An adjustable sternum strap and air mesh-padded back and shoulder straps help you get a comfortable and customizable fit every time. Whether you are planning your next hike or heading home for the holidays, the Ozark Trail Denton 20 L Hiking Backpack has you covered. The one downside with integrated rain flies is the lack of ventilation and temperature control. We had great weather – not too hot and not too cold – but it did rain for about 5 minutes. My friend chose to not put up his rain fly betting on the perfect weather to continue while enjoying the stars at night. There is a lack of reinforcement on the pack's taffeta bottom, though. Shoulder straps are lightweight mesh-lined with very little padding. Temperatures can swing from chilly mornings to sweltering afternoons. Consider bringing several sets of clothing so you have options for hiking and spending time at camp. Overall, it could have been roomier, but the weight savings were attractive to me with only one spar instead of two. Furthermore, I didn’t plan on being in the tent other than during the nights, so a roomier but heavier 1-person tent wasn’t desirable. The weather was going to be great and the hammock was where I wanted to be during the restful moments of the day. Some 1-person tents will have two major spars or spines that cross for the main support structure. In the Ozark Trail tent, it has only one spar traveling down the center lengthwise with a single rib to open up the area in the middle. The four or six tent pegs hold the structure down but are crucial for the tent to stand by itself. The Ozark does need those pegs in the ground to be self-standing so setting up on rocks would be infeasible (at least without applying some clever tenting skills). The Ozark Trail 1-Person Backpacking Tent is on the cheaper end of the spectrum. A variety of websites have it currently priced for less than $50. Ozark springs see a lot of rain and varied temperatures; Ozark summers tend to be hot, muggy, and wet; Ozark winters can drop below freezing. Wet weather is common to the Ozark climate, especially in late spring through summer, and fosters a breeding ground for bugs, mosquitos, and ticks. Consider bringing waterproof shoes and treating your clothes ahead of time with permethrin to repel insects. In the colder seasons insulating layers are a must, and a good rain shell for you and rain fly for your tent are necessary year-round. I spend a great deal of time on the water every summer boating and fishing in Northern Michigan. I will often load a large cooler up at the beginning of the week and leave it on my Pontoon packed with drinks and ice. If you have a boat and bring kids or friends on the water, you know that once you leave the dock the requests for drinks start rolling in fast and furious. Sure, you can load a cooler out each morning packed with fresh ice, but it is just so much easier to cut down all that work with a cooler than can keep ice for days on end. When we were there a few days ago to hang our food bags, we passed by some support staff for a foot race on the OT. We apparently looked suspicious to some; the local sheriff caught up with us and inquired about our intent; someone thought we might be stashing marijuana seeds or the like. Try out unlimited access with 7 days of Outside+ for free. You may encounter some natural hazards when hiking through the wilderness, but it shouldn’t deter you from enjoying the outdoors. The Ozark Trail Association maintains a number of maps to help you traverse each section of the trail. It's light enough that I don't mind putting it in my backpack and it takes up almost no space at all. For day hikes this is just as good as (and lighter than) my Osprey Daylite that retails for almost four times more. At 35 liters, this pack is perfect for day trips or for hikers who don't need to carry a lot of gear on the trails. On one of the hottest days, the remote sensor reported temperatures exceeding 107 Degrees Fahrenheit while the air temp was in the high 80’s. In product design, UX gets a lot of attention—and for good reason. Making products that are intuitive, efficient, and user-friendly is crucial. Kelli is a content writer with a degree in English Education from Penn State University. As a mom and a former middle school English teacher, she has spent the last 25 years looking for good deals for her home and the classroom. While the Ozark Trail doesn’t run directly through any towns, hikers may access options for resupply and services along the way, including the locales below.