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Dropped $200 on a cheap tent for a 3-day trip. Rained the second night.
Bought a budget tent off Amazon last month. Thought I was saving money. Woke up at 3am in a puddle inside my sleeping bag. Seam sealing was garbage. Has anyone found a decent sub-$100 shelter that actually holds up?
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mary_nelson711mo ago
Sub-$100 and waterproof is asking a lot, that's more of a gamble than a guarantee. Your best bet is to spend a little more for a name brand like ALPS or Coleman that at least has reliable seam taping from the factory.
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amy_west1mo ago
That "reliable seam taping from the factory" part got me. I bought a Coleman myself last year and sure enough the first heavy rain I got wet through the seams. I think a lot of these companies just slap the name on and call it good. My old man used to say you can waterproof anything if you take the time to seal the seams yourself with some seam sealer from the camping store. So maybe the trick is to just buy any cheap tent you like and spend fifteen bucks on a tube of that stuff. Apply it inside where the stitching is and let it dry overnight. It's a bit of a hassle but it's saved me more than once.
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dixon.james1mo ago
Oh man, that's rough but I mean, waking up in a puddle at 3am isn't exactly the end of the world is it? Idk, maybe it's just me but for under a hundred bucks you kind of get what you pay for.
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