I’ve been looking at a new 6p. I’ve grown up with Colemans. Have had the 8p insta tent for the past 10 years and it held up well, though did begin to leak, poles fall apart over the past few years.
I want to pull the trigger on a brand name tent and want the MSR Habiscape. But I can’t find FACTS anywhere that materials are better than a Coleman or even Ozark.
Why spend 300-400 more than one of these? I’m car camping so weight isn’t a big deal.
The Habbitude is in me. It’s a fantastic tent, and I adore it.
But is the additional cost worthwhile? It depends.
Because it only takes a cheap night in a severe monsoon to make me run to the closest hotel room—and that would cost me the difference in price—I typically choose more expensive tents. The MSR, in my opinion, provides me with a larger window of time on the calendar where I may camp comfortably without having to worry too much about unforeseen weather. I also like to camp in the early spring and late fall.
Just knowing that you have nothing to worry about in the event of a major storm is comforting.
There is also a big difference in quality of material and workmanship, and you also get a lifetime warranty that is reliable. So there is an actual benefit to the cost. It’s not just a name or a label.
Those things might not mean enough to most people to justify the extra spend, but in my case they do.
I usually wait for sales at the end of the season and u can often find good deals
Regards. I’m happy that you adore the tent.
First, I think the warranty has been extended to three years.
Secondly, where is the record of the tangible differences? I don’t see anything about better poles, polys, thickness, ykk zippers, etc., but perhaps you can detect the craftsmanship up close.
I just want to be able to show myself that I’m getting quality and not just a name (plus an additional two-year warranty over Coleman’s one-year warranty). I also think that investing “just” a few hundred more for your family’s primary wilderness shelter is certainly the best choice.
MSR and other higher end tent makers publish specs on the actual fabric they use, but unfortunately Coleman doesn’t. If you look at the MSR tent on any website, you can see the types, weights and thicknesses of the fabrics, but Coleman doesn’t because those specs aren’t usually important for the average consumer. What I’ve found is Coleman claims they use unspecified polyester and MSR uses specific weights of nylon and polyester in different parts of the tent.
At the end of the day, the MSR will be an objectively better tent (lighter, stronger, more reliable, longer lasting), but Coleman works too. Focus on how you’d like to spend your time and your money.
For me, I have a big Coleman for family car camping, and a few nicer 1-2 man tents for my kayak camping and personal use.
Coleman: vehicle camping or a music festival
Camping in the backcountry = MSR or another fair brand
Purchase one if you can afford it to experience the difference for yourself.
Just like everything else. You pay for what you receive. Coleman is near the point at where the benefits reduce as the price increases.