c/camping-gear-reviews

Rain ruined my entire camping setup in under 10 minutes last weekend

Was at Spruce Knob Lake campground in West Virginia, thought I had my tent staked down solid. Then a random storm came out of nowhere. Water just flooded right under the rainfly. My sleeping bag got soaked, clothes got wet, even my fire starter kit turned into mush. Spent the next 3 hours shivering in the car. Anyone else had a tent fail like that or did I just get cheap gear?

Still think the solo stove is worth the hype after 8 nights with mine in the rain

Picked up a Yukon back in April thinking it'd be the greatest campfire ever. Took me exactly 8 different trips to finally figure out you can't just toss wet wood in there and expect magic like the videos show. Everyone raves about the smoke-free burn but nobody mentions how picky it is about fuel being bone dry. Has anyone else had to babysit their fire way more with one of these things?

Worst camping trip ever when my tent collapsed at 2am in the pouring rain at Yosemite

I spent 20 minutes frantically trying to re-pitch a soaked tent with a broken pole while my friend just laughed and stayed dry under a tarp, has anyone else had a gear failure ruin an entire night like that?

Is a $200 4-season tent really necessary when I stayed dry in my $50 3-season at Algonquin Park last November?

I spent three nights at Algonquin Park last November in a $50 3-season tent with no rainfly issues, but my buddy's $200 4-season froze up inside both nights - so which approach actually wins for shoulder season camping?

Been packing my tent wrong for 5 years figured it out during a downpour last weekend in the Smokies

I always just stuffed my tent into the sack any old way. Thought it was fine. Then a storm hit around 2 AM near Clingmans Dome and I couldnt get the poles sorted in the dark. Rain was soaking everything. Took me 20 minutes to set up soaked and mad. Next morning a guy next to me showed me he rolls his tent with the poles laid flat on top before rolling. Takes two extra minutes. Never going back. Anyone else have a gear habit they thought was fine until it wasnt?

Saw 3 people this month review sleeping bags based on packed size alone

Honestly it's kinda driving me nuts. I was at a campground in Oregon last weekend and watched a guy unbox a 30 degree bag that was super tiny but he had no idea if the loft was even there. Ngl I made the same mistake 2 years ago when I bought a bag that packed down to the size of a soda can but I froze my butt off at 40 degrees because the insulation was trash. Why do so many reviews skip talking about the actual warmth or fill quality? Has anyone else noticed this trend getting worse?

Wasted 80 bucks on an ultralight camp stove that died after 2 trips

Bought this tiny titanium stove off an REI clearance table thinking I was being smart saving weight. Thing worked OK the first trip but second time out the fuel valve just stopped turning. Tried fixing it with a wrench and the whole thing cracked on me. Stuck boiling water over a twig fire that night while my buddy's $30 Coleman worked fine. Anyone else have bad luck with the ultralight gear that costs more but breaks faster?

Tried the cheap $30 tarp instead of the $80 name brand... biggest mistake of my trip

That $200 sleeping pad I returned after one night in Shenandoah

Honestly, last month I went camping in Shenandoah National Park and brought this fancy inflatable sleeping pad I'd just bought for $200. I figured the higher R-value and weight savings would be worth it, but nope. First night, I woke up at 2 AM on the ground because it slowly deflated. I checked for leaks with soapy water the next morning and found a tiny hole near the valve. Ended up returning it to REI and grabbed a $50 foam pad instead. It's bulkier, sure, but I've used it four times since and slept fine every night. Has anyone else shelled out big money on a pad that just failed on them?

Bought a $60 'waterproof' tent that leaked on my first night in the Smokies

Had to sleep in the car at 2am after my tent became a wading pool during a light drizzle, has anyone else fallen for the flashy Amazon descriptions over third party reviews?

Switched from tarp to a lightweight tent after 5 years of hammock camping

I found out my tent fabric is way thinner than I thought

I was reading the specs on my 3-year-old tent last night, just killing time, and saw the denier rating on the fly is only 20D. That surprised me because I always figured it was thicker, maybe 40D or something. I looked it up on a gear review site, and apparently 20D is pretty common for ultralight stuff, but I use this tent for car camping mostly. Has anyone else checked their gear specs years later and felt like they totally misjudged what they bought?

That guy at REI in Phoenix who swore by his $200 camp pillow

Back in March I was at the REI in Tempe looking at sleeping pads and this older guy saw me checking out the prices. He came over and spent 20 minutes telling me how I needed this specific $200 pillow cause anything cheaper would ruin my sleep. I told him I've been using a rolled up hoodie for 5 years and it works fine. He got all defensive and said I was missing out on quality rest. I walked away and bought a $30 inflatable one instead. Has anyone else run into the gear snobs who try to tell you what you absolutely need?

Warning: my sleeping bag rating was totally off for Rocky Mountain nights

Froze my butt off at 40 degrees with a bag labeled 20 degrees last week in Estes Park, then realized I never accounted for the bag's 'survival rating' vs comfort rating - anyone else learn this the hard way?

My Coleman stove failed on a rainy Boundary Waters trip, and honestly, I think the whole 'rely on one stove' advice is flawed.

We were three days into a week-long canoe trip when my primary stove's pump seal gave out in a downpour, forcing me to use my tiny, old backup stove for the remaining four days, which worked perfectly and saved the trip.

I finally tried a proper sleeping pad after years of using a cheap foam one

I went on a 4 day trip in the Adirondacks last month and brought a Thermarest NeoAir Xlite. The difference was insane, I actually slept warm and didn't wake up sore. I see so many people just grabbing whatever pad is cheapest without looking at the R-value. What's a good budget option that still has decent insulation?

Always thought a cheap tarp was fine for rain cover until I tried a proper footprint on a 3-day trip in the Smokies.

A guy at the trailhead saved my trip with a single piece of advice

I was setting up my new two-person tent in a state park near Asheville last fall, wrestling with the rain fly for the third time. An older guy walking his dog stopped and said, 'You know, if you clip the corners first and then the middle, it won't sag when it gets wet.' I tried it his way, and the fly was drum-tight in under a minute. That simple tip has made every rainy campout since way less stressful. Anyone else have a random piece of gear wisdom that just clicked for them?

Serious question, did anyone else's dad swear by using a candle lantern to keep a tent warm?

Mine did, and I finally tried his old Coleman single-mantle model on a trip to the Adirondacks when the temp dropped to 45 degrees. It didn't really warm the air much, but the radiant heat on my hands while playing cards was a total game changer for morale. What's your weird old-school gear trick that actually has some merit?

Camping at Lake Tahoe last month and my old tent's rainfly just gave up completely. What's a good 3-person tent that can handle a real downpour?

That fancy titanium spork was a total waste of $28

I bought one for a trip to the Boundary Waters last fall, thinking it would be the perfect all-in-one tool. The fork tines bent on the first night trying to eat a frozen meal, and the spoon part is too shallow for soup. I ended up just using my old plastic spoon from a gas station. Has anyone found a good metal spoon that actually holds up?

My new camp chair folded up on me like a cheap lawn ornament

I was just sitting down to eat some chili by the fire up near Lake Tahoe last weekend. The chair was maybe two months old, a basic model I got for about $35. I leaned back to grab my drink off the cooler and the whole thing just collapsed, dumping me right into the dirt. My friend just looked over and said, 'Well, that's one way to get a ground score.' Had to eat the rest of my meal sitting on a log. Anyone have a chair they've actually put some weight on that didn't turn into a trap?

Serious question, has anyone else tried using a cheap shower curtain as a footprint?

I was tired of paying $40 for a branded tent footprint that always seemed to rip. I bought a $5 vinyl shower liner from the dollar store and cut it to size. It's held up for two seasons now, no punctures. What other cheap swaps have you guys found that actually work?

I finally gave up on my old sleeping bag after a freezing night in Yosemite

I was camping near Tuolumne Meadows last October and my 15-year-old down bag just stopped holding heat around 3 AM when it hit 28 degrees. I spent the rest of the night wearing every piece of clothing I had in my pack. That trip convinced me to buy a new 15-degree synthetic bag, and I haven't been cold since. What's a piece of gear you held onto for way too long?

Shoutout to the Coleman 1-burner stove I found at a yard sale

I cleaned it up and took it on a quick trip to the Pine Barrens last month, and it boiled a liter of water in under three minutes, way faster than my old one. I guess sometimes the older gear just works better if you give it a chance. Has anyone else had a surprise win with a piece of used equipment?