Last weekend I took the new OEX Phoxx 3 out for its first real test with my cocker spaniel Daisy on Kinder Scout in the Peak District.
The Phoxx range has built a reputation for being tough, reliable and surprisingly storm-worthy, so I was excited to see what the new updated version was like in the wild.
This trip wasn’t the harshest test conditions – it was a calm, foggy night on the plateau – but it gave me a great chance to get familiar with the new design and see how it performs as a wild camping shelter for tall campers.
Key Specifications
- Weight: 2.3kg
- Sleeps: 3 (realistically 2)
- Flysheet: 5000mm hydrostatic head
- Groundsheet: 4000mm hydrostatic head
- Packed size: 46 x 13 x 13 cm
- Pitch time: ~5 minutes
- Small vestibule for boots or cooking
The flysheet also comes pre-attached, meaning you can pitch everything together quickly in bad weather.
What’s New on the Updated Phoxx 3
OEX have made several improvements compared to the previous model.
New Colours
The new model comes in updated colours, with the inner tent now featuring a gold interior, which gives it a slightly warmer feel inside compared to the older versions.
Improved Ventilation
Ventilation has been significantly upgraded.
- Bigger outer vents
- Ventilation panels on every inner tent panel
This should help reduce condensation — something low-profile tents can struggle with.
Simplified Pole Clips
There are fewer clips attaching the inner to the poles, which speeds up pitching slightly.
New Guy Line Adjusters
The tent now includes updated guy rope adjusters, making tensioning easier.
Adjustable Toggle Pulls
The door toggles are now adjustable, giving more flexibility when rolling doors back.
Two-Part Inner Door Zip
One of the best changes is the two-part inner door zip, with:
- a vertical zip
- and a horizontal zip
This means you can partially open the door for extra ventilation without fully opening the tent.
Adjustable Pole Attachment Points
The pole ends now use adjustable attachment points, which makes pitching easier because you can loosen them first and tighten afterwards.
Removed Zip Stopper
OEX also removed the zip stopper that many users disliked on the older versions.
Thinner Guy Lines
The tent now uses slightly thinner guy lines, helping shave a bit of bulk.
What Stayed the Same
Despite the updates, the core design that made the Phoxx popular remains.
- 2.3kg weight
- 5000mm flysheet waterproof rating
- 4000mm groundsheet
- Flysheet comes pre-attached
- 4 internal storage pockets
- Lantern hanging points
- Small vestibule
These are all features that helped the previous Phoxx tents earn their reputation for being very robust for the price.
Why I Chose the Phoxx 3
I chose this tent mainly because of its reputation for being bulletproof.
There are loads of reviews online showing these tents handling serious wind and rough weather, which is exactly what you want for wild camping in places like the Peak District.
It’s not the lightest tent available, but weight wasn’t my main priority.
I’m a tall camper, and I also expect that I’ll sometimes be camping with someone else in the future. Because of that I decided to go with the 3-person version, which realistically works as a comfortable 2-person tent.
For this trip it was just me and Daisy, and we had plenty of room for both of us plus my pack inside the tent.
The vestibule is quite small, so I prefer to keep my pack inside anyway — it’s easier to reach things during the night.
Pitching the Tent
Pitching the Phoxx 3 was quick and straightforward.
Once you know where everything goes, it’s easily a 5 minute setup.
One thing I particularly liked is the adjustable pole attachment points. You can loosen them slightly to slot the poles in easily, then tighten them afterwards. That means there’s no fighting the poles while pitching, which can be a common frustration with some tents.
Living Space
For a low-profile tent, the internal space is surprisingly usable.
Even though it’s a compact design:
- I can sit up in the middle
- it’s long enough for taller campers
- there’s good ventilation all around
At 6’5″, finding tents I can lie flat in is always a concern, but the Phoxx works well for my height.
With Daisy sleeping beside me and my pack inside, we still had plenty of room.
Packability
Another thing I liked is how the tent packs down.
If you remove the poles and pegs from the main bag, you can compress the fabric section to almost half the original size, which makes it much easier to fit inside a backpack.
This is something I often do with tents when packing for wild camps.
What I Liked
✔ Very quick and easy to pitch
✔ Excellent ventilation around the entire tent
✔ Long enough for tall campers
✔ Adjustable pole ends make pitching easier
✔ Packs down smaller if you separate poles and pegs
✔ Enough room for me, Daisy, and my pack inside
✔ Strong waterproof ratings
What I Didn’t Like
There were only a couple of small things I noticed.
Door Toggle
The door toggle can be a bit fiddly when securing the door open.
Rain Entry
Like most low-profile tunnel tents, if it’s raining you’re likely to get some water inside when entering or exiting the tent.
This isn’t unique to the Phoxx though — it’s common with tents of this shape.
Weather Test
The conditions during my first night were calm and foggy, so the tent hasn’t yet been tested in serious wind or rain.
Given the Phoxx reputation though, I’m confident it will handle rough weather well — and I’ll definitely be testing it properly on future camps.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m really happy with the OEX Phoxx 3.
It offers a great balance of:
- durability
- space
- ventilation
- price
It might not be the lightest tent on the market, but if you want something tough and reliable for wild camping, the Phoxx range has a strong reputation for a reason.
And most importantly…
Daisy approves too.
