Somehow this thread seems to have turned into a "Tent vs. Tarp" argument. I don't believe that was the original intent here.

The biggest problem I've found with tents while backpacking is that once a tent gets wet during a rainstorm, if you can't get it dried out before setting it up and sleeping in it again, you are going to get wet. An expensive tent is not immune to this problem. The design is what makes a difference. Generally speaking, tents that are more mesh than fabric are going to dry out much faster, which could make a difference if you're in a locale where you might only get a short break in rain. Truth be told, in rain a tarp/bivy combo is typically a much dryer set-up than a tent. Having done both in very went conditions for treks of 1-3 weeks in duration, I prefer the tarp option.

Where tent QUALITY really comes into play is not so much in RAIN as it is in WIND. Some tents are definitely designed to withstand wind better than others, and were I to do alot of travel in an area with high exposure to wind, that would be my deciding factor on what tent to buy. So far my MSR Twin Peaks (floorless tent) has proven to be very wind-worthy, provides the privacy I like, and keeps me plenty dry in rain. This would not be my choice for every trek in wind, but certainly suits my needs for now.

From my experience, quality/cost does play a factor in staying dry if you are not taking down and carrying your tent wet, but once you start setting up a wet tent, the benefits diminish.

On the other hand, if there is any chance that you might encounter extreme weather situations (i.e. in the Rockies, Sierras etc.), even in the summer, a quality tent will pay off in spades.

In other words, you simply can't make generalizations over the cost of gear versus its function. In some cases the benefits of expensive/quality gear are minimal, and you'll be fine with cheap gear. But once you start pushing the limits of conditions, the benefits of expensive/quality gear becomes much more evident. You need to buy gear based on the conditions you will be dealing with, not based on being cheap.

MNS