I took a cheap 2-person tent and a quality 1-person tent on a 3-day hike in the Adirondacks and the smaller one was better.

The extra space in the cheap tent meant nothing when the rain fly leaked and the poles snapped in a 20 mph wind, while the single-person tent stayed dry and solid, so what's a good 1-person tent under $250?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_evan1mo ago

Ever think you needed that extra room in a tent? I used to... always went for the bigger, cheaper option. Your story about the poles snapping is exactly what changed my mind for good. That reliability in bad weather is everything. For under $250, you should really look at the Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1. It's simple, it's tough, and it won't let you down like that cheap tent did.

lisa_bennett7d ago

Absolutely, that extra room is tempting until you're stuck in a downpour with gear soaked through. My first cheap tent collapsed on me during a storm and it was such a nightmare trying to keep everything dry while fixing broken poles. That lesson stuck with me - now I'd take solid three-season performance over extra square footage any day.

caseyl181mo ago

Been there with a cheap tent failing at the worst time. That kind of experience makes you value solid gear so much more.