Outwell Oakland XL Tent 2013 Deluxe Collection

Review Score

Price Guide

Outwell Oakland XL Tent 2013 Deluxe Collection Photos

Our Review

The Oakland XL is a very popular tent from Outwell. Ideal for weekend family camping.

The Oakland XL is a great small family tent, and would suit two adults and two or 3 kids.

• Two separate bedrooms: if you have two kids, Mum and Dad can have the larger room.  3 kids and the Oakland XL still accommodates.
• Living area with big windows so the tent feels light and airy.  The windows have blinds though if you wish to get changed.
• Steel poles and a double guying system, where the guy line is attached at both top and bottom of poles, make the tent more stable in winds.
• Outtex 4000 waterproof material with taped seams to prevent leaks.
• The floor is a generous 10000mm hydrostatic head (i.e. very waterproof), and with a sewn in bath-tub style ground sheet, bugs, draft, and water should keep out.
• Shelter over side door makes it easier to get in and out of the tent in the rain, limiting any rain that may fall through an open door (though we still recommend the front extension Oakland XL Front Extension ).
• Mesh pockets inside help stow smaller items - a great place for keeping a torch.
• Lamp holder with cable ties if you are using an electric hookup.
• Colour coded poles to simplify setup, and pre-attached guy lines.
• Good ventilation.

Outwell Oakland XL 2013 Extras

Outwell Oakland XL Carpet

The first item we recommend you invest in is the Oakland XL Carpet.

This will make the tent much more comfortable and warmer (see Are tent carpets worth it?).  

Oakland XL Front Extension

The Front Extension is cheaper than the Front Awning.

As well as saving you a few pennies, the open front allows you to enjoy the outside even if it is raining, and when camping with kids, the open front means they can come and go back to the tent without bringing muddy boots inside.  The big extension acts as a large porch providing an excellent wet/dry entrance, and somewhere to leave muddy wellies and rain coats, keeping your inner tent warm and dry.

Oakland XL Front Awning

The Front Awning extends your living space even further, and can be completely sealed from the elements, unlike the Front Extension mentioned above.

Note though that your only storm entrance is the side door as due to the sloping front of the awning, coming in and out via that in the rain will get water in your tent.

This may not be that much of an issue though, and you can roll back the groundsheet in the front section and use it as a place to hang wet gear to dry.

Oakland XL Footprint

The Footprint provides you an additional ground sheet that sits under your tent.

For most situations you will not need one of these, and we use a cheap tarp under the tent when it is wet and muddy.

It does also provide some protection from pebbles and twigs ripping your main tent groundsheet... but you check for these anyway, don't you? ;-)

As with any ground sheet under your tent, make sure the tent sits completely over the top of it (to avoid water seeping between groundsheet and tent), and still don't pitch over hollows in the ground, marshy areas, or at a bottom of a hill where water may run off and into your tent.

Oakland XL Video

Here's a short video from Outwell.

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