Do you buy the best equipment available or go for the less expensive one? I did pretty good with cheap equipment until last year when during a storm my weak tent got ripped apart and I had to sleep in the rain. I already bough a good tent and while I didn't test it yet, I'm pretty sure it'll hold in a similar storm. Now I plan on slowly replacing all my equipment with quality one (even if it means more money) since I came to realize that it's better to be safe than sorry. What about you?
It has been a few years since I've bought camping gear, but the last time I did it I bought a great quality tent, still those super-heavy ones and hard to mount. These days things are way more simple, so probably I'd go for something affordable over quality because I would not use it for intensive camping, probably just a few days and for that is not required a big investment.
As my camping gear needs to be lightweight for carrying on a backpack, quality is important to me. There is nothing like being off in the woods camping and having your pot melt on the burner. If you are just starting out, buying cheap may be a good way to get into camping. You don't want to invest a lot of money if you don't know exactly what you want or what you will need. As you become more experienced, you will replace the cheap stuff with better quality more functional items. Your camping style will determine what you need. If you drive to the campground, you may want a bigger tent or a puffier sleeping bag. Slowly replacing the original cheap stuff is what I would suggest to spread the cost out over a few years.
It depends on a lot of factors. If it's just a weekend at a campground a few miles away from a town, you can go cheap. If something goes wrong, go to town and get what you need. If you don't know whether or not it is something you want to do again, don't spend a lot. If you are truly going to be out in the middle of the woods, you have to be prepared. If the area has cold nights, you need a sleeping bag and tent that will see you through freezing temps. You have to have a way to purify water. You really do need to take the worst case scenario into account because you just never know what will happen in isolated areas. Your best bet is thorough research. High price does not always reflect better quality.
I use different methods for different items. When it comes to buying a sleeping tent i usually by the best the store has, because i want the safest tent, So that i can be protected from bugs, and animals while i sleep. However. When it come to other items such, as a sleeping bag. I usually buy the bargain brands. Simply because i do not think they are as important, and i feel that i can afford to have a lower quality of that item.