OZTent RV-3 Our Honest Review 

Curious, what size pole for the front of the awning and is it an oztent product or aftermarket? Thanks

Since you have a pickup truck, here is a tip - first position the back of the truck right at the point where the awning attached to the tent will end. I first place a netted ground sheet down starting at the rear of the truck, but it is optional. Now erect the tent so that the erected veranda will touch or be slightly above the canopy of the pickup truck. This will mean that if you have any fridges, supplies or cooking equipment inside the truck canopy, including sliding drawers, it is positioned right at the front of your veranda where the inside of the pickup canopy becomes an effective extension to your tent. As additional protection for the tent floor, I also place a 2.4m by 2.4m custom made synthetic tarp (that doubles up as a rain cover for everything on the roof) on the inside floor of the tent. Since it will frequently become dirty from muddy feet etc, I simply take it outside and wash it down before bringing it back inside. In Australia and South Africa, unless there happens to be a strong wind blowing in which case you want to position the veranda down-wind and keep the back window flap closed, this tent works best when positioned with the veranda due north and where additional middle tent poles are utilised for the veranda with that stabilising horizontal pole positioned between the middle poles. The poles in the middle are then elevated higher than the front poles so that the maximum shade is generated on the veranda and that the bulk of the tent is somewhat shielded from the heat of the sun. The front ventilation flaps are at the highest part of the tent and it is essential to keep them open for hot air to escape from the tent that will draw cooler air in from the back or side windows. For the same reason that hot air rises, those top ventilation flaps are highly effective at removing moisture laden air from your tent at night which reduces condensation. Unless you are happy to deal with snakes, scorpions and giant spiders, always keep the bug-net on the front door fully zipped up at all times.

Great review! Definitely consider getting one of these as our other tent takes ages to put up with fly sheet etc and then I dread packing up as well. Thanks for posting.

Great review thank you. My ears pricked up when you mentioned the extra protection between the corners of the frame and the floor. Cheers, Peter

Great video, thanks for the feedback and info, I have now purchased the rv3 with the extra poles.👍🤠

I purchased my RV4 around 6 years ago, at the time i had a ford focus hatch and drove it from Vic to Armadale, Northern NSW - the longest i've used it was 3 weeks of touring and had it up and down in different locations for 2.5 of those weeks- the ease of setup and takedown was very appreciated, especially after spending hours behind the wheel and just wanting to crack open a cold one at camp when i did stop. We had 90km/h gusts on one trip and it handled it without any issues (i did pull down the awning before the winds hit). The spreader bar is a great addition, but the one thing i'd highly recommend is the rain fly, if not the rain, it keeps the condensation down. After the ford focus, i had a triton (since traded in as we needed a family car - leaf springs weren't great for the little ones), and now i'm driving an octavia wagon - the tent's been around on each of these cars, the biggest downside i've had is the length, i've had to carry it on the roof racks of each car - including the triton (didn't have a canopy on the tub) with a bit of timber between the racks and under the tent to give it a bit of support so i wouldnt bend the frame when strapping it down. You can get oztent roof pods to carry them, but they are pricey and i'm too cheap lol.

I put the spreader pole on top of the awning so in heavy rain it doesn’t pool and collapse- learned that by seeing it happen to another oz tent , the fly is definitely worth getting, we leave it on (it zips on) and it fits in the bag easy, keeps the heat off and stops condensation

That was a great review Sendin' It. I want a simple Camp set up for off the back of my flat tray. I really like the users reviews.

Thanks for demonstration I’m sold 👍🏿

Thanks for the excellent video. After trying a couple of other family-type tents which take ages to put up and then pack away we have gone for the RV4 with fly. Watching your video and a few other convinced us to spend the dollars and buy the OzTent. Not even used it yet as we’ve just picked it up. But looking forward to less time setting up camp and packing up. Good tip On the spreader pole too! Cheers guys. Paul.

Thank you :). Great review.

You need to get in touch with Drifta Australia and replace those awning eyelets and poles with their gear..also get a Drifta tent bag to suit...

Good review Went to camp late, set it up, next day pegged it So good 🤙

Thanks for the review, I'm going with the RV5. With 3 100lb pups the RTT isn't the option. I also like that 270degree awning by OZTent. That heavy duty canvas looks like it would hold well in the winter. Thanks again for sharing

Seriously, thanks for this review! Was considering buying RV4 or even RV5 just for the extra space but since our boys don't camp with us I think the RV3 would be ideal for hubby & I. Can't wait to get back out there now that Victoria no longer has the 25km travel restrictions! Cheers!

The oztent is definitely not a 30 second tent! It’s big, heavy and expensive!! But it’s awesome! It’s modular and easy to add the bits you need when you need them! If I go on my own I just set up the tent without the awning and If weather isn’t the greatest, it’s easy to throw on the side walls and the front wall. If I go with the fam it’s the whole setup or the foxwing with sidewalls for added protection.

I love my Oztents. I use a Rv3 and 4 together with side walls and a connector. Makes a massive central living room. The Oztent products are fantastic.

It is a shame they don’t make them in canvas anymore as the American market dose not like canvas because of fire. I found these nest ones they make don’t breath as well, it is a real shame.

You can improve these tents with purchasing Drifta poles and replacement eyelets to take the Drifta poles. Love to see the tent made from Aussie canvas and not the imported rip stop material which is incorrectly called canvas.

We have a coleman 4 person dark room tent and to be honest it is probably quicker to setup than that, Only need 4 pegs in my coleman and 2 ropes for the vestibule/awning that comes out. Plus the dark room feature stops me getting up at 5 am camping like I used to. I heard about these, I remember these being promoted as a very fast tent to erect and yes it is good but the price and the size of it packed up is a deal breaker for me. Great video though, thanks for the review.

My son came and showed me one of these yesterday. You are right putting a sacrificial tarp underneath, this is good practice as it protects the floor from being punctured and allowing water in. I would get a bigger one as yours looked too narrow, and a little longer to fill in the front awning. They are cheap and fold away to nothing. You could even use one on 1 side as a wind break until you get the proper zip on one. It pays to open some vents in any weather as condensation will build up on the inside. This leads to extra moisture and you dont want to pack it away as it will produce mould. Protect your investment. A couple of old thick socks will save your corners of the base where the frame sits. Looks like you are having fun, good on ya's Get out there and see the country.

Been looking at tents.Austents.Appear to be mostly waterproof.I like the idea of the tarp under the tent to stop moisture from damaging the tent base.Easy to set up and pack up.And they are very strong.I believe I may be sold on them.Excellent demonstration.I hope the Austent company take note of your demo. BEST I have seen on utube

Honest review.

You need to get in touch with Drifta Australia and replace those awning eyelets and poles with their gear ....also get their oztent bag... heaps better than the oztent stuff...

👍👍

Thanks for the honest review. Its the best review I've seen because of the details. We sold our RTT to move to a ground tent that suitable for touring with up to two kids and im seriously considering this tent design. My worry is the hinges in strong winds. Where I live we get some savage winds coming in up in the mountains. Do the hinges look that weak? Many thanks Mike

Great video guys. How about a video on how to waterproof the canvas.

Have the RV4 for over 6years now and would not trade it

The rain drops are not rain drops. Its moisture build up as the hot air meets the cold of the night. Purchasing the fly is pretty much a strong recomendation, it will stop this happening as much. Tip number two, fk hammering pegs in, get a 12v rattle gun some 150mm coach screws a washer and a link of chain. Home made tent pegs that wont ever bend and take no effort to put in the ground.

We've just bought one of these tents. At 9:21 you mention water-proofing the tent. How did you do this? I remember as a kid that if it was raining you didn't touch the inside of a wet tent because it would create a drip, but being kids, of course we touched the inside of the tent.

What made you guys change from Oztent to the Darche RTT?

Best tents you can buy! I have an RV1 and an RV3 but I will say the RV1 feels like it will break the corner brackets when you are packing it up because of the extra long awning that bunches up more than the 3 4 &5 awning and its harder to fold A & B in., people should stop wasting money on tents and by an Oztent! RV3 is my favourite for couples camping, great review :)

Love your video! Just wanted to ask how the tent goes in the wind? Just got back from camping with our nylon tent and the wife absolutly hated the flapping noise the nylon tent made, so looking at a canvas tent now and the RV3 is leading the pack! Just want to know that it doesn’t flap and move a lot it being canvas

The biggest downside to this tent is that the windows should have the canvas on the inside with the mesh on the outside so you don’t have to go outside the tent to adjust the airflow.

How’s does this tent perform in heavy winds ?

Ground cover comes with the tent?

What size is the mat underneath the tent? Thx!

Sorry to be a smart arse, but at 2m long, with my Falcon wagon, I just open the hatch and slide it right in. Room for a waterbottle behind it as well ! 😊

Where did you get the pole from?

We are looking to buy one soon . Great honest review. One question Have you been in it with heavy rain? Did you have to waterproof the whole tent? I thought they were waterproof? Thanks again Mick

Damn good video. Consider me subscribed.

Every owner of these oztents know that are longer than 30secs to setup.

Please stop saying “obvisly” 😆

Awesome reviews guys thanks so much 👍👍 @tuffenuf4cruisin