Not much I can add to this, other than a +1 to Ken's comments.

That, and take a good look at Colman and Sportmans Guide's "Guide Gear". Their current stuff would have been pretty hot stuff 20, 25 years ago, so it isn't too heavy or cumbersome if they catch the bug (or you do) and decide to start packing your gear in, and it's tough enough to work under fairly tame conditions (ie, not a howling wind, not driving rain, not golfball sized hail, not so cold that even a Raven complains about the chill in the air), but not so expensive that if this is goes totally pear shaped and will never, ever be repeated again under the threat of pain and household trauma that you are out someone's first year of college tuition.

Also look around for places that sell used gear, but not online- smaller, independent sporting goods places often have used items on consignment and you want to check that kind of thing out. And they generally don't mind if you want to set up a tent on the show room floor to see how big it really is.