So, you're considering purchasing a double-walled tent, but have this nagging feeling in the back of your mind that perhaps what you really need is a single-wall tent. But, you’re just not sure what the difference is between the two. Or maybe, you’ve never heard of a single wall tent. Is it just marketing fluff meant to add yet another product line to an already saturated tent market, or is there a real difference between the two? Well read on and I’ll help you wade through the confusion that is outdoor marketing.

A double wall tent is, um, made of two walls, actually a tent within a tent - the tent body and the tent fly. The tent body is usually made of ripstop nylon and/or mesh, with varying amounts of each (more mesh in summer tents, none in winter tents). The tent body is most likely a brighter color like yellow or orange to allow a maximum amount of light into the tent. I suspect tents are also this color as a psychological aid. I waited out a storm in a blue tent on Denali while reading Dostoyevsky - I wanted to murder my climbing partner and eat his tongue fajita. Now look at its functionality. The tent body is constructed of breathable nylon because moisture, mostly from exhalation while sleeping and cooking, needs to pass through the nylon and outside.

The tent fly is made of heavier nylon, but is coated with polyurethane to make it waterproof and windproof. The tent fly is the front line of defense against the rain, snow, wind you might experience as you step outside your Volvo XC. In addition, the tent fly acts in conjunction with the tent body to insulate as the fly traps a layer of warm air between tent body to keep a double wall tent warmer. Now, I think we’re ready to move on to single wall tents.