Weight and pack size are among the most essential factors if you plan to hike or backpack with your tent, but that’s not what canvas wall tents are for. Any tent with a heavy-duty metal frame and heavy canvas ozark tent fabric is designed to be used as a basecamp, left up for a while, or pitched reasonably close to where you park your car. The geodesic structure of the Base Camp tents is built to withstand wind and rain.
I have pitched the tent twice in my back yard and found that I could pitch it by myself in about one hour. I watersealed the seams, as per the instruction sheet inside the carrying bag but I have not been rained on yet. I just bought the 9’x7′ backpacking tent 2 days ago, because I want to do some bikepacking here in FL. It is easy to set up and take down, and I loved the fact that it has three windows for lots of circulation in the heat and humidity. There was a breeze so I put bricks around the edge, and the rain tarp didn’t cover the whole of the window like it was supposed to, but that was it was a little hard to set up so it was understandable. It worked well that night and I got some rain in but nothing serious.
It is unlike the thin synthetic fabric you get on backpacking tents; this is much thicker. A fantastic vent at the top on the front opens and closes almost like a drawbridge, with a pulley handle on the outside to open it and one on the inside to close it. Even with this, we feel that a cotton canvas is still more breathable.
Or these slightly more expensive stakes will serve you well in any car-camping terrain. But it’s one of the least expensive tents we found that will truly cover all the bases for three-season car-camping in most conditions you’re likely to encounter. Less expensive options exist but have a number ozark trail canopy of drawbacks. The Mineral King 3 also comes with its own footprint, a groundsheet that protects the tent from abrasion, which many outfitters sell separately—and which we recommend that you have. One night during testing, for example, clouds loomed in the distance with clear skies overhead.
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. Generally speaking, if you go into buying an Ozark Trail tent with reasonable expectations, you won’t be disappointed. None of these tents are designed to hold up in a serious thunderstorm. They’re not built for heavy winds, and they certainly aren’t made to stand up to heavy snow.
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. 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.
Second, it’ll take you a bit longer to pitch this than a traditional tent, especially considering Ozark Trail uses multiple interior “support poles” for the walls rather than relying on the strength of the guy lines alone. Finally, keep in mind that this is a single wall shelter, which means there’s a lot riding on the quality of the tent fabric and seams. Plenty of customers swear by the Ozark Trail Yurt’s waterproofing, but we recommend treating it with an extra DWR treatment and sealing any missing seams before putting it to work.
Yes, it can feel more humid, but if you can get some kind of a breeze blowing through, you can regulate the temperature without any AC. Don’t think it won’t be hot, though; all tents get hot in the sun, but the cotton canvas is just better than synthetic materials, in our opinion. On a recent trip, we tested a friend’s 16 x 20 ft Alpha wall tent, and it slept eight people with a stove, loads of gear, and two dogs. The tent will easily sleep 14 or more people on camping cots without a stove and maybe around 12 people with a stove.
In terms of drawbacks, this is a particularly budget-friendly model from an already budget-focused brand, so you’ll need to be mindful of a few shortcomings to get the most out of this shelter. First, Ozark Trail uses sealed seams on this tent, but the fabric itself isn’t made for a rainstorm. You’ll want to give the entire tent a thorough Nikwax treatment before taking it on the road. Second, the fabric feels thin, and a few users have reported ripping it during setup, so you’ll need to take your time both setting up and taking down this tent.