CORE’s tents are very similar in price and an extremely popular alternative to Ozark. Tents can be quite the investment, but one of the great things about camping is that (within reason) you can spend as much or as little as you like. And if you’re on a budget, that’s where Ozark Trail tents come into play. All of the 8 person tents included in this guide are solid choices, and which one will be the best for you depends on your specific needs. This means sleeping in a camping bag, with almost no space between people, and it might mean sleeping with heads next to feet.
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. 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. Ozark Trail makes an affordable quality family tent, and this 10-person instant cabin tent is no different. Each of the cabin’s three rooms includes its own privacy divider, and each is large enough to fit a queen-sized mattress as well, so it’s a great option for large groups or families.
Ozark Trail tents are pretty much all “fair-weather” shelters, but dome tents get the advantage here. 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. With that being said, there are a few things you’ll want to know going into your purchase.
Take time to inspect your tent when you first get it (damages from shipping are common), and don’t ever “force” anything when setting up or tearing down your shelter. As stated above, durability and materials are the main pain point of Ozark Trail tents. This allows you to have great water resistance right out the door without having to seal the seams yourself. Take a look at the floor plan, it’s actually got five rooms if you count the center room. This tent is for groups or families that want to travel with the entire squad, but don’t want to have to sleep next to each other.
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 ozark trail shower tent 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. 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. First, although this is an instant tent, the unique layout and integrated awning make setup a little more involved than most.
Most of the larger tents are cabin-style, meaning they have walls that are angled straight up. This 10 person tent is a whopping 20’ by 10’ and splits into three rooms. You also might be able to squeeze in another twin-sized bed if you want to pack more people in. But at only 17.6 lbs this is one of the lighter tents that can fit an entire family.