Is The $4 Ozark Trail Walmart Survival Tent Worth It? Fab Or Fail?

Let's test a 4$ survival tube tent from Walmart sold under the Ozark Trail Brand.

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#prepper #bushcraft #survival

[ThePreparedWanderer]

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[davidcarothers]

I had one of these two years ago when I was on the run from the Arizona State Police.
I covered myself with it and it Did defeat the heat detectors from their helicopters!
I was able to escape back to Georgia with no problems.
A Great Piece Of Kit!! 😊😊

[thewhopperyeti]

Thats at least some mylar and some "rope". It would keep ya alive. Its not supposed to keep you comfortable, just alive.

[reneerupert]

What about utilizing that inside a regular tent as an extra layer of protection? For $4 it would pay to carry it for its reflectiveness and the ability to get completely inside it.

[jennifereastep]

I keep a few Dollar Tree Shower curtains on hand that can be utilized as emergency shelters that are more durable than this. 2 shower curtains and a roll of cheap Dollar tree paracord will cost about the same as this monstrosity and will be just as light weight and compact and can be utilized in a variety of ways to provide temporary shelter in an emergency.
The second you mentioned that this was made from mylar, I knew exactly what would happen as soon as you took it out of the plastic. No matter how careful you are with mylar, at best it might, MIGHT, provide a one time shelter. At least with the shower curtains, if you're careful, they can provide use multiple times and are slightly more durable.

[HuntCreekBushcraft]

Along the lines of
@marksolum1794‘s comment…. I have carried that same Ozark Trails (Walmart) brand Mylar “Emergency Tent” in my get home bag for about 4 years. Thankfully Ive never needed it. But I’ve wondered too, how well it would serve me in a true emergency situation. Unfortunately, unlike more durable and forgiving equipment, it’s not really something you can practice with, then put away properly to be used again later. So that’s why your video here is so appreciated. Now I can anticipate an epic fail in real life conditions, plan to replace that shelter with something more stout and use the Mylar tent as a simple heat reflector or bivy.
Thank you for this realistic and informative demonstration.

[fredjordway]

Please don't give up on this survival tent. The cost is minimal for a good amount of mylar. Over 15 years ago, I asked my wife to make me a tarp. 10X12 ft. from rip stop nylon. She used banding to make loops around the tarp. I took 2 space blankets and 3M spray glue after hanging the blankets in the garage and using a hair dryer to get the wrinkles out. It's light weight, and durable. The mylar reflects the heat well.

I also have used it on the inside of a rainfly on cheap tents bought at Big5 that are mainly net on the upper half.
Works well, even if you only bring the rainfly with the glued mylar, you have something to work with. A few carabiners and 550 cord goes a long way. I believe with a pattern, a tarp with nylon and mylar and clear plastic can make a good super shelter..

[ager]

I wonder what failed here? The product or you? If you had no survival blanket or other gear, wouldn't you look for a location which sheltered you from wind? Like the brush thicket in the deep background, rocks or dirt banks, fallen trees, or debris piles with fallen brush...anything handy. It is a no brainer that this item won't survive high winds...but it still could be a useful item, if used properly within its limits. Understanding your surroundings and the natural conditions in your particular situation are foremost requirements in a survival situation.

[shootingsportstransparency]

It's not a regular 1500 dollar tent, but if you had the skills how to use that 4 dollar blanket it could be a live saver

[Linda-zt]

I have one but I keep it for a bivy liner if needed.

[wd]

A 55 gal drum liner or larger with maybe a hole to look and breathe out of would be a good instant shelter for wind and rain. Good video to show the short commings of the tent.

[Vladviking]

A bag of tater chips is five bucks now so yea it has to be worth it, or we are all screwed.

[IdahoSewing]

I have a quick video on my channel showing the tube-tent concept using a ~10x10 sheet of clear 3-mil plastic. With a good debris mattress and stuffed full of more debris, it was much better. The sheet was stitched into a tube using sticks for thread.

You might be able to makeshift it with two large garbage bags, alternately.

One of the worst things about mylar blankets is that if you're wearing electronic hearing protection, you will be shut down constantly! That metallic crackle really is that bad.


And as far as that reflective stuff being warm.... Not if you touch it!

[williamburdon]

You would have found another fault had you slept in it all night, with all that clothing on, you would have woke up to everything damp on you, deadly, even if it isn't freezing out

[scrapperstacker]

Thanks for the review The most I would use it for is an extra layer to go in my shelter system. Not even sure that would be worth it. Great video though.

[shaneanderson]

These all all gimmicks they're super thin always rip and aren't worth it you'd better off saving your 4 dollars for a cheap tarp

[patrickradcliffe]

I have two of these tube tents in my bug out bag for the family

[tenchraven]

The best pocket sized space blankets were the Heatsheets from Adventure Medical, but they stopped making those years ago because the bean counters wanted better margin. These days, a 5 or better 6 mil contractor bag, the silvering of the mylar doesn't actually change their ability to serve as wind break to stop convection and to create a microclimate.

[aaronzierke]

The only thing it's good for is a super shelter. That and some clear plastic. Your warm if you have fire.

[ed]

the original tube tent, poly or plastic? Used one Way back in the 70's. I used duct tape to add stake points for it and closed off one end.