ramonortiz55
Adventurist
I have been looking for a ground tent for awhile now. Most of you realize that I already have
a roof top tent that I camp out of.
So the question is - Why a ground tent?
I wanted a ground tent for a few reasons:
1. I wanted to invite my younger siblings to our camping trips - Obviously, we couldn’t all
fit in the RTT, so I decided I needed to find a suitable ground tent.
2. I don’t have my RTT mounted at all times - If the wife and I want to get away, we can
always leave without having to setup the RTT on the 4runner or tacoma.
3. I am planning a multiday trip to White Rim Road in Utah - There will be NO basecamp.
Therefore, packing up a RTT every morning and setting it up every night can be a bit of a
burden.
Then enters my quest in the search of a good ground tent. I wanted something that was
fast and easy to setup. Something that I could put together and have me not regret leaving
the quick setup of an RTT behind.
I did a little bit of research: YouTube, Amazon reviews, Random Internet reviews of brands
like REI, North Face, Oztent, etc.
One thing I didn’t notice is many FORUM reviews.
So I decided to put one together.
I came across the Malamoo tent by Oztent :
They have 3 versions of it - Classic, Xtra (two available colors), and Mega.
Which to pick? - I reached out to Family Tent Camping - https://familytentcamping.com/
They helped me choose the Malamoo Xtra - Enough room for two people, plus a little more
for gear.
Okay, okay, enough of all the chit chat, show us the pictures! - Tell us more!
The tent weighs 8.5 lbs, sleeps three, and has a footprint of 9'10" (l) x 6'6" (w) x 4'1" (h)
It has an advertised setup and collapse of 3 seconds.
That is what sold me on purchasing the tent - quick setup according to the reviews
and youtube videos.
The tent packs up in a circular bag about 2 - 3 inches thick. The bag is about 36" diameter.
12 year old kid for comparison.
The bag has handles to be carried as a "shopping bag" or straps to carry as a "back-pack"
I do not suggest using this thing for hiking .. Wayyy too big.
The bag itself looks like its made of nice, well sewed material. Same fabric that tents are
made of.
Upon opening the carrying bag - The instructions on setup and collapse are found sewn
directly to the bag. I like this - I tend to keep paperwork of everything …then misplace it.
By having it attached, there are less chances of it being lost.
Close up of the instructions:
I literally pulled the tent out of the bag, placed it on the ground, and it sprung open.
Just. Like. That.
Very impressive - No hassling with any loose tent parts, no wondering if you can put
the tent up before sundown, no forgetting to leave parts at home.
Very minimal setup. It is literally a no brainer.
So first thing I did is roll up the entryway, this is held in place with straps and toggles:
This revealed a small area in front of the main cavity of the shelter.
Perfect size for storing wet gear, muddy shoes, backpacks, everything you DON’T want to
have inside the actual tent room.
Before I jumped in I decided to walk around and check how many anchor points it had.
5 total anchor points 3 on one side, two on the other.
The back end of the tent - Opposite from the entry way has the only window (not counting
the door) - Could this tent use more windows? In my opinion, yes. My wife thinks two
windows are enough.
One thing I did notice was that the rear window screen can't be opened.
Something that I am used to having on my RTT.
The other version, the Malamoo MEGA has windows on the sides, but I felt that tent was
a bit too big for me.
Now let's go inside:
Leave the shoes at the front door
- I have a size 12 boot - for size.
Notice how the flooring isnt attached to the tent?
If this area is ever muddy from shoes, I could easily wash it out and just have the water
drain easily.
Inside the tent there are two pockets - one on each wall for keeping small articles. Phones,
keys, wallet, etc.
Here is a view towards the entrance - I am sitting with my legs stretched out - that's how
much room is in the tent!
Here is a view towards the window screen that can't be opened, legs stretched out.
I am 6'1" and can lay down in this tent BOTH ways and not touch the walls. Plenty of room
for up to three people or two people plus gear.
One thing I really do like about this tent is that the rainfly is actually attached to the whole
setup. No need to carry or attach the rainfly as a separate element during setup.
Here is a snapshot of how the rainfly and the tent are separate - even at the windows.
The gray fabric is the interior tent, the green fabric is the rainfly. I am laying down,
taking the picture from the bottom up:
How the rainfly is actually permenantly attached to the tent frame on the outside.
Its one complete fabric, per se.
I then decided to grab the stakes. The poles on the right are for the front awning which I will
show later.
Three stakes in the back:
Two stakes in the front:
Once the stakes were setup, I closed the windows and decided to give it a water test.
The window and front door close via a zipper and velcro system.
No one likes a dripping tent. So I wanted to make sure it was 100% waterproof.
I did this by putting my tent in the middle of my backyard sprinkler setup. I turned on my
water sprinklers for a good hour.
After the hour I stepped into the tent and it was COMPLETELY dry.
A bit of water in the front annex due to my boots, but no water was in there before I had
stepped in.
After a few hours of leaving the tent to dry, I decided to setup the awning.
This is being held by two poles, stakes, and string.
I did not collapse the tent, but there are a few youtube videos that show how to close it down.
It takes very little time closing it down and packing it up - another good thing about
this tent. No hassles in regards to taking it down.
In summary:
Good things about the Malamoo Xtra:
1. Quick to setup. The rainfly and the tent fabric are one. No need to fight with separate
systems.
2. Very roomy and the front annex was a feature that really motivated me to purchase it.
3. Waterproof - this was a big deal for me. I am well aware that lawn sprinklers are no
comparison to a full natural rainstorm, but at least it gave me some confidence in regards
to taking it out camping.
4. The tent is appealing. It is very well made and presentable. No awkwardness, not too big
or too small. Height is great. I can sit up in the tent and my head not touch the top.
Things that could've been better about the Malamoo Xtra:
1. Another set of windows. The tent can be setup up with the windows towards the wind
to allow a gentle breeze at night, but knowing weather.. The wind direction can change.
2. The rear window screen would be nice if it could be opened. Again, this is a personal preference my wife doesn’t really think much of it. As long as there is a bug screen to keep critters out and the air flowing in.
The issue with the few windows could've been solved if I exchanged this unit and picked up
the Malamoo MEGA since it has side windows - it is larger, something I didn’t need at the moment.
Overall, I like the tent and I have decided that the good outweighs the bad (which is pretty
much just personal preferences).
a roof top tent that I camp out of.
So the question is - Why a ground tent?
I wanted a ground tent for a few reasons:
1. I wanted to invite my younger siblings to our camping trips - Obviously, we couldn’t all
fit in the RTT, so I decided I needed to find a suitable ground tent.
2. I don’t have my RTT mounted at all times - If the wife and I want to get away, we can
always leave without having to setup the RTT on the 4runner or tacoma.
3. I am planning a multiday trip to White Rim Road in Utah - There will be NO basecamp.
Therefore, packing up a RTT every morning and setting it up every night can be a bit of a
burden.
Then enters my quest in the search of a good ground tent. I wanted something that was
fast and easy to setup. Something that I could put together and have me not regret leaving
the quick setup of an RTT behind.
I did a little bit of research: YouTube, Amazon reviews, Random Internet reviews of brands
like REI, North Face, Oztent, etc.
One thing I didn’t notice is many FORUM reviews.
So I decided to put one together.
I came across the Malamoo tent by Oztent :
They have 3 versions of it - Classic, Xtra (two available colors), and Mega.
Which to pick? - I reached out to Family Tent Camping - https://familytentcamping.com/
They helped me choose the Malamoo Xtra - Enough room for two people, plus a little more
for gear.
Okay, okay, enough of all the chit chat, show us the pictures! - Tell us more!
The tent weighs 8.5 lbs, sleeps three, and has a footprint of 9'10" (l) x 6'6" (w) x 4'1" (h)
It has an advertised setup and collapse of 3 seconds.
That is what sold me on purchasing the tent - quick setup according to the reviews
and youtube videos.
The tent packs up in a circular bag about 2 - 3 inches thick. The bag is about 36" diameter.
12 year old kid for comparison.
The bag has handles to be carried as a "shopping bag" or straps to carry as a "back-pack"
I do not suggest using this thing for hiking .. Wayyy too big.
The bag itself looks like its made of nice, well sewed material. Same fabric that tents are
made of.
Upon opening the carrying bag - The instructions on setup and collapse are found sewn
directly to the bag. I like this - I tend to keep paperwork of everything …then misplace it.
By having it attached, there are less chances of it being lost.
Close up of the instructions:
I literally pulled the tent out of the bag, placed it on the ground, and it sprung open.
Just. Like. That.
Very impressive - No hassling with any loose tent parts, no wondering if you can put
the tent up before sundown, no forgetting to leave parts at home.
Very minimal setup. It is literally a no brainer.
So first thing I did is roll up the entryway, this is held in place with straps and toggles:
This revealed a small area in front of the main cavity of the shelter.
Perfect size for storing wet gear, muddy shoes, backpacks, everything you DON’T want to
have inside the actual tent room.
Before I jumped in I decided to walk around and check how many anchor points it had.
5 total anchor points 3 on one side, two on the other.
The back end of the tent - Opposite from the entry way has the only window (not counting
the door) - Could this tent use more windows? In my opinion, yes. My wife thinks two
windows are enough.
One thing I did notice was that the rear window screen can't be opened.
Something that I am used to having on my RTT.
The other version, the Malamoo MEGA has windows on the sides, but I felt that tent was
a bit too big for me.
Now let's go inside:
Leave the shoes at the front door
- I have a size 12 boot - for size.Notice how the flooring isnt attached to the tent?
If this area is ever muddy from shoes, I could easily wash it out and just have the water
drain easily.
Inside the tent there are two pockets - one on each wall for keeping small articles. Phones,
keys, wallet, etc.
Here is a view towards the entrance - I am sitting with my legs stretched out - that's how
much room is in the tent!
Here is a view towards the window screen that can't be opened, legs stretched out.
I am 6'1" and can lay down in this tent BOTH ways and not touch the walls. Plenty of room
for up to three people or two people plus gear.
One thing I really do like about this tent is that the rainfly is actually attached to the whole
setup. No need to carry or attach the rainfly as a separate element during setup.
Here is a snapshot of how the rainfly and the tent are separate - even at the windows.
The gray fabric is the interior tent, the green fabric is the rainfly. I am laying down,
taking the picture from the bottom up:
How the rainfly is actually permenantly attached to the tent frame on the outside.
Its one complete fabric, per se.
I then decided to grab the stakes. The poles on the right are for the front awning which I will
show later.
Three stakes in the back:
Two stakes in the front:
Once the stakes were setup, I closed the windows and decided to give it a water test.
The window and front door close via a zipper and velcro system.
No one likes a dripping tent. So I wanted to make sure it was 100% waterproof.
I did this by putting my tent in the middle of my backyard sprinkler setup. I turned on my
water sprinklers for a good hour.
After the hour I stepped into the tent and it was COMPLETELY dry.
A bit of water in the front annex due to my boots, but no water was in there before I had
stepped in.
After a few hours of leaving the tent to dry, I decided to setup the awning.
This is being held by two poles, stakes, and string.
I did not collapse the tent, but there are a few youtube videos that show how to close it down.
It takes very little time closing it down and packing it up - another good thing about
this tent. No hassles in regards to taking it down.
In summary:
Good things about the Malamoo Xtra:
1. Quick to setup. The rainfly and the tent fabric are one. No need to fight with separate
systems.
2. Very roomy and the front annex was a feature that really motivated me to purchase it.
3. Waterproof - this was a big deal for me. I am well aware that lawn sprinklers are no
comparison to a full natural rainstorm, but at least it gave me some confidence in regards
to taking it out camping.
4. The tent is appealing. It is very well made and presentable. No awkwardness, not too big
or too small. Height is great. I can sit up in the tent and my head not touch the top.
Things that could've been better about the Malamoo Xtra:
1. Another set of windows. The tent can be setup up with the windows towards the wind
to allow a gentle breeze at night, but knowing weather.. The wind direction can change.
2. The rear window screen would be nice if it could be opened. Again, this is a personal preference my wife doesn’t really think much of it. As long as there is a bug screen to keep critters out and the air flowing in.
The issue with the few windows could've been solved if I exchanged this unit and picked up
the Malamoo MEGA since it has side windows - it is larger, something I didn’t need at the moment.
Overall, I like the tent and I have decided that the good outweighs the bad (which is pretty
much just personal preferences).
