Just hit 40 overnight trips with my 15-year-old tent, still dry as day one

I keep a little log in my phone every time I pack up camp, last weekend in Shenandoah was number 40 with the same $80 tent from college. The zippers are getting sticky and one pole sleeve is fraying, but not a single leak through three downpours. Anyone else track their gear mileage like this, or am I the weird one with a spreadsheet for my tarp?

2 comments

2 Comments

jana_miller311d ago

Read a study once that said most tent failures happen after 50 nights, so you're basically at the sweet spot where gear either proves itself or falls apart. Mine started leaking around night 30 but that was a cheap Walmart special. Sounds like you got one of the good ones from back when companies actually tested their stuff.

kellyg148h agoTop Commenter

Back when companies actually tested their stuff" is doing a lot of work there, lol. Pretty sure people have been saying that about gear for like 40 years, maybe your tent's just fine and that study was about cheap ones anyway.