Wasted $180 on that fancy ultra-light tent I saw on Instagram

I bought one of those packable tents that was supposed to weigh under 2 pounds. Got it home and set it up in my backyard before a trip to the Smokies last spring. First night out it leaked like a sieve at the seams during a light drizzle. Tried to return it and the company ghosted me after I sent photos. Stick with something tried and true from a real gear shop instead of falling for influencer ads. Anyone else get burned by one of those social media gear brands?

4 comments

4 Comments

blair_martin1mo ago

Yeah I bought a similar tent that was supposedly ultralight but it was basically made of tissue paper and dreams. Set it up in my backyard to test it and my cat sneezed, whole thing collapsed on my lawn furniture. At least your tent leaked, mine was just a fancy net.

the_max1mo ago

Right, "fancy net" is exactly what mine turned into after the third time I tried to set it up in light drizzle. The fabric felt like it would rip if you looked at it wrong, honestly surprised it lasted long enough to let rain in. At least your cat had the decency to take it down in one dramatic moment, mine just slowly sagged and pooled water until it looked like a sad swamp creature. These ultralight companies really just sell you the idea of camping and hope you never actually take it outside. I'm half convinced they test their gear in a vacuum chamber with no wind or wildlife.

nina_campbell1mo ago

Oh come on, you guys are being totally unfair! I've got the same ultralight tent model and it's actually been a champ through some pretty gnarly conditions. I took mine up to the White Mountains last fall in actual wind and it held up fine (admittedly I did spend 20 minutes finding the perfect flat spot free of pine needles and rocks). The trick is you just can't treat it like a regular tent, you know? You've got to baby it a little, pick your campsite with surgical precision, and never ever trust the stock stakes they give you. Mine has survived thunderstorms, heavy dew, and one unfortunate encounter with a curious raccoon that tried to nose its way in.

taylor.sean1mo ago

Wait, the raccoon actually tried to nose its way in? That's wild, I would've totally lost it if a raccoon showed up while I was camping. I mean, I've had some sketchy experiences with my own ultralight tent, but nothing involving wildlife trying to break in. Honestly though, I gotta say the whole "pick your campsite with surgical precision" thing kind of proves the point people are making. If you have to spend 20 minutes finding the perfect flat spot and you still have to baby it through every storm, is it really a good tent? Maybe it's just me, but a tent that requires that much careful setup feels more like a liability than a reliable piece of gear.