$24 Amazon Tent vs. $230 REI Half-Dome 2+

[@TheGalifrey]

We call those $24 specials, festival tents. They always get left behind at music festivals in the UK 😂

[@metaspencer]

I've heard of that! Fields full of wrecked tents after the festival

[@B3D5X]

How funny. I used that cheap tent for years until recently upgrading. I lost the outside zipper halfway through its life but it still velcroed shut for privacy. I slept in it at the Grand Canyon with a girlfriend and we were warm. Alone I would have frozen. I really liked that the only venting was out the top because it kept it warmer than others with a lot of mesh. Never had problems with condensation. Hard to catch a breeze on a warm night though and it baked in the sun during the day. Pretty tight for a 6’ dude because of the sloping walls but it was no big deal. Got rained on once or twice but stayed perfectly dry. I snapped a tent pole packing up camp in a hurry after a bear encounter which is why I’m replacing it; also because I’m a more serious and experienced camper. Really decent tent for $24 I gotta say.

[@metaspencer]

You got some SERIOUS mileage and adventures out of that tent. Awesome to hear that someone out there doesn't fall for the $400 tents of this world.

[@julienagel6000]

I love my 2+. Easy set up, lots of features, lots of space.

[@metaspencer]

Excellent. Glad it works for ya

[@keithshwalbe6981]

A good concise review. Thank you, and welcome to KZbin.

[@metaspencer]

Thanks for checking it out !

[@robertullman4217]

I lucked out and found the Half Dome 2+ at a Garage Sale for about $40 last summer...zipper on the rainfly was broken, but I replaced it with a little screw-down zipper tab doohickey I got for under $10 at Joann. It really is a great tent!

[@metaspencer]

Wow, now THAT'S a garage sale find! So cool. It's a great tent in so many ways, I think

[@lanedexter6303]

Interesting! The light & cheap tent would work for a while, and I could afford to put one in each of my vehicle emergency kits. BTW the Amazon description says NOT waterproof, so I’d say it did well. Also, for another five bucks, there’s a slightly larger version that would be great for two people and a dog. 😀

[@metaspencer]

Yeah, great idea for the vehicles 👍

[@tzavitz]

I was a Scoutmaster for many years and had a lot of kids show up with ultra cheap tents. It’s all “ shits and giggles” until the foul weather came and then they learned the value of having decent gear. I’ve always owned mid range tents like the REI that didn’t cost a fortune but have held up for years. If you are hiking in the backcountry at all, get yourself a decent tent. You’ll be glad you did.

[@metaspencer]

I couldn't agree more: a decent tent can last many years and never let you down.

[@strangerous1313]

Best thing about this video is the soundtrack music.

[@wesleyguseman1468]

I have the elcheapo tent with a tarp combo for kayak camping. Pretty bomb proof. Just wish it had ykk zippers. Nice video.

[@metaspencer]

Yeah, a bad zipper on a tent can be a real bummer ... I like kayak camping because I can carry a bit more weight. That tent sounds like a good one

[@wesleyguseman1468]

I also use s 15 gallon blue drum with a water tight locking lid. Fits perfectly in my open top kayak in the back. And it holds all my gear perfectly.

[@metaspencer]

Wesley Guseman oh cool. I use a bunch of dry bags ... that sounds simpler

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

The first tent I had was an el cheapo too. I learned that same technique of having a long tarp you set the tent on, then wrapped the tarp all the way over it and staked it down at the grommets when it rained. Got pretty steamy in there, but it was bombproof just as you say. A good shelter for people on a really tight budget.

[@blazingnate2]

Did you weigh these tents? Some reviews on amazon say the weight is way off on the amazon tent.

[@metaspencer]

I didn't weigh them but have seen the kinds of differences you describe. Sometimes tent weight is really package weight ... so way off

[@gradytrainor8120]

I've used plenty of cheap tents over the years, they work but they break easily. I upgraded to that same REI tent, such a difference in quality.

[@metaspencer]

Yeah, we like the REI tent ... happy camping man!

[@chrisbahrns6467]

Have you used the Trail Hut 2? Would you consider the Half Dome 2+ a decent upgrade? Seems to be larger and less weight.

[@metaspencer]

I haven’t used the trail hut but love the halfdome

[@chrisbahrns6467]

@@metaspencer Cool beans thanks! I think I might be upgrading to the Half Dome!

[@caelyncallahan5161]

Would you recommend the cheap tent for a boyscout?

[@metaspencer]

It's a good place to start ... not great, but affordable and works okay for a first-time camper

[@Ninety9924]

condensation test?

[@metaspencer]

The REI is much better when it comes to condensation but the rain fly still gets wet on some nights

[@cindymaag4212]

Great job Spencer!

[@metaspencer]

Thanks!

[@robertburns1886]

Where can I find how to make a rain fly ant vestibuelfor the $24 tent

[@metaspencer]

Sounds like you just need a cheap tarp, hopefully less than the $24

[@Pygar2]

You should try and relax- we can all see you've gotten two tents! (Sorry!) Now the important part of the review- which tent is Dog-approved? And who won the ball game?

[@metaspencer]

Too tents! Love it. The dogs will sleep just about anywhere but it's my impression so far that they prefer the back of the truck for camping. :) Or maybe that's just my preference, too

[@lucianopasladim5085]

Which name of the 24 dollars tent?

[@metaspencer]

here it is! amzn.to/2Ltdy6P

[@gmtimothy]

So if you are in a hurricane with downforce rain like that of a water hose your $24 tent won't be water tight! Noted!!! lol

[@metaspencer]

Or camping on the ocean floor :)

[@diegoornelas3394]

Any solutions for the cheap stents door?

[@metaspencer]

A tarp hung above can work or a diy rainfly

[@AugisTv]

Probably too late to the party but its just that seams arent sealed. You can use liquid sealant or sealing tape to seal the seams. Also you can try running staked cord to door zipper to pull door tight and little bit away from fly mesh. Of course you need to remove stake and restake when using the doors.

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

I work for REI. I think a better A/B comparison would have been to the REI Passage 2. Still, I have to admit for $24 it's a good option. I imagine it's not warm at all when cold and it likely doesn't breath worth a darn, which you didn't talk about. But for people just wanting to get outside and camp in decent weather, until they can afford something better, they could buy this and use it until it falls apart.

[@metaspencer]

I see your points there ...makes sense. There are some new "ultralight" tents on Amazon these days for about $150 that I was thinking of comparing to some REI trekking pole tents. Could be fun. Thanks for the thoughts

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

@@metaspencer Try the REI Flash Air if you can. I work at REI and I'm not a huge fan of that tent, but we do sell them and they don't often come back as returns. But since they are so basic, something hyper light and just above an emergency shelter, I'd love to see how they compare to a cheaper Amazon version. I mean, if someone is going hyper light...?

[@metaspencer]

@@PhilAndersonOutside Good idea ... thanks for the tip!

[@baneverything5580]

I ordered the cheap tent. Good way to take my AM and shortwave radios out away from electronics and power line static for some long range antenna experiments.

[@metaspencer]

What an interesting hobby!

[@baneverything5580]

@@metaspencer I recently made an AM loop antenna from a pizza box. I made a demonstration video. It`s 16 turns of 24 AWG magnet wire around the edge of a 16 inch pizza box using a 450pf variable capacitor to tune it. It turns any portable AM radio into a super receiver using magnetic induction. It`s a great thing to have for boosting AM signals during emergencies to get long range news. After hurricanes here in Louisiana all the local radio towers are usually damaged and all phone service including land lines are down and AM radio is often the only way to get news.

[@metaspencer]

Wow! That is so awesome... very cool

[@AbnerACantigaJr]

this is the reason why i buy cheap tent,,lol seriously i had a high end tent for a year but when i see the seems take off its hurt me hahaha,,,with a cheap never mind haha

[@metaspencer]

That makes perfect sense!

[@Edogawa1117]

Awesome review.......very useful.

[@metaspencer]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@cobbler88]

I guess it's up to each person to decide whether the tents were similar enough to compare them. I will say that two years later that cheap tent goes for $45 on Amazon and advertises itself as NOT being waterproof. I think my favorite "cheap" tent is still my first one, which was the Ozark Trail 2P tent with full rain fly, a model of which they still sell for $45. It was bullet proof, I had it for about 7 years and passed it down to my nephew. There's probably a reason this particular model sells for more than larger OT tents. I think it's around 6.5# or so. Otherwise maybe I'd compare the REI tent with whatever the current Kelty 2P tent is that they're selling for about $140. I hauled it's 4.5# up Mount Whitney over four days.

[@metaspencer]

Whitney is a great climb -- nothing can beat those views from the top! I see your points about the tents and comparisons ... but thinking about it all just makes me want to go camping :)

[@cobbler88]

@@metaspencer And it's not like us independents can just open the checkbook and buy every other 2P tent that comes out, so you pick your spots. The idea is sound, comparing the cheapie with the other one. Unfortunately, we're kind of limited in how close that cheapie is going to be with the more pricey alternative. "I bought this tent for $24 and this $259 tent because they have nearly identical sh** designs. Having two unusable tents - and almost $300 - is the price you pay for an agenda-free review." 🤣

[@michaelbrinks8089]

I was just looking at an ozark trail 4 person tent for like $38, as long as the zippers don't break it can be cheaply diy water proofed using clear silicone & odorless mineral spirits. Mix it kinda thick to brush on all the seams, then later dunk the whole tent in a thinner mix. Use a piece of Tyvek, rope & extra tent stakes to make an extra tough lightweight rain fly VS buying a $250 tent

[@briang4914]

Any updates on how it's still holding up? Get any use outta it? Thanks!

[@metaspencer]

I use the REI tent regularly, but not the little dude from Amazon ... it just isn't that comfy and light, for my uses. But I'm sure you could make it work over the long haul!

[@briang4914]

@@metaspencer thanks man!

[@batkhan7635]

I like your dog

[@metaspencer]

Thanks! Yeah she's great

[@chodkowski01]

Maybe your next video you can compare a $5,000 tent to your $230 rei tent.

[@metaspencer]

RV vs Tent 😊

[@backlogbrood2451]

Half dome 2+ currently $329 jeebus, what happened...

[@metaspencer]

Woah, that's high! dang price hikes lately

[@MegaFruut]

Thats the SL (super light?) version. Its slightly lighter. The other version is still $230

[@metaspencer]

@@MegaFruut I didn't know they had multiple versions ... good to know!

[@Charsept]

Definitely respect a cheap tent. Even with the lower quality, you can't argue they aren't good value. 👍

[@metaspencer]

absolutely!

[@vladimirputin4822]

Oooooh, I wonder which one is better 🙄

[@metaspencer]

Putin!

[@carolinegray3150]

Nice video

[@metaspencer]

:)

[@glennfoster5431]

No comparison test needed, maybe get a next level $35 tent with full fly to make it a fairer fight

[@metaspencer]

Full fly would be a big step up -- good point!

[@davidbuchanan9812]

I like the value of the $29 tent. Unfortunately, Amazon has raised the cost to $46.35 as 7 Dec 2020. Of course, I’m the cheapskate that buys $1 reading glasses at the dollar store.

[@metaspencer]

Just for you, the $6 tent!!! www.amazon.com/Kcelarec-2-Person-Waterproof-Backpacking-Festivals/dp/B08KCTQ999/ref=sr_1_35?dchild=1&keywords=camping+tent&qid=1607385694&sr=8-35

[@metaspencer]

Bah, shipping is kind of a lot ... but still: what a cheap tent!

[@metaspencer]

@Reloaded Tech There ya go! You can get 10 of those for the price of an REI tent

[@Heatsauce70506]

The $24.00 would be great for hikers and you don't have to worry about destroying it, Kind of a one hiking season tent. The REI, I would worry about the $240.00 being lost if the tent got damaged beyond repair. Think about it, you can get 10 tents for the price of one and if it gets to heavy just drop it on the trail and get a new one when you get home...lol

[@metaspencer]

I know what you mean: the affordable tent can be replaced over and over again. :)

[@metaspencer]

Good techniques and points

[@sarasands5]

Please, never “drop” anything on a trail. Leave no trace.

[@randomstuffyouwontseeinyou8786]

Do not go hiking if you drop tents on the trail.

[@TBGmario]

Little yamaka up top 😂

[@metaspencer]

Exactly :)

[@GK-vt4ux]

You could buy 10 of the cheapo tents to the REI tent...

[@metaspencer]

Exactly!!

[@mackjenkins7721]

Hello this was a good review of the two tents. I bought me a tent from REI back in 2018 on sale for like $100 dollars so I jumped on it. I don't mind spending a little bit of money but not a lot of money. I own a tractor-trailer that takes a lot of my money. My tent is awesome for kayak camping. I haven't had any issues at all since I had it. It's lightweight and do not take up a lot of space in my kayak. I like how you demonstrate putting it up , getting inside the tent and showing how much space you have , and getting it wet to see how dry is stays inside. I have not seen anyone do a good review over a tent like this one. Great review man. It was also awesome to see you do the review barefooted 👣. I am and have to do things 95% barefooted 👣 because I have big very very wide feet sz15 6 EEEEEE wide with very fat wide toe that are equally straight across making my foot very very extremely wide and they do not make a shoe , sock , or boot that's wide enough for my foot so I have to do a lot of things barefooted 👣 because of that. I wish my toes were at a 45 degree angle like everybody else's toes instead of being equally straight across making my foot extremely wide cuz I could probably be able to find a shoe that will fit my foot. It's just awesome to see somebody do the same thing that you have to do all the time year round. Again great video thank you for sharing your video.

[@metaspencer]

Those are some BIG OLD feet you've got. Yeah, I go barefoot as much of the time as possible ... Thanks for checking out the vid. I've owned a few REI tents and they've all been great. But definitely not as cheap as that Amazon tent! haha

[@mackjenkins7721]

@@metaspencer yes I definitely agree with you I do have some big wide feet. It is very challenging to do things when my foot is 6 1/2 inches wide from my big toe to my lil toes and especially when your foot is so wide that it sometimes touch the brake and the gas pedals at the same time in the car. Having all of your toes that are 2 time the sz of your big toe is not good. Not being able to wear shoes or socks for 30 years now I've been able to do a lot of things barefooted 👣 pretty easy. Some stores will not allow me in barefooted 👣 so that's where I have some of my problems and I need help. It's awesome to hear that you do a lot of things barefooted👣 too man. That's awesome to hear that I'm not the only one. You are welcome and I enjoyed watching the video. And you are right REI tents are good but you can't beat price for a cheap tent. I'm looking into buying a cheap tent for a backup myself and this is how I ran across your video.

[@slowjamcdub]

We are all poor so we are all here for the $24 Tent! 🤣

[@metaspencer]

No shame in that! the dang things are a steal at that price

[@denisenj7648]

The REI is ten times the price but it's not ten times as good and won't last ten times as long. And the cheapo you could bring with you just in case since its lighter. I think you're right that you get more for your money w the cheapo. And don't have to worry about it getting lost or stolen. Thanks for the review. (I only sleep indoors but I enjoyed watching.)

[@metaspencer]

I see it the same way ... things can become so, so overpriced these days. Thanks for checking it out!

[@hiddenleaf414]

I’ve had the REI half dome version before the 2018 update. Still no problems after 5 years. Any tent under $100 isn’t gonna last you more than 10 trips.

[@dudleymilbin5599]

do something about that grass wont catch me walking on that

[@metaspencer]

haha ... yeah, I don't keep the best lawn :)

[@ohske]

👏👏👏👍👍👍👌🙂

[@johnpower8356]

Not sure why you give that pos $24 tent any pluses if you went camping and your sleeping bag got soaked you’d be going home miserable the rei is what it takes to camp in any rain so that’s what it cost period you do not get a lot for $24 you’re going to get wet, that tent looks like tarp material also, junk bought an REI 1/2 dome 2 in 2010 still works good I spray the fly and tub bottom with silicone spray once in a while too

[@metaspencer]

I see your point that REI tent is the best. Love it. Happy camping!

[@chodkowski01]

If we both had $230 to spend on our camping equipment I would have a much better experience then you in your $230 tent. You would have money for nothing else but the tent. You would be rubbing sticks together for fire and eating bugs. I would have my little tent, tarps hanging all around, grill, chairs, tables, cooler full of ice and food, drinks and maybe a small radio and tv.

[@metaspencer]

Sounds like you’d be pretty happy! Nothing beats camping

[@bannoch]

Get lucky

[@metaspencer]

Exactly!!