Just passed 100 nights in my tent this year, and I think most reviews miss the point

I hit 100 nights of camping in 2024 last week, and it made me realize how much I disagree with most gear reviews online. Everyone focuses on weight and packed size, but after 100 nights, what matters to me is how easy it is to set up in the dark when I'm exhausted and it's raining. My $40 tent from a no-name brand has held up better than my buddy's $400 name brand one that ripped on night 50. The popular opinion is that you need to spend big to get quality, but that's just not true from what I've seen. I've had the same cheap stove, same lantern, same sleeping pad for all 100 nights and nothing has failed. Has anyone else noticed that expensive gear breaks just as fast as the budget stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jordan4d ago

Woah, you had a bear encounter with a stove, @sageadams?

the_nathan4d ago

Bet the bear just wanted a hot meal too.

sageadams4d ago

Did you ever try drying out a cheap tent in a hotel bathroom after a week of rain? I did that last spring and it felt like I was trying to hide a crime scene. But honestly, I've got this old coleman stove that's been through three road trips and one bear encounter, still works like a champ. My buddy spent $300 on some fancy titanium setup and the valve seized up after two months. I think a lot of it comes down to how you treat your stuff, not the price tag.