Cheapo light weight tent

[ams]

Going to Big 5 to pick up a Hi-Tec V-lite 2. Anybody use these? I know you get what you pay for but for 35 bucks it seems like it would at least be fun to try out. www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVdxLamOqO0

 

[huntndad]

For that price, how could you not buy it! Looks like it would be perfect for some early season hikes/camps with a wife or child. Not sure I'd swant to share one with a hunting partner or trust it in any nasty weather (although it might be fine). I'll have to keep an eye out for one or two at my local Big 5.

 

[JNDEER]

Before you buy it if you are looking for lightweight and cheap check out the Texsport Knollwood Bivy Shelter Tent. I use it with one other person for our CA early season. The original version has weighs only 3lb (true 3lb) and is very big and comfortable for two people during any summer and early fall hunts. I picked it up on ebay for $40 a few years back.

 

[Ozz08]

You're right you do get what you pay for and I've bought plenty of cheap stuff to figure that out so I wouldn't buy it. However I bet that tent will get through one hunt and if it does only last one hunt you only wasted $35 bucks so what the hell. It might end up working great and lasting years. who knows.

 

[horseshoe]

for $110 +/-, 4 of us bought the eureka spitfire1 for or 1st elk hunt. no one was disappointed. at 3 lbs. not bad packing either. they have the spitfire II at $140 with quite a bit more room but 4.8 lbs. it will give us quite a few more hunts by the looks of it!

 

[ams]

Bought cheapo tent and broke cheapo tent. Returned cheapo tent and broke second cheapo tent. No more cheapo tents.

 

[cmeier117]

Bought cheapo tent and broke cheapo tent. Returned cheapo tent and broke second cheapo tent. No more cheapo tents.

HAHA!!! $35 is ultra cheapo. I am sure there are decent tents out there in the $100-$150 range. My father in-law has a 1 man Eureka tent. It weighs 3lbs and cost $80. It hasn't failed him yet.

 

[7mag.]

HAHA!!! $35 is ultra cheapo. I am sure there are decent tents out there in the $100-$150 range. My father in-law has a 1 man Eureka tent. It weighs 3lbs and cost $80. It hasn't failed him yet.

That's what I have, a Eureka Solitaire. I haven't used it yet, but it seems well made. I thought $80 was pretty cheap for a lightweight, backpack tent. Mine weighs in at 2.5 lbs. Supposed to be a 3 season too. My brother has a cheap one man, slightly larger than mine, that he bought 6 years ago. It hasn't let him down yet. He uses it 4 or 5 times a year. I think he paid $30 for it. I can't remember the brand.

 

[dotman]

I have the Solitare also, used for 5 years off and on and worked great (i think it is the very last item in the classifieds). I could squeeze my gear and bow in it at night but I was busting at the seams. It is a good little 1 man but very tiny.

 

[Chesapeake]

I bought one of those Hi-tec V-lites the other day. It looks workable and if you toss the steel pole, over built bag, and replace the steel stakes with aluminum ones it gets down below 3 pounds.

I think the main concern is the roof can sag a bit if walls and bottom arent sized right so as to get a tight pitch. The tent itself is just PU coated nylon/poly. Nothing overly special going on with it. Its an oblong teepee with a floor.

For $35, if it sucks the kids get a new tent to play with in the yard. If its cool, then I get another tent to play with in the woods.

It could potentialy replace the 4 man teepee for summer trips with 1 or 2 guys. It has a floor and bug netting that could be handy.

 

[ams]

You're right. Its a great idea, I think, for a light weight design but the first one I staked down and the tabs on the front ripped right off due to obvious bad sowing. The second one had the Guy out line tab on one side ripped out when I tried to pitch it tighter. It passed the sprinkler test fine. If I knew how to sow better I may have experimented more and added 3 more Guy out tabs.

 

[Chesapeake]

Ya got me curious so I pulled it out and looked it over.

All the guy-outs on mine are double stitched, and then stitched back and forth a few times (cheasy version of a bar tack). I dont suspect they will pull out without ripping fabric.

The zippers are really cheap. They are double stitched but their fabric is so loosely weaved you can just about pull them off. The stitching slides all the way to the edge weave on the zipper.

Only the flat seams are taped. All the seams that involve a corner, or intersection are not taped.

The fabric is a lightly PU coated nylon or poly.

The thread looks to be the cheapest cotton thread they could find, and the tension on the machine was pretty loose. The stitching is loose.

I'm not sure what the little rods in all the corners are. They have little rubber end boots and they are somewhat flexible. Maybe solid fiberglass or steel. I'd have to cut to get one out to look. Might be a guy could shave weight by installing chunks of old carbon arrow shafts.

It apears to me, that if a guy got one that was built correctly so it pitches well, then you could seam seal all the taped seams on the outside, and all the other seams and zippers in and out. Maybe also add a guy-out point or two and add some poly or nylon thread stitching to the existing guyouts (could do this by hand with a needle and thread) and you'd be pretty well off for a little effort, time, and $50-$55 if you had to buy some webbing, needle, thread, and silicone. The seam sealer would improve the strength of the seams and zippers.

I dont think thats a bad deal. Even the $300 to $500 tents require you to seam seal them yourself.

Dont get me wrong. This is a dirt cheap low quality tent.

 

[OR Archer]

if youre looking for a good inexpensive light weight tent check out the Eureka Spitfire. Ive used this tent for the last few years and have ZERO complaints. easy set up and it packs down fairly small. plenty of room for me and extra gear inside.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I can second the Eureka Spitfire. I used one for a couple of years with no problems....my kids are still using it.

 

[GRAYLIGHT]

Heck, I have an old Sierra Designs Light Year one man that at one point 5 years ago was sold for around 180.00... Used it 4 times... Anyone wants a cheapo decent one man, It's up for grabs for 50.00 plus shipping Just saying...

 

[>>>---WW---->]

I bought one at a yard sale last weekend for $5 bucks. I'm basically a day hunter but thiis might work OK for that occasional time when you get caught out over nite. I thought about cutting the floor out and pulling those corner stays and adding a couple of side tie outs to reduce the weight even more. Mine is a Swiss Gear brand but looks exactly like the one in the video. What the heck! For $5 bucks I can use it for toilet paper.

 

[PhillyB]

Is the Spitfire free standing?

 

[luke moffat]

For $120 something like this:

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/ma...34v/?filterString=tents~d~228/&colorFamily=01

Is a great deal with the 30-35% of coupons that come out. 5.4 pounds, 36 sq ft, 2 door, 2 vestibules. A lot of tent for the money really.