Johndavid:

I think the point that you've help make is that you have to know the limitations of your gear, as well as your own limitations.

Beyond that, I think you do have a valid point: cheap gear (and not just tents, but also packs and sleeping bags) can work - to a point. "Back in the day" when it was a choice between new shoes for the kids and really good gear, it was a no-brainer: I outfitted myself with cheap gear, including a Texsport pack, Texsport tent, Coleman sleeping bag, and Sterno stove. It got me out there, and being out there on the cheap, with the attendant shortcomings of such gear, was a whole lot better than NOT being out there. I never ventured off established trails in the "frontcountry" of national forests and parks, I couldn't go out in serious cold (the bag wasn't warm enough), and I couldn't carry enough to stay out for a week (the pack wasn't large enough or sturdy enough to overpack), but that was OK - I was out there.

But I upgraded as soon as I could. The better gear didn't necessarily keep me drier or safer, but it was more comfortable and more convenient to use - i.e., for me, it made things more fun. It also let me do some different things, like stay out for a week, venture into the less-traveled parts of the national parks and forests, or take a weekend trip when it was below freezing.

So, you're right, depending on how you define "summer" and on what your preference is for comfort.