It isn’t exactly the cheapest cabin tent on the market, however that doesn’t mean all expensive products are high quality and up to everyone’s expectations. I have read many reviews about how happy people are with this cabin having no leaks or wind gust problems. BUT for myself, I am disappointed to have been so thrilled to order this tent with good intentions and ending in a return back to the store. I didn’t think I had a large enough space in my backyard to pitch this tent (14×13.5) I barely squeezed it in my yard. I laid down a tarp before I took out the tent from its box and it took me about 15 minutes to put up (&and I don’t like reading instruction but it is on the inside of the duffle bag).
I have decided to show you this Ozark Trail tent side by side with some of its competitors with the same declared capacity. Weight-wise, with its 32.6 lb (14.8 kg) this is not a lightweight tent, but this is a normal weight for such a steel construction. You will see in the comparison table below that it is lighter than some of its competitors. This is a freestanding construction, self-supporting and stable as you can realize from the picture below which shows the tent without the fly.
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.
Finally, 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.
ozark trail instant cabinLivability 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. These poles are made of steel and have been described to be very sturdy by many people. This tent has been described to be durable, comfortable, and reliable all at the same time. The manufacturers are also claiming that it makes a great choice for many outdoor adventures.
But 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.
Our favorite Ozark Trail tent currently is the Ozark Trail Three Room Instant Cabin. This tent’s combination of floor space, livability, and value make it a home run for large groups or families looking to spread out in style, but this 12-person behemoth won’t be everyone’s first choice. If you want a tent that’s fast to pitch, this one is definitely worth considering. I would say this tent makes a great choice for a small family, or a group of friends that want to go on a camping trip. The factory seam-sealed rain fly was also something that caught my eye.
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.
I’m sure this tent is good during a wind storm and rain/condensation issues. The rain fly hangs over the room as well, so you can stay outdoors while it’s raining. Purchasing a large footprint for the entire size of the tent will provide a solid floor for keeping the screen room tidy. Make sure to stake it down properly to avoid any incidents during windy conditions. The fact that it has a divider in the main cabin part, plus an attached room on the rear side, tell you that you can have some privacy in such a space. But this only assuming that you ignore the declared capacity of 11 people.
Take time to treat the entire tent with a DWR coating like Nikwax (not just the rainfly) and never leave the house without a tent repair kit in case disaster strikes. Large dome tents are also an option, and although they’re a little less flashy, they have some perks of their own. 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.