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. 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. 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.
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” 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. Finally, the material of this shelter is noticeably higher quality than many Ozark Trail tents, but the 68D polyester is still not as thick as we’d like. No Ozark Trail tent is perfect, but as far as full-size family camping tents go, this is the one to beat.
We also don’t recommend this tent for high winds because although all the poles are steel, Ozark Trail uses a thin-walled alloy that can bend under stress and plastic hubs that we wouldn’t trust in serious storms. As far as fairweather shelters go, however, this one may be the best value in terms of livability for your money. Plus, there are room dividers so you can create up to 3 rooms for separate sleeping spaces. 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.
These shelters tend to be much heavier and bulkier when packed up due to the frame design, so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got room to transport them in your vehicle and store them in your home before buying. The Ozark Trail Yurt gets high marks for its overall interior space with 169 square feet of floor room and ceilings over 7 feet tall at their peak. That’s plenty of room for two queen mattresses with room left over for some chairs, a cooler, and a camp table. Speaking of camp tables Ozark Trail actually includes a small table with this shelter, which mounts at the base of the main support pole to make the most of the tent’s interior space. The table includes four large hanging mesh pockets at its sides, which, along with the multiple pockets found along the walls of the Ozark Trail Yurt, make storage and organization another high point of the tent. This screened-in shelter also gets high points for its price, which is always a selling point with an Ozark Trail tent, but this one represents a particularly good value considering all its features.
Nobody wants to spend all day sitting in direct sunlight either though, and that’s where a tent with a screen room like this Ozark Trail 9 Person Cabin comes into play. The Ozark Trail Three Room Instant Cabin takes our top spot as the best Ozark Trail tent. With room for 12 and nearly seven-foot ceilings, it checks all our boxes for a big family tent, but even as cabin shelters go, this one is special.
The back room is with the built-in fly so you have no extra work for this section. You have the awning available, and it creates a great sitting area in front of the main entry doors, and its size is roughly 8 x 6 ft (2.44 x 1.83 m). The Ozark Trail 11 Person 3 Room Instant Cabin Tent is an interesting ozark trail canopy tent structure with an additional private room added to the rear of the tent. Generally speaking, if you go into buying an Ozark Trail tent with reasonable expectations, you won’t be disappointed. They’re not built for heavy winds, and they certainly aren’t made to stand up to heavy snow.
The main thing to know going into an Ozark Trail purchase is that you need to do your due diligence not to overstress the materials because a heavy hand can absolutely damage them. Take time to inspect your tent when you ozark trail shower tent 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.
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. Chances are, though, you won’t want to spend half your trip setting up your tent. Manufacturers have found clever ways to make tent setup easier, including attaching the poles to the material so there are no pieces to assemble. Some family tents can be erected as quickly as 60 seconds, especially once you’ve gotten the hang of it. Shawna Newman is the editor-in-chief of Active Weekender, a website that provides resources — from gear recommendations to beginner tips — to people looking to plan outdoor adventures.
Some tents are also built to keep out the sun’s rays, making them great for those who like midday naps on vacation. Although some tents promise to hold up to 12 people, things can get a little cramped when you have all the sleeping bags fully rolled out. Measurements will matter more than how the tent is advertised, so use a measuring tape to map it out and decide on the size that will accommodate sleeping arrangements. If you need something different, please look around, this site is all about family camping tents, so I am sure you will find something for you. Seasons-wise, as I already pointed above, this is a tent for a relatively warmer climate, for summer camping and without much rain. Despite what you may have read, you can absolutely enjoy an outdoors experience in an Ozark Trail tent.