Tom Stormcrowe

The reason I ask, is that it's a 3 pound tent, for 2 people, and look at least OK. I won't be using it year round, and it's supposed to be a 3 season tent. I'm expecting to have to seal it at the seams, etc, on arrival. Anyone know what the drawbacks will be to this tent? For $30, including a 1 year replacement policy, am I going wrong here?

delver

I own one, and its a sort of like/hate relationship.

Two people, very much in lust might like it for a couple hours. there is not enough room for two pads. It is very low, just enough room to crawl out, but the front guyline really gets in the way. I can just get dressed in it, with some effort. Some of my bags fit, but I don't like that because this tent is a condensation machine and they are not waterproof, press against the walls all night and get soaked.

Got mine at one of those "all sorts of stuff that fell off trucks" stores for 12 bucks nine years ago, its held up ok, mostly cause I take pretty good care of my stuff. They don't look like they have changed the design at all.

I camp with a tarp and hammock mostly. but if I know there will be no trees, or a couple campgrounds that don't like hammocks are in the plans, I throw the wenzel on. I don't take the poles that it came with, but instead my flag poles in the front and a stick or whatever for teh single pole in the rear, use six tent pegs that are part of my tarp system to lash it down. Cut all the heavy medalian zipper tabs off and its pretty light. My tarp weighs almost three pounds(its big, heavy duty nysill with lots of mounting loops sewn in. I figure if one carries a tarp, it should be bombproof.
Usualy I put my tarp up over it somehow, as it was never what you would call waterproof.
not a good view of the tent but of how I use it at campgrounds. This is actualy my yard.

The only reasons I use it are when I think that there may be dogs about, or if I am in the desert and would like to keep scorpions and such out of the bag.
better pic of the tent stealthing in the woods. So why did I use a Flash?

Its a glorified bivy. I like it when its very dry(little condensation)or the like. Everytime I take it out I am prepared for any other kind of sleeping system. sometimes I just don't want to sleep on the ground, or campground managers/fellow campers might be freaked out by some guy with a leanto lookin thing. If you want a real tent the old you get what you pay for kicks in. Personaly I would recomend the eureka single person tent with the event fabric.

Nigeyy

I don't own one, but my next door neighbour who went touring with me used one.

The biggest problem is the size; if you are taller, then you will definitely have limited room. As delver pointed out the biggest flaws are height and condensation -it's a single skin and not well ventilated.

For $30 it's not a terrible deal, but it's certainly not a great one either (which kind of tells you something as $30 for a tent is pretty cheap!). I'd recommend saving up or buying a better quality used tent, though if you are pushed for time or can get it cheaper it might well do in a pinch. I wouldn't want to use one for an extended time.

nun

Check out the new tarp tents, big, double walled and still light.

https://www.tarptent.com/new.html

Tom Stormcrowe

I already ordered it, I kind of had to. I had just over the amount needed for the tent, replacement plan and shipping on a Gift Certificate that was about to expire, so I'm basically getting it free, including shipping. OK, so, carry a tarp as well, OK, that's still lighter than my 12 pound tent.

delver

Hey, that means you are getting more than you paid for!

Tom Stormcrowe

True enough.

Nigeyy

Well that would be the right price then! Hope you get some good use out of it.

mvanderk

It might be ok out west where their is very little humidity. I used one on a week long hike on the AT and got soaked every night without any rain. It was unbelieveable. I put it in the first garbage can I saw at the conclusion of the hike.