I am not naturally a claustrophobic person, but when I awoke in my single-wall tent to my climbing partner pressed against my back, and a raging storm outside pushing the wall of the tent firmly against my face, I began to reconsider my personal stance on confined spaces. So the next trip out, I went for it with a double-wall shelter – and ended up cursing the extra weight in my pack. That night I had plenty of time to think of alternate sleep systems as the wind battered my rain-fly, creating such a roar that I couldn’t sleep.

There are some obvious, and some not so obvious, differences between tents with one wall or two. Depending on what you care to manage – moisture, space or weight – there are strengths and weaknesses in the number of walls a tent puts between you and the outside elements.

Single-Wall Tent Pros
Single-wall tents are lightweight and less bulky compared to their double-wall counterparts. By using materials such as Gore-tex, Toddex, Epic, and Drizone for lightweight set-ups, they also repel rain and wind while providing breathability. These fabrics contain tiny-sized pores that act as moisture gatekeepers. Gore-tex’s pores are actually 20,000 times smaller than a single drop of water which creates its ability to keep moisture out. These same pores are also 700 times larger than a single water vapor molecule thus creating the fabric’s breathability.

Single-wall tents are generally more simplistic in design and overall shape. As poles make up a disproportionately large percentage of a tent’s weight, the design of most single-wall tents use fewer poles (usually two), significantly reducing the overall weight. These tents can also increase the number of places you can call home as their small footprint - averaging 30 square feet for a two-person tent - requires less room to be pitched.

Single-Wall Tent Cons
The technology that allows moisture to escape, and therefore prevents condensation on the inside of the tent, can easily be overwhelmed, leaving you and your gear a bit soggy. Not including exercise, each person loses over half a liter of moisture a day through breathing and imperceptible moisture movement through the skin. Extra time and effort is needed to manage this moisture within the tent by utilizing any available vents, and more often than not, the door as a means for climate control. This can be a tough proposition if the weather outside is trying to push moisture in through those very same openings!

Due to their simple design, these tents often lack some creature comforts when compared to double-wall tents: overall interior space is at a premium, there are fewer pockets on the inside to organize your gear, fewer windows allowing you to gaze outside, and vestibules are usually not integrated.

Double-Wall Tent Pros
A double-wall tent allows for two separate fabrics to accomplish two different goals: water repellency and breathability. Most tent bodies are constructed of breathable nylon and some combination of mesh and other fabrics that help manage air-flow. The rain-fly is a water-tight nylon or polyester that has been laminated, coated or otherwise treated to prevent moisture from passing through. Working together, the rain-fly prevents moisture from getting in while the tent body allows moisture to escape.

Double-wall tents usually have multiple doors that will keep you from climbing over your tent-mate and the collective gear to answer nature’s call. Also, since there are three main elements – tent body, rain-fly, and poles – double-wall tents are easy to spread the weight among your partners.

Double-Wall Tent Cons
More tent equals more weight. That was my earth-shattering realization as I contemplated the weight on my back. Not only has the amount of material almost doubled from the single-wall tent, the number of poles has as well. The more pole intersections a tent has the more strength against outside forces it will be able to provide. (As a side note, DAC poles are 15 percent lighter than standard aluminum poles, so always check the pole material when looking at a new tent as DAC poles will reduce the overall weight.)

During the past fifteen years I have spent hundreds of nights in both styles of tents. When faced with single-wall versus double-wall, I increasingly find myself reaching for the single-wall as it is a “less is more” decision for me. Even though being pinned between your climbing partner and the wall of the tent isn’t my idea of a good time, I’ve convinced myself it’s worth more than a double-wall’s weight.

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