Ozark Trail 5-Person Dome Tent

May 11, 2023

The Ozark Trail 5-Person Dome Tent (officially called the Ozark Trail 5-Person Camping SUV Tent) is a 3-season camping tent that’s relatively quick and easy to set up. The seam-taped and roll-back rainflies provide weather protection, while the mud mat keeps the tent interior clean.

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Comfort and Space

White and blue Ozark Trail 5-Person Dome Tent, attached to a red SUV

Comfort and space are essential considerations when choosing a tent. Sure, while you may not be spending days and nights locked up in the tent and mostly use it for rest or cover when it rains, you do want to be comfortable and not feel squeezed into a tiny space.

Here’s how the Ozark Trail 5-Person Camping SUV Tent stacks up to your expectations of space and comfort.

Floor Space

The total floor space of the Ozark Trail 5-Person Dome Tent is 126 square feet (11.7 square meters), and the tent measures 14 feet (4.26 meters) by 9 feet (2.74 meters).

In comparison, the Napier Backroadz SUV Tent, also for 5 people, has a floor space of 100 square feet (9.29 square meters), while the Rightline Gear SUV Tent, which sleeps up to 6 people if you include 2 people sleeping in the vehicle’s cargo area, has a total floor space of 64 square feet (5.94 square meters). The Ozark Trail is quite spacious.

RELATED: Best 5-Person Camping Tent

The tent sports an ample doorway, so you can easily enter or leave. This is also a pro considering you need to get your bedding and some gear inside the tent. There are technically 2 doorways, but if you attach the tent to your SUV, the back door attaches to your vehicle. If you don’t use the tent with an SUV, you have 2 doorways at your disposal.

This all sounds too good to be true, so let’s look at some finer points regarding the tent space.

There’s more than enough space for a king or queen airbed on which 2 adults and possibly a toddler can comfortably fit.

Despite having space for your gear, if you need to sleep 4 people in the Ozark Trail, consider adding a sleeping pad (short, regular, or long) for another person to sleep in the tent with you. Add extra space for at least 2 additional people to sleep by including your SUV’s cargo space.

Shoulder Space

The Ozark Trail 5-Person SUV tent is a dome tent with sloped walls. The height at the center of the tent is 7 feet (2.13 meters).

The great news is you’d be able to fully stand upright in the tent, making it easy to move around and get dressed. Stand to your full height when rising from a camping chair or air mattress.

Number of Rooms/Vestibules

The Ozark Trail dome tent is a single-room tent in which campers can sleep and relax. The tent is suitable for longer camping trips, since you have sufficient space if you only put a king or queen airbed and your gear inside the tent. You have access to even more space when the tent is attached to an SUV. Use this extra space as sleeping or storage space.

The vestibule gives you extra protection from adverse weather conditions like rain or wind. The mudroom also provides you with more gear space, or change out of wet clothes here before entering the tent. The alternative is using this area as a makeshift cooking area, provided you are careful.

Storage

The Ozark Trail offers various storage space options:

Inside the tent, depending on sleeping gear
Multiple storage pockets and a media pocket inside the tent
In your vehicle, whether you attach the tent or not
The vestibule

Breathability and Ventilation

The Ozark Trail 5-Person Dome Tent excels in breathability and ventilation. When freestanding, the tent has 2 doorways you can leave fully or partially unzipped, and even when attached to an SUV, you can leave the front door partially unzipped if it isn’t rainy or too windy.

Mesh windows and ceiling of the Ozark Trail 5-Person Dome Tent

The tent features a lot of mesh in the form of windows and the ceiling, meaning ventilation is aplenty. Plus, you have see-through views to take in your surroundings, and on a clear night, admire the night sky through the mesh ceiling.

Adding the rainfly does take away some breathability and ventilation, but the mesh windows should suffice.

Ozark Trail 5-Person Dome Tent's rainfly

Durability and Weather Resistance

The Ozark Trail tent is highly durable. The main fabric is a lightweight 185T polyester, which is durable against scrapes and abrasions. The tent provides decent UV protection and is waterproof if there’s light rain.

The tent also has a mud mat to keep the interior clean, improving the durability of the tent. Wipe the soles of your shoes on this entry mat so dirt and debris aren’t tracked inside.

The poles used to set up the Ozark Trail are made from fiberglass, making them flexible and lightweight. The tent should be able to withstand mild wind; however, the manufacturer doesn’t share information about wind resistance.

Ease of Use

The tent doesn’t come with set-up instructions, even though the manufacturer claims it’s quick and easy. Let’s see for ourselves.

To set up the Ozark Trail 5-Person Camping SUV Tent:

Lay out the tent on a flat surface.
Stake the corners of the tent.
Feed the poles through the sleeves on top of the tent. They’ll form an X.
Place the poles into the tent corner spaces so the tent pops up.
Secure the external poles with the plastic clippings and footings at the tent corners.
To pull the rainfly over the tent, secure it with the clip and velcro at the back of the tent; then pull the rainfly over and attach it to the front corners.
Slide the awning pole through the sleeve located above the front door, and attach both ends to the front footings.
Stake out the front of the awning and the guy lines around the fly to secure the tent.

If you want to attach the Ozark Trail tent to your SUV, drape the tunnel attachment over the SUV’s hatch. Cinch to hold it in place.

Sounds pretty easy, right?

Packed Size and Weight

The packed weight of the Ozark Trail tent is 22.5 pounds (10.2 kilograms) and packed size is (LxWxH) 25 inches (63.5 centimeters) by 12 inches (30.48 centimeters) by 11 inches (27.94 centimeters). The tent and everything you need to assemble it comes in a carry bag, making it relatively easy to transport and store.

As such, the tent is not suitable for backpackers (unless they don’t have to walk too far) or hikers. The Ozark Trail is best for picnics and hybrid camping.

In comparison, the Napier Outdoors Family Sportz SUV Tent weighs 41 pounds (18.59 kilograms). The packed size is 31.7 inches (80.5 centimeters) by 14.2 inches (36.06 centimeters) by 13.2 inches (33.52 centimeters).

The Ozark Trail Family Cabin Tent for 6 people weighs 14 pounds (6.44 kilograms) and measures 24 inches (60.96 centimeters) by 9 inches (22.86 centimeters) by 6.5 inches (16.51 centimeters).

ALSO SEE: Ozark Trail Tents: Full Model Lineup and Reviews