I think the REI Co-op Kingdom tent is overrated after my trip to Mount Rainier

Everyone raves about that tent but mine leaked during a surprise storm near Paradise Campground in July. The seams gave out after just 8 months of light use. I don't get why it gets so much hype when there are better options for the same price. Has anyone else had a bad experience with it or am I alone on this?

3 comments

3 Comments

ninasanchez2mo ago

Man that sucks about your tent leaking. I had a similar issue with mine last summer on a trip to the Snoqualmie area. The rain fly just stopped repelling water after maybe 6 months. It's weird how this brand gets so much love when stuff like this happens. Kinda reminds me of how my old phone was supposed to be "waterproof" but died after a few splashes in the sink. I feel like we all buy into hype sometimes and then get let down when things don't live up to the promise. Anyway hope you get a better setup next time lol.

river_bailey22mo ago

Saw a review from a guy who took his Kingdom tent through a full season in the Pacific Northwest and said the same thing about the seams. He ended up sealing them himself with some Gear Aid stuff and said it helped a lot, but still feels like you shouldn't have to fix a brand new tent lol.

terrymitchell20d ago

Man that exact same thing happened to me with my Kingdom tent on a trip to Big Sur. @ninasanchez is right, the rain fly just quit on me after maybe 5 months of light use, started pooling water right above the main zipper during a drizzle. I ended up patching it with some silicone sealant from a hardware store but it looked terrible and never fully fixed the problem. Its frustrating because you pay that much and expect it to hold up for at least a couple seasons without having to DIY repair everything. Totally with you on the overhype thing, especially when there are tents from brands like Marmot or MSR that cost the same and actually keep the water out.

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