Hot take: That $300 tent I bought 5 years ago is still fine

I was at Big Bend last month and saw a guy unpacking a tent that looked exactly like the one I bought for $80 at a garage sale. He said he paid full retail and replaced it every two years because the zippers wore out. Why do we think spending more money means gear will last longer when the cheap stuff often holds up just as well?

2 comments

2 Comments

kim1911mo agoMost Upvoted

Garage sale gear is totally underrated. People act like you have to drop big money to get quality but half the time the expensive stuff is just marketing hype. Zippers failing after two years sounds like a design flaw, not a longevity feature. Maybe the real trick is buying last year's model from a brand that focuses on function over fashion. Thrift stores are basically gear museums if you know where to look.

betty_palmer1mo ago

Right? It's wild how people think price equals durability. That garage sale tent you scored is probably built just as solid if not better than the fancy stuff.