johndavidjr Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 With unusually ferocious mosquito season in my region, have put $24.86 where my mouth is & purchased a Sri Lanka-made Wenzel pup tent from Wal-Mart (free shipping). It weighs 1 pound 6 ounces without poles or stakes. It's about the same space as my $145 Integral Designs Sil Shelter, but sewn-in floor, storm door, screen door and screen window may offer advantages under certain circumstances, for the six ounces of extra pack weight. It offers about twice the space of my $185 (1991 dollars) Sierra Designs "Divine Light" tent, which was made of (supposedly) "breathable" fabric & weighs about 1.5 pounds. Unlike my NF "Starfire," I can stretch out without need to lie diagonally across the floor plan. I expect my 5'2" lady friend can be tucked in also, when necessary/available. The legions of boy scouts, etc., who typically acquire this tent mostly don't apply seam sealant, without which it would certainly leak like sieve. Coleman-brand sealant from Wal-Mart: $3. Current season should find this equipmental gem in Pennsylvania, New York, New England and the Italian Alps. (sadly neither Washington nor BC!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Water Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 you are such a troll with your walmart tent talk. I am flying to michigan tonight for my wedding this weekend and would like to give you a punch in the face. just kidding, promise. your consistent walmart pup tent talk and arguing with people actually cracks me up. My only thought about gear comes from a thru-hike on the AT when twin brothers (Brian and Glynn) (we just thought it was Glenn with a drawl until we saw it spelled out) from west virginia or georgia were also thru hiking. 1 had an ospray pack, the other an army surplus ALICE pack or something. They carried lots of canned food, a can opener like you have at home, thick heavy rope for bear line, heavy sleep pads, and a heavy army surplus wool blanket they slept on together. They hiked in off brand athletic shoes. Basically their gear was dirt cheap since they couldn't afford jack. Their aunt had bought them the Osprey pack--they came from hard background parents ran out on them or died or something. but those two guys had the best attitude and were very positive and made all the miles as everyone else and never complained one iota about their gear. Just thinking of them put me in my place if a bunch of us were at a shelter talking about how we didn't like the cut of our neodynium uber bla bla fabric uberlightweight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlympicMtnBoy Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Sounds like a nice tent John, bummer the price has gone up so much since you last bought one. Wasn't it only $20 in 2009? http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/918680/1 This topic got 8 pages of enlightenment last time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndavidjr Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 A 22-ounce tent is probably much lighter than average for the mass of trail hikers, regardless of socio-economic background. When I last bought something similar, in 1979, it cost $19.99 at regional version of "K-Mart." So in current dollars, it was MUCH more expensive back then. But not nearly as well designed and somewhat heavier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
counterfeitfake Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I've never seen one of your trip reports, John. Maybe you can write one up when you get back from the Alps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndavidjr Posted June 16, 2011 Author Share Posted June 16, 2011 (edited) Dear Counterfeit Fake: Have fun. Buy yourself a cheap tent to save wear on your REI special!!! Edited June 16, 2011 by johndavidjr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshzielinski Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 walmart is the devil... someone had to say it. i did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhrmabum Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 walmart is the devil... someone had to say it. i did. True. But JohnJr. doesn't care. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndavidjr Posted June 16, 2011 Author Share Posted June 16, 2011 Shopping at Wal-Mart proves I can bear the dreaded truth and face the abyssal nothingness, against the background of which Being arises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letsroll Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 TR...TR....TR....TR.... I want to see some pics of this tent out of the box and in the woods. Otherwise it is all talk. About time you show us all what we are missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshzielinski Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 shopping at wal-mart is supporting satan's effort to screw us all out of a job. to shop at wallyworld is to wave good bye to the friendly, knowledgeable, ma and pa biz that built our competition/quality based economy and on a greater scale the american dream itself. the dream's already fading a bit along with the consciousness of many cheapskates with houses chock full of crappola. your tent sucks. may as well of bought tarp or bug netting for 2-5 bones if you weren't going to use the poles. have a nice summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcg Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 to shop at wallyworld is to wave good bye to the friendly, knowledgeable, ma and pa biz Does this mean you are waving at the Stephensons? ...still in business and still nekid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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