If you’re willing to spend a few extra bucks (emphasis on few), the Ozark Trail 9-Person Cabin with a screen room gives some added livability at a similar price point. With that being said, Ozark Trail does a good job of seam-sealing their tents from the factory in most cases, and with a little help, these budget-shelters can keep you dry when unexpected rain hits. Take time to treat the entire tent with a DWR coating like Nikwax (not just the rainfly) and never leave the house without a tent repair kit in case disaster strikes. 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. Despite what you may have read, you can absolutely enjoy an outdoors experience in an Ozark Trail tent.
When you buy anything from Walmart it is made cheap so it can sell for cheap. I received my Ozark tent from my grandparents, which I used 9 years ago when we went camping with them. I had bought this tent thinking it was going to be dry, man was I wrong. I will never buy an Ozark Trail tent in my life and I will tell everyone I know that if they buy one what to expect. And that is you will never be dry in one because they suck bad.
The tent comes with a full rain fly that adds two vestibules for storage (each 14 square feet), totaling 115 square feet of livable space—which is fairly generous yet still practical for most campsites. After researching 30 six-person tents and testing 15 side by side on a total of five trips, we chose the Kelty Wireless 6 as the best entry-level camping tent for most families. It’s spacious, easy to set up, has weather ozark trail canopy protection, and is durable, all at an affordable price. The Wireless 6 lacks some of the premium materials found in pricier tents, but it features solid workmanship and should provide dependable, comfortable shelter in most three-season camping situations. There’s a lot to love here, but as the Ozark Trail Three Room Instant Cabin is still a budget department store tent, you’ll want to be aware of a few shortcomings.
I just wish who I need to contact to get a new tent shell and two end poles that are made of sturdy material would contact me and make good of it. I purchased this tent to take to music festivals and such, because it is like a small house. One day into a 3-day festival, I returned to camp to find both of the large poles snapped right in two. Every single one of our camping experiences has been ruined because of the ozark trail canopy. I would like a response to this please and I do expect some compensation of some kind!
Other aspects, such as inverted seams, further improve the tents’ protection against rain. Although Core tents are slightly more expensive than Ozark Trail, they still remain as an affordable option. Furthermore, Core features many similar tents to Ozark Trail, such as the instant tents that come pre-assembled.