This is Why Cheap Tents are So Dangerous! - $35 Stansport Appalachian Dome Tent

A big rain event is approaching and Luke the Lone Wolf is out to weather the storm in the $35 Stansport Appalachian Dome Tent.
I'll be frank, the makers of this tent should be prosecuted for scamming their customers as this is the biggest piece of crap on the market and their claims of keeping the weather out are flat out lies.
Get ready for the worst leaking that you have ever seen!
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[@K_Tech64]

The worst part is someone thinking about getting into camping might buy one of these turds and their experience could turn them away. And that's a really bad thing.

[@tinal.8914]

I was just about to say hahah but this is true

[@rbvmtr]

It's those like me who can't afford the high quality expensive stuff that feel the butt hurt.

[@orion7741]

hey nothing wrong with less people out on trail!..... lol. the trails are getting a bit too packed with people as it is.

[@grahamjackson3388]

@@orion7741 that’s the irony of our hobby. It’s to get away from people, but more people are starting out than ever. All we’ll be left with is sitting in a traffic jam on the commute to work in our steel boxes listening to our favourite sounds.

[@tinal.8914]

Robert Van Meter same man

[@cnault3244]

"it describes it as a strong wind & weather resistant tent" It WAS. But then you took the tent out of the box and put it up outside.

[@Zeriel00]

LOL maybe it's water resistant for the first 10 seconds xD

[@yammoyammamoto8323]

Thanks for the chuckle :D

[@staceytroffer8287]

@@Zeriel00 that’s right!!! They didn’t say HOW LONG it was waterproof for.

[@ronvosick8253]

Hip waders not included .

[@philiproseel3506]

lol

[@AtomicShrimp]

Yeah, looks like a 'festival tent' - designed to be used once, in summer, with a slight risk of a light shower, then discarded.

[@JoeZUGOOLA]

I'm glad you're here

[@TheBlueB0mber]

I saw some college kids setting one of these cheap-o tents up at a fest on an area of wetland grass. They woke up to ankle deep water in the morning after a night of light rain (the whole field drained that direction).

[@sirwi11iam]

At Creamfields years ago, it's literally rained the whole weekend, was up to my knees in mud at one point. Looked like the Somme. Don't think any tents would handle that...😂

[@CryptoQuest95]

Can't believe I'm bumping into you here @atomic Shrimp!

[@TomOConnor-BlobOpera]

Not suitable for a UK festival then :D

[@nosherz]

Damn, I was planning to use this model for a six week expedition in the Himalaya's, thanks for highlighting these issues.

[@stoneisland1000]

I'm laughing

[@OldNavajoTricks]

YT needs a laugh button :-)

[@jep9092]

😂😂😂

[@neo87011]

😃😁😆😅🤣😂

[@bostonnate4024]

Dude 6 weeks? And your going to use a $35 tent? Something doesn’t seem right

[@Nicholas-wn1ov]

This is the kind of tent you get for your kids to play in the back yard. You know they'll be back in the house before midnight, anyway.

[@lorenguaylg]

Exactly or quick trip in nice weather. I had same thing for a weekend tubing trip but bigger, picked the one he has up for kid fun in backyard and the pole snapped on the 3rd set up.

[@scotts.2624]

Not if you lock the door.

[@fs3994]

I put a smaller tent inside a larger tent. (Cheap ones) That way they are warmer and drier. Wish they came soundproof though.

[@awotnot]

then it should be marketed as such - wet weather can be a killer the price says kids play tent - the phrase weather resistant is false advertising and the company should pay for lying

[@lorenguaylg]

@@awotnot let me know how your 10,000 lawsuit works out on getting your 35 dollars back. ..also, there is a difference between weather resistant and weatherproof/waterproof

[@kegsie100]

A tent and a swimming pool! Two leisure activities under the same roof 😂

[@justbrowsing8482]

🤣🤣. That made me chuckle 👍😃

[@brianfitzgerald499]

Lol

[@NikkiSmithTheonlynikki]

Twice the product for half the price!!

[@katarinatibai8396]

🤣🤣🤣

[@samuelschick8813]

Lived in a house before that had a river about 100 yards behind it. Next to my house was a neighbors house who's floor was about 8 feet lower than my floor, both one story. Well one night it started to ran and the river flooded the whole area all the way up to our houses. Kept watching my neighbor to see when he would come out and seek higher ground with his wife and daughter. Water at his front door and was about 2 feet deep. Seeing no movement I waded over and knocked on his door after about an hour or two. How bad was it? He opened the front door and water did not even rush in as living room was already flooded. There in the middle of the living room was his wife and daughter sound asleep on a mattress floating around the living room. He was asleep on the same mattress floating around with them till i knocked on the door. Sound sleepers. LOL

[@bananajoe9951]

Like my Dad always said, if you buy a cheap tent, you better waterproof it yourself.

[@boomerisadog3899]

I used to do that as a kid. My best friend and I stayed in the woods a lot and we didn't have a lot of $ so our gear wasn't the best. I've got a huge RV now but it's still not as fun as those leaky tents used to be.

[@jonathantan2469]

(asks neighbour with backyard beehives if she has a spare tin of beeswax to give away...)

[@bananajoe9951]

@RC CRAWL Yeah I know, wish more products were made in the US/Canada/Mexico.

[@krybling]

@@bananajoe9951 its funny you say this. lets just hope china will be less of capitalists than us

[@krybling]

@@bananajoe9951 i mean careful what you wish for

[@LegionarHR]

I bought my non brand tent for like 30$ and I am still using it after 10 years, did so much camping in snow and rain and I never had problems :D

[@WeekendsOutsideFL]

30 dollars 10 years ago is like 65 or 70 today so there is that, especially in the post Covid inflation

[@LegionarHR]

@@WeekendsOutsideFL I agree bro

[@freestang6662]

I bought a cheap Ozark Trail tent from Walmart and a $4 can of Camp Dry. Sprayed the tent down the first time I set it up. That tent lasted 12 years through countless thunderstorms. I finally gave it to a nephew for his boy scout camping trip. Who knows, maybe it's still being used.

[@glock0292]

Yep. Ozark Trail is the best cheap gear by a mile!

[@dalethebelldiver7740]

You were right in spraying it down and any new tent might leak

[@oldgeezerproductions]

I have had the same experience with a "cheap tent" that was properly waterproofed. On an extended geology field trip, side by side, my tent compared favorably with the "prestige brand" tents costing more than three times as much. In other words, I stayed just as dry.

[@admiraldraconis]

This. Prep work is key even for canvas tents.

[@Neverod8doreveN]

I didn't even spray my ozark and it was fine. Yes I was midly surprised.

[@Maryland_Kulak]

Go to Dollar Tree and get a plastic table cloth for $1. Drape it over the tent and use binder clips to hold it in place. Now you have a $36 tent that doesn’t leak. Bonus: Dollar Tree plastic table cloths come in many different colors. Get a green one for stealth camping and an orange one for when you want to be seen. Weighs almost nothing and takes up almost no space in your pack.

[@johnmerrick6180]

Hey this sounds great.

[@josephjankowski1153]

But why? I'd rather just buy a tent that isn't a total piece of garbage in the first place, rather than waste $35 on this.

[@Maryland_Kulak]

@@josephjankowski1153 That’s great as long as long as your credit card balance is zero.

[@markwitte303]

yes experienced campers already have a tarp as a real rain fly. dont waste money in a tent.

[@chopstickthrower930]

I love this comment because I always want to say it on vids like this. I use the cheap 4 dollar tarps from Walmart myself camping in southern florida for durability against palms cutting up stuff. You just don't need a crap ton of money to do the thing humans have done since the dawn of our time.

[@mikdavi3254]

You described me to a T! Years ago I went on a motorcycle camping trip and picked up a simple tent from Walmart. It literally ruined the trip as it rained the entire 5 days. 20yrs later I still believe being warm and dry are two of the greatest luxuries available.

[@junebyrne4491]

Famous last words. The cheap one will be fine.

[@munchies24]

Bought the larger three room version of this tent and though it was a great deal. It was perfectly fine for mine and my fiance's first and second 3 night camping trips because it didn't rain. The third trip we got stuck out in the rain and we were soaked and sprinted back to our tent. We dried off and tried laying down for a nap until the rain passed... but we were getting our heads dripped on where our inflatable mattress was set up. This tent barely kept any water out and we were bored and miserable to say the least. After an hour we looked at each other, gave up, and just decided to take the almost 5 hour drive home. The tent stayed in the dumpster at the camp site and didn't come home with us.

[@therealdeal3866]

Maybe people like you should just not go camping since you don't know the first thing about how to set your gear up properly.

[@pman123]

I spent a year homeless in 25$ Walmart tents and rain was my worst enemy. I used to put my sleeping bag into lawn and leaf bags to stay dry...

[@tonkerdog1]

Hope you’re doing ok now.

[@frankdiehl8749]

Did about 7 months of that in a piece of cr@p tent around that pricepoint... Took me 1 night in it and I realised I needed to expedite upgrades like big tarps, camo netting and the like. Used bubble wrap once it got colder, for floor isolation. And an oven made of terracotta pots, worked as a sort of heat-accumulator, with candles. A forestry service guy helped me out with stuff(Thanks Leo!). Learned a lot...

[@bigt7706]

@@frankdiehl8749 I'm glad you are in a better place

[@frankdiehl8749]

@@bigt7706 Thanks, me too... Planning a lean-to for recreational purposes. Something I should, and arguably would have done if time permitted back then. (Yep, it was a divorce...) Quite comfortably indoors nowadays, but I notice the outdoors beckons sometimes. 🌲

[@YodaWasSith]

Your best bet would have been to take the tent down and use it as a blanket, then sleep on a pad. You could then isolate the pad with the trash bags from the rain so it isn't getting wet.

[@Rorr59]

It actually started out as a water collection device for survival purposes, that is why it has the bathtub floor. After the storm you just fill your water storage device from the floor.

[@lespaul36]

The outside filters it as well. It is all so clear now LOL.

[@majorpoopie6048]

Haha. He's got jokes. I'd rather go find water then die of hypothermia 🤣

[@funonvancouverisland]

No it was just set up upsidown

[@oscarosullivan4513]

Fecking funny OP

[@a.ramosakadrumgrl6677]

🤣😂

[@stevehatfield1828]

When I was selecting my tent at Rapid City, S.D. Cabelas, I was informed that the 'fly' needed to come all the way down the sides. If it didn't we need a tarp to pull over the thing. I was thinking the sales lady was WELL INFORMED! She stated the tarp needs to originate under the tent and extend up and over the tent.

[@hennaoctopus]

Ive been using the same $40 tent regularly for like 6 years, works great. Of course, I live in az so ive only been in rain once that whole time...

[@mokokawi]

that's good....I've got the same,I might spray the sealant on seams....and Mayne dollar tree table cloth, as mentioned above

[@oxide32100]

my disability prevents me from enjoying overnight camping these days, i so look forward to your videos to bring back memories, thank you so much brother.

[@AccidentalHiker1]

Wouldn't it be fun to pitch a tent in the living room and sleep in it?😃 Don't stop living.💖

[@michaeldean4704]

SD, I obviously don't know the particulars of your disability, but let me tell you... I'm a 67 year-old polio "victim". I cannot walk at all and use a wheelchair exclusively to get around. However, I still enjoy getting out in the woods and camping. Now granted, it's not backpacking in the back-country, which would be ideal were it practically possible, (I really don't care for the noise and congestion of "established" campgrounds.) but there are still plenty of out-of-the-way places you can get to by car and enjoy some isolated peace and serenity. Think national forests or BLM land. You may also be able to find some private land that you can gain permission to use. Believe me, if the will is strong enough, there is a way.

[@baird329]

If you can't tent camp you might look into travel trailer camping. With those you can still get out into nature and have electricity for a CPAP machine or a refrigerator for temp sensitive meds. It's not the dream but sometimes you can make reality fun with a little ingenuity. I kayak camp because I have a blown out knee and ankle from my Army days. I can't walk for distance so I paddle for distance. I still get out in the woods just on the shore instead of on the trail.

[@fschiller4189]

Sorry to hear that. Hope you will be getting better soon.

[@michaelbrinks8089]

I know the feeling, my body is starting to prevent me from doing many things I enjoy.

[@collectingonthecheap56353]

Ah boy. Brings back some memories of camping in tents that pretty much never held through the night before having to evacuate to the car.

[@Ezydae]

It's never fun to sleep with water dripping on you. Or waking up in a puddle.

[@ElessarEstel]

Took my sons camping a couple years back and it started storming. I woke up in a puddle and assumed my tent was trash. I found out my kid had just pissed himself all over me in his sleep lol

[@Tampahop]

I was a boy scout growing up. My family also liked to "camp out," meaning my parents and sister stayed in a travel trailer while I slept in a tent. In all of that camping experience, I have never seen a tent take on so much water.

[@readhistory2023]

You should try one of the old Army shelter halfs. If you touch the material while it's raining they leak and they're so small you can't help but touch them. They were a terrible design.

[@tep1003]

My first camping trip as a boy scout I had a tent with a defective fly pole that fell in the middle of the night and I woke up surrounded by water because the water was coming off the fly directly into the window vent (Eureka Timberline). But that was due to equipment failure not design failure.

[@ThatBugBehindYou]

A family member was texting me about getting this tent in the future, least to say this review has come at the perfect time.

[@cobbler88]

For a cheapie, the Ozark Trail 2P tend for $44 at WM worked great for me since I bought it about a decade ago. Full rain fly and easy set up. I passed it along to my nephew last year. I can't definitely say the quality of the ones today is the same, but the design looks the same.

[@earthn1447]

Yep, tent “just like that”, had it for 18 years. Always use a separate tarp underneath a tent, keep anything that must stay dry in the car. Has been a great tent for occasional use - summer camping trips. I try not to go out in bad weather but we get our share of showers.

[@echomoon3381]

I'll be 68 in November, my oldest is now 42 my youngest is 40. When my oldest was 12 I think and my son was 10 the X and I planned a trip on motorcycles to Nova Scotia. I bought cheap tents, but I was smart enough to waterproof them before usage. Never had a problem with leakage and getting wet. When my daughter was in her twenties I replaced all three tents we owned, bought them all from Walmart. Just cheap Ozark tents. When the ex and I split up he kept the four person tent but I managed to hang on to the 2 two person tents that were the kids. One of them got stolen but I still have one of those tents to this day. Every time it came to use the tent for summer I would spray it with Camp dry. Now my son when he was in his twenties and came back to the States when he got out of the aArmy he came to Maine to see his sister and I. While he was with us he wanted to go to an LL Bean store, I took him to the main store in Maine. He bought a backpacking tent for I think about $200 if not more. I told him to make sure he waterproofed it before he had to use it. He said the LL Bean was top of the line and it was already waterproof and he didn't have to do it. The first time it rained he and his sleeping bag got soaked. He went and bought some Camp Dry. You had better believe I razzed the heck out of him and ask him if he had taken soap with him. But at least after that he did waterproof his tent. Honestly I don't feel that price really much matters as long as you prepare before you go. And that includes waterproofing.

[@JayMS916]

That's the sort of tent people buy for 3-day music festivals and just leave behind when it's over.

[@jamessmith1652]

This. They're not made for camping and this is obvious. A bit harsh to criticize a 35 dollar tent as nobody should have high expectations. Only an idiot would buy one of these for camping. No different to going on a hike wearing flip-flops.

[@Daishar]

@@jamessmith1652 Yes, those of us who have good jobs and really know we like camping and have the disposable income to buy better gear would never buy this for camping. But it is rather rude to call those who are poor and want something to camp but can't afford a nice tent an idiot because that is what they can afford. I used to camp in a lot of cheap tents when I was young, because I was broke and getting out in nature with the cheapest crap possible was the only way I could afford a hobby.

[@jamessmith1652]

@@Daishar That is not what I'm saying at all. I'm saying if someone buys such a tent and has too high expectations for how it can perform, they will learn the hard way. I also have only used cheap tents in my life, but I use them only in the best conditions.

[@jaswats9645]

@@jamessmith1652 Problem is, there are plenty of consumer items that work minimally well for the price. This product does nothing it purported to do.

[@BlackSoap361]

@@jamessmith1652 I have a $35 Walmart tent that has lasted me 15 years. Sure, I’ve silicone-sprayed the fly. In high wind I need extra stakes to keep it from collapsing. But it still works.

[@mikeboard1]

I would LOVE to see a waterproofing experiment with this thing. There’s a lot of cheap options out there that might work with a little help.

[@FawnandEvon]

I’d try gorilla tape?

[@1jotun136]

I always set up a new tent before hand to stretch all of the stitching completely, then I silicone seal every damn inch with special attention give to the seams.

[@mariebernier3076]

And then again, for a family on a tight budget and little know how, the fixes may NOT work. It's sad.

[@SVMSICE]

It would probably only cost the manufacturer a buck more for each tent to actually make them waterproof 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@1jotun136]

@@SVMSICE right? It's the shock corded poles that are the worst part of cheap tents. They're rarely rated for the actual tension required to keep the tent stable.

[@glep3570]

Coming from the days of canvas tents, you gotta prep your tent.

[@lespaul36]

Yup. And always check your gear before heading out, even if it worked great last trip.

[@tinymetaltrees]

Yeah, he forgot to stretch out the fly until it reaches the ground.

[@treed6038]

In their defense, the intended market of a $35 tent is not the customer base who goes camping in the rain. Its a great tent for a couple kids when they go camping with Mom & Dad once in a blue moon or for a first introductory tent to see if camping is really your thing. And as a business decision, it is probably a good one for Stansport as well as for those customers who buy it knowing what they're getting. Anyone who camps enough that they camp through a rainstorm will probably not be buying $35 tents in the first place. But these comments aside, I truly appreciate you making this video and educating the rest of us on what we are getting for our money. Without this video, it would only be speculation on our part until we get rained on ourselves, right? So keep up the great work!

[@shcmoly]

I do not own a tent without a full rainfly - this video proves why.

[@mariebernier3076]

Good for you, obviously you have the funds and experience that others who buy this tent may not. Think that's who he's directing this toward

[@melissa7233]

My mom wanted to get a bunch of these to donate to my scout troop. I instead asked her to get one, maybe 2 Eurekas instead. She couldn't understand the problem, and I tried to explain. I'm going to forward this video to her.

[@DanielDavies-StellularNebulla]

Thank you.

[@phillipvansickle4220]

I've had two Eureka Timberline A frame tents for over 40 years. They still don't leak a drop.

[@MichaelRainey]

The troop I grew up in used Eureka Timberlines. When I went away to college I bought a cheap dome because I didn't have enough money for a Timberline. It was cheap and it was a waste of money. When I could I bought myself a Timberline. Wouldn't consider anything else.

[@andreisimion247]

Got 2 Eureka tents , both of them are AWESOME .

[@tintin6291]

Wrong tents. This tent sucks. Others at 40 dollars are way better

[@malindaallen718]

The really bad thing is that you could get hypothermia when you are far away from help!

[@NightOwlGames]

people sleep rough on a park bench for years that tent is better than nothing

[@NightOwlGames]

@Jake Sturm then where do 80% of homeless sleep? they dont all live in a homeless shelter ive seen a doc on it most homeless HATE the shelters its full of undesirables taking hazardous drugs like heroin drinking alcohol and stealing from eachother they would rather sleep in an alley way covered with cardboard than go to a shelter.

[@KimonFrousios]

@@NightOwlGames In the warm months they might sleep in the open as you say. But in poor weather those that get wet/cold end up on the news as death statistics. The ones that live are those who manage to find some kind of shelter like bridges, building entrances, underpasses, etc

[@rocketrollsvlogs7625]

I have a tent similar to this. I was new to camping. I have had the luxury of choosing my weather. While it hasn't rained I do hate fighting with the poles. I plan to upgrade before hiking the Appalachian Trail next month.

[@Pidalin]

definitely buy tent with aluminium poles, it's really massive difference, it's much lighter, it's much easier to build and pack it back and tent is much stronger, it doesn't shake in weak wind like jelly

[@pamspencer5733]

@@Pidalin Do you know of any true blue pop up tents for one person? No 💈 poles? Sea to Summit?

[@builtontherockhomestead9390]

Back in the 70's my mother leant our camping gear to her friend who had never camped before. This was in California in the summer, a time of year it never rains. It rained that weekend. Our tent kept her and her boyfriend dry. People do get caught in rain sometimes when rain is not even in the forecast.

[@chriswagoner2007]

Then what happened...

[@builtontherockhomestead9390]

@@chriswagoner2007 After the weekend they returned home and returned the equipment. Just saying novices do go camping and get caught in the rain. This occurred in a month it never rains in California so the rain was very unexpected.

[@tinymetaltrees]

You said it “never” rains that time of year. Twice. Then you say it rained. I do not think that word means what you think it means.

[@builtontherockhomestead9390]

@@tinymetaltrees Rain of any kind in the summer in California is a major surprise. I have only heard of it raining a handful of times during my lifetime. The jet stream flows from east to west during the summer months, thus Asia gets lots of rain during the summer months and the US west coast doesn't. But during the winter months Asia doesn't rain (Thailand, Taiwan, etc.) and California does.

[@sunnyscott4876]

I spent 6 months, day and night, in a $69 Coleman 10x10 tent. It was literally my home and I never had a single problem with it.

[@aaronhiggs]

Thats because you bought a Coleman.

[@nelsonmercer9783]

My Coleman Sunset Dunes 7x9 leaks like a sieve!

[@roxannef7659]

@@aaronhiggs That's what I was thinking. I've owned Coleman tents for a couple decades now and have never had an issue with them in rain or snow. They're usually around $75 if you catch them on sale, though.

[@aaronhiggs]

@@nelsonmercer9783 get scotch guard silicone waterproofing spray. Spray the whole thing down and focus on the seams. You’ll be dry in no time.

[@nelsonmercer9783]

@@aaronhiggs thanks Aaron!

[@patfarra627]

I bought one just like it. Years ago. I thought I was messing up the poles. Thank you.

[@hawkeyestiguy]

I learned at an early age that your gear is everything when it comes to camping. Bad gear will make you miserable!

[@donniev8181]

I think that by showing the quality control issues of lower priced tents it may snowball and help the entire industry. If cheap tent manufacturers fix their issues other more expensive brands will then have no excuse. God bless

[@Jester-Riddle]

If cheap tent manufacturers 'fix their issues' then there won't be cheap tents that are 'Weather Resistant' and lightweight to carry, but only 'Waterproof' tents that are more expensive. It is, of course, not possible to make any tent that is 'Stormproof', or even a House for that matter ...

[@peyotepete4903]

Add another 10 bucks for a tarp and some paracord and you'll be just fine! 👍👍👍

[@markwitte303]

exactly. these posts are stupid and his followers should just stay home.

[@kevins8825]

@@markwitte303 why on earth would you say this post is stupid? there are people out there that purchase this that do not know.. this post is letting them know before they have a horrible experience themselves. based on that, this is actually a very good and informative post.

[@mattivirta]

yes sure best, because i not newer has understand people who waste many 1000 $ camping gears and use only one night this. one-3 night no need more than tarp and keep dry and cheap. idiot waste many hundre money one tent, i understand waste 1000$ tent if have homeless men who live tent many year but no if waste lot money and sleep tent 1-2 night.

[@Bill-ij4wh]

And maybe don't sit there with it open.

[@stevensmith1911]

Seal the seams with silicone caulk.

[@andreagriffiths3512]

It’s a tent you have for backyard camping in summer for the kids. I upgraded to a double swag because it has mesh sides, perfect for stargazing in summer, and heavy canvas flaps. It did leak slightly at first but weathering and waterproof spray made it awesome.

[@andrewdunning4295]

I bought one years ago when I was starting. I spend a lot of time waterproofing the tent to make it work. Thank you for the review and stating how bad these "playhouses" are.

[@JimmyTH101]

If you buy a cheap tent, you get a can of silicone spray and some seam sealer and you fix all that stuff before you actually go camping.

[@CrimeVid]

Cheap tents have their uses, IF you are going to stay in one place for a while, you can paint them waterproof with household oil paint. A friend spent a summer in a cheap ex army two man tent that had been treated to a pint of whatever enamel was cheapest at Woolworths, totally waterproof with a polythene builders sheet groundsheet. Why ? no money !

[@cherishnash365]

However a £30 tent with a £20 tarp set up over it is still better than a £200 tent when ya skint 🤣🤣

[@Tracert-mc1hu]

At that point, why not just go on Craigslist or a thrift store and buy a used quality tent that is ready to go?

[@peterbrennan750]

But it was advertised as waterproof...

[@cobbler88]

@@peterbrennan750 It wasn't, actually. At least not on the Amazon site. It specified that the wall material was "waterproof enough to keep out the weather," but what does that really mean? All walls eventually wet out, but technically the claim might be true.

[@Big_John_C]

It looks like your bathtub will be full by morning 🤣🤣

[@icline3029]

This reminds me of the time I camped in southern oregon in a Kelty tent in nonstop light rain for a week. By Day 6 it looked like this. It was also sitting in a low spot too. I was so impressed that I bought one bc I dont usually camp in rain like that.

[@andrewclark8630]

I've been using a $30 Decathlon tent, so far 4 nights, one night with some light rain. Was bone dry inside. So far it has worked out well.

[@rickmortyson4861]

Decathlon actually has a relatively good quality management. At least in Germany

[@Emmanuel-ti6ym]

Great to know

[@rayyan09]

I like your no nonsense emphatic review. Thanks

[@dddhhh2612]

Haven't seem puddles in a tent like that for 20 years. Wow!

[@erikaquatsch2190]

loving the tent door zipper sound! I'm transported to cold and wet but oh so happy times of long road trips with my husband-to-be, camping in the Cascades and the Rockies - - - before age 29 and Lymphoma

[@maryajones3147]

I went camping the other night, it rained every thirty minutes. My tent held up. I had to tape the rain fly down due to high winds and coldness.

[@JamesSmith-ud7yw]

Thank you for this review. I'm a new backpacker/hiker, and I'm also on a budget. I try to buy good gear, but I am sometimes tempted to go cheap. This video is a huge lesson for me, especially when considering very critical gear like a tent.

[@the1andonly]

Thanks for demonstrating this so well. I've camped in a $ 35 tent from Bass Pro Shop over a six months period on a cycling trip once. It was an adventure and luckily I didn't camp the whole time as hotels are very cheap in Mexico.

[@fe-dor]

Great test and caution - reasonable and expectable. Never use cheap tents. So do I. Thanks Luke!

[@blankfocus1521]

This fucking guy figured out how to turn a $35 tent into enough ad revenue to go out and buy a $1,000 tent. Good job dude!

[@stevereaver]

And he didn't even buy the tent!

[@400Redsport]

I've camped many nights in the middle of rainstorms in the Ozarks and I've never seen so much water in a tent before. I always buy a throwaway tent like this if I'm out there and didn't bring any of our gear, never had a problem with leaking.

[@solosolo8610]

Ozarks are awful spent 150 on a 12 person ozark tent and it didn’t last a month before it started pooling

[@400Redsport]

@@solosolo8610 I'm talking about the actual mountain range, The Ozarks. Lol not the tent company.

[@starvestal5539]

We always sprayed camp dry on our tents before we used them which helped out a lot when it rained.

[@CosgroveNotts]

Just buy a proper tent lol

[@maryajones3147]

I've never heard of Camp DRY, now I know👍

[@henrybowden9907]

If only they made the flysheet cover the entire tent. Thanks for reviewing such items - I reckon my two little granddaughters (aged 6 and 8) would enjoy playing in this 'tent' on a nice warm day in their garden. I agree with your statement that to get a tent that will keep a person dry they need to spend around £100 / $150.

[@SFVYachtClub]

I was out on a morning walk a few years ago, when I saw a homeless man shoving one of these tents into a garbage bin at Venice Beach. I asked him why he was getting rid of it. He said sleeping in that tent was like sleeping on the pavement, except the tent gathered a puddle of water overnight, and turned into a sauna when the sun came up.

[@andreagriffiths3512]

That tells you everything you need to know. If a poor homeless dude won’t have it and thinks it’s junk, then it really must be.

[@larrybaumgardner6419]

I just dropped 600 on a 12ft Teton Bell canvas tent. Plan is to live in it 1 year. Crossing fingers

[@callofdutyblackops9]

@Shadow.dragon D It'd be worth it if your planning on doing some long-form backpacking and wanting to spend as little money as possible.

[@Loruca]

@Shadow.dragon D I would pay 600 if I were going to live in it. It's probably canvas.

[@counterfit5]

I hope you plan on staying in one spot for a while. Canvas ain’t light

[@gordonlawrence1448]

@Shadow.dragon D Then you have not done any serious expeditions. I paid 500 way back in about 2005 or 2006. That tent got used mountaineering in Siberia in winter.

[@larrybaumgardner6419]

@@counterfit5 Oh I know, But the Bell tent is a super easy set up & tear down

[@dannyruiz6868]

We need these kind of reviews. Thanks so much for posting.

[@mason4354]

Just got my $40 Ozark trail pop up tent, can't wait to use it this summer.

[@gary_beniford]

my first tent was a $35 walmart ozark 4 person tent. I used it for 3 months on a wood platform. I would occasionally get condensation but it was always dry even through major summer downpours.

[@beerhammer1881]

We tent camped for many years, at the start of every season I always set up our tent in the back yard and waterproofed the seams. Can't believe that teeny tiny rain fly lol

[@llerradish]

I don't know who would expect it to be much better for that price. It's the kind of tent you buy and use it one weekend and then let the kids set it up in the backyard and playing it till it's destroyed and then throw it away. That's what it's for.

[@Islacrusez]

Someone who doesn’t know better. And if they only ever see the marketing blurb, they won’t have any reason to know better.

[@Jehty_]

I would have expected more. A tent that is not waterproof (to some degree) is not a tent. No matter the price point. I wouldn't expect a $35 tent to last long, or be watertight for long, but it should withstand one night of rain.

[@blockatiel5472]

@@Jehty_ the tent IS waterproof to some degree. That's why there's a cup or two of water in the tent and not an inch or two. It's 35 dollars, ffs

[@JohnLee-ui5gd]

I got one 3 person tent. And it did awesome in a Florida down pour with about 4 inches of water / runoff running right up to the front opening. Happy with my 35 dollar WalMart tent.

[@ericpmoss]

I'd like to see the same tent tested after doing a thorough round of seam-sealing, and then after Scotch-Guarding or whatever the go-to waterproofing spray is. I bought a boutique tent and spent a day sealing every seam twice. Whatever the 'worth it' rating is, it was perfect.

[@skyflakesq8054]

I use Scotch Gard Heavy Duty water shield on my $99 Walmart tent and has Never leaked, even in a very heavy downpour.

[@BBQDad463]

If someone got about eight or ten miles in from the trailhead, caught a solid night of heavy rain and heavy wind at a temperature of, say, 40°F., the result could well be life-threatening. Hypothermia is a real thing.

[@benvsreality]

I used to camp with family in a cheapo Coleman tent that was great in rain and snow... It weighed like 35 lbs though.

[@amechealle5918]

We use Ozark trail for ages. Camping at the beach during the rainy season (my favorite season) never had a problem even with all night rain. There is something so peaceful about camping in the rain. 💕

[@CptBlackbeardlives]

Best tent I ever owned was an Eureka Sunrise 7 dome tent. Waterproof from day one, I used it hard for over a decade and did nothing to it and it never leaked. Easy to set up and take down even in strong winds. Mesh windows on all four sides so no matter what direction the wind was from you could always open a window. Finally retired it when the door zipper failed but never found another as good.

[@nairbvel]

My first thought was, "Well, they DID call it a 'bathtub' base..." LOL

[@lukebonagurio4503]

I got a 35 dallor ozark trail tent. Works great had it in 2 heavy rains and stayed dry.

[@eugenebrown6379]

I have that model. It gave me years of good use. I only started using a more expensive one when I started to take longer backpacking trips and weight savings became more important to me.

[@ihateeverything9887]

I have one as well it’s been through like 20+ camping trips. A few of which rained heavy and stayed dry. Definitely a good tent.

[@CPD0123a]

My first tent was a $25 K-Mart tent. It lasted me far longer than two Coleman brand instant tents combined! I, for one, stand by cheap tents being made from the same if not better materials, you're just not paying for the brand.

[@Jay-Man10]

I have the same tent broke it the day after I got it

[@Lee-rc5en]

@@CPD0123a I’m guessing they don’t make them like they used to. I bought my first tent 25 years ago and it was cheap and great as well.

[@Neverod8doreveN]

My tent was $30 it stayed dry in a heavy rainstorm, freezing rain, and a snowstorm that almost half buried it.

[@IbadassI]

What tent was it? Any links?

[@918Mitchell]

How long ago did you purchase?

[@nickowen7406]

The exception. Not the rule

[@Neverod8doreveN]

@@IbadassI 3 man ozark tent from Walmart. I was admittedly surprised at how well it survived. www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-3-Person-Camping-Dome-Tent/422817405

[@Neverod8doreveN]

@@918Mitchell Start of 2021. Just something basic for my 8 year old son.

[@byteslammer4817]

I've been using a Cabela's XPG four-season tent for 12 years. It was expensive, but for as long as it's lasted, the cost averages to $50 per year. The tent is still going strong, and I expect it to last for another 10 years.

[@kapegede]

7:44 At last the floor is waterproof: The water can't get out. A nice bathtub - literally.

[@buckman840]

For an upgrade $$$ comes with a drain plug!!!

[@UnkleAL1962]

so if they used the floor material for the top it would be good to go

[@Hunterr8]

In high school my baseball team had a weekend at a cabin and we brought tents. Some of my teammates brought their Xboxs. It stormed. Our tents *literally* turned to swimming pools and their Xboxs drowned. 😂😂

[@braddorcas9363]

Jeez even as a life long gamer that makes me cringe to think people bringing a fuckin xbox camping. They deserved to have them ruined.

[@Hunterr8]

@@braddorcas9363 I laughed. 🤷🏼‍♂️😂

[@arthurmead5341]

Like just the Xbox itself?

[@UpNorthFreyja]

I have also been favorably impressed by Ozark tents... I never thought to spray them down, but have camped through thunderstorms in them with only the tiniest amount of damp getting in. (I also tend to put a tarp under it to add extra protection - a trick my father taught me.)

[@therealdeal3866]

And you can get backpacking tarps that have loops for hanging as a rain fly down the middle (giving an A-Frame look) for about $15 on Amazon. Put one of those OVER and a cheap tarp UNDER your tent and you'll solve 90% of the issues this idiot ran into through his complete lack of actual knowledge of how to set up a campsite. Oh, for those arguing that I'm carrying two extra tarps and it's "too heavy", my entire pack is 19lbs before food.

[@misantrope]

I love tenting and I´m so glad I got my girlfriend into it, who from the beginning said I´d get her into a tent over her dear body. We purchased a 5-man tent rather cheap and it have not failed us... yet. A friend told us about a lake few people knows about and now it´s our favorite spot. The tent 5 meters from the water, we can park the car mere meters from the tent, we´re able to fish and swim, excellent properties to make a fire and barbeque what food we bring, woods all around so fuel to the fire is just steps away from us and the closest road and houses are a couple of kilometers away. We´ve planned tenting this autumn wich in Sweden will mean close to freezing temperatures. Anyways, thanks for this video and keep the reviews coming.

[@dottierogers4625]

Nice color though! Looks like trouble to me also! I remember at 3am holding an umbrella inside my leaking tent, omg!

[@james20k50]

I'm certain this can be made into a waterproof shelter. I did that with an Ozark Trail tent that lasted me for years. It was worth it

[@nicholasflick8997]

Yep. I spray seems every year

[@cheeseburger9232]

@@nicholasflick8997 what product did you use? Does it say seam sealer on the can?

[@nicholasflick8997]

@@cheeseburger9232 the Coleman brand is just seam sealer. And the whole Trent with V.I.P. Silicone Water-Guard Water Repellent Fabric Care, 13.13 Ounces, Weather Resistant really helps.

[@jamesmiddleton6464]

@@nicholasflick8997 used this combo on a.cheap tent for years and worked well even in storms. I learned the hard way in my youth to never trust a tent out of the box regardless of price. Set it up in the back yard and seam seal and silicone before your first use.

[@nicholasflick8997]

@@jamesmiddleton6464 💯 agree

[@josephalexander3884]

I thank you for testing cheap equipment as well. I live in a homeless shelter. This is very helpful information. Thank you.

[@user-xi3kq4hz8b]

I went camping with an Ozark trail 30 dollar tent that we borrowed and we were outside in the car driving and there was a really heavy thunderstorm when we came back the tent was wet but the inside was dry! And that night there was showers and the walls were a bit dewy, but I still loved my camping experience!

[@nightw4tchman]

Really like your testing methods here, going back to check on it after an hour (as well as a full night) is a real eye opener and defence against companies claiming the tent can withstand light rain.

[@rumblechick73]

The minute I see a tent with a yarmulke for a rainfly, I immediately say "NEXT!" Designed strictly for the kids to play in the backyard on sunny days. The only thing you can do to waterproof it is to put a large tarp over it. LOL

[@burleydad]

Right?! When I saw the first couple of pics I thought he hadn’t deployed the rain fly. BUT, this is definitely a CHEAP tent. I do believe a decent $10 tarp would make it workable...

[@cobbler88]

Same here. I posted on it as well. Don't fall for that half-assed rainfly garbage. Get a full rainfly. You don't get a condom with side vents.

[@thatdudekyle4509]

Last week I bought the Coleman Flatwoods 2. 4 person tent. I set it up in my back yard just before a thunderstorm. It was a flash flood. A heavy downpour that lasted all night. Afterwards we had large puddles of water in the yard and the tent only had on quarter-size drop of water in the back corner. I paid $65 plus tax, and I’m very happy so far.

[@williambooth6018]

I remember buying a 2 man tent for £10 from my local somerfield store about 15 years ago... That thing was water proof and never had no leaks during the rain

[@janedoll3237]

They up charge everything nowadays. If they want to sell $1000 tents they need to sell $35 tents that leak.

[@Politikn]

Love that you are attempting to waterproof that thing! Can’t wait to see

[@roderickl9539]

Did Stansport ever comment regarding this video? Thank you, man. I appreciate it.

[@slofty]

When you're running a large-unit-volume-cheap-product cash grab it's better just to stay silent.

[@roderickl9539]

@@slofty That's terrible business...

[@gordonlawrence1448]

@@roderickl9539 It's how most of them work these days. I used to work for someone who set up a new business every 9 months. That way there was little to no warranty work. Needless to say I left pretty quick.

[@slofty]

@@roderickl9539 That's how capitalism works. And before anyone freaks out-- yes, it (capitalism) works light years better than economic systems entirely run by the state. As long as money is to be made and it's legal, whatever happens, well, happens even if it engorges landfills. That's life.

[@Cypressed]

@@slofty Capitalism is one the worst things to happen to humanity and to this planet.

[@ChrisFreyer]

THANK YOU for saying "it sucks". So many reviews are focused on generating ad revenue, and you can tell the reviewer isn't familiar with tents at all. Your revew is really valuable, especially to Scouts and outdoor fans world-wide.

[@AnonURnot]

I got a $60 dollar tent from target over a year ago and it still holds up till this day, through some bad weather too but I guess it’s hit or miss. One downside to that tent is that it doesn’t stand straight up, it leans because some flaw in the design but it gets the job done

[@billyaitken1713]

That's not a tent, that's a tea-bag!!!! $35 would have bought you some tarp to keep dry under🤔. Good call-out👏👏👏👍.

[@CommanderXED]

I'd like to see a video of Luke taping and seam sealing the tent in his garage, then retesting it.

[@johnmoore5293]

Yes, I seam sealed a tent we took to Yellowstone and grand canyon and I seam sealed it in dry weather and it kept the 6 of us dry for years. I used comercial seam sealer. Saw some one recently take silicone (not the water-based kind) and thinning it with paint thiner to make a home made cheaper seam sealer. It's on my bucket list to try that.

[@bean420man]

I don’t even think that would help. The poles will probably break after a few uses.

[@wetbobspongepants]

If you are going to be camping you need a tarp which is extremely useful for all sorts of things including thrown over the tent in a rain and will not let any rain in. It might not look all that great but you'll at least be dry.

[@itzcaseykc]

It's refreshing to hear such an open review as this one. Will look for the followup where you said you'd waterproof it.

[@richardt1792]

That is a test you want to do in your back yard so when it leaks, you can dry off and move to your warm bed.

[@WinterSoldier7207]

First thing I did when I got my Magellan 5-person double-walled tent was do just this in my yard. So far, so good. It has a fly on top similar to this one but bigger, triple the windows plus the screened door, but it was all dry inside, save for spilling a drink! I spent some time out there earlier, just hanging out and listening to the rain. I also noticed the Magellan tent was made in Bangladesh, that might make a difference. Not sure where this Stansport was made, after trying to figure that out...

[@doctorartphd6463]

Thank you for your research and hard work to help us with product selection. We appreciate you. Blessings.

[@rolithesecond]

Interesting, I've used like a 60€ tent on festivals, with rainstorms and everything and they've always stood the test nicely. I did use a waterproofing spray on it prior to use though which might have helped.

[@edwardmeer95]

This looks just like my 20 year old tent I got for $20. And this looks just like the time my wife said we should camp in Maine....in February. Cold and wet.

[@ffwast]

Don't know why someone would go camping in maine in February in any tent

[@johnl.8616]

Well for $35 you really can't expect much. I wouldn't expect a Ford Escort to do well in a Indy race.

[@woolymittens]

Would you expect your Ford Escort to at least make it around the track once? Even if its not competitive?

[@johnl.8616]

@@woolymittens I would, and just like the Escort that tent stayed up and made it through the night. Failed miserably but was still standing.

[@Airdaman1]

I remember camping through a huge rainstorm in the Shenandoah. Ours was the only dry tent in the morning.

[@2LucasKane3]

I am a couchpotatoe and for some reason I love watching this stuff. Hell, I dont even walk more than I absolutely have to.