By JOSH TURNER
Go ahead and wince now. Yes, there are actually a lot of people who buy camping gear at Wal-Mart. Sources report that Wal-Mart sells a ton of gear annually in stores all over the world. Is any of this “cost-effective” gear worth having in your collection, or is this more of a place for beginners to shamefully dip their toe? To answer these questions, we went camping with nothing but the cheapest gear we could find at Wal-Mart. Here are a few of the highlights and lowlights from our trip.
Ozark Trail Two Person Dome Tent, $19. Sold only in Wal-Mart stores (not online), the Ozark Trail Two Person Dome tent was surprisingly a better all-around product than we had anticipated. It is plenty wide for two people with its 7 × 7-foot floor — rare for a tent that advertises itself as a two-person model. But its square dimension leaves little head or foot room.
The tent’s fabric and floor are fairly thin, and the fiberglass poles are skinny. Durability is not a strong feature. Don’t expect this tent to last forever, but it can function in certain situations like car camping or a backyard adventure.
During our camping trip, it did not rain. We were glad. After some inspection, I fear this tent would not hold up well in bad conditions. However, with the use of some tent waterproofer and seam sealer, you could turn the Ozark Trail into a suitable tent for one person or kids use. It’s only $19! Experimentation is encouraged.
Coleman 1 Burner Propane Stove, $18.96. This was the cheapest stove or cooking system available at Wal-Mart. At just under $20 (before the cost of a fuel canister), it comes in at a fraction of the cost of other similar systems offered by big-name competitors. Bottom line, we found that it didn’t compromise on quality, durability or ease of use. It sets up quickly and is a straightforward solution for many people who might not need the features of a more expensive cooking system. This product was the standout of everything we tested.
