Salida 2

I have been an REI truther for years, and have owned their Half Dome tent as well as a Kelty 2 person tent. I know how valuable it can be to have nice gear, but recently I’ve been thinking: is there any reason not to spend $50 on a tent from amazon, and if it breaks just buy another one? I could do this six times before spending as much as I would on a tent from a major retailer. As long as i check the weather, as I bet amazon rain flies aren’t trustworthy, is there any downside to choosing a cheap ass tent over an expensive one? Edit: seeing comments about waste. I admit I was thinking only about money, and you’re right I don’t want to be dumping Amazon tents and right

I have been using Kelly 2 person tents as my backpacking tent forever. I spray the fly and tent down with a silicone waterproofing spray. Never ever had an issue. Most important thing is a good ground tarp that does not extend past the base of your tent, if anything it should be an inch or two under the base. I use old work tarps cut down perfectly to size. Lightweight, cheap and durable.

I'm 6'2" and shopping. Recently ordered a Marmot tungston. Tried it out and it was too short to lay in without even adding a sleeping pad and bag. Also have a cheap Kelty 2p that is definitely shorter than that. I can make them work in good weather, but touching the walls would be an issue when it's wet. A lot of 88" tents are only recommended for people 6'4" or shorter which does not give much room to spare for anyone over 6'. Not to mention most tent heights won't allow a taller guy to sit up straight.

You are a vet. Get the expert voice app and then you can get yourself a kelty 2p tent for a good price and have a decent quality tent for what you are doing. You can get an emergency blanket to put over your mattress then cover with a blanket to keep the heat. Those things have 0 R value. Happy camping!

Don't blame the tent for the weather. The vestibule could be used as a windbreak - to cook in and stuff like that. I like the looks of that tent. I really like my 2 person Kelty, but have yet to find the perfect tent. Mine lets in small puddles near the corners during heavy rains.