OZ Tent or similar ground tents

Hi there. First post for me on this part of TW. I did some searching and didn't come up with much.

I am looking for recommendations on ground tents to camp in as a RTT does not seem like something I want to get into for various reasons. I do intend to use my truck to transport a tent to a camp site and would plan to keep the truck nearby so hauling is not an issue. Also I would plan to carry it on a roof rack so packed length isn't really an issue either. I also have a backpacking tent should I decide to venture away from my truck.

I am looking for a more outback style / car camping tent. Something a little more durable than a standard nylon backpacking tent. I would want something I can use Spring, Summer and Fall.

I've only really looked online and have not seen any in person so it's hard to judge quality / ease of setup and take down.

So far I've checked out the Kodiak canvas tents, Slumberjack and OZ tent to name a few and
I keep coming back to the OZ tents. They seem to be the most fitting for me.

Does anyone have any experience with the OZ line up? Specifically the RV series and the EYRE series.

What can you tell me, good, bad or otherwise?

Any other recommendations?

Thanks

-Tyler

OZ Tent EYRE-1

 

I'm not familiar with those OZ tents but I just recently got this Gazelle T4 and I was extremely impressed and satisfied with this ground tent.
Comes with the rain fly, heavy duty zippers, plenty of head room, ridiculously easy to put up and take down, fits in the tent bag no problem, holds up in high desert winds from when I went out a few weeks ago. The only negative that some people might have is that it's long, almost the entire length of my 6 foot bed. They do make a smaller T3 version that's closer to 5 feet long when collapsed. Lots of videos on this tent to get a feel on what its like

 

I have a 10x14 Kodiak Canvas, and I LOVE it. It's a little heavy, but I camp out of a truck. It's very fast to set up, and it's robust and sturdy - it's like a little cabin wherever we camp. It stands up to wind. It also holds heat a little better than nylon, and it's always the king of the developed campground.

If it gets wet, it tends to shrink slightly, so it should be dry before it's put away (also - mold, obviously), or it becomes hard to set up at the next stop. Found this out after camping in Big Sur mist and moving to the Redwoods near the CA-OR border the next day. Otherwise, it's a beast of a tent, and I can't go back to lightweight. It's either this or moving up to a trailer.

 

Hey OP,

Not sure if you ever made your decision, but I am working in selling my OZ for a Kodiak canvas. The OZ is a sweet tent and I loved it. It was just a bit big for transporting on my short bed and ultimately I wasn't going to commit to all of the add on that I had planned on getting for it. Instead I decided to get the 10x10 Kodiak which has the same area as my Rv3 with the awning walls. I wish the Kodiak had the tubbed floors like the OZ. Also I don't think setup would be much different between the two since all of the guy lines the Oz has increased the time by quite a bit.

 

Keep hearing nothing but good things about the shiftpod. About the same price as a rtt but they sound durable as hell.

https://shiftpod.com/shiftpod/shiftpod-v20

 

Ended up going with the OZ EYRE E-1 with the full front and side panel set. This is the same size as the RV3 but uses a little different fabric. Still has the rip stop material but it doesn't use any cotton. So not as thick as the RV series. This product is kind of your entry-level overlanding ground tent. At least from the Oztent line up.



I've used it once so far on a weekend trip. Was at a campground so not exactly backcountry or overlanding but I got to put the tent through the paces. I also got the

$1,099 Oztent RV3 Oztent 30 Second Expedition 3-4 Person Tent (42 Lb) 8 ft(W) x 6.6 ft(D) x 6.6 ft(H) + 6.6 ft(Awning)

Oztent RV3 Floor Saver which is an exact match for my tent. I highly recommend using their floor saver foot print vs a basic tarp. All of the grommets line up with the tent staking points so its a nice fit and finish.



The other accessory I might pick up is a replacement bag made by "Drifta". It's an Australian company that makes replacement bags and heavy canvas products. The Oztent bag is a little loose and cumbersome to lift and the Drifta bag really looks like it cinches down nicely.



Though its packed size is obviously large it transports well strapped to the roof rack of my Tacoma. Getting it up there is a little bit of a back buster but its totally doable for one person.



Setup is easy but it isn't "30 seconds" as Oztent touts.

Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase and hope to get many years of camping out of this tent.

 

Awesome! That's a sweet setup. Definitely recommend the Drifta bag. I was about to order one through PayPal before deciding to get a differettent. Once you factor in the exchange rate, the price wasn't too bad.

 

Same type of setup at a lower price. Don’t know the quality but it copies the OZ concept. https://overlandvehiclesystems.com/portable-safari-tent-quick-deploying-gray-ground-tent/