent’s interior space. The table includes four large hanging mesh pockets at its sides, which, along ozark trail canopy tent with the multiple pockets found along the walls of the Ozark Trail Yurt, make storage and organization another high point of the tent. The tent itself is nice and roomy, and boasts a 6-foot peak height to make changing clothes a drama-free endeavor.