Wednesday, November 6, 2024
HomeOutdoorLight-weight Backpacking Double Wall Tent Information

Light-weight Backpacking Double Wall Tent Information


Lightweight double-wall backpacking tents are making a comeback amongst ultralight backpackers with gear weights that rival their single-walled competitors. Double-wall tents have many advantages over single-walled tents, including:

  • Less internal condensation
  • Less drafty because they don’t have to be wind tunnels to combat internal condensation – meaning you can use many double-wall tents in autumn or winter when you’d freeze in a single-wall tent.
  • Better privacy because they have less open mesh showing.
  • Deeper bathtub-style floors that protect against accidental flooding on compacted tent sites.
  • Factory seam taped, so you don’t have to seam seal the tent with silicone and paint thinner in your basement.

For example, compare the following two-person single-wall and double-wall tents. There are quite a few two-person double-wall tents available today that weigh less than their single-wall counterparts.

Lightweight Tents made with Conventional Fabrics

I’ve owned and used many single-wall shelters in my backpacking career, but my motivation to use them has diminished as double-wall shelters have come down in weight. There’s a lot to be said for a more comfortable double-wall tent when gear weight ceases to be a differentiating factor.

And while single-wall tents still tend to be lower cost, the pricing difference is not as great or universal in the two-person size. Many double-wall tents are also discounted by retailers, while those produced by cottage companies are almost never on sale.

  • What’s your preference: a single-walled or a double-wall tent?
  • Would that change if there was less of a price or weight difference between the two types of tents?

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