How to Set Up an Ozark Trail Tent USA Today

Even with a self-standing tent, ideally you should stake down each corner securely; in some crowded campgrounds, however, finding a flat spot with soil soft enough to do that can be difficult. With that in mind, we concluded that the best option for two people is a large three-person, or smaller four-person, tent. As for bigger groups, we concluded that the best option for families with three to five members is a cabin-style tent rated for six people that’s also tall enough for an adult to stand in. Additionally, the OZARK Trail Family Cabin Tent has been designed with 3 separate entrances and each of these entrances will not bother the other people in the tent. The doors and the 6 windows that have been evenly spread out, should certainly make for a great tent with optimal ventilation once you feel the heat of the summer belting down.

Most of the tents feature large windows and mesh ceilings that enable you to create a cross-wind—ideal for summer use. Nearly all Ozark Trail tents include a rainfly, and these can usually be removed when not wanted. Many of the tents also feature sealed seams for ozark tent more protection. Ozark Trail is a budget brand, so if you’re frequent campers or people who camp in rough terrain and extreme weather—you’d be better off with a more high-end option. As we’ve seen in the reviews above, Ozark Trail tents have a lot to live up to.

ozark tent

Even though it is so robust, I always recommend using a ground tarp or some sort of barrier to protect your tent long-term. The poles are steel and connected by braided wire, so there’s not much concern with those going off. Guy lines and the sliding plastic adjusters are an area of concern, but so long as you don’t crush them or expose the tent to undue extreme weather, they should hold up. Pyramid-style tents, which have considerable overlap with the teepee, are widely considered some of the most stable in high-wind conditions. Foregoing the central pole in favor of the braced design, along with the considerable surface area of the sides, makes it much more prone to failure during severe weather. To clear the air immediately, the 7 Person Teepee is not waterproof.

We’ll be looking at the 4 best products in the category, and compare them to each other based on 6 features + pros & cons. Also consider how many doors you will need, which will ozark trail wall tent depend on the makeup of your party. The Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota provide some of her favorite locations to hike and camp with her three adventurous boys.

The Ozark trail needs to be tied down with the guy lines to remain durable. If anything goes wrong, you can replace the poles with replacement parts (around $20), and I recommend buying an extra pole just to be safe. But if you only plan to use the tent one or twice a year, that’s probably not something you’ll have to worry about. The Ozark Trail is the smallest tent, making it easier to fit in a small car. The CORE is the lightest tent among the 4, making it easier to carry around to the campground. Obviously if you’re planning to camp only in hot & dry areas, disregard this ranking factor.

Our favorite Ozark Trail tent currently is the Ozark Trail Three Room Instant Cabin. This tent’s combination of floor space, livability, and value make it a home run for large groups or families looking to spread out in style, but this 12-person behemoth won’t be everyone’s first choice. We were surprised at first to see the Mineral King 3 come out on top. It was the only three-person tent—and therefore technically the smallest—in a test group that consisted primarily of four-person tents. But when the feedback came in, all our testers, including our tallest panelists (to say nothing of our panel of dogs), loved being in this tent the most.

The Coleman Sundome 3 (a notable competitor to the Ozark Trail 3 Person Dome) also only has 49sq feet of space. And, like this tent, disappoints a fair number of people for that reason. Some people also complain about quality control issues (missing or broken components) which is perhaps to be expected at this price point.

The included rainfly and factory-sealed seams will keep everyone dry in the event of a rainstorm, and the electrical cord access makes it easy to plug your stuff into the outlets outside the tent. This 11 person instant cabin tent is an excellent option for those who want a tent that’s less like a hallway and more like a big room. The main area is huge, giving you and the family plenty of room to enjoy each other’s company.