If another thread (the "foreshock" in CA) has any validity, which I doubt, I will be setting up a tent city in the backyard, using both a Costco special and some better quality, but smaller, tents. Expect an extended field review in the distant future, I hope.

Actually, one of the key determinants in tent quality is the pole material. Fiberglass = cheap. Aluminum = suited for more severe service. Any tent will be trashed if it is not set up properly in a suitable, sheltered, location.

My materials include lots of tarps and plenty of supplemental rope, especially for the cheapo tent, the darling of my DW, who prizes her ability to stand up in the darn thing.