MC Tents, why so much $$

Darwin missed.

Bullshit. This only happens if you store a tent in the stuff sack with any moisture in it. Get home. Set your tent up and let it dry out before putting it away. No issues.

I found a Swiss Army tent I wanted about 12 years ago; but balked at paying over $90 for a tent that I was likely only going to use a couple of times. It went on sale for $39.95. Over ten years later and a lot of use, it is still a great tent. I wanted something that would hold two people and two dogs with enough headroom for my over 6' large frame and bought this;

Plus one; dry your tent (and if it's dirty clean it) when you get it home and then put it back in the stuff sack for storage. Takes up less space, good to go ready for next time and it will be fine. The scout troop I was a leader at did this with dozens of different tents; absolutely no problems, despite some of the tents being stored for almost a decade without an 'airing' at one stage.

It's people putting away tents that are wet that's the problem. I've gotten into the habit of unpacking in the garage as I get home from a trip and laying the tent out to dry in there. 2 days later, I put it back in the bag and take it into the house.

Yes, I know it is huge; but it packs small and only weighs 14 pounds. That is three pounds more than my old tent that was only 48" tall. You will be able to see it at any campsite; that helps when I have been drinking.

I am an admitted gear snob...i am not proud of that fact and i attribute it to my upbringing in the cradle of materialism OC CA. So be it... this is one of my few vices. I have a garage full of name brand expensive tents..and I would bet I haven't bought my last... that being said I don't see any reason a cheapo Walmart tent wouldnt serve for many years as a MC tent... my tents all serve double duty as backpacking tents so I pay a premium to get the weight down to a minimum. On my R1200 that is not an issue so i could certainly see using a Wally world tent if didn't already have a garage full of expensive tents. Go read Walter Colebatch's current ride report...a Coleman tent made that trip all the way across Kazakhstan and Mongolia. If you aren't concerned about weight/pack size i think a cheaper tent will serve you well. Learn how to tie it down...prob have to buy a few extra pegs and tie down lines, as the cheapo tents don't always come with them. IMHO YMMV

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What you get with the more you spend with tents and sleeping bags is smaller packed size and less weight, thats about it (talking about 3 season stuff). Most of the Walmart type 2-4 person tents are around 10-12 lbs packed weight, higher end 2-4 man tents are usually in the 4-6 lb range and can go as low as 3 pounds packed weight.

I have a 12 yo cheapo Eureka dome with a plastic tub floor that is still going strong after a lot of hard use. Has remained waterproof and I can stand up in it. I was in a wind storm in Moab that blew trees down and I expected the tent do the same. Other than slapping me all night as the poles bent flat (I was actually hoping the poles would break so I could get some sleep...) it was none the worse for the wear. Other than the smell (It's gotten kinda rank over the years...probably has absorbed too many farts... ) I still love it. YMMV

In 2004 I decided to retire my 2 person Andre Jamet center ridge pole tent originally bought in 1971 after 33 years. It was used all over Southern Africa, Europe and 28 US States. Light( 6 lbs), waterproof, wind proof, but a little small. Even back then it had a vestibule! Today it would be classed a a 4 season tent. It is still usable. Back in 1971 it cost me $70 - a lot for the time. I really got my monies worth out of it!

Not all tents are equal. Coleman make a range from the $39 Wally specials to better class $200+ ones. At one
point Coleman sold an 'Exponent' range of tents and bags - these were excellent value and quality.

Some tents one does pay for the name. How I now buy is by the technical specifications. Some sellers, such as Campmor, give the detailed specifcations of the tents they sell. An example is cheap tents tent to have coating thincknesses in the 800 range. Some of the 4 season tents in the 3000 - 5000 range. Poles from fiber-glass to aluminum.



And as others have commented, on several occasions, after a storm, the so-called cheaper tents were flattened, blown from their stakes or soaked through. Some also dont vent well and condensate badly inside.

My current tents are a Eureka Alpenlite XT for 4 season camping. Extra thick coating, extra strong and additional poles, well designed stakeout and support lines and one is able to close out the wind. For 3 season camping an REI Quarter Dome that is spacious and well ventilated. These can often be bought off-season for good discounts.

Go on-line. Read the technical specifications. Search for reviews on particular models you are interesrted in.

As it does in pretty much every product made. There will always be someone who has to tell people that his $39 disposable Walmart tent is as good as the premium ones that cost hundreds of dollars more, but nobody is fooled by it. If you can't afford a premium quality tent, then buy one that is in your budget. No need to pretend it's as good or has the same features that the expensive ones have.

Cool tent! Sounds like what I need. I did a search of Swiss Army Tent to find this one with zero hits. Any chance you can forward the make/model of this one? I have been trying to find a used Reverz Gen II but I could buy 5 of these for the same money.

I've been doing a lot of research on this subject and pulled the trigger on a hammock. Haven't used it yet but there is a strong following for this style of camping as it gets you off the ground. For me, the older I get, the less I enjoy sleeping on the ground despite all the great sleep pads available. The hammocks are small, packable, lightweight, and quick for set up. When properly tarped, there are no issues of pooling rain water etc. If your tree-less, you can still go to ground bivy-style.

I had a Hennessy hammock before they put the side zipper in and really liked it. Been thinking about picking up another one with the side Zip entrance.

My buddies called of the tactical taco lol


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They have floors that are waterproof and after Christmas they will probably have a sale. These things are used by hardcore backpackers in all kinds of weather. These little shops produce some of the most durable functional gear there is. Also check out Feathered Friends for sleeping bags, I had one that lasted Twenty years. This big name chinese made crap is just a marketing promotion. Why do you think those Big Agness sleeping bags with no bottoms are made like that? Because with the pad there just as warm and you don't slide of the pad. Bullshit they are cheaper to make and then they get you to buy the pad. Tarptent American made by real backpackers. I will say MSR still makes good stuff. I had an MSR stove that I bought in 1971 and had until 2000 that I relaced with a Whisperlight.

I have been looking in to options for not just motorcycling but backpacking. There are not a lot of options when you consider weight. The 'motorcycle' tents the OP put up were very heavy and could not be used for hiking.

Under 3LBS but uses trekking polls. folding polls are also available.
I think I am going to give one of these a try for my next tent bit pricy but I do believe in shelters you get what you pay for.


http://www.nemoequipment.com/nemo2012-meta2p-tent

Polless air beam tent... little heavier but no poles at all to deal with...



More here: http://www.nemoequipment.com/tents2012

Here is a three person you can stand up in... well close...

not cheap but made in the USA! (this one)
Frontier™ 3P by Nemo

found another pyramid tent here... ~$550


http://www.wolf-paw.com/933/products/jack_wolfskin_pyramid_tarp_xt_tent_dark_moss.aspx

8'x8' Cabela's no mention of weight 6' center.. $250.00


http://www.cabelas.com/product/Camping/Tents-Shelters/View-All-Tents|/pc/104795280/c/104779080/sc/105517980/Cabelas-Outback-Lodge-Tent-150-8-x-8/735044.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fcamping-tents-shelters-view-all-tents%2F_%2FN-1102375%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_105517980%3FWTz_l%3DUnknown%253Bcat104795280%253Bcat104779080&WTz_l=Unknown%3Bcat104795280%3Bcat104779080%3Bcat105517980

It was the $90.00 tag on sale for $40.00 that caught my eye. For $550.00 I'll go with the moto tent. Just need a spot to stand up and get dressed unencumbered. Love the Gen II, hate the price tag.

I love the hammock for about 5 minutes. I've got a seriously bad back that requires alot of rolling around during the night. Riding the big pig so weight is not a worry. Thanks for the suggestion though.

I care more about weight and am willing to pay more for a lighter single walled tent.