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#66974 - 06/01/06 04:38 AM Ozark Trail brand tent or Coleman?
Ors Offline
Namu (Giant Tree)
Addict

Registered: 09/16/05
Posts: 664
Loc: Florida, USA
Looking at our first family tent for some camping this summer. I thought I had my mind set on a Coleman tent, with two rooms, pet den and gear loft. Today at Walmart, I saw an Ozark Trail model that has a large dome tent and two smaller ones. The tents can be used individually, or connected together, which might also suit my family's needs. My concern is that Walmart has so many of the different kinds of Ozark Trail tents, and I've come to distrust some of the brands that Walmart carries. The tents are very close in price.

I want the tent to give us many summers of camping. I like the design of the Coleman tent, but the Ozark Trail offers a different kind of versatility. Do I go with the brand I'm familiar with, or take a chance on the brand I'm not so familiar with?
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#66975 - 06/01/06 05:12 AM Re: Ozark Trail brand tent or Coleman?
leemann Offline
Soylent Green
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Registered: 02/08/04
Posts: 623
Loc: At the soylent green plant.
Coleman has a reputation of Quality products. I would go with products you know.

Lee
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#66976 - 06/01/06 02:04 PM Re: Ozark Trail brand tent or Coleman?
Hghvlocity Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 01/12/05
Posts: 248
Loc: Oklahoma
I have owned several tents, and I've went the Ozark Trail route...first time I put it up, one of the tent peg loops broke off, it rained and the tent leaked like there was no rainfly. So, when I bought my second tent...I stepped up and went with Coleman...better quality, didn't leak..much. I mean it had to be really coming down for long period before water found it's way inside, and the tent lasted for several summers before being retired. I now have one of the newer dome type family tents that seems to be doing a good job..believe it's a Coleman as well.

I think you first have to look at Climate. Here in OK, Spring time camping season is also Thunderstorm and raining season..so the tent has to be able to stand up. If you feel that the both tents are equal...then I would go with Coleman. Just an opinion.
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#66977 - 06/01/06 02:24 PM Re: Ozark Trail brand tent or Coleman?
ironraven Offline
Cranky Geek
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 09/08/05
Posts: 4642
Loc: Vermont
Ozark Trail is walmarts house brand. I've seen some of their stuff in action. Anything nylon is dubious in my experince. I'd put it a slight step below academy broadway, which isn't very good either.
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#66978 - 06/01/06 05:22 PM Re: Ozark Trail brand tent or Coleman?
massacre Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 12/07/05
Posts: 781
Loc: Central Illinois
I have to agree with the other's Ors... Ozard Trail is "manufactured in China for exclusive distribution by Wal-Mart" and as such, it's quite literally the cheapest stuff you can find. The fact that you want it to last for a few years tells me that OT is unlikely to be your choice. Coleman has at least a middle reputation for quality (although there are certainly times on their cheaper stuff that's not the case). But OT has pretty much across the board failed to impress me at any time I've purchased their stuff. I've not had a tent from them, but I've had various goods. Their sewing seems pathetic and is unreinforced, the nylon is third rate, shreds easily, etc.

There are plenty of tents not by either OT or Coleman and many are reasonbly priced for their size and versatility. If you go with OT, just be aware it probably won't last a full season, let alone two. Coleman will likely last several years.

If you do go with the Ozark Trails, open it at the store and inspect the construction and the feel of the materials. They may have improved their quality (I stopped buying anything by them a few years ago).
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#66979 - 06/01/06 05:54 PM Re: Ozark Trail brand tent or Coleman?
Blast Offline
INTERCEPTOR
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 07/15/02
Posts: 3760
Loc: TX
For a real imformative disscussion on cheap tents check out this thread on the Outdoors-Magazine forum. Some of the people might seem a bit "gear-snobbish", but they really do have good advice.

-Blast
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#66980 - 06/02/06 06:03 AM Re: Ozark Trail brand tent or Coleman?
wolf Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 12/01/04
Posts: 329
Loc: Michigan
I've never had an OT tent, but I have had a Coleman. I used it for several years and it withstood some serious storms blowing off Lake Superior. It did well, it had to really be raining and blowing hard to leak seriously. My biggest complaint was that it had poor ventilation. Other than that it was a great tent for the money and for what I used it for.
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#66981 - 06/02/06 04:17 PM Re: Ozark Trail brand tent or Coleman?
desertrat1 Offline
Member

Registered: 02/16/06
Posts: 144
Loc: Kingman AZ
I concure completely with the opinions of Ozark Trail Tents. I don't know what kind of budget you're on but try looking at www.sportsmansguide.com They have name brands like Coleman, Eureaka, MSR, etc. at a decent price.
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#66982 - 06/02/06 10:12 PM Re: Ozark Trail brand tent or Coleman?
Nicodemus Offline
Paranoid?
Veteran

Registered: 10/30/05
Posts: 1341
Loc: Virginia, US
Quote:
Some of the people might seem a bit "gear-snobbish", but they really do have good advice.


Gear Snobbish?!? What the??? <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Seriously though, Ors, check out that thread if you have a moment or two to spare. We talked about a few differnt brands in that thread.
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#66983 - 06/03/06 01:26 AM Re: Ozark Trail brand tent or Coleman?
Simon Offline


Registered: 04/24/06
Posts: 398
Loc: Tennessee
Ors,

The main thing to always keep in mind when shopping at Walmart is that they have mass production runs performed just for them by many companies. These large orders will be made by Walmart to a Chinese factory (or any other) and the production lot will be made faster at a lower quality. That is one reason Walmart can sell at a cheaper price. Remember, about 10% of all Chinese exports in the world go to Walmart.

I would go with Coleman, but I wouldn't buy it at Walmart. I have Coleman folding camping chairs from Walmart that immediately ripped.
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