Solo Tent

[JAXNRYLZ]

Heading to Idaho in September for my first backcountry 10 day elk hunt.

Wondering if it would be ok to buy a cheap Walmart tent for $20?

 

[ddavis_1313]

Depends. How are you getting into the back country? If your hiking, what’s your pack weigh without tent? What altitude are you camping? What are the odds of snow/rain? Is it double walled so you don’t have condensation build up dripping on you or soaking the tent floor? How much does your safety and survival mean to you if things go south?

Those are some pretty big questions in determining if a less expensive tent will suffice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I survived in the back country for more than a few trips with less. Having said that, I prefer not to do it again.

 

[JAXNRYLZ]

Hiking to about 10,000 feet max. Going to try and keep the pack around 50lbs. Do not anticipate snow but on the mountain one never knows. Plan on taking a tarp to deflect rain.

 

[ddavis_1313]

Hiking to about 10,000 feet max. Going to try and keep the pack around 50lbs. Do not anticipate snow but on the mountain one never knows. Plan on taking a tarp to deflect rain.

I packed in for 7 days last year and had trouble keeping my pack around 50. And I didn’t take much. Lol. Stuff adds up fast. Can you survive? Sure. Will it be comfy? Depends on the weather. Tents will condensate regardless of rain or not. I use a big Agnes UL 2. Extremely lite weight and sheds condensation flawlessly if set up correctly. Plenty of room for me and all my gear as well. I’d suggest some sort of foot print with any tent you use. Especially a less expensive one bc the floor may not be water proof.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Gunnersdad49]

For one guy? You’ll be fine. Especially with a tarp to either cover the tent or make an annex/ atrium with. Just make sure that it has a decent rain fly and you are good at improvising if something breaks.

High dollar ultralight gear is awesome, but not required to survive.

You might consider a garage sale or used gear. You can find good stuff cheap if you are patient. REI usually has members only garage sales too. All good places to look.

 

[Rob5589]

Idaho in Sept we have had heavy rain, heavy wind, and medium snowfall. And that is at 8600 and lower. Generally it is mild but when it isn't, not sure I'd trust a $20 tent.

 

[Salmon River Solutions]

Plan on snow. Plan on lots of rain. It’s Idaho, it’s how it works.

My main issue with a pack in hunt is keeping dry, and then being able to dry gear out.

Scouting 3 years ago in challis national forest we got snowed on at 8600 feet September 1st.

I also think to ask how much your spending on the trip as a whole. Does it make sense to save a few hundred dollars on a tent, to ruin a trip that costs thousands?

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I’d just get o line with rei or somebody and get s 1 person tent for 1-200 bucks.

I’ve had those pvc pole tents and slept in one in the winter in Colorado and it was terrible, wouldn’t ever recommend it.

 

[austinphps]

REI half dome 2 has served me well for years. Or if you are OK with a floorless look at the Mountainsmith Mtn Shelter LT. It's $120 but I think people have gotten them on Ebay for 80 or less.

 

[Mosby]

I would go with a tarp and hiking pole arrangement vs a $20 tent. Lighter and stronger. I would look at something from Kifaru or Seek Outside that has been proven. A SO DST tarp is $129 full price. You can find the Mountainsmith tarp for under $100. Some tyvek, a pad and a decent bag and it would probably work ok.

I don't know if you can pack 10 days of food and keep your pack under 50 lbs unless you really go ultra light and minimal on everything.

 

[willfrye027]

Ali express has a lot of decent tents if you’re needing to go cheap. They’re all knock offs of established designs. That being said I’d try to find an REI half dome if you want a good quality, cheaper tent. Mine was pretty bomb proof more like a 3.5 season tent. Heavier than the UL options but very sturdy. Probably would weight the same as your Walmart option but would last many years.

 

[20DYNAMITE07]

Heading to Idaho in September for my first backcountry 10 day elk hunt.

Wondering if it would be ok to buy a cheap Walmart tent for $20?

He Bud... Which tent are you referring to? I'm not hating on Walmart, but they have an Ozark Trail tent for around that price point that is notorious for leaking like a siv. Not only does the water get in, but the bathtub floor keeps it from getting out. You might be better off with just your tarp, or spending more for a better tent.

Watch this video :

 

[JAXNRYLZ]

Thanks for everyone's opinion! Based on feedback I'll invest a little more in my camp set-up. As Livetohunt said, it doesn't make sense to try to save a couple hundred bucks to skimp on the tent and ruin the trip which I'm spending thousands.

 

[HookUp]

I would grab at least an rei camp dome for $99. You could pull it off with a $20 tent but a major weather system could have you off the mountain and tent shopping in short order.

 

[mro]

I like Mosby's suggestion of tarp and hiking pole setup. At that elevation you shouldn't need to worry about bugs and your 50lb limit for 10 days will be tough to meet with a tarp plus a tent. Have fun and let us know how it goes.

 

[TreyPound]

I would look at the Carbon Reflex 1. The side entry is ideal and has more headroom everywhere than the Fly Creek series. It is also considerably more waterproof. It also does not require all of the stakes that the Fly Creeks require. Finally, it can be freestanding with the use of trekking poles at each end.

I would disagree that the Fly Creek tents are freestanding.