Overall, because a lot of water leaked through the un-taped seams and even the tent fabric after just 15 minutes of mostly light rain, I would say that this Ozark Trail 10-Person Tent is not waterproof at all. 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). During my research on this tent I watched several YouTube videos on how to set up tent by yourself or with two people. This tent is a little heavy because of the steel poles pre-attached to the tent, so I recommend having a partner to help pop up and lock in the poles. I’ve always wanted an instant tent and heard how easy it is to pop up. After I ordered the product at Walmart.com, I went to the store to pay cash.
But in the case of a real summer camping, I see it suitable for couples or for parents with one small child. They write that it can accommodate 2 queen airbeds but you would not have much space around. Second, Ozark Trail tents are affordable because they use very basic materials. All Ozark Trail poles are either steel alloy or fiberglass, and the fabrics used throughout the tent are typically on the thinner side. Again, not a deal-breaker, but don’t expect these tents to stand up to the same use and abuse as their premium alternatives from brands. It’s a cool tent all around, but our favorite feature has to be the 360-degree views delivered courtesy of this yurt’s giant mesh windows.
The length of the Ozark Trail tent is about 13 feet and 9 inches, while the width is about 9 feet and 11 inches, so slightly smaller than the marketed dimensions of 14 by 10 feet. Next, attach the 6 steel wall poles to the elbow connectors (the top of each pole) and to the pin at the other end (the base of each pole). The 2 green pole sleeves are for the longer diagonal poles (with 9 fiberglass segments), and the 1 blue pole sleeve is the for the shorter pole (with 5 fiberglass segments). There is also a removable media pocket (shown below), and a large removable organizer with many pockets which you can hang on the wall without windows or just over the window as the picture shows.
So I would not put it to very serious tests in harsh weather conditions. The bigger part of the tent is a single-layer structure, only the ceiling is with the mesh and here you have the minimal fly added as the second layer. However, the windows and the door are also double-layer with mesh and waterproof panels. As stated above, durability and materials are the main pain point of Ozark Trail tents. The fabrics are often thinner and less technical (regular polyester rather than ripstop, etc.), and the poles are pretty much always made from cost-saving materials like fiberglass and thin steel alloy.
The stitching especially around the doors and windows don’t seem that well done either, and I found a lot of excess threads as well. I don’t think this Ozark Trail 10-Person Tent will do very well against strong winds. Because there’s only 1 door in the entire tent, only 1 “room” will have the door, and the other “room” will only have windows.
For cons, there’s only 1 door in the entire 10-person tent, there’s almost no ventilation at all when it’s raining, and it also leaks within just 15 minutes of light rain. 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. 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.
Our favorite is the “storage locker” which gives you a protected place to store items like muddy shoes outside the tent, but can also be accessed from inside using a second zipper. It’s a great spot to stash your “middle of the night bathroom break” shoes and anything else you don’t want taking up space inside the tent. Oddly enough, Ozark Trail’s most basic, base bones shelter takes the title of most durable. We chose the Ozark Trail Clip & Camp because unlike larger cabins with plastic hubs and countless poles, this traditional two-pole dome has the fewest number of parts that can potentially fail.
First, although this is an instant tent, the unique layout and integrated awning make setup a little more involved than most. Second, the tall vertical walls and “L” ozark trail shower tent shape make it about as far from aerodynamic as they come. Do NOT phone in the guyline portion of set-up (regardless of the weather) or you’ll risk damaging the tent.
There you’ll find all the info you could ever want on the materials, build quality, and weather-worthiness of these affordable tents. 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. Weight-wise, with its 32.6 lb (14.8 kg) this is not a lightweight tent, but this is a normal weight for such a steel construction. You will see in the comparison table below that it is lighter than some of its competitors. The material of the tent body and rainfly are made of 68D coated polyester fabric.
There is a pocket for batteries and with the switch on the ceiling, it is visible in the picture. You might like to know that the windows are with zippers so you can keep the panels at any height to regulate ozark trail instant cabin the amount of light and privacy. We’ve also put together a handy buyer’s guide down at the bottom as a resource for shoppers who are new to the Ozark Trail brand, so make sure to check it out.