Even better, they tend to be cheaper than many better-known brands, saving you from a little pain the wallet. Here are some of our top picks that we believe would work great on your next family camping outing. 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.
Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you. It isn’t the greatest tent for its price range, but it works as everyone expects it to. I have no doubts that this tent WILL stand up in strong winds, due to the freestanding mechanism, and it also keeps the rain out like a charm. The pricing does change regularly though, and mostly between $110 and $150, which is why I recommend you check the current price before making a final decision.
ozark trail instant cabinBut you should certainly not miss staking it properly, the stakes and guylines are included in the package. A few very small pockets are on the wall, see the picture below, and I find this really inappropriate for such a big tent designed for 11 people. See this Big Agnes Flying Diamond 6 tent which has 16 huge pockets (for 6 people). But there are no floor vents here, and this is not so great if you have to keep the panels on the windows closed.
The legs and frame come attached to the tent’s canopy, telescoping out to prop it up. You then secure the corners and guy lines to the ground with the provided stakes. The instant, pre-assembled nature of this model makes it very attractive for a few reasons. The main selling point of this tent is the screen room that is attached to the exterior wall of the main tent. Screened rooms are great for providing a large space that you can enjoy the surrounding natural landscape in a mesh-enclosed environment.
ozark trail canopy tentFinally, repacking the tent is made easy with the large carrying case. Dividing curtains can be used for a bit of privacy when you are camping in groups, or if parents want to separate themselves from the kids at night. For those that only want one bedroom, you can use the second room for eating, lounging, gaming, or storage. As you can see one of the more notable features is the integrated screen room, providing extra space to be utilized in numerous different ways. While that one commands a higher price tag and slightly bigger dimensions, the Ozark Trail 9 Person Instant Cabin Tent is a more budget-friendly tent, with an equal amount of family-orientated features. There is lots of mesh around and on the ceiling, so this will work great if you use the tent in a warm climate.
However, something like the Ozark Trail 10 person 3 room tent will force you to get a little more creative, given the sloped curves of the walls. Yes, we all want a big spacious tent with room for plush sleeping quarters, but we also recommend looking for the little features that can elevate your camping experience. Interior storage is a great example, as all those little mesh pockets help keep things organized and off the floor. Screen rooms, shade awnings, storage vestibules, and privacy dividers are also great examples of livability-added features. These features all work together to make a tent feel more like your home away from home and less like a makeshift shelter in the woods. Able to fit up to 9 people, it has a very large 189 square feet of interior.
The flooring problem has only been complained about by 1 person, while the rest of the reviews are from people that are saying nothing but nice things about it. The rain fly comes factory seam-sealed, which is a great idea for people that want something that’s ready to go, straight out of the box. On this tent you will find 3 large windows, while there’s enough room to house 2 queen-sized air mattresses. This tent can fit up to 6 people, and I find that it can be set up within 60 seconds, probably quicker after some practice. There is no assembly required, since the poles are already attached to the strong nylon material.
This together with the mesh on the ceiling will create enough vertical air circulation. In any case, I have included this tent in my list of tents with a screen room. The picture below shows how the tent is divided in two parts, the rooms are the same size, around 7 x 10 ft each. The tent is for summer camping and I would not put it to serious tests. The price tag is excellent so if you need a tent for occasional use in very mild weather conditions, this can certainly be an option to consider.