Guess we have much of this covered, kudos to spraying the tent with a hose in the back yard!
FYI cheap tents won't last three seasons. I took a manufacture dome tent and pitched it as a fort for Austin in the backyard. Even though it was three months under deep tall trees, it had UV holes all over the place.
Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.
Woo
Have a 9x7 dome tent from Sears, do you think would be ok for a 7day hike in the Virginia AT ? It will be myself and my son. Any and all information will be great, this will be our first time tere.
read above posts - seam seal
stuff ok
Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.
Woo
If your tent won't stand up to wind and keep you dry then get another shelter.
Yeah, the biggest issue is weight of the total tent set-up. When you are on the trail it will end up as THE issue. It will possibly cause you to buy a new one tho the one you have works fine. it's a mental battle you will find real hard to beat and keep going up the trail.
"Something hidden. Go and find it. Go, and look behind the Ranges. Something lost behind the Ranges. Lost and waiting for you . . . Go!" (Rudyard Kipling)
From SunnyWalker, SOBO CDT hiker starting June 2014.
Please visit: SunnyWalker.Net
Your tent will probably work if it doesn't leak. But with an added tarp, it probably is a couple of pounds heavier than a number of $150 possible replacements. If I had the money, I'd buy something that is new and weighs less than 4.5 pounds.
A 2 pound ultralight would be great on a thru hike. But okay $100-$150 four pound tents is what I would purchase if I were on a tight budget.