Outdoor adventure is a very personal matter. For some, it is about new innovation in backpacking equipment and a large part of them going into the wilderness is about using the latest, greatest gear. For others, gear is a distraction when venturing out. Both groups can be condescending to the other. Both feel they are right. The truth is that neither are right nor wrong.

I'm one who believes the emphasis should be placed on safety. If you can safely go to wherever it is you go and take only plastic sheeting no one should have a problem with that. Having said that, safety is only part of the picture. A well designed tent will give you peace of mind, comfort, and a haven incase things do go south. I can't tell you how many times I have grinned from ear to ear while lounging in my expensive but well made Hubba Hubba while the wind is howling and the rain is pouring just outside of it's nylon walls.

Your statement stating your "peeve is not people who falsify their outdoor experience, but rather people who like to harp on the risks of hiking & backpacking" strikes me as someone who simply lacks experience in a truly rugged, raw backcountry desination and supports my earlier point. You are basing your arguments on the fact the going into the backcountry doesn't have risks because, perhaps, I assume you've never had an experience that would cause you to think it's dangerous. My own experience SCREAMS otherwise. It only takes once...

I don't really care that you don't like people expressing the fact that venturing into the wilderness is risky. That's your opinion. My opinion is to say otherwise is irresponsible. I can give you several destinations that would quickly change your mind. It's true we express our opinions based on our realities. My reality and your reality obviously are different. However, I'm never comfortable not talking about safety. My philosophy is that you should "hope for the best, but plan for the worst". You will never go wrong. Therefore, the gear you take should be well made, reliable, well designed, dependable, capable, and durable. This is near impossible to find at the "$20-for-a-tent" level.

However, if you never go to a rugged, raw backcountry destination and only wait for exceptional weather, you would be wasting your money on a $300 tent.