Tents: Hi dollar vs budget

[Scorch_TX]

Ok, I wouldn't mind being a gear snob but I need convincing :) What are are the features and benefits that a $400 tent has over a $60 tent? Maybe lighter? That's not a primary concern for me, it's sitting on my V-Strom until I pitch it. Packs smaller? Yes, that is a worthy concern, small is better. But, for an additional $340, it better be 1/2 the size of the cheaper tent. Better construction and materials? Seriously, that is a good point. But I only camp 4~5 days a year (currently), so there's the perspective that $60 tent is a throwaway tent, just buy another one when it wears out vs spend $400 and pray it lasts 10 years!

Ok, really looking forward to your snark-free, educational comments!

What other things should make a $400 tent


6 times better than a $60 tent.

[VStromTom]

I have the Coleman tent, bought for $25-30 about 7-8 yrs ago. Easy up, bone dry in heavy extended deluges, airy, packs reasonably small, has plenty of room for me and my gear. You will hear people with more money than sense extol paying big $ for something with a vestibule, or whatever. IMO for most of us the cheaper tents are very servicable for average+ needs. Save your money, and use the savings for other worthwhile shit. Let the high dollar snobs chip in now!

[bete]

Love my Colmann Hulligan 2. Got it from Amazon for 50 smackers. Seems sturdier than my old one man tent. That cost four times as much. Bete

[forrestlaw]

Lighter and more compact for sure. Other than that, my experience has been that the more expensive tents will last longer if properly taken care of. I also think that the quality gear manufacterers will stand by their products better if you do have a problem. ie, I had a problem with the rainfly on an MSR Hubba Hubba that was 5 years old. They had changed the model slightly so that an exact match for my previous rainfly was not available. MSR sent me a brand new complete tent. Lastly, I think the quality of the worksmanship will be better on a more expensive tent

That being said, I do alot of backpacking so I will gladly pay more to save a pound or two so that I don't have to carry the extra weight.

[jc9995]

I have the hooligan 4.....and while its a decent tent....the zippers are junk. For me, that's worth paying more. I also have an Alps Mountaineering meramac tent. Have had that tent for almost 10 years. Was only about twice the cost of the hooligan, but it is far nicer. Zippers are great, poles are much nicer....and the clip system instead of that maddening sleeve shit is way better.
I wouldn't go for the $400 model myself....but I wont buy another super cheapy either.

[boxermoose]

Keep an eye on Steep and Cheap - good tents come up all the time for a good price

[Brian-M]

There are in-between prices too. But I bought my Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight (was called something else back in 1997) for ~$130 and it's seen 4~10 nights of use every year since. I bought it because it was something I could see locally, fit my needs best, fit my MC packing best (I was on a VF500f back then), and there was that REI guarantee/return policy that I never needed to use.

I'm looking for a bigger tent now that I'm married and have a dog, so I'm looking at the Big Agnes King Creek 4 tent that I can buy brand new (through a professional association I belong to) for $185.

Having bought, and returned, cheap tents several times (everything from non-op zippers, to seams that pulled apart when setting up the tent and waking up with water falling through the rain fly), I don't mind paying a little more for something that I don't have to worry about failing at the most inopportune time. It's just a worry I'd rather not have, and since I can afford to buy my way out of that worry, I do. That said, there are probably lots of cheap tents that are just fine. If you have time, spend it doing research (google) on what's good and what isn't. Or cruise the used gear places and buy something with a known good quality for the same money.

I concur that if you care for a tent, there's no reason not to get 2 decades of use from it (or more).

[OTB]

Spend just one night in heavy rain and wind and you will pay anything for a good quality, well designed tent.

[Boon Booni]

That cheap tent is going to fold flat to the ground in a decent wind. Then those cheap fiberglass poles are going to splinter.

[VStromTom]

Well, my Coleman hasn't folded flat against the ground in some 40mph + gusts, nor has it leaked.

[grogger123]

If you are only camping 4-5 nights a year I wouldnt have thought it made any sense to buy a very expensive tent. I have an expensive tent (MSR Hubba) which I bought for offroad touring. Where I live we can ride big km's through sand, and saving weight on the bike is helpful. I also tend to camp a lot more nights a year than you do. A friend has a couple of MSR's as well. What you are paying for is light weight, lack of bulk and good space to weight and packed size ratio in the tent. If you dont need to save the weight and bulk, then buying a more expensive tent is unnecessary. As long at it is actually waterproof and will stand up well to high winds. I prefer a free standing tent because here in Western Australia it can at times be difficult to find ground you can actually bang a tent stake into. I have owned Coleman tents and been quite happy with them. They have been waterproof and stood up to the wind well. they are just heavy and bulky when packed.

[bemiiten]

I have a sub $20 7X7 tent bought from K-mart 10 years ago. I've looked for something better, but can find nothing to replace my Northwest Territories Streamside. First, I don't want a ton of mesh 6" off the ground that allows the wind and dirt to blow through the tent. I don't want to have to get out of my tent to open or close a rain fly to regulate temperature. I have two zippered windows that I can open or close without ever getting out of my sleeping bag. I don't want a tent so short that my bag touches the outer walls making it wet. I want a true freestanding tent, so no stakes. I don't want to store my gear outside in a vestibule leaving it vulnerable to ticks, spider, scorpions or some other critter to drag off a piece of my gear. My budget tent delivers all this and sets up and packs down in a flash , and is lightweight to boot.

[DRanger]

Originally Posted by forrestlaw

Lighter and more compact for sure. Other than that, my experience has been that the more expensive tents will last longer if properly taken care of. I also think that the quality gear manufacterers will stand by their products better if you do have a problem. ie, I had a problem with the rainfly on an MSR Hubba Hubba that was 5 years old. They had changed the model slightly so that an exact match for my previous rainfly was not available. MSR sent me a brand new complete tent. Lastly, I think the quality of the worksmanship will be better on a more expensive tent

That being said, I do alot of backpacking so I will gladly pay more to save a pound or two so that I don't have to carry the extra weight.

I use a lightweight backpacking tent when I'm touring. I don't want to worry that my tent might not hold up under bad weather. Ever had to put up a tent in a blizzard or downpour? Convenience and reliability are huge considerations under those conditions. At the same time, I don't really need the state of the art, lightest tent made that goes for the premium price.

I have never paid more than $200 for a high quality tent that include models made by Sierra Designs, North Face, Marmot, REI, and Big Agnes. None of those tents wore out or failed in bad weather at elevations up to 12k feet; instead, I gave up several to family who needed good tents to replace crappy ones that had worn out.

Shop around for discontinued close out models made by the major players in the backpacking industry and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the deals you can find. Start with REI, Inc. and Sierra Trading Post. Good luck.

[mookybird]

Although I own an expensive tent built for four season use it would make no sense to use it on an mid summer motorcycle trip. It's harder to setup, heavier and doesn't ventilate like a 3 season tent. My cheap tents are mid priced tents that are bought on 1/2 off sales, you still get the better grade poles and zippers.

My all time favorite was a Sierra Designs tent, I replaced the zipper twice and used it hundred of nights, I typically don't leave my tents setup during the day but the sun and salt of baja eventually finished it off.

Of my two current cheap tents the REI branded tent will outlast the Seirra Designs Vapor, the SD tent uses some fancy little plastic clips that will fail long before the tried and true aluminum pole in the grommet system the REI tent has.

[Scorch_TX]

Originally Posted by OTB

Spend just one night in heavy rain and wind and you will pay anything for a good quality, well designed tent.

Of course, I forgot to mention I am using the Coleman SunDome 7x7. I have had it three years and used it probably 30 times, it's been nothing short of spectacular--no leaks or issues. Fantastic value.

Last night in the Angelina National Forest (east of Lufkin, TX) I got the tent up just before the rain, got a pretty good storm through there. Something about being next to a large body of water seems to make thunder one long, loud cacaphony. The tent had a few drops make it through from the vent, I think. Nothing major. There was not much wind, however, so I cannot comment on how sturdy in a strong wind the tent is. You certainly may be correct about that.