Do I need to set my new tent up before going camping?

Yes, OZtrail firmly advises that you set your tent up before your camping holiday. It is essential for you to know how your tent is setup. It can take over half an hour to set a tent up for the very first time. This is because you will be unfamiliar with its particular features.

I am only setting up the tent for one night; do I need to put up the guy ropes?

Yes, you do have to use your tent’s entire supply of guy ropes at all times. You cannot predict the weather and therefore must be prepared for the worst. Without having your guy ropes attached and firmly pegged into the ground you cannot expect your tent to withstand any inclement weather. Failing to use guy ropes is the number one cause of fibreglass pole breakages.

Why is my tent leaking through the material?

Your tent is most likely not leaking through the material. What you are seeing on the inside of your fly is condensation. Basically, warm moist air is being trapped on the inside of your tent fly, rising to the top and forming into water droplets. You can avoid this by maintaining a well ventilated tent.  Keep windows, where possible, open. If you have any concerns about this contact your local OZtrail stockist and they will discuss it with you.

Do I need to put a tarp under the floor?

You do not need to place a ground sheet under your tent. However, using a groundsheet such as an OZtrail Ultramesh Tarp will protect your tent from undue wear and tear. This will also increase your tent’s lifespan.

Do I need to put a tarp over the tent?

It is not a necessity to cover your tent with a tarp. However, tarps do help to reduce the Ultra Violet exposure to your tent. Using one of OZtrail's Ultrarig tarps will greatly extend your tent’s lifespan. This also creates an area which is shaded, cooler, and much more comfortable, after all isn’t that what camping is all about.

Will the tent leak if I touch the sides?

No, this may have been the case with much older dome tents (10–15 years ago). Today there is a significant amount of technology built into the waterproof treatments on your tent. For more information see:

UVTEX coatings
Are the materials used in your tents waterproof?

Why can’t I use a stove or gas light in my tent?

You cannot use any flame or heat source within your tent. It is extremely dangerous for a number of reasons including carbon monoxide poisoning or asphyxiation. Your tent could literally have all of the breathable air used by your flame or heat source.  The breathable air would be replaced with Carbon Monoxide and other fumes created by fire.

Your tent is made from Polyester. Whilst there is a fire retardant treatment on OZtrail tents, you cannot fire-proof polyester. Your tent may burn if placed too close to a naked flame or source of heat.

How should I store my tent after a camping trip?

You should always store your tent in a cool dry place. Do not store your tent where it will be exposed to sunlight or the elements. You should always clean your tent after a camping trip and ensure that it is packed away dry and clean.

What happens when a fibreglass pole breaks? Can it be repaired?

Fibreglass pole sections can break due to:

• Incorrect setup - If your pole sections are not all inserted into the stainless steel ferrule properly this can create an unnatural angle in the pole lengths curve.  This can cause a weak spot.
• Not using the tent’s guy ropes - If you do not use all of your guy ropes winds can exert too much force on your fibreglass tent poles.
• Misuse, neglect or abuse - If you inflict a significant trauma to the fibreglass (i.e. hitting the pole sections against solid objects with force etc.) it can create weak spots or stress points.

Pole sections can definitely be repaired.

If I break the shock cord in the pole line can I repair it myself?

You can replace the shock cord in a pole length simply and easily. The shock cord in a pole length is used as a setup aid, so your tent will function without it.

Can I get spare parts for my Gazebo?

Yes, spare parts are available for the vast majority of OZtrail products. Contact your local OZtrail stockist for pricing on your part.

Can the gazebo handle all weather conditions?

No, the OZtrail range of Gazebos are designed to be portable and compact. We intend for them to be used as temporary shade structures only. They are not intended to be used in storms or heavy rainstorms.  They should be pegged down and guy roped at all times using the pegs and guy roped provided.

Is the gazebo waterproof?

Yes, the materials used on the canopies of the Gazebos are very similar to the materials used in our tents. The canopies make use of all the same waterproofing and water resilience technologies that our tents do. However, you must remember that the sides are open and rain very rarely falls vertically! If you must keep something dry you may want to use the optional gazebo solid wall kit available from your local OZtrail stockist.

Can the gazebo be erected permanently?

No, the OZtrail range of Gazebos are designed to be portable and compact. We intend for them to be used as temporary shade structures only. They are not intended to be used in storms or heavy rainstorms. They should pegged and guy roped at all times using the pegs and guy roped provided.

How do I season canvas? Do I need to wet it down?

Yes, you do need to wet the canvas to ‘season it’.  You should set up your canvas tent before camping in it, and hose/wet it completely and then allow it to dry. It is best to repeat this process a number of times. This helps the thread in the stitching to swell and fill all stitch holes completely. You may also consider protecting your stitching by using a waterproofing product, such as a wax stick, on the exterior of the stitching. This will ensure that you get the longest lifespan possible out of your canvas tent.

How do I get the best performance out of my cooler?

There are a number of steps to making sure that you get the best performance out of your cooler:

• Ensure that it is always full - Air is a poor insulator. If there is a large air filled cavity in your cooler it will drain the ice’s cooling ability much faster.
• Always use a minimum of 1/3rd of the coolers total volume in ice or an equivalent cooling product - this is the minimum ratio of ice to food that can be used. If you use more ice you should expect a slower decay rate.
• Don’t place warm items in your cooler - Where possible allow all items to cool to room temperature before placing them into your cooler. Where possible place your food in your fridge before packing your cooler for your trip. This will save the ice from having to work harder to bring the temperature down.
• Always place your cooler in the shade - The insulation is also designed to stop heat penetrating the walls of your cooler, not just the cool escaping. Place a cool wet towel over the cooler as well to maximize the effect.
• Do not leave your cooler in your car for long periods of time - When your windows are closed and your car is parked in the sun it can reach temperatures of 80–90°C. This can greatly reduce the ice's lifespan.

Yes, in most full size coolers you can use dry ice. However, you should not use it in personal size coolers.

How should I clean my cooler?

Use warm soapy water on the interior of the cooler. Avoid using abrasives as this may create scratches in the food grade liner.

Can I get spare parts for my cooler?

Yes, spare parts are available for all OZtrail and Igloo coolers. Contact your local OZtrail stockist for details.

Why can’t I compress the gas struts of my camper trailer? I think they may be seized.

It is entirely unlikely that your gas struts have seized. They are usually pressured to compress at between 800–1300 Newton metres of force. This is an extreme amount of pressure. As there is a significant amount of pressure and weight placed upon these struts during their compression by the camper top it is unlikely that you will be able to compress them by hand.

Why does OZtrail exclusively use DuraPlus fibreglass poles in Tents?

The DuraPlus fibreglass poles have been the premium quality in fibreglass poles for almost a decade. The unparalleled strength and flexibility DuraPlus offers will ensure that your OZtrail Tent will perform to its peak. Rather than a single piece of fibreglass, the DuraPlus fibreglass pole has secondary layers of fibreglass layered around the outside of the pole section. This extra layer dramatically increases the strength of the fibreglass pole section. This enables us to create large yet strong structures.

What is the PosiBrace system and how does it work?

The PosiBrace System has been used successfully in OZtrail tents for over a decade. The system creates a multi-stage reinforcement system to ensure your tent is secure and protected.

1. The pre-tied Guy Ropes anchor the tent fly to the ground. The shock cord loop, at the attachment point, creates a shock absorbing buffer.
2. At all guy rope attachment points and all fibreglass pole cross points, there are touch tape tabs (velcro). These PosiBrace tabs anchor the guy rope attachment point and fly to the DuraPlus fibreglass poles of the tent.
3. The fibreglass poles secure to the inner tent using ‘J’ hooks, heavy duty pole sleeves, or a combination of both. This ensures that the stress the tent endures is spread across many facets of the tent and not solely one point.

Why does OZtrail use 75 Denier Polyester in its shelter range?

We use 75 Denier Polyester throughout our OZtrail Dome Tent range for its strength, natural waterproof structure, and low even material profile.

Denier is a measure of the weight/mass of a textile. It is measured as the weight, in grams, of a single fibre of a material 9,000 meters long. The weight in grams is expressed as the materials Denier. Using lightweight and densely woven materials enables stitching to be extremely strong. As the material is very dense the sewing process does not weaken the material. This enables the polyester panels to be delicately assembled to create large strong structures.

What is the Portico Web Pole system?

The Portico Web pole system gives a tent unparalleled strength and internal space. Coupled with this strength and size is the ability to have near straight internal walls. This increases the usable space within your tent, and more floor space means more comfort.

How does it work?

The patented design links the use of strong steel support poles with the flexibility of a DuraPlus fibreglass pole network. The steel support poles give the system it’s near straight walls and dramatically increased head room without compromising on the strength of the structure. The DuraPlus fibreglass roof poles create a strong yet flexible roof system whilst maintaining the water resilient properties of a Dome structure. This roof system also acts as a natural shock absorber for the structure.

Portico Extended Vestibules

The Portico system has become a benchmark in design for outdoor structures. By combining the strength of steel poles with the flexibility and natural shock absorption of the DuraPlus fibreglass poles, used exclusively in OZtrail products, the Portico Vestibule offers the premium in floor space, shade, and head room.

What is the Ventura Roof Vent system and how does it work?

The Ventura Roof Vent system is the ultimate evolution in camping comfort. The Ventura Roof Vents utilise the Venturi Effect which was first discovered by Italian Physicist Giovanni Battista Venturi during the 18th Century. OZtrail has blended this essential physics principle with practical design knowledge to create a system of roof vents which expel hot air, when opened, at an exceptionally faster rate than floor mounted models. This system also enables warm air to be conserved, when vents are closed, in colder climates. This superior system is found on all OZtrail Classic, Elite, and Sportiva Dome Tents.

How does it work?

By creating a point of extraction along the natural flow of warm air, upward, in a constricted point, the top of the dome, the rate of flow is increased by the air being forced into this constricting point. This causes pressure to drop and flow rate to increase. This principle is also heavily used in plumbing design and anti pollution appliances.

What Does Climate Control mean?

This denotes that a model has a Ventilation point (see Ventura Roof Vents) that is able to be operated from within the tent. Unlike many inferior designs this system removes the need to exit your tent to operate your ventilation points.

What are the advantages of UVTEX® textile technologies?

The textile treatments that OZtrail use exclusively, for its shelter range, have been setting the benchmark for resilience and durability in the Outdoor industry for over a decade. The UVTEX® system involves a number of external treatments being applied to all fabrics that must handle the diverse and challenging Australian climate. The first treatment is a UV balancing property that is designed to reduce the harsh effects of the Australian sun. Secondly an ASHI Guard water resilience treatment is applied to the external skin of the polyester material. OZtrail uses this external combination to protect the outer skin of your tent. Much like the human body has an intricate evolved system of defense from the sun so does the OZtrail shelter range. The UVTEX® system ensures that your tent will perform at its peak throughout its lifespan.

Are the materials used in your tents waterproof?

Yes, the materials OZtrail use in their tents have been designed and engineered to create a waterproof structure. There are three stages to the materials water proof nature:

1. The UVTEX® external textile treatments incorporate an ASHI Guard water repellency formula. This acts to avoid water pooling, it does so by forcing the water to bead rather than ‘wet up’ the material.
2. The textiles we use are 100% Polyester. We use 75 Denier polyester as it is a very tightly woven and strong fabric. The nature of this tight weave creates a second layer barrier for water. The low profile of a 75 Denier polyester also enables superior surface adherence for textile treatments.
3. A 100% Water Block out coated is adhered to the underside of the Polyester. This is the final and ultimate layer. It is placed on the inside of the tent to reduce the effect of Ultra Violet exposure. This ensures that your polyester will remain waterproof for its lifespan.

But what about the stitching?

The OZtrail range of shelters use a three stage defense on all stitching points on the exterior of waterproof panels.

1. The stitching is a cotton sheathed polyester thread. This cotton coating swells when water comes into contact with it. This fills the stitch holes completely blocking the water from entering it.
2. As a second layer of defense the seams of the panels are ‘lap-felled’. This method of joining material panels creates a very dense yet low profile seam.
3. As a final stage a seam-sealing tape is adhered by the factory. This is applied using a heat sealing process. This is an absolute water block out.

Are Tents designed to handle storms and bad weather?

OZtrail tents are designed to handle our harsh elements and at times unpredictable weather. However, all products have limits and we DO NOT recommend you place your product intentionally in this situation. If you are aware that a storm is imminent you should take every precaution, this may include packing up your campsite and tent. In normal rainstorms you should ensure that your tent is pitched as per your Owner’s Manuals description utilising all guy ropes and peg points. If you do not follow these instructions and choose an appropriate campsite your tent cannot be expected to perform to its designed standard. Play it safe, avoid bad weather if possible and choose your campsite with these eventualities in mind.