Quote:
Originally Posted by Hydrocket
I suppose it depends on the make/model and material used...and quality of course. Any good 3 season tent should hold water..easily and for days on end.
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Yep,
Getting wet in a rain soaked tent is often more about where it got pitched than inferior materials as long as it has a proper rainfly and you keep your gear off the tent walls. High ground, wind protected, and channeling water away has always worked for me. We used to spend 2 weeks at 10,000 ft in the Sierras every summer and one year it rained nearly nonstop for 8 days straight. You learn a lot about staying dry under those conditions.
I really don't need fancy or expensive and while I like REI I tend to buy a lot more at Big Jive for 1/10th the price. I was looking for a good rain coat for work recently and the REI Patagonia looked great at $400. Not gonna happen. I found a well made, insulated raincoat that fits good for $35 at Big Five. High and dry after 4" of rain last week. I will use this coat, snag it on fences, put it away wet, get it stained and greasy and it will serve me well. More beer money left over for when the work is done.
30 years ago REI was THE place for quality gear. Now it seems more like the place for high end fashion. The gear still works great and they have very knowledgeable sales people, but Big Five or Bass Pro Shop might be more realistic for an old trail hound like me. If I am carrying $5k worth of gear into the woods it better be to summit McKinley.