User Review: Ozark Trail 15' x 9' 6-Person Family Dome Tent

Reviewed September 13, 2004 by Camper

Rating: rated 1 of 5 stars
Design: 3 season cabin dome
Sleeps: 6+
Ease of Setup: easy
Weight: 21lbs
Price Paid: $68

My review is based on the newer 16' X 10.5' which has a useable floor space of 16' X 9'.

The tent is very spacious and seems to be a good value but it isn't. It's a very cheaply made tent and I've learned a lot by first tent camping experiences with it.

The tent floor is not in the same caliber as Coleman or other none Northpole tents. It's cheaply made and resembles a wax coated tarp. After being soaked, the coating literally comes off leaving a near transparent tarp with no weather protection. Also it punctures quite easily. I fixed that puncture hole with Seam Sealer 3 which did an excellent job.

The tent's rain fly is not seem sealed or TAPED as all other brands I've found. Don't let the Northpole's GoBeDry name fool you, it's crap. the floor has two large seams in the bottom which make the fact that it's a tub floor useless. The floor leaks at these bottom seams which are called inverted seams and seamedlocked. It seemed like the water was being drawn in even after I seam sealed these! Of course there were puddles of water under the tent after some thunderstorms.

Even though I seam sealed the none taped rain fly, it still leaked badly. The floor leaked at the seams and at the corners, badly. The windows leaked at the bottom seam very badly even after seam sealing. There's no amount of seam sealing or waterproofing that can keep this tent dry as I tried two tents, thinking the first was defective because of all the water. I've camped in this tent five times and two out of the five were in storms. Sleeping bags were soaked as well as standing puddles in the corners and around the sides. The Ozark Trail brand is made for Walmart by NORTHPOLE. NORTHPOLE makes many lesser name tents for other retailers. If you see Northpole or GoBeDry names on the tent, run, don't walk away from this tent.

Luckily for the money, I didn't lose a lot as I did use it for five trips. I'll be giving it to a buddy who doesn't mind the water leaks. I've already replaced it with a Coleman 13' x 13' 3 Room Ridgeview Tent which was just about twice the cost but worth it. It has all corners and bottom seems welded with no stitching, doors and windows are covered by rain fly, and all rain fly seems are TAPED (rubber tape that is melted over seams to prevent water leakage). I wish I would had bought this in the first place. I have yet to try it out but I'm sure it will be a winner judging by everyones excellent reviews of it's predecessor around the net.

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