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OZtrail Dusk 450 Fast Frame Tent Review

 Does This Fast Frame Cabin Tent Keep the Light Out?

 

The OZtrail Dusk 450 claims that it offers plenty of space and the ability to block out the light. Does it live up to its promises? This review takes a closer look.

OZtrail prides itself on its reputation as one of Australia’s favourite outdoor product suppliers. It offers a wide range of products, from basic camping equipment up to tents of various sizes.

The company aims to blend high quality with affordable prices. Its range of fast frame tents have proven particularly popular because of their strength and ease of use. In this review, we’re going to take a closer look at the OZtrail Dusk 450 to see what it has to offer over similar fast frame cabin tents.

The Good

• This is a large tent that should comfortably fit 8 full-sized adults.
• The awning provides a little spot in the shade.
• OZtrail’s Twilight Technology allows you to control how much light gets into the tent.
• Tall enough for most people to be able to stand upright when in the tent.
• Quality materials used throughout.

The Bad

• Its size can make it a little difficult to pack away again after use.
• The tent’s packed size may make it difficult to transport in some vehicles.

 

The Bottom Line

This is a great all-purpose tent that excels at keeping the light out during bright days. Its size and interior design make it suitable for families or groups of adults. You can also set it up in a matter of minutes, though you may have a little more trouble packing it away.

As a fast frame tent it’s at the top end of the scale for its price range. The clever technology it uses is just the icing on top of the cake.

 

The Full OZtrail Dusk 450 Fast Frame  Review

We couldn’t wait to give this tent a try. We’re fans of OZtrail’s previous fast frame cabin tents and the introduction of Twilight Technology got us excited.

We took the tent out for a three-day trip with three adults. During the trip, we looked at the following:

• Size/Height
• Setup
• Weatherproofing
• Materials/Frame
• Other Features

Here’s what we found out.

Tent Size & Height

 

Roomy is an understatement when it comes to the OZtrail Dusk 450. The company claims that the tent can house 10 people, though eight seems to be a more realistic number in practice. After all, your gear will take up a fair amount of space.

The tent floor measures 4.5m x 3m, which definitely helps when you’re lying down. You won’t feel your head or feet coming into contact with the tent walls. This size also makes it ideal for family camping.

However, it’s the tent’s height that really impresses. At 2.2m, it offers enough room for most adults to stand up straight. Even those on the taller end of the spectrum should be able to move around comfortably while inside.

There’s also a dividing wall that you can zip up to create two rooms. Again, that works well for families as mom and dad can take one room while the kids take the other. It’s also great for couples who head out camping together. When you’re not sleeping, you just have to unzip the wall to open the interior space back up.

It is a bulky unit when it’s packed up though. In the carry bag, it measures 131cm x 29cm x 29cm. That 1m+ length can make it a pain to fit into compact vehicles alongside your other gear. However, you can overcome that problem with some smart packing, plus it’s an issue that you’d expect with a tent of this size.

The tent weighs a little over 31kg when packed up with its frame. Happily, its bag has a large and sturdy handle that allows you to sling the tent over your shoulder.

 

 

Fast Frame Setup

Despite its size, the OZtrail Dusk 450 doesn’t take long to set up. There are a few simple steps to follow:

1. Unpacking the tent involves pulling it out of the bag and removing the two straps that hold it together. Keep those straps safe as you’ll need them for packing the tent back up. It’s a good idea to paint the back two feet so that you can locate them easily when unpacking. This helps you to position the tent properly.
2. Keep hold of the top of the frame and allow the poles to drop out onto the ground.
3. Pull the frame legs out so that the tent lies flat on the floor.
4. Peg the four corners while ensuring the tent’s floor lies flat and secure.
5. Extend the roof poles. You should hear a click that tells you when each is in the correct position.
6. Cover the tent with your flysheet. You can clip the sheet into the tent to keep it connected.

 

You’ll also need to set up the awning. That’s as simple as extending a few poles and slotting them into the correct spaces on the awning. The longest pole supports the awning’s centre and you have a few ropes that you must peg in to keep it secure.

It sounds like a fairly involved process but it only takes about 3-5 minutes to get the tent set up.

Packing it up again does take a little more time. While the tent frame itself folds back up easily, you will need to work with the fly sheet to make it fit into the bag. A little practice before you take the tent out remedies this problem.

 

Weatherproofing

The heavy-duty flysheet handles most of the weatherproofing for the OZtrail Dusk 450. It’s made using OZtrail’s 150 denier RipStop fabric with UVTex technology.

This provides the tent with plenty of protection against the rain. Plus, it guards against potentially harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. The tent also features heat-taped seals for the seams, which adds a layer of extra protection.

The floor’s bucket design also helps with weatherproofing as it guards against water seeping in at the base of the tent. You can also add a camping groundsheet for increased protection. 

Of course, it’s the Twilight Technology used in the flysheet that’s the real standout here. This combines with the UVTex technology to practically block out the sun. You can keep the tent as dark as you want for as long as you want. That’s particularly helpful when camping in the summer if you don’t want the sun waking you up in the early hours of the morning.

If you remove the flysheet, you can still use the large panel windows to control how much light gets into the tent.

 

 

The Tent Materials and Frame

As mentioned, the tent uses 150 denier RipStop material for the flysheet. As the name implies, this is a strong material that can stand up to most of what the great outdoors can throw at it.

The floor of the Fast Frame Dusk 450 uses 150 denier PVC. This offers a good compromise between durability and weight. Again, it should withstand most regular use for several years. However, it is possible to tear it if you’re going out of your way to cause damage.

OZtrail has also used welding instead of stitching at the tent’s major stress points. That enhances durability further. Plus, it eliminates the problem of loose stitching compromising water resistance.

The inner tent fabric uses 150 denier polyester, which makes it a touch less durable than the floor. Still, this does ensure that air circulates well throughout the tent. Again, it’s more than capable of standing up to most normal types of weather. The roof also contains some mesh, which allows air to circulate.

The frame itself is solid steel, which means it should stand up to most weather conditions. However, this isn’t a heavy-duty tent, so it may struggle in high winds. Its size also doesn’t help in such conditions as there’s more material for the wind to catch.

The awning’s poles are also made using steel. However, it’s important that you attach the awning to the ground using the provided topes. The poles won’t hold it up on their own.

 

Other Tent Special Features

The Twilight Technology is the big feature that separates this from other fast frame cabin tents.

On top of that, the tent’s interior has plenty of accessories that allow you to hang up lights and other equipment. You’ll also find several small storage pouches for your valuables inside the tent.

The awning measures about 4.5m x 1.8m. This offers plenty of space to create a little shaded area for you to enjoy a few drinks in. You can cook underneath the awning without any issues as it’s more than tall enough to allow air to circulate.

The tent also features four large window panels, with two at the sides and two at the rear. These have privacy screens too, which you can put up even if you keep the windows open.

Finally, the tent comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty. This protects you against any defects in construction or the materials used.

 

Tips On Buying a Fast Frame Tent

That covers the main features of the Fast Frame Dusk 450. But as a discerning buyer, you may wish to compare it against other fast frame cabin tents.

This buyer’s guide covers some of the key issues that you need to consider when buying a fast frame tent.

 

Tent Size

Most tents come with a basic measurement that tell you how many people it sleeps. Generally speaking, this measurement assumes that you have little to no gear inside the tent. You need to account for how much gear you’re taking and the size of the people who’ll use the tent.

It’s best to check the floor size and tent height to get a more accurate picture of the tent’s size.

 

 

How Does it Handle the Weather?

Due to the generally high temperatures in Australia, you’ll want a tent that allows good air circulation. Look for mesh that’s used throughout the tent body as well as windows that you can open.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t concern yourself with waterproofing. The material needs to be able to withstand rainy conditions. A bucket design for the floor helps here, as does sealing instead of stitching at the pressure points.

However, your flysheet will provide most of the waterproofing. Ensure it’s made using a suitable material and that it’s strong enough to maintain its shape.

You also need to pay attention to the denier of the material. This unit of measurement tells you about the density of the material fibres. 75 denier is the minimum for all-weather protection, though 150 denier is more suitable. Having said that, a material with a high denier adds weight to the tent.

 

What’s Your Purpose?

You need to know how you’ll use the tent before making a purchase. Here are a few tips for each potential activity.

• Family Camping. A large cabin or dome tent works well here to give the kids somewhere to play. Ideally, the tent will have several sleeping zones that you can separate with dividers. You lose a little portability with these tents though.

• Hiking. A mix of portability and durability is what you’re looking for here. Ensure the tent doesn’t weigh so much that it’s difficult to carry over large distances. A fast frame tent helps with the simplicity aspect. Just ensure it uses materials that can withstand some pretty harsh conditions.

• Touring. As you’re driving from place to place, you can go for a more heavy-duty tent when touring. Such tents tend to be larger and heavier than standard tents. However, they may offer some creature comforts that other tent types don’t provide.

 

The Final Word

The OZtrail Dusk 450 Fast Frame Tent offers plenty of room, which makes it perfect for family camping. The Twilight Technology is an added bonus that will hopefully grant you a couple of hours of extra sleep.

It’s fairly lightweight and easy to set up. You may need some more patience when packing it away though. Still, a little practice makes perfect there. The high-denier materials also offer superior protection from the weather. The bucket floor and welded seams only add to this, as does the UVTex technology.

If you’re looking for a high-quality and reasonably-priced fast frame cabin tent, you can’t go wrong with the Fast Frame Dusk 450.

Tentworld offers this tent and much more by camping gear by Oztrail both in-store and online. Head to our website to find out more and please get in touch if you have any questions.

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