>>983562>>983810see
>>984037This
They'll fall apart for sure (eventually). It's basically because everything about them is super cheap. Like, single seam stiching, polyester (tarp) materials, multiple seams instead of one "bathtub" type seam, etc. Also there's the added jewing of simply cheaping out on the necessities, like not having a sufficiently large enough rain fly, or guy lines that are too short and just generally bullshit. Basically everything a non-informed primitive camper isn't going to look for / notice or care about. They are the simply aimed at first-time amateurs who have yet to fully embrace a few ass raviging mistakes.
But if you've conditioned yourself with tenting, and know what, how, and when to do things properly, then you can get them to last several outings before the general wear and tear starts to tear them apart.
Case in point, all of the WalMart tents I own currently have problems that keep me from using them:
-ripped floors
-pole girdles that have torn off (and causing structural issues since that portion of the tent can't attach to poles anymore)
-zippers ripped off
-material weaves that have spread apart allowing moisture to permeate the tent
One of the worst outings I've ever had was in a WalMart tent I bought for $40. It rained nonstop for 5 days and the zipper pulled completely off the zip on the 2nd day. One little zipper caused 3 days of mischief, since there wasn't any way to close the door without rain drenching the tent floor or taping up the zipper everytime we wanted to enter/exit. Imagine sleeping in a wet bag, with wet clothes, in 55*F weather, for 3 solid nights. It's enough headache to make whoever you're with to hate each other. All because a zipper came off.
Btw, ducktape doesn't adhere well to polyester when moisture is present, so even if you tape it up before sleeping, you'll be waking up to a cold soaked floor regardless.
