The Ozark Trail 3-Person Dome Tent is a balanced compromise of both comfort and portability for 2 people, optionally with a child to join a duo.
The Ozark Trail 2-Person Lightweight backpacking tent is relatively light, easily assembled, and affordably priced for the casual backpacker.
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Whether you want to check out a cool spot deep in the backcountry or need a budget tent for a multi-day adventure, this lightweight, fuss-free tent will be a great companion.
Comfort and Space
The Ozark Trail 2-person lightweight backpacking tent has an interior floor-length of 80 inches (2 meters). The width of the floor at the door is 50 inches (1.27 meters).
It then widens to 53 inches (1.34 meters) a few feet into the tent (to maximize shoulder room) and tapers to 42.5 inches (1.08 meters) at the rear.
This tent fits two people comfortably with adequate room for gear.
With a peak height of 4 inches (1 meter), this tent leaves plenty of shoulder room and space to accommodate folks of up to 5” 10” (1.77 meters).
With sloping walls that naturally slough water off, this Ozark Trail tent is a dome tent, one of the most common types of modern tent designs.
Dome tents provide excellent value for money, are simple to set up, and provide an excellent balance of convenience and performance.
This tent has one single room and one vestibule under the rainfly. The vestibule has two velcro patches and a zipper on both the left and right sides, giving you room to place shoes, bags, and gear.
There are two storage pockets to stash your knick-knacks for quick accessibility without needing light.
Breathability and Ventilation
The rainfly of the Ozark Trail 2-person lightweight backpacking tent has four vents which are held open by hardened pieces made with the same material as the rainfly.
The pieces are sewn in on one end and have velcro on the other which allows you to open and close.
Ventilation is sufficient even with the front storm flap zipped up. In addition, the No-see-um mesh panoramic walls breathe well and maintain air circulation while keeping the creepy crawlies out.
Like most tents, you can pitch the tent without the rainfly and enjoy maximum ventilation and fresh air on a hot night.
Weather Resistance
The covered vestibule provides moisture dissipation, and the dome-shaped tent allows water to roll right off the top in rainy conditions, leaving no indentation or flat spot.
The rainfly has reinforced, taped seams that stay nice and dry. Even if the tent fly gets completely covered with frost due to dampness from rain, it does not cause any condensation inside.
The Ozark Trail 2-person lightweight backpacking tent can withstand moderate rain and respectable wind speeds. The vestibule has a floor covering so that you can leave your boots and backpack without getting wet.
Durability
The waterproof floor of the Ozark Trail 2-person lightweight backpacking tent is made up of polyester fabric.
Polyester, arguably the best synthetic for a tent, is durable and requires less immediate care, though the tent should still be stored clean and dry.
Its lightweight fabric and low bulk make handling easier, especially when transportation and storage space is limited.
The rainfly is seam-taped. Taped seams mean that a layer of tape—technically, a polyurethane film—is placed beneath the seams to keep any water that enters the needle holes from entering your tent.
This tent has No-see-um mesh panoramic walls. No-see-um mesh is a micro-mesh netting that is extremely lightweight and durable. It is the best repellent against biting and stinging insects such as gnats, mosquitoes, flies, spiders, and ants.
The poles of this tent are made of fiberglass material. Fiberglass tent poles do not corrode and will not rust, but they are not as durable as aluminum poles. That said, if you only go camping several times a year, you’ll be just fine with fiberglass poles.
Ease of Use
The assembly of the Ozark Trail 2-Person Lightweight Backpacking Tent is simple. You can pitch this tent in 5 to 10 minutes, even if it’s your first time.
Here’s how you set up the Ozark Trail 2-Person Lightweight Backpacking Tent:
- Unpack the tent and separate each bundle of pieces. Check that you have all of the necessary poles and stakes, as well as the rainfly. There are three poles, twelve stakes, and a single rainfly.
- Hammer the stakes into the ground through cloth loops at each corner and middle of each side of the tent.
- Snap each section into the metal endcaps to assemble the fiberglass poles. Your tent should come with three poles of similar length.
- Insert one of the poles into the line of loops that runs diagonally across the top of the tent.
- Repeat that step with the other pole across the diagonally cut loops in the tent.
- Insert the third pole into the loops around the front door and secure the ends firmly into the grommets on the dome tent’s floor.
- Finally, secure the rainfly to your Ozark Trail tent. Toss the rainfly on top of the tent and tie each corner to the tent’s equivalent corner.
Packed Size and Weight
The entire package weighs 7.8lbs (3.5 kilograms), which is not super lightweight for a 2-person tent. The tent is packed up in the dimensions 82.50 x 55 x 40 inches (2 x 1.4 x 1 meter) with the use of compression straps. The weight breakdown on the parts are:
- Poles at 38.3 oz (1.08 kilograms)
- Stakes 16.35 oz (0.46 kg)
- Rainfly 27.5 oz (0.78 kg)
- Tent 24.45 oz (0.7 kg)
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Easy-to-assemble one-man setup
- Ideal packed size and weight
- Mesh netting keeps the critters out
- Taped seams of the tub floor keep the tent dry in rainy conditions
- Floor covering keeps your gear dry
Cons
- Fiberglass poles can be fragile and might shatter
- Only one door
- Not enough ventilation with the rainfly on
Rating
| Comfort and Space | 8/10 |
| Weather Resistance | 8/10 |
| Durability | 7/10 |
| Ease of Setup | 8/10 |
| Size and Weight | 9/10 |
Final Thoughts On The Ozark Trail 2-Person Lightweight Backpacking Tent
This is an ideal tent for someone that wants to regularly camp in the backcountry without paying the hefty price tag that comes with a top-of-the-light, ultra-lightweight tent.
Sure, you’ll find tents that are half the weight, but for a casual backpacker and camper, this tent will do just fine. Enjoy the summer!
