Ozark Trail 9-Person Instant Cabin Tent Review

With a lot of flexibility, and a center height of 7 feet, there is plenty of space for everyone no matter how you configure the tent. She points out that, when shopping for tents, you will absolutely get what you pay for. Higher-quality tents will have seams already sealed to protect from rain. They will also have a rainfly, which helps when you experience unexpected bouts of rain. She also suggests looking for a family tent that offers good internal storage, like pockets and ceiling loops for water bottles, lanterns and the like. Note also that the packed size is not so impressive, but again, this is normal for instant camping tents that come with telescopic poles.

Not all manufacturers go the extra mile to ensure no rain will get in. Tent is made of polyester and steel with large windows and mesh screen. While the waterproofing on this tent is good, it is recommended you provide added protection with water-resistant spray you can pick up at any outdoor store. Even though Ozark Trail 9 Person Instant Tent is a rather large tent, you want to make sure there is a good amount of venting going on. This makes charging your devices or running electric heaters/stoves simple. Additionally, there is large shelf storage on the tent’s interior wall so you can house your essentials an arm’s length away.

Of course, being an instant set up tent is a strong lure for those who dread the campsite pitch. It has received a lot of positive reviews as it is laden with accessories, has a good quality build, and is priced affordably. 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.

As a disclaimer, none of the Ozark Trail tents are going to be light enough for backpacking. Most of them come in somewhere between pounds, which is reasonable considering the sizes of the shelters, but still a bit excessive to carry long distances.So, this tent brand is for car campers only. Depending on your fitness level and the number of people helping you, it’s certainly possible to carry one of these tents a mile or so. However, I’d try to keep your campsite close to your car, so that you don’t have to make multiple trips across long stretches of trail. Ozark Trail only makes large tents, and it usually goes without saying that no one will stuff 12 people in a 12 person tent. Cabin tents with vertical walls allow you to get nice and close to the edges of the shelter, making the most of the available floor space.

For the back private room, you have an extra pole which you insert in the sleeve and with this, you can raise the back room from the ground. You don’t spend a couple hundred bucks on a tent that you only expect to last a year or two. You pay for quality, and that often expresses itself best in the form of durability.The longevity of a tent is directly correlated with the materials used in its construction.

ozark trail shower tentThe last thing you want to do is fumble around with an excessive number of poles and 20 pounds of tent material.Ozark Trail tents tend to be quite large, and large tents can be frustrating to put together. However, the manufacturers seemed to be aware of this, which is why they created most Ozark Trail tents with an instant design. Unroll the tent fabric on the ground, and pop everything into place in a matter of seconds. It doesn’t get much easier than that, and when you’re working with something as large as a 14 person tent, you’ll be very glad to have the convenience. We love the center height, at 7 feet and with a cabin design, it creates these huge interiors that feel like a house when you’re inside. Then when you’re inside its got a ton of cool features that help group camping and support the extra gear you’ll be taking.

ozark trail shower tentThe Ozark Trail 16′ x 16′ Instant Cabin Tent sleeps 12 and can be set up in under 2 minutes. It requires no assembly because the poles are pre-attached to the tent. This 12-person tent is ideal for an outdoor family gathering so you can enjoy nature no matter the weather. The Ozark Trail 10-Person Instant Cabin Tent is the perfect tent to take with you on your next outdoor adventure.

Caters to those who are looking for a large shelter for family or group camping. A mesh room is the main draw here, with its large size allowing it to be configured any way you choose. You have plenty of mesh around and if you have to keep all the windows and doors closed, you still have a large vent on its narrow side, see the picture below.

This isn’t an instant tent, but ease of use is still a high point of this model thanks to the simple setup. Just slide the roof poles into place, then plug the side and corner poles into their designated hubs and raise it all up. Two people can get this cabin set up in about five minutes, but setting the 2 Room Cabin up solo isn’t out of the question either. It was very difficult to roll the tent back into its original shape to return to store. I’ve read many people have had the same problems and went to army surplus to buy a bigger durable storage bag.These are the two QUEEN Mattress I received with my bundle order. I did not open these boxes because they too needed to be returned with the tent.

Wherever you are in your journey, whatever gear you’re searching for, you can be sure to find unbiased and up-to-date reviews for all of your needs. Ease of setup (how easy it is to pitch and take down a tent) is pretty much always a high mark for Ozark Trail tents. These tents are built for first-time and/or fairweather campers, so Ozark Trail puts a lot of effort into making them easy to use. 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.