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. It’s a cool tent all around, but our favorite feature has to be the 360-degree views delivered courtesy of this yurt’s giant mesh ozark tent windows. There are three of these large floor-level windows along the walls of the tent, plus the giant mesh doorway that can be left open in good weather. In summary, this Ozark Trail 10 Person 2 Room Straight Wall Family Cabin Tent is a simple and easy to use construction in spite of such a size and height. This is a great and affordable option for occasional summer family camping adventures.
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. Ozark Trail is all about big family camping tents on a budget, and few are as big and budget-friendly as the Ozark Trail 10 Person Two-Room Cabin. This shelter may be the least expensive in our roundup, but it still packs some sweet features worth noting. Our favorite is the “storage locker” which gives you a protected place to store items like muddy shoes outside the tent, but can also be accessed from inside using a second zipper. It’s a great spot to stash your “middle of the night bathroom break” shoes and anything else you don’t want taking up space inside the tent.
We set the tent up in the yard, only took us about 15min. 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. Wall tents offer much more headroom than a dome tent because the vertical side walls mean you can get much taller structures. In addition, the center line, where the pitched roof is at its highest provides more than enough movement to stand up and walk around. There is loads of space inside for 6 – 8 people to spread out, or if you are looking for more of a glamping experience, then 4 of you can set up your own quarters.
Windproofing may be just as big a concern as waterproofing, and you need to ensure your tent can handle strong gusts of wind when camping in exposed locations. Having some heavy-duty tent stakes certainly helps keep the structure taut, but ultimately it is the frame that you depend on. The Kodiak Canvas Flex-Bow Canvas Tent Deluxe is very similar to the WHITEDUCK PROTA tent above and is an excellent choice for longer camping trips where you can leave your tent set up. It is made from a thick and durable cotton canvas that will last for decades if stored properly and is well worth the money, in our opinion. The one exception to the rule here is for the larger cabin-style tents, especially those with an “instant tent” design that uses pre-attached poles. Large dome tents are also an option, and although they’re a little less flashy, they have some perks of their own.
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. Despite what you may have read, you can absolutely enjoy an outdoors experience in an Ozark Trail tent.
First off, dome tents are typically less expensive since they have fewer total parts and less sophisticated frames. Second, dome tents tend to fare better in bad weather because they’re rounded shapes are more aerodynamic. Ozark Trail tents are pretty ozark trail tents much all “fair-weather” shelters, but dome tents get the advantage here. The tent itself is nice and roomy, and boasts a 6-foot peak height to make changing clothes a drama-free endeavor. I live in Canada and find these tents to be very good.