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If you are in a tent and it rains, something is going to get wet. A tent is the worse thing you can be in when caught in the rain, with the exception of a bikini with a missing top. Some people use a cargo trailer to sleep in, sure beats a tent and you don't have an expensive license to buy. Where I live, you don't have to license a trailer that weights less than 1800 pounds. Of course you can't take it backpacking, but you won't get wet in a rain storm either.
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Originally Posted by Iam4USC
Not sure what kind of tents you've been camping in but I don't get wet in my tents. I have 2 tents. A huge 10X15 2 room deal for extended trips and comfort. Then I have a backpacking 2-man tent for hiking and kayak trips. I have spent plenty of time in the rain in both of them and not a drop of water ever gets in. The biggest thing to look for is a heavy duty "tub" floor where the floor material actually creates a tub around the bottom of the tent. Then, a rainfly that actually covers and protects the sides. Not just the top (like a lot of cheap tents have.) I had to ride out a tropical depression on a barrier island in SC several years ago. 25 mph sustained winds with 40 mph gusts and plenty of rain. Not a drop inside the tent. Then while doing a kayak trip, a severe thunderstorm with tornadoes snuck up on us. Luckly someone at home knew where we were and saw the storn alert and called us on our cell phones in time for us to get off the river and set up camp. We got set up just in time before the bottom fell out. Rained 3 inches in an hour. Not a drop in the tent. Than, there's my big tent. Spent 2 weeks at a State Park at the beach. The second week it rained just about everyday. Dry as a bone inside.
Screw that, get a hammock
Stay dry, warm, and sleep like a baby.
I've never gotten anything besides the rain fly wet even in torrential downpours or blizzards. There's even less chance for a leak because you don't have to worry about poorly setting up your tent so a river runs underneath it in a downpour.
Last month, i have already buy a 3-4 people pop up tent from 1 Man Camping Tents,backpacking tents this website. The tents on this website is rather cheaper, compared to many website. Maybe you can click this link and try to select a suitable one for yourself.
Its been my experience that when companies give a rating for how many people a tent may accommodate they are usually wildly optimistic unless you want to sleep on top of each other, my solo tent is rated to sleep 3 and i cant imagine it sleeping more than just me, usually i at least double the size that the manufacturer recommends so needing a tent for 3-4 i'd be looking for a tent that sleeps 6-8.
I don't recommend buying anything specifically on the cheap unless you're just using it to store gear in or cut the bottom out of to make a shade cover or a sweat lodge or something. Or maybe sleeping in your backyard would be fine too, depending on where it is. In any of those cases, you can probably find what you need on craigslist or in a 2nd hand shop.
Otherwise, you'll need something of decent quality, but not a ridiculously expensive "expedition" product either. I buy everything I can online these days, but when it comes to tents I definitely recommend going into an outdoor store that sells quality camping equipment. You'll want to look at and lay down in as many different tents as you can. Aside from varying quality of materials, different tents offer different ergonomic features that may seem small when you're just looking at them in a store, but can be really significant when you're relying on it in the backcountry. Some places (like REI) will rent tents and other gear to you so that you can try it out first. I definitely recommend doing that if it's an option for you. The only way to really know what you need or don't need is to try it first, preferably with a group of experienced people who can help you prepare and get through it. If you're planning on doing some serious backpacking, that's great, but you can't under-estimate the value of preparedness and quality gear. I've seen really athletic macho guys break down like babies on the trail and seemingly frail 98 lb. girls persevere through the nastiness of conditions without so much as a wimper. The main difference: attitude and preparedness.
To keep rain out, you'll need to seam-seal the tent. That's true no matter how well it's made and how much it costs.
And if you have a groundcloth underneath your tent. make sure it doesn't project outward, because that'll just collect rain and direct it to the bottom of your tent.
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