The Oztrail Fast Frame tent is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t on my radar until I discovered that every other instant tent I was eyeing out was sold out.
So, with only 2 weeks to go before my month-long camping trip, I had no tent, and my options were running out fast!
Perhaps I was being too picky. Here’s what I wanted from my tent:
- One that could withstand any type of weather. Come rain or sun, I had to be comfortable.
- It also needed to have good ventilation for those humid summer days.
- I had to be able to stand up in it. Is that too much to ask for?
After hours of research, I purchased the OZtrail Fast Frame 6 Person tent in Australia, and it has since been my home for many camping adventures.
I’ve certainly put it to the test! From thunderstorms to heatwaves, the OZtrail Fast Frame tent has proved time and time again why it is the best one on the market.
So, I couldn’t not share all the reasons it is such a great buy! Here’s my totally honest OZtrail Fast Frame Tent review.
OZtrail Fast Frame Tent Varieties
Before we get stuck into the finer details, it’s good for you to know that OZtrail has three Fast Frame tent options available.
- Standard Fast Frame
- Fast Frame BlockOut
- Fast Frame Lumos tent
All have the instant set-up mechanism, but there are a few differences.
Difference between the Fast Frame and Fast Frame Blockout
Firstly, the Fast Frame BlockOut tent is a dark tent which is great for sleeping in.
But there’s more than just the Blockout coating that differentiates the tents. It’s also the quality of the flooring and waterproofing.
The standard OZtrail Fast Frame tent has a 15 00mm Waterhead-rated polyester fly. On the other hand, the Fast Frame BlockOut has a 3 000mm Waterhead rated Ripstop polyester fly.
The floor material of the BlockOut version is also thicker and more durable, so overall, the OZtrail Fast Frame BlockOut is the better of the two tent options.
There is also the Fast Frame Lumos tent, which is OZtrail’s flagship tent.
The only difference between this and the OZtrail Fast Frame Blockout tent is that the Lumos has an LED lighting system built into the tent.
This review is based on my experience using the OZtrail Fast Frame BlockOut 6 person tent.
What I love about the OZtrail Fast Frame 6 Person Tent
- Amazing waterproofing: 3 000mm
- Quick and easy set up: 20 Minutes
- Height: 195cm
- Space: The 6P is the perfect size for two people
- Warranty: 2 years
What I don’t love about it
- It’s heavy: But at 18 kg, this is standard for a tent of this quality.
What does “Fast Frame” even mean
This OZtrail tent is a fast-frame design. It’s in the same category as the Instant Up Coleman Gold Series.
This means that everything is pre-assembled, from the poles to the material. It stays connected, making it easy to set up and take down. 5 minutes later, the tent frame is up!
Thereafter, you’ll need to peg the tent to the ground and attach the waterproof fly. I found this to be the part that takes the most time.
Features of the OZtrail Instant Tent
Here are the standout features
1. Waterproofing
The OZtrail Fast Frame BlockOut tent has a waterproof rating of 3 000mm. It can take a beating and will stand strong during all kinds of weather!
I’ve been camping in Jervis Bay where it rained for hours on end, and the interior of my tent stayed bone dry.
The floor is a heavy-duty, ultra-tough poly oxford floor so moisture is kept out.
This is one of the key differentiators between the Fast Frame Blockout and the standard Fast Frame tent, which only has 1 500 mm Waterhead-rated polyester fly.
2. Space and height
If you’re in search of a pop-up tent that you can stand up in, this is it!
At 195 cm high, you won’t need to do any crouching or crawling.
We purchased the OZtrail 6P tent and love the additional space. It easily fits a queen air mattress, all of our bags and groceries – and there’s still plenty of extra room to move around.
The front vestibule, or entrance area, has an awning for additional living and storage space
Here are the sizes available:
- OZtrail 4 Person Fast Frame tent floor area: 240 x 220 cm
- OZtrail 6 Person Fast Frame tent floor area: 300 x 280 cm
- OZtrail 10 Person Fast Frame tent floor area: 600 x 220 cm
Pro tip: If you’re 2 people looking for a tent, rather opt for a 6 person option. The 4 person tent is a nice size, but it can be quite snug if you prefer more space.
3. BlockOut and Ventilation
One of the reasons I wasn’t too excited about camping was the early morning wake-up calls: tent stuffy, no airflow, and being hot as hell!
You won’t have those days with the OZtrail Fast Frame BlackOut tent, thanks to the BlockOut coating. This blocks out light by up to 95%!
The result? The heat inside your tent is reduced by 10 degrees.
But there’s more! ClimaTech Vents can be found throughout the tent, ensuring adequate ventilation so there’s always good airflow.
But you don’t want a dark tent?
This was my one reservation about purchasing the Fast Frame Blockout, and why I considered the standard OZtrail Fast Frame instead.
I wanted the BlockOut due to the thicker, heavy-duty floor, but I didn’t necessarily want the BlockOut technology as I was worried that the tent would be too dark.
But it’s not!
There are large mesh windows on all four sides of the tent as well as on the waterproof fly, so if you need some light, simply pop open these windows.
4. Extra features
I wasn’t too particular about the extra features and nice-to-haves when looking for a tent. I just wanted to stay dry on a stormy night and be able to stand up in it.
To my surprise, I also discovered that the OZtrail Fast Frame series has several additional features that will make your camping experience that much better.
These include internal organizer pockets (and a lot of them). It also has a loop to hang your lantern and power cord access.
The Set-Up
I’ve spoken about what makes the OZtrail Instant tent the best out there. But, is the “Fast Frame” mechanism as easy to set up as the manufacturers claim?
Yes and no
The first time we set up our tent, I was expecting it to take 15 minutes. Easy.
That’s what the instructions said and one of the main reasons I purchased the tent.
But for a total novice like me, the initial setup did take longer than expected. Not because the directions weren’t clear, and not because it’s “not a pop-up tent”, but more so because I hadn’t set up a tent in years, and quite frankly, I had no idea what I was doing!
The second time was a lot faster, and by the third time, we were setting it up in under 20 minutes.
Here are a few tips to make the setup process easier for you
- The back of the tent can be identified by the red tags
- When putting the fly over the inner tent, the red plugs of the fly attached to the red tags of the inner tent
Final Thoughts on my OZtrail Tent Review
You can’t go wrong with the OZtrail Fast Frame BlockOut. It’s a great quality tent, easy to set up, and will keep you dry even in the harshest conditions!
Check out the reviews here, and you’ll soon realize that I’m not the only one who loves this tent.
Do you have any questions or comments about my review of the OZtrail Fast Frame tent ? Drop me a message below!
Looking to go camping in NSW? Check out my other posts!
