Should ultralighters embrace the cheapest stuff that works or “buy once, cry once”?
3F UL Lanshan is the go-to cheap tent, AONIJIE offers a compelling vest-style frameless pack for $75 and cheap Aegismax and Naturehike sleeping bags and quilts have hundreds of positive reviews on Amazon. Even DeputySean is bullish on the Aricxi patrol tarp.
I bought a Naturhike UL tent on Temu, set it up but haven’t camped in it yet. Just bought a similar Big Agnus tent (3/4 lb lighter) on clearance for $299 and am curious to set them up side by side. Anyway, the Naturehike tent looked fine and for $100 bucks & easier on the budget than most local options. And if it fails in a few years (which I think all UL tents do) then I can see what the latest tech is. Also bought a 30liter backpack on Temu, totally unbranded for $50 and am pleasantly surprised at its features. I could go do half a pound but loose the internal frame which is a no-go for me.
FYI, if your searching Temu, click on the ‘Filter’ drop down, scroll to the bottom to select ‘Local’ for items that will ship from a local warehouse if your concerned with tariffs kicking in.
When it comes to anything potentially survival related…don’t cheap out but don’t necessarily buy flashy heavily marketed stuff either. Check stitching and material quality.
I would never buy survival related gear without seeing it in person.