The Ozark Trail 12-Person Base Camp Tent is a budget-friendly tent that’s great for summer camping. It’s a dome-shaped tent that can stand on its own, and it has lots of windows and doors to let in light and air. It even comes with a built-in light!
Important characteristics
- Everything included: This tent comes with everything you need – no need to buy extra poles or parts.
- Strong and sturdy: The poles are made of fiberglass, so they’re durable and can withstand some wear and tear.
- Single-layer design: This means the tent has just one layer of fabric, which helps keep it lightweight and airy.
- Amazing views and ventilation: With eight mesh windows, you’ll have incredible views and plenty of airflow to keep you cool.
- Easy access: Two doors make it easy to get in and out of the tent, and they provide extra ventilation options.
- Light up the night: The built-in LED string lights create a cozy atmosphere inside the tent.
- Stay connected: You can even bring your internet connection into the tent with the ethernet cable port!
- Keep organized: A large wall organizer helps you keep your gear tidy and within reach.
- Tons of space: This is an extra-large tent with plenty of room for everyone.
What is the point of this?
This Ozark Trail 12-person tent is a brand new design! They also have 9 and 6-person versions that look the same. It’s a simple, single-room tent that’s shaped like a dome with a diameter of 16 feet – they even call it the “Sphere Tent” on their website.
This tent is super easy to set up. It stands on its own and the poles are added from the outside. It doesn’t have a separate rain fly, so it’s just one layer of fabric.
And get this – it’s HUGE! It’s 92 inches tall, which is pretty tall for a tent, and it’s the biggest dome-style tent I’ve ever seen. It’s definitely big enough for a whole family (or a whole group of friends!).
LED lighting system built-in
One of the coolest things about this tent is that it has lights built right in! You can power them with a portable battery pack or regular batteries, and you can even choose between high, medium, and low light settings. It’s like having a cozy lamp inside your tent!
This is such a great feature that I even added this tent to my list of the best tents with built-in lights. ✨
Ozark Trail 16 x 16 Sphere Tent – Who is it for?
The Ozark Trail 12-Person Base Camp Tent offers a massive amount of space, but its practicality for true camping is somewhat limited. While it claims to accommodate 12 people, its lack of storage space makes it more suitable for 6-7 campers, though it could comfortably house a larger group at a festival. Despite its robust pole structure that provides stability in wind, its summer-only design and numerous seams make it vulnerable to rain, highlighting the need for a full-coverage fly, which it unfortunately lacks. Weighing in at almost 50 pounds, this tent is undeniably heavy and better suited for stationary camping. Ultimately, the Ozark Trail 12-Person Base Camp Tent is ideal for large groups prioritizing space and fair-weather camping, but those seeking a truly versatile and weather-resistant option may need to look elsewhere.
Materials and construction
About those poles:
This tent has a whopping ten fiberglass poles! That’s why it’s so heavy. Six of the poles create the main dome shape, and the other four go around the sides to make it extra strong and stable. The poles and the sleeves they go into are color-coded, which makes setting up the tent a bit easier.
What about the fabric?
Unfortunately, Ozark Trail doesn’t tell us much about the fabric. They just say it’s polyester. It would be helpful to know more, like how waterproof it is. But based on the design, I’d recommend avoiding using this tent in the rain.
Windows and doors:
All of the windows and doors have mesh panels, which is great for ventilation. They also have zippers, which is a nice surprise for a budget-friendly tent. The zippers are necessary because of the dome shape – they help the panels on the curved windows close properly.
Keeping cool in this tent:
This tent has tons of windows with mesh panels to let in fresh air. But when it rains, you’ll have to close those windows, which is where the vents come in handy.
There are four vents in total: two on the floor and two on the ceiling. They’re positioned on opposite sides of the tent to maximize airflow. The vents are made of mesh and have zippers, so you can easily open and close them. To open a vent fully, you unzip the mesh and then lift a stiff flap that’s held in place with Velcro.
The vents seem well-designed and should do a good job of keeping the air moving inside the tent, even when the windows are closed.
Other characteristics
- Easy to carry: It comes with a carry bag to make transporting the tent easier.
- Stakes included: You get 26 steel tent stakes to securely fasten the tent to the ground.
- Stay organized: The tent has a cool organizer with a media pocket (perfect for your phone or tablet) and lots of other pockets to store your stuff.
- Even more storage: There are mesh pockets on the walls to keep small items within reach.
- Hang a lantern: There’s a loop on the ceiling for hanging a lantern or a light
- . Power up: An electric cable port near one of the doors lets you bring power inside the tent.
Specifications
- Type: A dome-shaped tent that stands on its own.
- Capacity: Designed for 12 people, but realistically better for 6-7.
- Weight: A hefty 49.08 pounds (22.3 kg).
- Size: A giant 16 feet (488 cm) in diameter, with 201 square feet (18.7 square meters) of floor space.
- Headroom: Tall enough for most people, with a peak height of 92 inches (234 cm).
- Packed size: Measures 29.1 x 11.4 x 11.4 inches (74 x 29 x 29 cm) when packed.
- Warranty: Comes with a 6-month limited warranty.
Final thoughts
Just wanted to let you know that this is my honest review of the Ozark Trail 12-Person Base Camp Tent. I’m not being paid or sponsored by Ozark Trail in any way – I’m just sharing my own opinions to help you make an informed decision. 😊
If you have any questions or comments about the tent, please feel free to leave them in the comment box below! I’m always happy to help. Have a great day!
