That &quot;fragile gear&quot; is lightweight and a lot better for hauling on backpacking trips.  If you&#x27;re not a gorilla and are careful with stuff, it&#x27;ll last for decades.  I had a cheap nylon tent that was probably 25 years old when I finally got rid of it; I sold it for $5 in a garage sale and it was still in great condition even though I used it extensively in Boy Scouts.  I replaced it with a newer, nicer nylon tent that I barely use.<p>No, these tents probably won&#x27;t hold up well with careless renters who don&#x27;t care about taking care of stuff and abuse stuff.  So why should I pay the same amount as a brand-new nylon test for some crappy old canvas tent with mold, which weighs 10 times as much, just so I don&#x27;t have to own a tent?  It makes no sense at all.  I&#x27;d rather have a nice, clean tent that I own, and I can grab any time someone wants to go camping with me.  Tents don&#x27;t take up that much space when folded up.  And even if the Walmart tent only lasts 3 trips, you&#x27;ll still be saving money over the crappy rental tent.