Ozark Trail · Camping Tents & Tarps
Ozark Trail 6-Person Clip & Camp Dome Tent
Skip unless brand reveals coating type; water-repellent coating-treated tents often use PFAS-based finishes.
Ozark Trail refuses to disclose the waterproofing treatment chemistry on this tent. water-repellent coating coatings on budget outdoor gear commonly use PFAS compounds like C8 or GenX alternatives for water and stain resistance. No testing or PFAS-free certification found.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Polyester fabric with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What Ozark Trail 6-Person Clip & Camp Dome Tent is made of, ingredients and materials
This tent uses polyester fabric with a factory-applied water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating. Polyester itself is chemically stable and does not leach significant amounts of harmful compounds under normal camping conditions. However, the water-repellent coating finish is the critical unknown, many outdoor apparel and tent manufacturers use PFAS-based fluorinated compounds to achieve water repellency, which can persist in the environment and bioaccumulate. Ozark Trail has not publicly disclosed what chemical class their water-repellent coating belongs to.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
water-repellent coating chemical composition (fluorinated vs. non-fluorinated)
Ozark Trail does not disclose whether their water-repellent coating is PFAS-based or PFAS-free. Fluorinated water-repellent coatings have been linked to PFAS bioaccumulation, but non-fluorinated alternatives exist and are not labeled here.
Mold and bacterial growth in damp storage
Any tent fabric can develop mold, mildew, or bacterial colonies if stored wet or in high-humidity conditions; polyester is not mold-resistant and degradation can weaken waterproofing.
What’s reassuring
Polyester fiber shedding and microfiber release
Polyester tents do not inherently release significant microfibers during normal use or weathering; outdoor exposure is not equivalent to laundering conditions that generate microplastic shedding.
Off-gassing from polyester or adhesives
Polyester fabric itself does not off-gas VOCs under normal conditions. Seam-tape adhesives and coating solvents may release minor volatile compounds when new, but exposure is minimal in outdoor ventilated use and dissipates within days.
Heavy metals
Commercial polyester tent fabric is dyed with standardized synthetic azo dyes; heavy metal contamination is not a recognized issue for this product class and no recalls are on record for Ozark Trail tents.
Source, FDA ↗The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Ozark Trail, owned by Walmart, maintains minimal public transparency on material safety and chemical content for camping gear. The brand does not publish PFAS policies, environmental certifications, or chemical disclosures comparable to premium outdoor brands. No major recalls or documented chemical safety controversies are on record for Ozark Trail tents, but this reflects limited third-party testing rather than confirmed safety. The company's silence on water-repellent coating chemistry is the primary concern.
How it compares in its category
Budget-tier tents like Ozark Trail are typically treated with cost-effective, often PFAS-based water-repellent coating coatings, whereas some premium brands now disclose use of PFAS-free alternatives or provide third-party water-resistance data. Polyester dome tents have lower concern for off-gassing compared to PVC-coated or vinyl tents, which carry higher off-gassing risks. However, without coating disclosure, this product's water-repellent coating chemistry cannot be compared to competitors that explicitly state their water-repellent coating composition.
If you buy it
Store the tent dry and well-ventilated to prevent mold growth and off-gassing buildup in compressed conditions. Avoid exposing it to sustained high heat (above 60°C / 140°F) which can degrade polyester fibers and potentially accelerate coating breakdown. Hand-wash with mild soap and water rather than harsh detergents to preserve the water-repellent coating layer; commercial waterproofing re-treatments should be applied only with documented PFAS-free products if available. Replace or retire the tent if seams separate, fabric tears, or waterproofing visibly fails.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 35% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Ozark Trail has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More camping tents & tarps grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.