Ozark Trail/Walmart camping equipment

[MOguy]

There is a very good post here that goes into detail about "Ozark Trail" coolers. Ozark Trail is Wall-Mart and one would assume lower quality then other higher dollar items. I suspect for many or us that a lower dollar alternative would be welcome for various reasons.

I will start:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/39511130. Ozark Trail 40F degree Cool Weather Mummy Sleeping Bag.
Great price, good ratings. I found it will NOT keep you warm at departures even close to that and the zipper is cheap. It is big enough. I am 5'11" 185lbs.

 

[Hilldweller]

Wally recruits talent from different sources to make their Ozark Trails gear. Some better, some not so better.
In the case of the coolers they use California Innovations ----- a company that really knows how to make a cooler.
I think you have to assess their gear piece by piece.

 

[MOguy]

Wally recruits talent from different sources to make their Ozark Trails gear. Some better, some not so better.
In the case of the coolers they use California Innovations ----- a company that really knows how to make a cooler.
I think you have to assess their gear piece by piece.

I agree 100%. I am hoping people will post here about individual pieces of equipment that they have used, the good and the bad.

 

[Hilldweller]

I use their potty bags.
No leaks so far.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I have always taken sleeping bag ratings/opinions with a grain of salt, biggest reason being that some people sleep hot while others do not. I have a 35-degree bag that I have slept in down to 20 degrees without issue, while my wife would require a 0-degree bag in the same conditions.

 

[Airmapper]

I have a lot of Ozark Trail gear, but the only thing I have I really think is junk is the folding camp chairs.

I got one, which has held up okay (the bag strap broke) but it's uncomfortable. I got another that was more of a tension type seat and locks open. More comfortable but the seat started coming out and it was only a few seasons old.

I since got ALPS Mountaineering stuff, seems to be higher quality although I'm still not exceptionally impressed.

Really happy with my coolers, a 26 and 52q. I also have a LED lantern they made, haven't used it a lot yet but it was neat and I caught it on clearance.

 

[wagex]

i use all kinds of stuff from them ive never had any issue with anything really that i can think of off the top of my head only real negative i can think of is the knife blade on their leatherman like tool kind of sucks but like my tumbler, kitchen stuff, and other misc items all have been fine so far.

 

[rnArmy]

I have one of their 10x13' tents that I've used for years and have been very happy with it.

 

[e60ral]

If a sleeping bag doesn't have an (EN) 13537 rating or some other reproducible testing protocol, the claims on the box are meaningless

 

[02rangeredge]

I had a set of dome tents (2 8 ft tall domes connected with a tunnel) when I was a kid, lasted about 10 years with pretty regular abuse, my family owns 2 privys without a problem, and 4 tumblers plus 2 of their metal can coozies that are stupid strong

 

[MOguy]

If a sleeping bag doesn't have an (EN) 13537 rating or some other reproducible testing protocol, the claims on the box are meaningless

that is good to know, thanks. I ended stuffing my Ozark trail sleeping bag into another to stay warm.

 

[Ducky's Dad]

Buy the product, not the name. I have and like the CA Innovations 26qt cooler, great value, but prices on lots of roto coolers are dropping rapidly. I have one of their cool weather bags and temperature ranges are very optimistic. Have a couple of their camp chairs and they are fine for the money. One got run over by a truck and I just bent it back into shape, works fine. On my second EZ-up type canopy, cheap but effective. The chairs and canopy are pretty much disposable, but I don't use them much so fine for my purposes. Their multi-tools are only so-so, but give me the advantage of having one in lots of different nooks and crannies. If I need a good one, I dig out the Gerber or Leatherman.

 

[Kevin108]

Buy the product, not the name.

That's it. You have to look at the product and choose accordingly. I feel the same way about Smittybilt gear. Sometimes good enough is just right.

 

[Hilldweller]

... Sometimes good enough is just right.

The "GE" stamp of approval.

 

[MOguy]

That's it. You have to look at the product and choose accordingly. I feel the same way about Smittybilt gear. Sometimes good enough is just right.

I agree, but you can't always know if it is good enough. That's why forums like this are a great place for us to share.