https://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...rodDescription

the consumer reviews arent so great but nobody admitted using any waterproofing agents on the tent... small, light, affordable, seems like it might be worth the try... perhaps some 3m or other waterproofing agent would be a worthy investment before putting it into action.

curious as to whether or not anybody here has used this tent...

A tent for $19.94!!! Probably fine for keeping the bugs and light rain out in summer

that's kind of what I was thinking... how bad can it really be for $20???

I've slept in some lousy tents, and no tents at all in bad weather... I can tough it out - but I have never camped and then woke up to ride my bike all day...

I usually sleep outside my tent unless it starts raining... Actually I only tour in countries where camping is feasible... Being outdoors 24/7 is what it's about for me.

I'd choose a tent for the weather conditions you anticipate... And sometimes a tent like that $20 one will be fine... and sometimes a $600 tent is a better choice

I was looking at getting a bivvy but then read someplace (somebodys travel journal) that having a tent tall enough to sit up in is a good thing, especially if you are hanging out in the tent before actually going to sleep and it's raining... In the grand scheme of things, a $20 tent that keeps the mosquitos and rain off of you is just as good as a $600 tent that keeps the mosquitos and rain off of you.

my experience is that the cheapest of tests are fine for one season, then get replaced, whereas the highest of quality tents might be good for 10-20 years (obviously depending on how much you use them), so in the long run it might be cheaper with a quality tent...

I have, and have had, both kinds and take the one best suited for the trip...

Are you sure this is a tent you can sit up in?

You don't have to spend $600. There are quite nice tents for about $100 (ones with solid/established reputations). The $20 tent probably will work to keep insects off. It probably won't hold up too well in any sort of real rain or wind.

I'd guess that the person the $20 tent is sold to needs a tent for a single weekend.

This is single-person tent that you can sit up in (unless you are freakishly tall).

https://www.campinggeardepot.com/stor..._40418846.html
https://www.eurekatent.com/p-45-eurek...re-1-tent.aspx#

its 36" high in the front, I would think that would be high enough to sit up. Not gonna give me a ton of room over my head but it would be enough.

I compared it to the yellow/black eureka (solitare 2) at the store and the measurements/specs were pretty comparable, except that the eureka was shorter. that spitfire does look pretty good though and the price isnt awful.

$20 to satisfy your curiosity? Cheap enough. You can probably make it work, sort of, with some tweaking, and have fun in the process.

I'll add my endorsement to the Eureka Spifire design. Good peak height, very durable, light, and cheap as tents go. It is not waterproof, but highly water resistant. You will have a bit of water seep in, mostly the floor, in a heavy, prolonged rain. Proper pitching and use of a good ground cloth will minimize this.

I would not spend (waste?) $20.00 on that tent. If you do buy it I would recommend that you take a lightweight tarp to cover the entire tent. One good downpour with that tent without a tarp won't be fun.

I haven't used that particular tent, but I have used some real cheapies. My experience is that it is probably worth spending a little more, but also that there is no need to spend a lot. I am not inclined to spend all that much time hanging out in the tent. I am usually asleep if I am in the tent, so a lot of lounging room isn't required. for me.

Tents that can be found for under $100 can be quite adequate and I really don't see how any tent for bike touring would be worth $600 to me.

That said you might find that tent adequate.

Eureka tents in general are often pretty good values.

I own an older model of that same tent, and for $20 it'll get the job done. It's not quite tall enough to sit up in, but you can raise yourself enough to get dressed in it. Because of the VERY limited ventilation, it gets pretty toasty in there. Also, since it's single walled, the condensation will build up on the inside and can leave you with a big wet spot when you accidentally brush up against it.

After using it on weekend tours for a while, I realized that I wanted something nicer for the TransAm and bought the Spitfire. It's tall enough to sit up in, great air movement, and didn't have any leaking issues. My only complaint is that it has to be staked down. Then again, so does the Bass Pro tent...

This looks like a variant of the Wenzel Starlight. A very cheap tent itself. It's not a very modern tent, but if you were used to the old pup tents from back when, you'll know what to expect: hard to sit up in due to it's very narrow peak, condensation at night due to very little air movement, narrow door means crawling into it...and that was when I was much smaller and in Scouts!

It's cheap, though and reasonably light, will keep the rain off your head and provide enough head room to read or change clothes.

here is what to expect:

it`s a coated single-wall tent, so you can expect to wake up to considerable condensation every night, clear weather included. this means that your sleeping bag is going to get damp, leading to wasting a lot of time drying it & the tent out.

despite the ad copy, ventilation will be inadequate unless you can pitch it with the door facing into a good breeze. the picture does not show that there is any ventilation at the rear. that little vent doo-hickey shown on the side will be useless.

the ad makes no mention of, and for that pice you can't expect, the seams to be sealed. ; you'll need to be quite thorough.

the awning over the door is a joke, expect plenty of water coming in through the zippers if there's any rain.

for $20, there'll be no quality control. buy it well in advance and pitch it in adverse weather in your back yard to see if it will stand up.

for me, i wouldn't waste even $20 on it. but if all you need it for is a couple of nights in good weather in an unexposed campground, it might do you.

you should reread the reviews carefully

https://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...RODUCTI've hitchhiked/illegal camped good distances on three continents with this one, and tent toured ireland.I'm 6'4". Sitting up definitely didn't happen, but I don't stay inside all day in a summer rain. Summer rains don't last that long anyway!Eventually one of the f'glass poles went bad, but I'd say the tent did pretty well for $79. It can be found for less I think. Here's one for $69. https://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/...__23888Someone suggested one of the newer Eureka Spitfire tents. They do look nice. https://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/...__23889campmor rules, by the way. always seems to be the cheapest, and they have these great old school newsprint thin bible-paper catalogs they snd out....

rain protection = tarp; cord & trench

It might be tall enough if you are a pinhead. That $20 tent is very narrow at the peak. And, you'll knock the supporting pole over, every time you enter or exit it!

Go to a reputable outdoor store and sit in some tents.

Eureka has sold the Solitare for years. I'm not exactly sure why people would buy it though over some more modern designs, which don't really weigh much more. But since it's been around for so long, I'd expect to be quite decent.

The Solitare is 28 inches tall (kind of short) but is much wider at the top than the $20 tent. Outside of its height, the Solitare would be much more pleasant to use than the $20 tent.

If you are really short on money, buy it; it's a great deal. If you're not, you can get something way better for around $100.

https://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___28104

My latest acquisition is a Go Lite Shangri-La 3 tipi. I'd grown tired of small, cramped tents. The Shangri-La offers me a lot more space and is as light as a feather. If I were you, I'd save up a bit more and go for something like this. Highly recommended.

I bought this tent last year for Ragbrai. Kept me dry in a storm with heavy rain and hail. Easy to set up. Well pleased with it.
https://www.amazon.com/Eureka-Solo-Ba.../dp/B000EQ8VJC

If you can get something "way better" for $100, the $20 tent is not a "great deal". It's just cheap.

Decent tent. Too heavy and too big to pack (for one person).

This tent is free-standing. It has a good reputation. The Spitfire is lighter (though it has a bit less room).

Why quibble about the definition of "great deal"? I agree, it's cheap.

Regarding the Eureka Backcountry 1. I bought one but it didn't work for me. It had some great features - it's long, light, I like how you can look outside from in your sleeping bag without getting wet, and it's free-standing. What didn't work for me was the narrowness. It was okay for sleeping, but I like to read in my tent. I spend a lot of time on tour doing that - in the afternoon, at night, even in the mornings sometime. I like to lie on my side and read. There wasn't enough room to do that. With the book against the side of the tent it was only a few inches away from my face.

I bought an LL Bean Microlite 2 that worked great for me. It is long enough (I'm 6'4".) It is roomier than my Clip Flashlight 2, I can sit up and get dressed better. The body is all bug screen, so it's much more comfortable to hide out from bugs in the afternoon than my Clip Flashlight, which became a sauna. And it's light - about the same as my Clip Flashlight, which I thought was a light tent. The only downside is that it's not free-standing, but neither was the Clip Flashlight. So far, on three multi-week tours, that has yet to pose a problem. I don't think it cost much more than $100.

It isn't "quibbling" because calling it a "great deal" is bad advice. He'd be much better off spending a bit more and getting a good tent (rather than a poor one).

If it is a poor tent, it can't be a "great deal". If it is a poor tent, it's a waste of $20.

Yes, the Backcountry is a bit narrow. I definitely can see that being a problem for some people. The other tents he mentioned aren't really any better.

People need to see and sit in the tents they are interested in.

That looks pretty decent ($150) from a decent company. It looks like a knock-off of the Northface "Frog" tents. How much does it really weigh?

https://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/sto...oductId=547997