lopez.holly•7d agoOG Member

I thought a cheap tent was fine for car camping, but a storm in Flagstaff changed my mind

I always grabbed a $50 dome tent from a big box store, thinking it was fine since my car was right there. Last month, a surprise thunderstorm rolled through our site at 7,000 feet and the wind absolutely shredded the poles. I ended up sleeping in my SUV. Just bought a Kelty Rumpus 6 and the difference in build quality is insane. Anyone have a favorite sturdy car camping tent that can handle real weather?

2 comments

2 Comments

matthewperry7d ago

My buddy's Coleman tent collapsed in a downpour at Joshua Tree, the poles just snapped like twigs. He spent the whole night mopping up water with camp towels. That was the last time any of us bought a tent from a grocery store parking lot sale.

the_amy7d agoTop Commenter

Remember the time my cousin tried to save money on a ski trip sleeping bag. Woke up looking like a human popsicle because the filling was basically old t-shirts. Some things are just worth paying for upfront.