Q. I've been to REI and other sporting good stores in search for camping gear in particularly tents. I see brands like Kelty, North Face, and Eureka and have seen their tents and to be honest, I don't see the reason for such a high price for these tents. Some are as much as $500 and I just don't get it. Some say it's the quality but I've been camping for over 20 years and my Coleman tent has held up in pretty harsh weather including heavy rain stroms and even snow and my coleman cost me about $100. I even have a Ozark Trail tent that has held up and never leaked. So what's the rationalation for such high prices? I don't get it. I have friends who say the quality is better yet they always seem to buying new tents every year and I've had my Coleman and Ozark for almost 8 years now and I camp about four to five times a year so they get used. s the quality that much better?
Answer
Agreed that the weight factor is a primary point. Any Coleman will weight more than any REI tent, in tent for tent comparison. Quality is also an Important issue, yes I can find a $40 dollar tent that weighs almost the same as a $400 tent but zippers fail, material fails, seams leak and who are you gonna call and complain to. REI stands by what they sell as does Coleman and they have a proven record in review products. Also look at what are professional guides using, here they want happy campers to return and use their services. If they were to put them in a tent that leaks, rips and falls down in a squall, that camper won't be back so again. You really do pay for what you get. If your buddies are buying new gear every year they are probably very hard on their gear and don't take good care of it. I have Coleman products and REI products that I have had for well over 10 years and all have served me well only because I take good care of them.
I agree with you that in some common tent designs like a simple dome or family cabin tent prices are ridiculously high for a name brand. Then you should consider dollar for dollar on it's guarantees and performance. In a family sized cabin tent used in car camping a Coleman tent will out perform anything out there at around $200 for their best tent. In a REI family tent double or even triple the price and you get less tent as well.
Agreed that the weight factor is a primary point. Any Coleman will weight more than any REI tent, in tent for tent comparison. Quality is also an Important issue, yes I can find a $40 dollar tent that weighs almost the same as a $400 tent but zippers fail, material fails, seams leak and who are you gonna call and complain to. REI stands by what they sell as does Coleman and they have a proven record in review products. Also look at what are professional guides using, here they want happy campers to return and use their services. If they were to put them in a tent that leaks, rips and falls down in a squall, that camper won't be back so again. You really do pay for what you get. If your buddies are buying new gear every year they are probably very hard on their gear and don't take good care of it. I have Coleman products and REI products that I have had for well over 10 years and all have served me well only because I take good care of them.
I agree with you that in some common tent designs like a simple dome or family cabin tent prices are ridiculously high for a name brand. Then you should consider dollar for dollar on it's guarantees and performance. In a family sized cabin tent used in car camping a Coleman tent will out perform anything out there at around $200 for their best tent. In a REI family tent double or even triple the price and you get less tent as well.
WaterPROOF tent for camping on ocean beach?
Bonghuffer
Does coleman or any more respected tent makers offer an already waterproofed tent to withstand multi-hour downpours?
I'm sure that Coleman is like the Huffy/Murray of camping gear, so any camping pros out there please let me know whom for to be looking.
Already got reservations, thanks. Had a great old tent heirloomed, lent it to a friend who lent it to a friend... Now we realize that we need a new one and dropping a half thousand on one that we plan on using twice a year is tough right now. The coleman that she got has a way-too-small fly and seems as waterproof as my tee shirts. She's returning it as soon as it dries out. How are Eureka brand tents? Worth buying, seam-sealing and fly-sealing?
Answer
There is no tent that is completely "waterproof". Coleman is a leader in family camping tent gear and their products are treated and seams factory sealed for weather protection so they have a "weather protection guarantee" but that is vague at best. Any tent for it to have good resistance to the weather must be set up correctly and all seams sealed and the material rated or coated with water resistance material. I find that higher end tents have better designs for weather protection and dome style tents the best overall design. Again Coleman meets that need. Here is an article to help you choose a quality tent,
http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/family-base-camping-tent.html
Now you stated you are interested in beach camping. First if you don't have reservations now forget it all beach camping in the state of california is by reservation only 6 months in advance. Next beaches are naturally humid and tents are always damp inside and out in any weather situation specially at night . To help with that you need a tent with very good ventilation. Again Coleman tents meet that need.
@Eureka is no different than Coleman except for tent designs they use the same comparable materials and methods of construction or weather proofing, it's comparing apples to oranges
There is no tent that is completely "waterproof". Coleman is a leader in family camping tent gear and their products are treated and seams factory sealed for weather protection so they have a "weather protection guarantee" but that is vague at best. Any tent for it to have good resistance to the weather must be set up correctly and all seams sealed and the material rated or coated with water resistance material. I find that higher end tents have better designs for weather protection and dome style tents the best overall design. Again Coleman meets that need. Here is an article to help you choose a quality tent,
http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/family-base-camping-tent.html
Now you stated you are interested in beach camping. First if you don't have reservations now forget it all beach camping in the state of california is by reservation only 6 months in advance. Next beaches are naturally humid and tents are always damp inside and out in any weather situation specially at night . To help with that you need a tent with very good ventilation. Again Coleman tents meet that need.
@Eureka is no different than Coleman except for tent designs they use the same comparable materials and methods of construction or weather proofing, it's comparing apples to oranges
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