Trailspace’s community of gear reviewers has field-tested and rated the top tents and shelters. I had bought this tent thinking it was going to be dry, man was I wrong. I will never buy an Ozark Trail tent in my life and I will tell everyone I know that if they buy one what to expect. And that is you will never be dry in one because they suck bad.
To me, worrying about the temperature of the drinks I have on my boat is the absolute last thing I want to be thinking about when I am heading out on the water. To that end, I thought I would put a couple of the most common rotomolded coolers up against what is arguably the most budget friendly option on the market, the Ozark Trail 45QT Rolling Thermocooler. I spend a great deal of time on the water every summer boating and fishing in Northern Michigan.
I will often load a large cooler up at the beginning of the week and leave it on my Pontoon packed with drinks and ice. If you have a boat and bring kids or friends on the water, you know that once you leave the dock the requests for drinks start rolling in fast and furious. Sure, you can load a cooler out each morning packed with fresh ice, but it is just so much easier to cut down all that work with a cooler than can keep ice for days on end. Meramec Mercantile – From the moment you arrive, our friendly and energetic staff are here to guide you smoothly to your campsite, ensuring you have everything you need for a fun-filled and memorable stay. But it doesn’t stop at check-in; we’re here for you anytime to replenish supplies or pick out the perfect souvenir to inspire your next adventure.
I had to tape the tent together with military issue 100-mile-an-hour tape. Yes, I had to tape the tent poles together at night because the snaps failed miserably when the wind blew gently and caused the tent to completely collapse… in great weather, with little wind, and no rain. The only drawbacks to this tent are that there is a weather protecting flap over the door zipper that is kept in place by an elastic band which causes the flap to pull in toward the zipper and snag occasionally. It comes loose easily enough but over time this has put lots of little holes in that flap. I have the JW-7607 which is a 2-3 (read that as two) person tent. It has held up to kids camping in the living room and back yard, many camping trips to desert / forest / lake environments and even survived a bear “attack” with only a small tear.
The biggest issue in all of this is the inability to withstand any rotational pressure during medium and high impact weather conditions as the joints become unstable and collapse at the mid points. In windy conditions high stress is applied to each side and the frame begins to break down at the unreinforced joint connectors. In the heart of the Ozarks’ wilderness, a passion for exploration was kindled. This space serves as an homage to that undying spirit of adventure and as a community for those inspired by Ozark Trail’s commitment to crafting reliable outdoor gear. Although the paths may run parallel, the stories of each adventurer intertwine with every trek and trail.
This cooler, when compared to the Pelican 45Q Elite and Yeti Tundra, has the smallest profile while still providing 45Q internal storage. It features rubber latches which I am a huge fan of for boating applications. When you are out ozark trail chair on the water, people often sneak over to grab something from the cooler and may not latch it back up. With a hard plastic latch, you run the risk of brushing by the cooler and hitting your shin, which I have done and is awful.
I used the word “think” intentionally, because what I thought I knew about Ozark Trail was not correct. Ozark Trail is proving to be a really solid competitor for outdoor products. This cooler has a number of features that you would find on more expensive coolers and a few that you won’t find. The canopy fabric is made of a lightweight denier polyester, offering ozark trail chair water resistant features and 50+ UPF, which we love. Being protected from the suns harmful UVB rays is probably why you wanted a canopy tent in the first place, and this Ozark Trail tent meets all criteria in this department. The one complaint we have is that there is no vents in the fabric at the peak to release the build up of hot air under the canopy.
Rain fly is too big — it needs one side cut differently to allow to get in and out of the tent. They claim they are weather tested, but I feel they don’t include rain or wind as elements of the weather. Also using a ground cover under the tent (seems obvious to me) will help prevent water from coming in from the underside of the tent. The only place I put up the tent was in the backyard.
I think I will go shopping this week for another tent that I feel better about. Otherwise I like the tent but do not trust it to hold up in severe conditions. I have pitched the tent twice in my back yard and found that I could pitch it by myself in about one hour. I watersealed the seams, as per the instruction sheet inside the carrying bag but I have not been rained on yet. I’m going to Coleman for now on because you are incapable of making a zipper that doesn’t break so damn easy on the door.
In addition to protecting entertainers and their guests from the sun, it can also provide a nice setting for special events. It’s easy to set up and take down for convenient storage when not in use. The Ozark Trail 10FT x 10FT Slant Leg Canopy sits on four slanted legs for extra security. It includes a handy carrying bag for added convenience during transport. Take this shade creator on a camping trip to enjoy time out of the sun or rain. The weight of this Ozark Trail is lighter than most of the same size alternative steel frame canopy tents, coming in right about 29 lbs.