Tents, they’re used for a large majority of outdoor activities.
But if there’s one thing they have in common, it’s that 99% of them all have bad feedback.
However, that’s with almost all products sold on Amazon anyway.
In this article I want to show you what you need to look for when doing your research and what you need to know before making your final decision.
How Do I Know What I’m Talking About?
I have been reviewing Amazon products for over a year now, and in that time I have learned A LOT.
I can tell what type of product is good just from looking at the average ratings, doing a quick skim through the reviews it has received, and determining what negative feedback isn’t all that bad after all, plus a lot more.
I want to share my knowledge with you. I want to help you become a knowledgeable Amazon shopper.
Keep in mind, these tips and strategies can be used on almost all e-commerce sites all over the internet.
But for the sake of this article and formation, I’ll be talking about Amazon only.
What To Look For
How many purchases has the tent received?
The more purchases a tent has received, the better idea you can get of the quality and how well it performs.
A tent with 10 purchases is definitely not a lot, and it will be quite difficult to see the common faults and issues for it.
On the other hand, a tent with 70+ reviews is good. You can then see what people tend to love about the tent and what people don’t like.
You don’t always have to follow this rule of thumb, but it’s a good idea when you’re trying to find the quality of a tent.
What’s the average rating?
Usually anything under 4 stars is simply no good – for tents anyway.
In my personal experience with researching tents, 4 is average quality and 4.3 or more is good/great.
If you find a tent with an average rating of 4 stars, more research is needed to determine the end result.
But anything over 4 stars almost means the tent sells itself.
If a tent has a lot of purchases and 4.5 stars, that is FANTASTIC.
But if the tent doesn’t have that many purchases and possesses high ratings, it means more people need to purchase it.
They need to find all the faults and common issues, and then to write down their findings.
Are the negative reviews only minor?
Just because a product has been given 4 stars and a bunch of negative feedback, it doesn’t always mean the product is completely bad.
Sometimes you need to do a little more digging around. You need to know why the product has received low star ratings.
And by taking a quick look at the 1-3 star feedback, you’ll soon discover the common issues.
The common issues are the ones you need to worry about the most. A few negatives every now and then isn’t important.
Does the tent fit your needs?
For example: If you’re looking for a 4-person tent and you’re camping with exactly 4 people, is it really the best choice? You’ll be lined up like sardines and all squished up while you sleep.
Another example: Are you camping in snowy conditions with a 3-season tent? You’re shooting yourself in the foot! You need a 4-season tent instead.
As you can clearly see, one size does not fit all in the camping world.
You need to determine exactly what you need the tent for first and then begin your research.
Know who you’ll be camping with and the conditions you’ll be in BEFORE looking for the perfect tent.
Is the weight going to be an issue?
Are you going car camping, camping in the backyard, or backpacking in the wilderness?
The faster you know what you’re using the tent for, the easier it is to know if the weight will matter to you or not.
If you’re car camping, camping at an event, a family members house, or in your backyard, then the weight will not be a problem.
But if you want a tent for an overnight hike or backpack into the wilderness, you need to consider the weight of the tent as you’re doing your research.
Are you absolutely certain the tent is a good choice?
50/50 is not definitive, and neither is 60/40.
You need to be at least 90% certain that the tent is the one you like.
Even though Amazon have a 30-day return policy, it’s a lot easier and hassle-free if you get a good one right from the get-go, which is why your research should never be skimped on.
At a glance
- Amount of purchases – The more purchases a tent has, the easier it is to find the true quality and performance of it
- Average Rating – Average rating is a good indication of how well the tent performs, but definitely not the final indicator
- The impact of negative reviews – Negative reviews doesn’t always mean a bad tent. If the negatives are only minor, it is still a tent to consider
- Does it fit your needs? Make sure the tent fits the trip you’ll be going on. Consider going 2 sizes up if you love your space
- The weight of the tent – Car camping or anywhere you don’t need to carry the tent around means you do not need to worry about the weight. Backpackers and overnight hikers definitely need to consider the weight
- And of course, how sure are you that the tent is a great choice? You need to be over 90% certain that the tent is one you desire and like a lot, ESPECIALLY if you’re planning on camping as soon as possible – because there will be no time to send it back
Things To Always Keep In Mind
- High ratings doesn’t always mean the tent is good
- Read the “customers question and answers” section. Other people in the same boat as you might ask a question you’re wondering
- Always read the product description thoroughly. There’s no point in reading the reviews if you don’t even know what the tent offers yet. You might’ve done a lot of research only to realize the tent was for 4 people when you thought it was 6
- Be very careful when reading reviews that have different size ratings on the same page! More often than not Amazon will keep all the reviews together
As you can see in the screenshot above, these are 2 DIFFERENT sizes and they are on the exact same product page. If you don’t notice the “style name” when doing your research, there’s a high chance that you’ll be getting the wrong information for the size rating you want to purchase
- Sometimes it’s good to look at the comments under reviews. I’ve seen people giving negative reviews and then avid campers come along and debunk what they’ve just said. Sometimes it’s newbie campers that are bashing on a product because they set it up wrong or something similar, then other people that have used the tent come along and set them straight
Final Say
It can be so confusing when shopping for tents online, especially if you don’t do it often.
You see hundreds of people praising a tent and loving their purchase, then you have others complaining about it and hating everything about the tent.
That’s where the confusion happens.
You simply do not know who to believe.
But do know this, most products sold online (that have a decent amount of purchases) have negative feedback.
It’s not the product, it’s just what happens when the product gains popularity.
And of course, searching product reviews (through search engines) is another great way to help you make your final decision.
Why do blog reviews work so well?
Because the review creator has already done the hard work.
They’ve discovered the true quality of the tent, noted it down, provided the pros and cons and then their final opinion.
I know because I am an avid camper and tent reviewer 🙂
Thanks for reading.
I hope you learned a lot in this article.
Please do me a favor and share this article with your friends and family.
If you don’t want to, at least leave a comment below 😀
1. Do you usually shop for tents on Amazon
2. Did I help you with this article today?
I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Good luck.
-Brandon