Showerthought: Are double-wall tents actually worth the extra weight or just a gimmick?

I took my cheap single-wall tent on a rainy trip last weekend in the Smokies and woke up soaked, but my buddy’s fancy MSR double-wall stayed bone dry. Is the extra 2 pounds really that big of a deal for better ventilation and no condensation, or do you just need to pick better campsites?

3 comments

3 Comments

simonp4718d ago

First time I used my single wall in the Whites I woke up with icicles hanging from the ceiling of the tent. My buddy in his double wall was sipping his coffee dry as a bone. That extra weight is totally worth it.

tessa_clark7418d ago

Pulled my single wall tent out one time in the boundary waters, poured rain all night, and I woke up with my sleeping bag feeling like a wet sponge. Condensation was dripping right on my face and I thought I was getting attacked by a leaky tree. My buddy had a double wall, he was dry and smug as a bug in a rug. Honestly, that 2 pounds feels like nothing when you're not shivering in damp gear at 6am. And picking better campsites is a myth, you can't always control the weather or where you end up. So yeah, I'm sold on double wall tents now, just gotta save up for one that doesn't cost my firstborn child.

the_morgan18d ago

@simonp47 and @tessa_clark74, single walls just need better site choices and ventilation tricks.