Best tent under 200$ | GTAMotorcycle.com

Best tent under 200$

timtune

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For years (decades??) I had a cheap crappy tire dome tent that worked mint, but it finally gave it up. For the last couple years I've had a couple of other cheap or free tents come my way but they just didn't cut it. This year on the TransTaiga while trying to sleep in my buddies tent wearing all my gear because my tent had come down and my bag was wet I decided it's time to spend some beer tokens on a real tent.

Looking for:
1-2 man
quick set up
light weight
good rain protection
under 200$

Does such a tent exist?
 
Look at campsaver.com it's an American outlet site but has free shipping options/offers to Canada and frequent money off codes. I got a Big Agnes tent for around 200 CDN ish from there delivered which was way cheaper than anything I could get in Canada.
 
The Elixer one is a nice that you can set up the poles and fly first and then the tent. Would make a difference setting up on the road when it's raining at camp time.
 
I don't have a bunch of experience with all kinds of tents, but I certainly like the one I have.
It's a Eureka El Capitan 3 that I picked up from LeBaron for $169 about 5 years ago - I see Sail has it currently priced for $300 - not sure what has happened here.

2 Vestibules, nice and big inside, packs down pretty small for the bike, completely dry for the heaviest of rain storms, blah, blah blah...

DSCN0067-XL.jpg
 
Purchased a solo tent for motocamping/backpacking earlier this summer, a Eureka Solitaire
Im pretty happy with it, it holds all my gear and packs very light
It was on sale for $90 at SAIL

Also, check out LeBaron's right now as they are undergoing a bankruptcy/store closing sale
They have locations in Markham and Mississauga
You might want to call ahead first as the stores might be picked clean
 
+1 on El capitan. ..I got the 2 model and it was mooooree than enough space.

Just a note. I used the 2 for just me and my gear u see in the photo. It was nice having extra so case compared to the eureka solitare for my jacket helmet and boots. My clean clothes and food didn't have to touch my gear and some of my gear was wet from rain so it was good to have a place at night to put them.

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Sent from phone, excuse typos.
 
I bought the El Capitan 3 about four years ago based largely on the reviews here and elsewhere.

It's been a fantastic tent, but I don't think I would buy it again, it's just too damn big.

For solo camping, it's overkill. I only use half of the interior space when camping by myself. It takes up too much space on the bike, and the weight is felt when lugging it to and from the bike.
 
Agreed^ the good quality makes it heavy. But damn is it ever built well.

I then got the triarch 1. Super light.

Sent from phone, excuse typos.
 
I picked up a Hennessy Hammock at MEC a few years ago for about $200. Only used it a couple of times, so far. Very compact, light and convenient (assuming you can find something to hang it from). I'm afraid the price has gone up, though
 
Agreed^ the good quality makes it heavy. But damn is it ever built well.

I then got the triarch 1. Super light.

Sent from phone, excuse typos.

Good quality doesn't mean heavy. My main tent until recently is a 3 man tent made with "parachute silk". Full coverage fly. Meant for backpacking. Maybe a bit large on the bike without luggage only cause it packed longish, still fit shorter than the width of my saddle bags though, so doesn't stick out. Cost over $700 when I got it. Going on about 30 years now. That's less than $25 per year so far. Crossed the country a many times as well as international use for weeks at a time. Only replaced the main zipper decades ago and now needs the fly seams re-sealed. Only the re-sealing needed to keep it going for a lot more years.
 
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I bought the El Capitan 3 about four years ago...

For solo camping, it's overkill.

I would agree. My wife and I fit quite nicely in it, but if I was shopping for purely a solo tent, I would get a 2 person tent and not a 3. Price vs quality was totally worth it.

and it's green so good for camping in a the forest unseen.
 
I've got a nice collection of tents for various scenarios. My first good tent was a Eureka 3 man (an El-Capitan maybe) and it's still going strong after 8 years. It came with fiberglass poles and they seem to break every couple years so I'd go with aluminium. Eureka has a life time warranty so I just bring the poles in and pick them up a month later. Eureka makes a real good tent, I've been through the worst weather with it and it still hasn't leaked. The negative side are the fiberglass poles (if they still use those) and the size/weight.

I have a cheap Woods tent from about 10 years ago which is a 5 man. It might have cost $60 and it isn't bad. I used it a few times but only for trips where there is a guarantee of no rain. It was that tarp style floor that you can't trust in the rain. I keep it around for those trips where it will be dry and I need extra room.

About 5 years ago, I picked up an MSR Hubba one man tent. It packed rediculously small and was perfect for touring with my Ducati. Paying extra for a lightweight backpackers tent is definitely the way to go but they are well over $200. The Hubba, though, is too small to bring wet gear (or any gear for that matter) into. So your stuff needs to stay outside or you need to buy the vestibule (I have that too).

This past year, I started travelling with my girlfriend. We don't mind the Eureka but it takes up a lot of room. I picked up an MSR Hubba Hubba and it is maybe the perfect motorcycle tent. Really small, easy to put up, can use my Hubba vestibule. Used it for an 11 day trip down the BRP and was perfect. Only a couple drawback; is material is very thin so you need to be careful, and it is small for a 2 man tent.
If the MSR Elixir has the same build quality as the Hubba Hubba, I suggest starting with that one. If you want a small pack size for longer road trips, save an extra $100 for the Hubba Hubba.
 
Hey timtune, Atmosphere has a sale on the Marmot Limelight 2 Person Tent with Footprint; https://www.atmosphere.ca/categorie...t-2-person-tent-with-footprint-331998112.html

Thanks for posting this! It actually had both tents I had narrowed my search down to - both on sale (40% off) with free shipping and its a Canadian site so prices in Cdn dollars. I did go with the Marmot because it includes the footprint and besides it matches my bike :) Perfect - can hardly wait till next touring season - Sturgis here I go (again). Just to freaking expensive to motel it - trip to Utah just about broke me - $50 motel rooms are few and far between now.
 
I have a Eureka El Capitaine 3, and I love it. I'm 6'3", and sleep on an air mattress, so I want a tent that's a bit bigger. I love the twin gear lockers, and the fact I can get out of the tent on both sides. I pack the tent and the fly seperate from the poles, so it doesn't seem like it packs down too small for me. I've had the tent for probably 5 years now, and use it at least a couple of times a year. Only last year did the fly start to go on me, and I bought a new one before checking into the warranty. Given what HDF posted about the warranty, I'm going to contact the company and see what they can do for me.

I'd buy again.
 

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