This article has been written and/or edited by Andrew N. 20+ years of hiking, mountaineering, and camping experience, with access to all the latest outdoor gear. Wall tents, on the other hand, have barely any flex and instead just stand strong, and so don’t flap about as much and don’t bend inwards under the pressure of the wind. This does put them at more risk of bending in the most extreme conditions, but it would take a lot to do that, and until then, they perform very well. Set up can be done independently but is much easier with two or more people.
This is a minor benefit and maybe something you’ve never thought of before, but cotton canvas wall tents are much quiet than polyester tents, especially in the wind or rain. Wind can cause the material to flap about a bit, even if it is tightly secured, which can disturb you at night if you’re a light sleeper. Rain pattering can be relaxing and peaceful, but heavy rain can make a real racket on lightweight tent fabrics, whereas cotton dulls the sound better than other types of canvas. Wall tents are designed to be used more long-term, so they need to be extra durable and provide above-average comfort.
You get a nice high door so you can walk right in, and there is bug netting so that you can leave the door open without becoming a victim to mosquitos and gnats. You can easily fit five camping cots with a big stove in the corner or even more people on sleeping pads. One thing we did find a little strange was the lack of ventilation other than the main entrance. There are no ventilation holes, and the windows have a fixed transparent polyvinyl layer that lets light in but doesn’t open up to improve airflow. However, after spending 20 hours researching this guide, we discovered that this is relatively normal for canvas wall tents. The Ozark Trail 9 Person Cabin shares the same shortcomings as the other discount cabins found in the Ozark Trail lineup, most notably being its weather protection and durability.
Finally, the material of this shelter is noticeably higher quality than many Ozark Trail tents, but the 68D polyester is still not as thick as we’d like. No Ozark Trail tent is perfect, but as far as full-size family camping tents go, this is the one to beat. Protection from the sun is another thing you don’t have to worry about in a canvas wall tent, as the thick woven fabric provides total UV protection and some cooling shade below. The main concern with sun exposure is that over time this can weather any canvas by stretching when it is wet and shrinking as it gets hot. Most canvas tents have a UV treatment to help your tent last longer and not suffer from UV stress.
The short pole supplied for that protrusion splintered in two places and poked about four small holes in the black fabric of the laundry bubble. Better instructions on how it should be installed would have prevented the ozark trail tents splintering, but I would rather have seen the “laundry room” not be an outside protrusion from the back of the tent. Rather it should have been a large pocket on the inside of the tent that requires no pole at all.
I called North Pole (the makers of Ozark Trail tents) not to get much help! Rather than continuing to wait for the company to come up with a soulution and stop questioning me on proper use or abusive weather conditions! I decided that for the $40 I spent on it, (knowing that you get what you pay for) I would sew the gap and seal it really well and get a thicker gage replacement pole for the fly. I just bought the 9’x7′ backpacking tent 2 days ago, because I want to do some bikepacking here in FL. It is easy to set up and take down, and I loved the fact that it has three windows for lots of circulation in the heat and humidity.
Otherwise I like the tent but do not trust it to hold up in severe conditions. Choosing the right size wall tent is best done by estimating how many people will be sleeping in it and then matching that to the suggested capacity of each tent. So if you have a family of five and a dog that goes everywhere with you, then a 6-person wall tent should be about right. On the other hand, if you want to use your tent in winter with a stove, you may look closer to an 8-person capacity.
And before you guys cop an attitude, I have been camping since I was at least 4 years old and I am now in my mid-50s. You can leave a wall tent made from canvas up all year if you are willing to accept it will have a reduced life span and be willing to maintain it as and when needed. Chemical washes and sprays are straightforward to apply and will ensure your tent remains resistant and functional for many years. However, it is good practice to inspect your tent at least once a week and ensure there is no damage, all the pegs are securely in the ground, and the fabric is as taut as it should be. As a rough guide, we recommend you allow around 2.5 feet or 75 cm in width for each person and 6 feet or 182 cm when trying to estimate how many people can fit inside a wall tent. So if it is 10 feet wide and 12 feet long, you can expect to sleep eight people in two rows of 4, or adjust this depending on how much space you want per person.