OzTent - Best Tent or Worst Tent?

[Simon R]

OzTent had a seemingly good reputation, so we bought an RV5 and headed north for a couple of weeks.........I wouldn't recommend an OzTent, they are VERY reliant on their guide ropes & pegs, If a wind gets up and the flat front of the tent is facing the wind look out! The first trip we used our super $1100 tent the thing came down twice both times we had to sleep (sic) on it, rather than in it. 1st time on stony ground, the second time in sand dunes & the frame broke, although fixed under warrantee we still had to cut our trip short and head home from Ningaloo sleeping in chalets. We had used double guide ropes and 400mm long sand pegs as camped in sand dunes. Perhaps we should have used some star pickets as pegs; the wind was not storm strength - only 15/20 knots tops. But OzTent do seem to have a good following among the 4WD fraternity so perhaps we were unlucky....???

Stuff this for a lark we're going back to our trusty dome tent!

[Richo]

Interesting.
I know a few people with them and all rave about them- ease of set up, ability to stand in them (unlike small to mid sized domes etc). Weight is sometimes an issue when they are stored on a roofrack however.

Maybe they should be set up with the doorway facing away from the prevailing wind?

[JRJ33P]

thats the first bad thing i've heard about them.

we've got the original 30sec oztent, and we couldnt be happier with it.

with the wind, its always best to try and face the door away from the wind, but even then its a tent, its still gonna blow around.
i will say they are definitely reliant on being tired down regardless of weather, i wouldnt sleep in it if it wasnt.

but even with its very few downers, at the end of the day, for a tent, i wouldnt have anything else. easiest thing to set up, and certainly one of the easier ones to pack up!

[Simon R]

Yeah, they do have a great reputation, which is why we bought one. The two times it came down, it was setup with no wind present at all and on both occasions the wind came up during the night straight onto the flat front of the tent, when camping in the dunes at Ningaloo we pointed the sloping back of the tent to the SW where most strong coastal winds originate in WA, but Murphy’s' law dictated that the wind will then come from the NE!

[carvesdodo]

Originally Posted by Simon R

OzTent had a seemingly good reputation, so we bought an RV5 and headed north for a couple of weeks.........I wouldn't recommend an OzTent, they are VERY reliant on their guide ropes & pegs, If a wind gets up and the flat front of the tent is facing the wind look out! The first trip we used our super $1100 tent the thing came down twice both times we had to sleep (sic) on it, rather than in it. 1st time on stony ground, the second time in sand dunes & the frame broke, although fixed under warrantee we still had to cut our trip short and head home from Ningaloo sleeping in chalets. We had used double guide ropes and 400mm long sand pegs as camped in sand dunes. Perhaps we should have used some star pickets as pegs; the wind was not storm strength - only 15/20 knots tops. But OzTent do seem to have a good following among the 4WD fraternity so perhaps we were unlucky....???

Stuff this for a lark we're going back to our trusty dome tent!

Dome tents and normal tents should never be compared with each other ... both totally different and for different purposes.

A good dome tent with minimal pegging and guys, will simply lay down and stand back up in severe winds .... thats their design feature ... self supporting ... as is limited headroom.

A square tent needs much more in regard to guys and pegs ... and I agree ... the OzTent is a bit light on in this regard. Wasnt real impressed with pole locking sysem either. ... Good unit otherwise.

As for sand pegs ... Sand moves ... bit of moisture / bit of wind and its all over unless they are deep in the ground and very wide.

Next time you're at the beach / sand ... anchor your awning to the roof rack and use a couple of decent sized pegs at the rear of the tent ... should make all the difference. Or take the dome tent for those situations.

[JRJ33P]

Originally Posted by shortyB

I have the OZ Tent Stretcher Bed which is good so far, comfortable sleep too.
I Also Bought the Chair but find that uncomfortable, the bar sticks into your leg.
They now have a better Chair with solid Side Arm rests that doesnt have the Leg bighting issues but.... the one i looked at broke one of the plastic pivots that locks the Steel poles together just from sitting on it!

I want to get the RV4 but im now not to sure of there quality, AND I THINK ITS VERY MISS-LEADING CALLING IT AN OZ TENT WHEN ITS MADE IN CHINA!!!
I thought i was buying Australian Made and supporting local workers.

not anymore...

the Oz Tent was designed by the guy whos runs Amazon out at Wetherill Park in western sydney. thats who we bought ours off.
im pretty sure at the time they were being made here, but maybe because of the demand, it was cheaper and easier to have them made over there.

[KentM]

I spoke them them at the 4x4 show a month back when I bought mine and they said that the quality was better out of China...

Using my RV4 for the first time next weekend... Hope it goes well This thread has me nervous