What's your experience with OZTENT RV Series tent(s)?

[Obi-Juan]

I've been in the market for either a new or gently used RV series OZTENT, but I thought why not ask my fellow OB'ers which models (RV 1, 2 , 3, 4, 5) they have and why they like or dislike it. Also, any buyers remorse? Maybe you wanted to buy another model or different brand all together? As these tents are priced at a premium, I'm sure it would be helpful to know what experience OB members have with this particular product line. Thanks to all in advance!!! :)

 

[brianb2]

If you want a cheap way to test it out, you could pick up a ConnecTent from walmart. Not the same by any means, but a similar form factor and only $40. We've used it a couple of times, and it's worked out better than expected. It's designed to hook to a canopy, but I rigged mine to hook to the awning on my Jeep. It's the hobo version. Good luck.


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[Kenslittle72]

I really liked them after seeing one set up in the dessert winds as I struggled with my Coleman Cabin tent. I think it was a 3 or 4 as it has plenty of room as a tent alone. It looked like you could stand up and move around a bit.
The people across from us at expo had what I think was a 1. The tent part of that one was tiny (like a 2 man backpackers tent) which made it worthless without the added screened in room. If I was going to get another ground tent I would probably still look at the larger models as the work really well.
I went with a RTT as the OZ was $8-900, it stores in a fairly large bag, and I would still need to pack a mattress or cots which would take up even more bed space. The RTT is not small either but all that folds up as one and stores on the roof, leaving the bed more open for other stuff.

 

[1Louder]

If you get one just get the 5. Even it with 2 cots is a tight fit. If you don't mind sleeping on the ground then yeah you can pack 5 people in there like a sardine can. Just like any other tent that is rated for X number of people. They are very nice tents. I have one as a spare for large group trips or if I don't take my trailer. Setup is very quick. Teardown of course takes longer. Especially to get it in the bag. I highly recommend putting a tarp underneath or the ground protector OZ Tent offers I think it will actually breathe some and keep condensation off of the bottom of the tent. They are big and a bit heavy so you need a place to put them. I.E. Roof rack. If I would change one thing it would be to add an interior flap to the back window. If you have that big window open and decide you need to close it in the middle of the night you have to go outside. That is kind of a dumb design.

 

[Obi-Juan]

If you get one just get the 5. Even it with 2 cots is a tight fit. If you don't mind sleeping on the ground then yeah you can pack 5 people in there like a sardine can. Just like any other tent that is rated for X number of people. They are very nice tents. I have one as a spare for large group trips or if I don't take my trailer. Setup is very quick. Teardown of course takes longer. Especially to get it in the bag. I highly recommend putting a tarp underneath or the ground protector OZ Tent offers I think it will actually breathe some and keep condensation off of the bottom of the tent. They are big and a bit heavy so you need a place to put them. I.E. Roof rack. If I would change one thing it would be to add an interior flap to the back window. If you have that big window open and decide you need to close it in the middle of the night you have to go outside. That is kind of a dumb design.

Thanks for the great info. I think I'm stuck somewhere between an RV4 and the 5. As I know its going to have to ride on one side of my Xterra roof rack with cases beside it during travel. I'm trying to keep the weight down as much as I can. BTW, I saw a video on the trick to getting it into the bag quickly... basically they just laid the bag upside down (zipper side down), over the length of the tent body, then rolled it over, tucked in, then zipped it up. Seemed pretty simple, but I will definitely take this time consuming task into consideration, thanks again for the heads up! :)

 

[Obi-Juan]

I really liked them after seeing one set up in the dessert winds as I struggled with my Coleman Cabin tent. I think it was a 3 or 4 as it has plenty of room as a tent alone. It looked like you could stand up and move around a bit.
The people across from us at expo had what I think was a 1. The tent part of that one was tiny (like a 2 man backpackers tent) which made it worthless without the added screened in room. If I was going to get another ground tent I would probably still look at the larger models as the work really well.
I went with a RTT as the OZ was $8-900, it stores in a fairly large bag, and I would still need to pack a mattress or cots which would take up even more bed space. The RTT is not small either but all that folds up as one and stores on the roof, leaving the bed more open for other stuff.

I had been trying to decide between the idea of putting an RTT on my X, but I decided that I better wait until I can save up for a utility trailer with rack mount setup. Major factors for my rig were.... 1) Cargo space when RTT is on... and 2) It's my opinion that the stock X's aren't the strongest and I would feel more comfortable replacing it with say a GOBI rack prior to the RTT purchase (which brings up the cost a bit)... 3) I usually travel with family and having an RTT option on my rig would mean that I would have to break camp anytime I wanted to go for a drive, leaving my family with no tent if they wanted to stay behind.

 

[Homeguy]

I just picked up an RV3. I've got a camping trip set for the middle of July. I've set the tent up in the backyard to see how the cot fits. It does fit front to back. I also picked up the ground mesh too. I like how easy it is to set up and put away. The material is some of the best I've seen on a tent. I think it's very comparable to RTT. I'm also going to Moab in September.


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[Craig M]

If you want a cheap way to test it out, you could pick up a ConnecTent from walmart. Not the same by any means, but a similar form factor and only $40. We've used it a couple of times, and it's worked out better than expected. It's designed to hook to a canopy, but I rigged mine to hook to the awning on my Jeep. It's the hobo version. Good luck.


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I went ahead and bought one of these a few weeks ago, but intend to use it with a 10x10 canopy as designed. I do have an awning on my Jeep, and thought about trying it with that, but that way I can't leave 'base camp' set up. I'll be trying it out as a back-up for our hammocks (when trees aren't available) in two weeks, and if it works I will probably buy a second so I can use two and a 'wall'. Price was definietly right and they pack down really small!

 

[brianb2]

I'll be trying it out as a back-up for our hammocks (when trees aren't available)

We hammock also. We don't hit campgrounds that often, but some friends invited us to join them at a campground recently. We could have squeezed in a couple of hammocks, but I ended up bringing this tent for the wife and two kids and I slept in my hammock. We put a twin and a queen inflatable mattress inside and they said they slept great. (Don't forget air mattresses need some kind of insulation, similar to a hammock) Like someone else noted, this is rated for 4 people so 3 had plenty of room. I'm 5'10 and can almost stand up inside. I don't have the 10x10 canopy, so I rigged this one using two telescopic painting poles and some pvc pipe. Worked well, and didn't have to leave it attached to the jeep. We mostly backpack, so I don't have great gear for base camping yet.

Not trying to hijack. This tent by no means measures up to the OZTENTs, but looking at the Oztents is what led me to picking this one up. Quality is typical for the Ozark Trail line, pretty good. It packs small, about the size of a basketball (I've got mine in a compression bag that I cinch down for travel). For me it was a simple cost equation, I doubt this tent will get used more than 4 times a year. $40 and a little hobo engineering felt like a good swap for what we needed. Good luck and let us know which way you went.

The tarp hanging to the left was a makeshift changing room. We were right by the river and it came in useful.

 

[Obi-Juan]

We hammock also. We don't hit campgrounds that often, but some friends invited us to join them at a campground recently. We could have squeezed in a couple of hammocks, but I ended up bringing this tent for the wife and two kids and I slept in my hammock. We put a twin and a queen inflatable mattress inside and they said they slept great. (Don't forget air mattresses need some kind of insulation, similar to a hammock) Like someone else noted, this is rated for 4 people so 3 had plenty of room. I'm 5'10 and can almost stand up inside. I don't have the 10x10 canopy, so I rigged this one using two telescopic painting poles and some pvc pipe. Worked well, and didn't have to leave it attached to the jeep. We mostly backpack, so I don't have great gear for base camping yet.

Not trying to hijack. This tent by no means measures up to the OZTENTs, but looking at the Oztents is what led me to picking this one up. Quality is typical for the Ozark Trail line, pretty good. It packs small, about the size of a basketball (I've got mine in a compression bag that I cinch down for travel). For me it was a simple cost equation, I doubt this tent will get used more than 4 times a year. $40 and a little hobo engineering felt like a good swap for what we needed. Good luck and let us know which way you went.

The tarp hanging to the left was a makeshift changing room. We were right by the river and it came in useful.

I appreciate the suggestions. A co-worker of mine also suggested the Kodiak 10x10 tents that are more on par with the quality and material (canvas, etc..), of the OZTENT's at about half the price. I really would like to be able to stand up in the next ground tent that I purchase, also it would be really great if it would cut down on the setup time as well, similar to that of the OZTENT RV series. I'm sure that the time will come when another manufacturer will come up with a clone of similar build quality, but until then the folks at OZ can keep their prices set at a premium.

 

[Craig M]

I spent some more time looking at Oztents last night, and I really like them. My concern is the 'packed' size, and fitting it into my Jeep. They do seem to go up incredibly easy though, and yeah, the Walmart one is the normal thin cheap tent material you would expect. I've been kicking around selling my RTT.. I may consider this as a replacement 'trailer' tent. I love the RTT but the annex was a big sell, and I was not able to configure my trailer to utilize the full height (attempted but the design just didn't work in practice, and I don't want to spend more money on it). And if I can't use the full height, the annex takes too long to set up to make it worthwhile.

 

[Kenslittle72]

I completly forgot about the ShiftPod tents that were at Expo. https://store.advancedsheltersystemsinc.com/?___store=shiftpod They are a little more expensive but they go up extremely easy, are real roomy, and withstand super high winds. The guy there was putting one up and down by himself in the wind. I think it took him like 2 min to set up including removing it from the bag.

 

[Craig M]

I completly forgot about the ShiftPod tents that were at Expo. https://store.advancedsheltersystemsinc.com/?___store=shiftpod They are a little more expensive but they go up extremely easy, are real roomy, and withstand super high winds. The guy there was putting one up and down by himself in the wind. I think it took him like 2 min to set up including removing it from the bag.

That looks pretty awesome, but the door would prevent me from ever buying one. That is one of the selling points on the Oztent, to me (as was it a sell on my RTT with Annex).

I am absolutely certain I would trip over that door 50% of the time. I also like the vertical front wall and attached awning on the Oz, for entering / exiting in the rain.

Seriously, the door and entrance design is probably one of the biggest things I look at in tents nowdays. My next big tent purchase must have a covered entrance where I don't have to duck or high-step, or otherwise contort my body getting in and out. I can stand (if I have to duck an inch or two, I'm good). AND it is quick set-up (sub 5 min from taking it out of the vehicle to ready for gear, including rainfly and whatnot).

I have several tents, and have owned a number more, and this combination of features are probably the biggest deciders at this point. I mean, I want other quality and convenience features, of course, and enough room for two standard military sized cots and standing / dressing space.

Do to the price, I wasn't really looking at the Oztents, but now that I have spent more time researching and considering, I think an rv5 may be in my future.. The only reason I hesitate right now is the packed size. But again, if I am willing to ONLY use it when taking my trailer, that's probably ok.

If a tent is lacking standing room or a good covered entrance, I would rather just buy a SWAG style tent, or one of those tent-cots.

 

[Obi-Juan]

I completly forgot about the ShiftPod tents that were at Expo. https://store.advancedsheltersystemsinc.com/?___store=shiftpod They are a little more expensive but they go up extremely easy, are real roomy, and withstand super high winds. The guy there was putting one up and down by himself in the wind. I think it took him like 2 min to set up including removing it from the bag.

Wow, those are nice. My only concerns would be price, doesn't included a carrying bag... and there doesn't appear to be enough ventilation for my liking. But I do like the roominess though! :)

 

[Kenslittle72]

Wow, those are nice. My only concerns would be price, doesn't included a carrying bag... and there doesn't appear to be enough ventilation for my liking. But I do like the roominess though! :)

THIS PURCHASE INCLUDES:
1X SHIFTPOD2
1x 900D PE Improved Canvas Storage Bag With Team-Carry Handles
1x HEAVY 900D Zip-in Water Resistant Floor (Patch Kit Available)
6x 12 inch Stainless Steel Stakes (Lifetime Warranty)
1x Stake Puller (Pull them out in the same direction you put them in)
6x Quick-Zips Line Ratchets For Fast Deployments
2x Combo Locks To Keep You Safe
1x Center Roof Support Pole For High Wind Situations
7x Rubber Hub Covers To Protect Your Floors and a Clean Look
1x MOOP Bag for all of your trash and whatever else you can find!
1x Solar and Rain Fly For When You Need it Most!

It shows a canvas storage bag as being included.

 

[Obi-Juan]

THIS PURCHASE INCLUDES:
1X SHIFTPOD2
1x 900D PE Improved Canvas Storage Bag With Team-Carry Handles
1x HEAVY 900D Zip-in Water Resistant Floor (Patch Kit Available)
6x 12 inch Stainless Steel Stakes (Lifetime Warranty)
1x Stake Puller (Pull them out in the same direction you put them in)
6x Quick-Zips Line Ratchets For Fast Deployments
2x Combo Locks To Keep You Safe
1x Center Roof Support Pole For High Wind Situations
7x Rubber Hub Covers To Protect Your Floors and a Clean Look
1x MOOP Bag for all of your trash and whatever else you can find!
1x Solar and Rain Fly For When You Need it Most!

It shows a canvas storage bag as being included.

Got it, looks like the store wasn't very clear when ordering, as they listed a replacement carrying bag right next to it. Thanks for catching that. Looks pretty nice, but the Shiftpod 2 is $1299 on sale is a little steep, I'm shooting for 1000 or under if I can.

 

[RootedWanderers]

This is a few pictures of my RV-3. I went the 3 route as I didn't really need that much room, it's typically me and my Doberman. I can put my cot, a table if wanted, and his sleeping pad down and still have room to move about.
Here are a few pictures of it as I had it set up in my backyard seasoning it.

This is with the cot turned front to back, positioned on the right wall. My cot is a Byer of Maine, and it's 78" long.

This is it positioned across the back wall.

 

[DaveEli]

Wife and I looked to buy one couple of years at the Expo East in Asheville. Everything about the tent was great, from the setup-takedown times, and the amt of room in the tent. What stopped us was the size of the tent broken down in the bag. it's huge. Takes up to much room for us, however, now that we have added an ARE cap with a Front runner rack we may reconsider, since we can throw it on top.

 

[RootedWanderers]

Wife and I looked to buy one couple of years at the Expo East in Asheville. Everything about the tent was great, from the setup-takedown times, and the amt of room in the tent. What stopped us was the size of the tent broken down in the bag. it's huge. Takes up to much room for us, however, now that we have added an ARE cap with a Front runner rack we may reconsider, since we can throw it on top.

yeah, It won't fit inside my Jeep, it's got to go up top on a rack.

 

[buckwilk]

The Oz tents are popular but that doesn't make them well designed. Huge when bagged, have to get out of bag and go outside to close window flap , what's that about ? They set up fast, ok, what's the hurry? Part of the popularity (IMO) is the price, it screams look at how much I spent. There are threads all over for good ground tents for far less $$.