One rule of thumb that can help you determine how long it will take to set up a tent is to look at the number of poles. Typically, more poles will indicate a longer, more complicated set-up time, while a tent with fewer poles should come together relatively quickly. This tent (I tested the 8-person version, but it’s available as a 4-person or a 10-person) was also fairly easy to set up. The two main poles, which are attached to the far corners of the tent, simply crisscross over each side—a super simple design that will be familiar to anyone who has ever used a 2-person tent. Unfortunately, this design also comes with some limitations.
Consider purchasing one of the best 4-season tents (which will provide additional insulation and structural support against snow loads) or looking into warmer layers and a sleeping bag. If you’ve ever planned to sleep in while camping, then woken up as soon as the sun hits your tent at five in the morning, then the appeal of the Coleman Dark Room Skydome is pretty clear. In the middle of the day, with the sun brightly shining ozark trail chair down on you, you can go inside this tent and it’s pretty close to pitch black. Just a small amount of light sneaks in at the corners and around the edge of the door. What makes this tent’s setup unique for its size is that the rainfly is attached to the center of the tent, so it doesn’t need to be thrown over the top after you have the body up. But that isn’t to say that the setup of the Wagontop 8 was a breeze.
Pack rain gear to stay warm and dry, and consider bringing one set of clothes to change into at camp as well as one or two sets of clothes for hiking. Exploring Missouri’s scenic Ozark backcountry is one of the best reasons to head out on the trail. The Ozark Trail Association marks and improves the trail and ensures backpacking campsites are well maintained.
This green slopes away from left to right with multiple bunkers short of the green. Are you taking a camping trip and are looking for a campground with pull-through sites and electrical hookups? Or maybe a remote campground close to waterfalls and trails perfect for bird-watching? Then check out this hub of the best places to camp in Missouri.
The tent design here is unusual, and even after checking the directions it took me two tries to get the poles set up in the right direction. Three fiberglass poles crisscross the ceiling and then connect to six steel poles at each end to form the walls (the tenth pole creates the awning over the doorway). The directions for this were reasonably easy to follow—it just took a while. The only downside to this tent is that the 8-person tent requires a second person to complete the setup. While I was able to put up the body of the tent by myself, putting up the rainfly requried a second (taller) person. We like that this pack has a lot of pockets including a zipper that allows you to access the middle of the pack without opening the top.
If you need a large pack, or are heading on a days-long adventure, this pack won’t work for you. This roomy and practical backpack works well for a multi-day hike. If your order contains a pre-ordered or back-ordered item, we will ship any items we have available immediately and ship the items that are pre-ordered or back-ordered immediately when we have them available.
Whether you’re a proud owner of an RV or prefer to rent one from a reputable service like RVShare, enjoy an unforgettable RV camping adventure in Missouri at these top-notch campgrounds. There is no more important piece of gear on camping trips than the family tent. But with so many tent designs, materials, and features available, it can be tough to know which is the best—especially if you have a larger family that needs space to spread out. I tested top picks from NEMO, Big Agnes, Coleman, MSR, Eureka, Kelty, and more in everything from thunderstorms to heavy winds to help you find the best family tent for your next camping adventure. This was the first tent I set up in my test of the best 8-person tents, when the winds were gusting the most, and I was impressed with how the Wagtontop 8 handled the less-than-ideal weather. Even when the tent walls buffeted, the integrity of the poles held fast, not bending in the slightest.
While this wasn’t an issue with a straight up and down rainfall (the rainfly covers it by a few inches), in a storm involving both rain and wind, this could prove to be a failpoint. That ended up being extra important as the ground at my testing site turned out to be fairly difficult to stake into. Even better, the ceiling height (seven feet) combined with the near-vertical walls on this one made it easy for the 6-foot 1-inch member of the family to walk around without having to stoop at the edges. Schuelke said hikers should also strive to leave no trace when out on the trails, by not only being mindful of how much trash is being produced, but by keeping it with them. Since there are several options this year for the charity hike, Kuester said it is allowing first-time backpackers to try out the activity.
While much of the trail is under shaded tree canopy, you’ll still want to use sunscreen to prevent any burns. The Ozark Trail Association maintains a number of maps to help you traverse each section of the trail. If you are using your phone for navigation, bring a paper copy of a map ozark trail chair in case you lose signal or find yourself without battery. Trail maps are free to print at home or available for purchase at the online store. Backpacking stoves are a convenient way to boil water for dehydrated meals and instant coffee without adding a lot of weight to your pack.