I’m sure this tent is good during a wind storm and rain/condensation issues. Unfortunately — and inexplicably — one of the steel support poles bent while I was assembling the tent. This was a surprising result (I’m not that strong) and suggests that the materials used to create this tent are not especially good quality, ozark trail shower tent despite the higher price point of this tent. Once the tent was up, however, it was easy to see that it had all been worth it. Most taller individuals will be able to walk around the interior without needing to crouch. I also liked the shape of this tent, which was more square than others that I looked at.
The inside was nice and spacious and I appreciated the blue ambience on what was otherwise a strangely dark and gloomy day for late May. I arrived at the group site Friday midday to get everything set up. During that initial phase, I considered how intuitive (or not) the tents were to assemble, durability of the component parts, and the size and shape of the footprint. It is also important to consider the way in which the tent poles attach to the tent.
It’s pricey, though, and unless the other couples’ tents we recommend, it doesn’t include a footprint. Bigger tents offer more headroom, and more space for families to spread out. On the other hand, they are more difficult to set up, and they take up more space. In my tests, the best 6-person tents still fit comfortably on tent pads at most campgrounds. Larger tents, including the best 8-person tents and the best 10-person tents do not. Ten-person tents will comfortably fit six people, but are becoming increasingly popular for families of four looking for plenty of floor space to spread out.
Note that these tents are strictly meant for car camping; the Base Camp 4 and the Base Camp 6 weigh 16 and 21 pounds, respectively, so you won’t want to carry either ozark trail instant cabin one very far. Both come with storage sacks that you sling over one shoulder. If you can afford to spend more on a family tent, we recommend The North Face Wawona 6.
If the Mineral King 3 is out of stock, or if you’d like a slightly larger tent, we recommend the Marmot Tungsten 4. The Tungsten 4 shares many of the Mineral King 3’s best features, and provides 10 square feet of additional living space as well as excellent weather protection—as long as you set it up properly. Like our top pick, the Tungsten 4 is a sturdy, two-door dome-style ozark trail shower tent tent that can be deployed in about 5 minutes. It uses high-quality materials such as aluminum poles, breathable mesh, and water-resistant polyester fabric, and it comes with a full fly and a footprint. The Tungsten 4’s larger size accounts for the higher price tag (about $40 more), but campers who would like that extra room may find the expense worthwhile.