Bought a $300 tent after a guy at REI talked me into it, still bitter

Three summers ago I was replacing my old Coleman and this sales guy spent 20 minutes telling me how my budget pick would leak and the zippers would die in a season. I caved and dropped $300 on a lightweight backpacking tent that weighs less than my rain jacket. First trip out to Big Bend, a wind gust snapped one of the poles at 2am and I slept in the car. The guy never mentioned that ultralight poles are basically spaghetti sticks in real weather. I went back to a $120 dome tent from Target and it's survived five seasons including a hailstorm near Fort Davis. That sales guy probably gets a commission on every ounce he shaves off. Anyone else been burned by the ultralight hype at a gear store?

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fiona_sullivan2916d agoMost Upvoted

Big Bend wind eats ultralight poles like they're potato chips, I bet that REI guy's tent has snow stakes made of actual vibranium.