All bidders are encouraged to preview items before purchase. By placing a bid, the bidder signifies that they have examined the items to their satisfaction, or that they have chosen not to personally examine them. The three-room cabin is definitely one of Ozark Trail’s more expensive models though, so if you’re shopping on a budget, there are plenty of other models worth considering. The Clip & Camp dome is particularly affordable, and also happens to be one of the most dependable models the brand currently makes. Livability describes the overall day-to-day experience of owning and using a tent, and tents that are more comfortable, convenient, and easy to use score the highest in terms of livability.
The shepherd’s hook design, in contrast, held lines and tabs secure in all conditions and required no extra equipment for handling. We also wanted self-standing tents, which stay up on their own before you stake them down. Even with a self-standing tent, ideally you should stake down each corner securely; in some crowded campgrounds, however, finding a flat spot with soil soft enough to do that can be difficult. A difference in floor quality, however, will become obvious quickly as you use and abuse the tent. A footprint doesn’t take up much space, is relatively inexpensive, and is much easier to repair or replace than a tent bottom if it tears. Easy to set up and pack away, the Mineral King 3 is a lightweight, two-door tent with a generous footprint and a sturdy dome shape.
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. 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. With that being said, there are a few things you’ll want to know going into your purchase. First, all Ozark Trail tents should be considered “fair-weather” shelters.
It has two main cross supports that thread through sleeves, stretching between the four corners of the tent. Generally, we like clip-on designs better, since those are easier to put together, but in the case of the Base Camp models, the sleeves add extra tension and stability throughout the tent fabric. There are also two poles that cross over each doorway ozark trail canopy and down the sides of the tent to add extra shape and support. The rain fly has an additional tent pole, too, to support the vestibule. Overall, these poles contribute to a particularly sturdy structure, with or without the rain fly. During our testing, our Base Camp shrugged off both a rainstorm and a desert windstorm as if they were nothing.
You can get this same tent in 6 different sizes to suit your needs. That mesh also keeps the tent feeling more airy and cool in hot climates. The biggest differences between the two tents are their fly and vestibule designs. For the first incarnations of this guide, we tested the smaller tents and the larger, family-size tents in two separate groups. To evaluate the small tents in real-world situations, we took them first to Greggs Hideout, on the Arizona side of Lake Mead. During our tests in this area, temperatures reached upwards of 110 degrees Fahrenheit, and at night, as the sands cooled, whipping windstorms kicked up around us.
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.
I have the JW-7607 which is a 2-3 (read that as two) person tent. It has held up to kids camping in the living room and back yard, many camping trips to desert / forest / lake environments and even survived a bear “attack” with only a small tear. Galvanized steel or hardened aluminum are the most common types of frame material, but of course, these are not the most lightweight materials. Heavyweight fabrics require heavyweight frames, so instead of trying to save weight, try picking the wall tent frame that is the strongest. Cotton canvas is notoriously durable and easy to treat with chemicals that make it resistant to things like flames, rain, or mildew.