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Ozark Trail tents: budget-friendly, easy to find, and readily available.

Ozark Trail tents are designed for the occasional camper who wants a mid-range, affordable tent. 

However, are these tents really worth the investment?

Is the quality any good?

And will they perform well on your camping trip?

The short answer is, yes, some Ozark Trail tents can be a great addition to your camping gear. 

You’ll want to be on the search for these top 13 Ozark Trail tents. 

13 Best Ozark Trail Tents

Ozark Trail 10-Person Dome Tent

My Choice
Ozark Trail 10-Person Dome Tent
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Making the top of my list is this 10 person dome tent by Ozark that comes with 3 rooms and a screen porch.

The screen porch is my favorite feature. I know that no matter what my weather app says, it will rain on my camping trip.

Nothing is worse than being stuck in a tiny tent in the rain with no space to play games or enjoy your time. This tent takes care of that space for you. 

The screen porch doesn’t have a bottom, but is still connected to the tent on the other 3 sides. Ozark provides an attached mud mat to keep the inside of the tent clean.

This tent can also fit 3 queen-sized air beds and has 2 removable room dividers so you’ll have plenty of flexibility when picking sleeping arrangements. 

It also comes with a removable rainfly (as do most Ozark tents) that rolls back on each side to provide extra ventilation.

An E-port can be found on the tent along with a moveable mesh media pocket, so you can connect to the digital world if you’d like. 

Overall, this tent offers great flexibility and a large space for the entire family. The tent is 17’ long and 8.5’ wide, offering 137 square feet of living space. That’s a big, comfy tent!  

Pros:

  • Screen porch for space to hang out in during the rain or stay protected from mosquitoes
  • Room dividers to separate sleeping/living spaces 
  • Easy to set up with just 2 people 

Cons:

  • Screened porch doesn’t have flaps to completely close up 
  • Very drafty

Ozark Trail 14’ x 10’ Family Cabin Tent

Best Overall
Ozark Trail 14’ x 10’ Family Cabin Tent
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This tent works great for a family of 4-5, which is why it makes the top of my list as the best overall.

This tent features large windows on all sides and a room divider. You can either divide this tent into 2 different bedrooms or have one half be a living space and the other a bedroom.

It can easily fit 2 queen-sized airbeds with room to spare for gear. 

One of the reasons why I like this tent so much is that it boasts factory-sealed seams and a waterproof rainfly.

It seems as if Ozark has gone above and beyond with this tent to make sure you stay dry. 

I also like that this tent is quite tall, at 7 ft, so everyone can walk around without awkward ducking.

Even with the gear loft, you can easily stand up fully in this tent without hitting your head. 

Pros:

  • Holds up to moderate rain
  • Rooms and dividers for separate sleeping areas 
  • Fairly easy setup with 2 people

Cons:

  • Not as instant as advertised 
  • Only one door

Ozark Trail Family Cabin Tent (6 Person)

Best Value
Ozark Trail Family Cabin Tent (6 Person)
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The Ozark Trail Family Cabin Tent makes the top of the list at the best value because, with this tent, you get everything you need as a first-time camper. 

This classically shaped and sized cabin tent can sleep 6 adults, is easy to set up, and offers a couple of unique features. 

For one, there is a built-in mud mat in the front doorway, which I love. This helps keep all the dirt and tiny rocks out of the tent.

It also offers an extra gear fly in the front for shoe storage. That’s an awesome way to keep bugs out of your hiking boots at night! 

The idea of this tent is to bring you the basics at a fair price. 

Pros:

  • Offers all the basics
  • Easy setup for 2 people
  • High ceilings

Cons:

  • Won’t stand up to heavy rains or high winds

Ozark Trail 6-Person Dark Rest Cabin Tent

Ozark Trail 6-Person Dark Rest Cabin Tent
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This comes from Ozark's Dark Rest Tent line, which focuses on appeasing those who love to sleep in total darkness.

Not only do these tents keep the inside dark, but the Dark Rest Technology also keeps the inside cool. 

This particular tent offers a gear loft, hanging organizers, and electrical cord access. 

Read also: Best Blackout Camping Tents That Will Have You Sleep Like a Baby

Pros:

  • Has plenty of room for 4 adults with sleeping bags
  • Skylights allow natural light during the day and star gazing at night
  • Lets you sleep in later by keeping the room dark 

Cons:

  • Can’t handle winds above 15 mph
  • You might need to purchase new stakes 
  • Carry bag is very small

Ozark Trail 6-Person Dark Rest Instant Cabin Tent

Ozark Trail 6-Person Dark Rest Instant Cabin Tent
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This is the brother tent of the tent above and is extremely similar, with the exception of being an instant tent.

This instant tent requires no assembly, with pre-attached poles that fold and unfold with the tent.

This tent also offers a gear loft, hanging organizers, and electrical cord access.

Though this tent has a dark interior, it will keep you cool on hot summer days with great airflow from the mesh side panels.  

Pros:

  • Easy setup 
  • Great airflow 
  • Comfortable for a family  

Cons:

  • Can’t withstand heavy rains or high winds

Ozark Trail 11 Person Instant Cabin Tent

Ozark Trail 11 Person 3 Room 14’ x 14’ Instant Cabin Tent
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While this might not be the most budget-friendly tent on the list, the 11 person instant cabin tent has a great deal to offer.

First, with it being an instant cabin tent, the setup will take less than 5 minutes. 

Second, this tent features an open cabin and an attached back room. 

This is perfect for creating a separate living space and sleeping space. Some families use the back room for gear, while others use it as a “club room” for their kids.

No matter what, the extra space is loved by families. 

The best part of this tent might be the front, which offers a large front awning to hang out under and avoid the blazing sun or rain.

Along with this, the headspace is nice and high, so minimal ducking is necessary. 

Pros:

  • Good-quality tent
  • Family-friendly 
  • Easy setup

Cons:

  • Not as budget-friendly

Ozark Trail Base Camp 14-Person Cabin Tent

Ozark Trail Base Camp 14-Person Cabin Tent
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This large family tent offers a sleeping room for 14 people (or 5 queen air mattresses). The tent is intended for a large group of campers.

Twelve windows that can be zipped up surround the tent to let in ventilation and fresh air.

This is the largest tent on the list and sits at 20’ x 20’.

Along with that, this tent offers an e-port flap so you can hook up to electricity if wanted. 

This tent can be set up in 20 minutes by 4 people, though 2 people can also handle the task.

One of my favorite features of this tent is that each of the rooms has its own entrance, which means you don’t have to climb over each other for a middle-of-the-night bathroom break. 

It’s also easier to move around in the tent’s 6’5” center height 

Pros:

  • Easy to set up, especially for its size 
  • Can sleep large families easily
  • Great for group camping 

Cons:

  • Won’t fit in most wooded campsite spots
  • Can hang a lantern only from the centermost point (because the ceilings are mesh)

Ozark Trail 12-Person Instant Cabin Tent

Ozark Trail 12-Person 3 Room Instant Cabin Tent
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This 16’ x 16’ instant cabin tent can sleep 12 and offers 3 separate rooms. It has large windows and plenty of room to stand up in.

It also has a nice awning entrance for extra shaded space on a hot day. 

This tent offers a large ground vent that can fit an air conditioner on the side—which is a make-or-break feature for some families, 

All of this space makes for quite a heavy tent, which weighs 61 lbs.

However, this is an instant tent, so setup is a snap and (they say) takes less than 2 minutes.

Pros:

  • Extremely easy setup (it is recommended to practice once or twice at home) 
  • Flexible sleeping/living arrangements 
  • Ground vents and large windows for good ventilation 

Cons:

  • Doesn’t hold up well in heavy rain or strong winds 
  • Sometimes the poles get stuck and won’t collapse easily

Ozark Trail Family Cabin Tent (10 Person) 

Ozark Trail Family Cabin Tent (10 Person)
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This lofty, uniquely designed 10 person tent works well for a family camping trip.

The tent is made of one large main space, 2 side rooms, and a screened-in porch. It’s perfect for having parents on one side, kids on the other, and living space in the middle. 

The screened-in porch is also large enough to allow the whole family to sit and relax.

This tent comes with an attached mud mat, which is great for keeping things nice and clean. 

Pros:

  • Great room layout
  • Easy to set up
  • Large front screened-in porch 

Cons:

  • Doesn’t stand up to heavy rain and high winds

Ozark Trail 1 Person Instant Tent Cot with Rainfly

Ozark Trail 1 Person Instant Tent Cot with Rainfly
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This unique 1 person tent might be perfect for you if you don’t want to set up an entire tent for just yourself and your gear.

This tent/cot features three doors—one on each side and one by your head. It also features storage pockets and is very roomy. 

The top of the tent contains a clear window, so you won’t feel claustrophobic, and you can stargaze at night while falling asleep. 

The tent weighs 26 Ibs, which is far too heavy to bring backpacking, but can work well for car camping.

You also might need a sleeping mat because the bottom of the tent is elevated and gets extremely cold at night. 

Read also: 15 Best Tent Cots for Camping

Pros:

  • Easy to set up and take down
  • Convenient pockets for keeping gear close at night
  • Can fit gear or a dog with you

Cons:

  • No protection from cold winds
  • Too heavy to bring backpacking

Ozark Trail 4-Season 2-Person Hiker Tent

Ozark Trail 4-Season 2-Person Hiker Tent
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If you’re looking to dip your toes into more extreme camping where you’ll need a smaller tent, Ozark has your back with this 4 season, 2 person hiker tent.

One of my favorite features to see on a hiker tent is a vestibule for gear storage. 

This tent provides 2 vestibules on each side, ensuring you have plenty of space to keep your gear close by at night. 

This tent provides 35 square feet for sleeping and 25 extra square feet with the vestibules.

The rainfly completely covers the tent, which makes this a 4 season tent, but the rainfly is removable for clear and hot nights. 

Be aware, however, that this tent weighs just over 8 lbs. If you’re backpacking, that’s quite a lot of weight. 

Other brands can get their 3-4 season tents down to 3 lbs, which really saves your back.

Yet, this tent rolls down quite small and is easily portable. 

Pros:

  • Double entrance and vestibules 
  • Easy to set up 
  • Can fit at any campsite 

Cons:

  • Might be too heavy for backpacking
  • Stakes must be purchased separately

Ozark Trail 9-Person Instant Cabin Tent

Ozark Trail 9-Person Instant Cabin Tent
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This is our third tent featuring a screen room (can you tell I like screen rooms on tents?). 

I really enjoy a nice, spacious screen room for nights when you can’t be out by the fire because of rain. 

This tent also has some really nice features, such as a room divider that goes all the way from the ceiling to the floor.

It also has a ton of mesh storage space on the inside for all your gear.

In addition, the tent has lofty ceilings so no one has to crouch to get around. 

Pros:

  • Large screen room with a nice overhang
  • Pockets, ceiling loops, and a hanging organizer can all store your gear inside the tent 
  • Easy to set up

Cons:

  • Not as budget-friendly

Ozark Trail 8-Person Yurt Camping Tent

Ozark Trail 8-Person Yurt Camping Tent
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You’ve seen this tent on every influencer’s Instagram account. It’s the tent that looks like a yurt and that will have everyone’s heads turning at the campsite. It really does look cozy, cool, and fun. 

This tent has some cool features, including a built-in mud mat and a built-in camp table in the center.

This is a great feature for storing your lantern, your glasses, and other things that shouldn’t be on the floor. 

Be aware, however, that this tent requires a specific climate. It’s notorious for leaking in rain and has minimal airflow. 

You’ll want to use this tent somewhere that doesn’t get too hot, but also has little chance of rain. 

Pros:

  • Appealing appearance 
  • Built-in table 

Cons:

  • Can’t stand up on the sides
  • Doesn’t do well in the rain

Information About Ozark Trail Tents Worth Knowing

There’s a lot of information out there about Ozark Trail tents. Most of it is conflicting.

So, here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about owning an Ozark tent: the good and the bad. 

Buying an Ozark Trail Tent - The Advantages

  • Great price 
  • Easy to set up
  • Modern-day amenities

Price

Sometimes you just can’t beat the price when it comes to an Ozark tent. You might be looking at tents as a first-time camper and feeling overwhelmed with the choices and different styles.

The price points for tents can range from extremely cheap to astronomical. Just remember that with accredited companies, the price will match the value you get.

Don’t get the cheapest tent you can find. This might end up being the first and last camping trip you take because of a bad tent experience!

Setup Systems

Instant Tent: Instant tents are designed to be extremely easy to set up. An Ozark instant tent comes with pre-attached poles; all you have to do is fold the tent open.

They work kind of like those little kid tunnels that spring open when you take them out of the package.

Instant tents sometimes take practice to set up quickly and still require some assembly. 

Classical Style: Classical-style tents such as Ozark’s dome tents and some of its cabin tents work by sliding poles into channels along the top and sides of the tent.

This setup requires more time and, typically, 2 or more people.

However, with practice, you’ll be able to set up a classical-style tent in no time. 

Amenities

Lots of Ozark tents offer solutions to include modern-day amenities inside your tent.

For example, many Ozark tents have an opening for an extension cord, so you can hook up to an electrical outlet outside your tent and run a cord inside.

Others have openings for air conditioners, which is a must for some campers.

Keep in mind that tents above entry-level often don’t include these amenities because they decrease the weatherproofing and can lead to unwelcome critters inside the tent.

Buying an Ozark Trail Tent - The Downsides 

  • Generally less durable
  • Heavier and cumbersome
  • Shorter lifespan
  • Size of tent

Durability

One of the largest complaints about Ozark Trail and other entry-level tents is their lack of durability.

These tents are much more likely to experience a snapped pole during a windy thunderstorm than other, higher-quality tents.

While replacement parts can be purchased for many of the tents, that’s not really helpful when you need a part now in the middle of a storm.

Ozark Trail tents are tarp bottomed, which might seem great, but is in actuality a detriment. 

Tarp bottomed tents rip easier, leak easier, and are overall bothersome because of their loud noise. 

Higher-grade tents come with or have a matching footprint that goes under the tent, which protects the floor and provides extra waterproofing. 

Weight

Ozark trail tents are heavy—and I mean 2-person-carry heavy. Long ago, mid-grade entry-level tents came in big tote boxes.

Now, they’re in bags, but often they must still be carried by 2 people. 

Ozark tents aren’t light enough to backpack with.

Lifespan 

Another major complaint about Ozark tents is that they don’t last all that long.

Some say that Ozark tents will last as short as a season. Others say 2-5 seasons or years. 

As the tents age, they will wear down and get more holes, becoming less weatherproofed. 

Size

While a giant tent might be exactly what you’re looking for, beware that it will limit your options regarding where you can stay.

Often, campgrounds have size limits when it comes to how much room you can take up.

Your options might be to use only family-style campsites, which cost more and often have less privacy. 

Getting the Most out of Your Ozark Trail Tent

Add a Tarp

One of the biggest complaints about Ozark tents is that they tend to spring leaks easily.

To avoid waking up in a puddle during an inevitable storm, add a tarp over your tent for extra protection. 

Bring a Repair Kit

Another complaint about Ozark tents is that they easily get holes in them and their poles break in heavy wind.

Tent repair kits can be found online for cheap prices. A tent repair kit can save your butt when your tent has a hole or a pole breaks. 

Seam Seal 

You can add protection to your tent by using seam seal to secure the seams. This will give you more waterproofing and better secure your tent’s seams. 

You’ll want a brush-on or spray-on sealant depending on your tent size. 

Set up your tent (before your trip!) without the rainfly and follow the seam seal directions. Let it dry, then add a second coat. Next, pitch your rainfly and repeat the process.

Even if a tent says it has seam tape on it, still add the coating. 

Tent Stakes 

Most mid-grade camping gear comes with tent stakes that you should immediately replace. 

Look for longer, stronger tent stakes that won’t bend or lift out of the ground with heavy wind.

Place your tent stakes into the ground at an angle for a more secure hold.

Stay Away From the Sides 

If your Ozark tent is wet on the outside, stay away from the inside walls!

If you place your gear directly against the walls of your tent, your gear will get wet. This is especially unpleasant if your sleeping bag or pillow rubs up against the wall.

Take this into consideration when choosing the size tent you want. 

Final Thoughts

Choosing a tent is one of the most exciting parts of getting into camping. Imagine sleeping under the stars in your own cozy tent, smelling the trees and the wind while listening to the sounds of the night. 

If you’re ready to try camping and purchase a tent for the family, check out my top pick, the Ozark Trail 10-Person Dome Tent. This tent is bound to give you and your family enough room to sleep and live comfortably in the woods. 

If you’re looking for the most durability and a nice place for your whole family to camp for the weekend, check out the best overall, Ozark Trail 14’ x 10’ Family Cabin Tent. It will meet all your needs and make camping a breeze. 

If a bargain is what really drives you, you’ll enjoy the Ozark Trail Family Cabin Tent (6 Person), which offers all the basics you need in a tent as a first-time owner. 

No matter which tent you choose, remember to do your research, get out there, and have fun!

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Kendall Casey is a writer for The Camper Lifestyle Blog

Kendall Casey

Kendall is a freelance outdoor adventure writer passionate about educating those who wish to explore the outdoors. When Kendall isn’t writing, she is exploring the woods of the US Northeast on foot or kayak.