Tents · Explainer
Why Are Tents So Expensive? Are They Worth It? (REAL Pics!)
I own tents at both ends — a $100 Coleman Sundome 6 and a $500 North Face Wawona 6. Here is exactly what the extra $400 buys, measured side by side.
- 5 reasons
- $100 vs $500 tents compared
- 3 days of rain, no leak
- ~4 min read
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The short answer
You pay for the fabric
150D polyester flooring and DAC MX aluminum poles, instead of tarp material and fiberglass.
The specs ↓You pay to stay dry
Every seam taped and a 1,200–1,500mm coating, against inverted seams and no stated rating.
The rain tests ↓You pay for the years
A lifetime warranty instead of 1 year — and over 10 years the $500 tent works out cheaper.
The math ↓Part 1 of 6
Expensive tents are made of thicker fabric
Denier is the quickest way to compare two tents. The higher the denier rating, the thicker the fabric and the more durable it is. Here are my North Face Wawona 6 and my Coleman Sundome 6 — both 6-person car camping tents, five times apart in price:
| Wawona 6 ($500) | Sundome 6 ($100) | |
|---|---|---|
| Flooring | 150D polyester | Polyethylene (tarp material) |
| Body & rainfly | 75D polyester | 68D polyester |
| Warranty | Lifetime | 1 year |
Polyethylene is tarp material, and it is what Coleman puts under everything from the Sundome 2 up. The warranty tells the same story: the brand that backs its tent for life is telling you how long it expects the tent to last.
Part 2 of 6
Better poles and more guylines are what survive wind
| Wawona 6 ($500) | Sundome 6 ($100) | |
|---|---|---|
| Poles | DAC MX aluminum | Fiberglass |
| Guylines | 11 | 6 |
| Wind I have tested | 50 mph, no problem | — |
Fiberglass is the weakest of the three pole materials and fractures the most easily — thin fiberglass poles usually cannot take more than 20 to 30 mile-per-hour winds. DAC MX aluminum is some of the highest quality tent poling in the world.
The Wawona also carries 11 guylines around the whole tent, which is why I could run it in 50 mile-per-hour winds without a hitch. The Sundome has 6.
Part 3 of 6
Expensive tents are sealed properly
| Wawona 6 ($500) | Sundome 6 ($100) | |
|---|---|---|
| Seams | Taped, every one | Inverted, untaped |
| Hydrostatic head | 1,200–1,500mm | Not stated |
| Heavy rain before the first drop | 3 days | 30–35 minutes |
Cheaper tents use inverted seams because they are cheaper to manufacture. The stitch holes are never sealed, so water works its way through. My more expensive tents get a plastic tape over every single seam instead.
What that buys youA higher hydrostatic head means a thicker coating. The Wawona took 3 days of heavy rain without a leak; the Sundome’s first drops came through the untaped corner seam after 30–35 minutes. Expecting real rain in a cheap tent? Seal those seams yourself.
Part 4 of 6
You are also paying for storage, doors and a vestibule
| Wawona 6 ($500) | Sundome 6 ($100) | |
|---|---|---|
| Zippers | SBS branded | Unbranded |
| Pockets | 9 | 2 |
| Loops | 8 | 1 |
| Doors | 2 | 1 |
| Vestibules | 1, at 51.0 square feet | 0 |
The Wawona’s front door measures 60 by 58 inches and stands 70 inches tall, so I never had to duck, and I could work it one-handed. The Sundome has one smaller door, a storm flap that catches in the zipper track, and a duck every time you go in or out.
That vestibule measured 51.0 square feet. The Sundome has none at all, so wet gear has nowhere to go. Room dividers split the same way — the expensive ones are opaque, the cheap ones are see-through:
Part 5 of 6
And why backpacking tents cost even more
Backpacking tent fabric has to be extremely light and extremely strong at the same time, which is a much harder thing to manufacture than either one on its own. The poles have to be light and high quality too — DAC MX aluminum again — and that pushes the price up further.
Part 6 of 6
So are expensive tents actually worth it?
$500what my Wawona 6 cost — and what it will still have cost me in 10 years’ time.
My Wawona will last 5 to 10 years easily, so that is $500 over 10 years. A Sundome 6 lasts perhaps 1 to 2 years under moderate use, so you replace it every other year at $100 a time, and that price only goes up with inflation. Over the same 10 years it costs you more. That is why I buy expensive gear now.
- Resale valueYou can trade used gear back in with REI, and they generally take only the more expensive brands — REI Co-Op, Big Agnes, MSR, The North Face.
- It lastsThe seam taping on my Wawona is still perfect after 2 years. The taping on my Ozark Trail yellowed and fell off after a few months in storage.
- Less wasteOne tent for 5 years instead of a new one every year.
- Lifetime warrantiesStandard at the top end, with the odd exception of REI, which gives you 1 year.
- Peace of mindI can sleep in the Wawona in a storm and not think about it.
My adviceBuy the expensive tent if you camp often, camp in bad weather, winter camp or go on expeditions — and if you have the budget for it now. Please do not go into debt for a camping trip.
Cheat sheet
Which tent should you buy?
| If you… | Get | Because |
|---|---|---|
| Camp a couple of times a year, in fair weather | A $100 tent like the Sundome 6 | It handles summer and light rain fine, and holds 30–35 minutes of heavy rain. |
| Are brand new and not sure you will keep camping | The cheapest thing that fits you | You find out whether you like camping before spending $500 on it. |
| Camp often, or in real rain and wind | A $500 tent like the Wawona 6 | 3 days of heavy rain, 50 mph winds, and a lifetime warranty behind it. |
| Want good quality without $500 | Teton, ALPS Mountaineering, Eureka! or Kelty | A clear step up from Coleman, Core and Ozark Trail, well short of high-end money. |
How I avoid paying full priceAmazon’s best sales are Prime Day and Black Friday. As an REI member I get 20% coupons regularly, and their Anniversary Sale lands in May. Moosejaw sends 20% off often, which is what I use for urgent buys. I rarely pay full price.
The bottom line
You are paying for thicker fabric, aluminum poles, taped seams, a vestibule and a warranty that outlives the tent. Worth it if you camp often or in bad weather — and over ten years, cheaper. If you camp twice a summer in good weather, a $100 tent is genuinely fine.
Quick questions
FAQ
Are cheap tents any good?
In summer and fair weather, yes. You give up features, storage and quality, but inexpensive tents hold up decently — even Ozark Trail. You need an expensive tent when you are going up against heavy rain or strong winds.
Are there affordable tents that are still good quality?
Teton, ALPS Mountaineering, Eureka! and Kelty are my favorites in the middle. They are not as cheap as Coleman, Core or Ozark Trail, and not as high-end as REI, The North Face, MSR or Big Agnes — but the quality per dollar is very good.
How much does an expensive tent actually cost to own?
My Wawona 6 was $500 and will last 5 to 10 years, so call it $500 over 10 years. A $100 tent replaced every other year costs more than that across the same decade, and inflation makes the gap wider.
Keep going
Where to next
The budget end
The cheap tents I bought and tested, ranked — including the ones worth your money.
Every figure on this page was measured on tents I bought with my own money.
