Tuesday, November 30, 2021

The Cheap Dome Tent

Not actually Erin.
& is used with permission.

You know what I'm talking about: Small dome tents, usually marketed as "for kids", found in the sporting goods section of Walmart and Target and retailing for around $20. Yeah, those.

You should get one. 

I promise you I'm being completely serious here. I know they're not rugged, I know they're small. But you know what else they are? They're lightweight and will fit most adults, even if you have to sleep diagonally. 

Buy one and put it in your car. 


If your car ever gets stranded, you'll have a place where you can stretch out. You'll have a shelter that will keep the sun and bugs off you, and has better airflow than a car. You'll have somewhere dry to put your gear if you need to stay in the car for warmth, and if the car becomes an oven you won't worry about your preps going bad in the heat. 

If you need to walk home, it weighs something like 3.5 pounds. Compared to the food and water in my GHB, that's nothing. The shock-corded poles means it sets up quickly, which gives me more time to do other things. 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-2-Person-Jr-Dome-Tent-6-x-5-Blue-NEW/197340435

Sure, the stakes are awful. Carry better ones

Sure, the fabric might tear or the poles might break. You have duct tape, don't you?

Sure, it won't withstand a tropical storm or keep you warm in a blizzard. It's a lightweight tent that you paid $20 for, and if it holds together long enough to get you home, then it's done its job and you've gotten your money's worth. You can always buy a new one if need be. 

https://www.target.com/p/wakeman-happy-camper-two-person-tent-green/-/A-54521249

Think of it like an umbrella you can lie down in. You've lost umbrellas before, or they've broken in rain storms, and you end up buying another to keep you dry "just in case you need it". 

Buy one, put it in your car, and don't worry about it until you need it. 

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