You can easily find one-person tents for less than 50 dollars; also, the brand offers grand-sized family tents for less than 200 dollars. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly, easy-to-setup tent, the Dark Rest line has a lot to offer. The easy setup, as well as its compact size, makes these tents excellent options for hiking camping trips or even music festivals.
On the downside, there’s no porch or any significant awning to speak of, so all your gear will have to stay indoors. And prepare to deal with a bit of mud or dirt because you have to store your shoes/boots inside the tent. The tent includes multiple skylights that you can zip open from the inside, allowing you to stargaze or adjust the amount of light you let into the tent. With three huge windows, you have awesome views of your surrounding and excellent ventilation even on the hottest summer days. Ozark Trail is a brand that most campers are familiar with, thanks to the fact that it offers some of the most affordable gear and is available at literally every Walmart around the U.S. and Canada.
Although we liked the pricier variants well enough, generally we don’t think they’re worth the markup for the extra features. Throughout all our testing, we wanted to know how it felt to be inside the tents for long periods of time. If we had to spend a day in the tent during a storm, would it be comfortable? After first removing the models that failed the structural tests, we slept, watched the stars, and ate our meals in all of the tents, as well as planned hikes from them. Before and after these weekend trips, we turned a neighbor’s large, flat yard into a tent testing ground.
Regarding capacity, each of the tents can accommodate 4 sleeping pads. But for real camping I see it as a system for up to 5 users, ideal for parents with 2-3 kids, and also for two couples. We must have had some wind but not tornado force/ hurricane force winds. 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 must say that nothing is waterproof, water resistant is a better term.
This may not be the lightest tent (nearly 50 pounds!), but what do you expect from a tent built for an entire family of 12? Really, the trade-off of extra weight is incredible durability—the poles and stakes are made of steel, and the tent fabric is a thick, sturdy polyester that will shrug off rain and winds like they’re no big deal. The 3-season tent is tough enough to handle heavy rains and winds, and it features “Enhanced Weather Armor” that will guarantee waterproofing even when the sky is pouring hard. You’ll never have to fight over whose turn it is to set up the tent again; thanks to the pre-attached poles, set-up will take a grand total of 60 seconds.
Setup isn’t exactly “instant”—you’ll spend minutes pitching the huge tent—but the process is straightforward and you’ll never struggle with the pin-and-ring frame attachment system. It is a 3-Season tent, but it’s at its most comfortable during the warmer spring and autumn months. You’ve got all the interior space you need, too—up to four queen beds can fit, and the tent can be divided into three separate rooms. Thanks to the four built-in interior pockets and ample floor space, you’ll never have trouble keeping your gear organized. The tent is treated with a 1200mm waterproof coating, and the frame is wind-resistant up to 40 km/h winds.
The tent includes a lighted LED hub with three brightness settings, so you’ll always be covered if you forget a lantern. You can even pitch the tent in full darkness thanks to the LED light. They are easy to put up, very durable and have have a very attractive price point. One common ozark trail tents issue with these tents was poles that had snapped either when packing or unpacking the tent. At this price point, you can’t expect to get a tent that will last you through years of use. In saying that, many campers are actually surprised by the durability of an Ozark Trail tent.
And finally the Gazelle T4 Plus Instant Tent 8 Person which is the last tent we’re reviewing in this best instant tents for 8 people comparison. Drape the rain fly over the tent so that the side with the pole sleeve is pointed down against the tent. Flex the ridge pole and secure each end by slipping it into a grommet that is built into the rain fly. Assemble your tent poles by snapping the nylon sections into the metal tube-shaped connectors.
Set up a bed for the parents and let the kids camp on the other side of the tent. CORE’s tents are very similar in price and an extremely popular alternative to Ozark. The CORE tent is comfortable, originally made to sleep 9 people, there is plenty of space for 8. Pull them down to the base corners of the tent and attach them to the pin rings. Beyond getting a great start with a tent, we also share lots of other cammping supplies that you will need in our Camping Gear List here.
If you’re looking to save money but still want that cabin tent experience, the Ozark Trail 10-Person Two-Room Cabin is tough to beat. If you’re willing to spend a few extra bucks (emphasis on ozark tent few), the Ozark Trail 9-Person Cabin with a screen room gives some added livability at a similar price point. Second, Ozark Trail tents are affordable because they use very basic materials.