Tents come in many different variations, with differences in material, size, weight, and more.
If you’ve been researching tents, you may have come across the term ‘double-wall’.
This refers to a tent having two layers rather than one.
So, why do tents have two layers? The outer layer of a double-walled tent works to protect from the elements using more durable, waterproof material. The inner layer is much more breathable and helps to allow for better ventilation while preventing condensation from building up.
There are quite a few additional benefits to using a double-walled tent over their single-walled counterparts.
Read on to learn more!
Why Do Some Tents Have Two Layers?
As mentioned above, the two goals a double-walled tent tries to achieve is to be waterproof and breathable.
While there are materials out there that can achieve both (and are used to construct single-walled tents), using two separate materials allows for each to be better individually at their specific jobs.
Because using 100% waterproof material usually sacrifices breathability, and vice versa, which is why a second layer is used.
Since the outer layer (the rainfly) protects from rain, the inner layer can be a much more breathable material.
This can be in the form of a much lighter weight, thinner tent wall or even a mesh roof.
When set up correctly, there is usually a small gap between the two layers.
This, coupled with the breathability of the inner layer, allows moisture to escape, which decreases condensation and helps to keep things cooler inside your tent.
Using A Double-Walled Tent
A double-walled tent is much better suited for rainy and warm environments than a single-walled tent.
These elements cause the perfect storm to invite condensation into your tent, so using a better-ventilated tent is best.
I’ve gone ahead and laid out all of the benefits and downsides to using a double-walled tent (versus a single-walled tent) down below.
Use these pros and cons when picking out which tent you’d like to have on your camping trip.
Benefits
Durability: double-walled tents are often more durable because they come with more sturdy poles (since weight isn’t usually factored in), and have that second layer providing additional protection from the elements.
Longevity: the added layer and durability allows for double-walled tents to often last much longer than single-walled tents.
Ventilation: ventilation usually isn’t very good on single-walled tents. However, since there is a waterproof rainfly to protect you from getting wet, the inner layer can be much more breathable, with much more mesh as well.
Condensation: the amount of ventilation the two layers provide helps to really cut down on condensation. By having a gap in between the layers it allows moisture to escape instead of collecting on the roof of your tent.
Best materials for each purpose: single-walled tents use a mix of both breathable and waterproof material. This usually means that the material is breathable, but still could do better, and more water-resistant than waterproof. Double-walled tents use the best breathable material for the tent wall and the best waterproof material for your rainfly.
Guylines: guylines will help keep your tent stable. They will also keep the distance between your tent’s two layers to allow for proper ventilation.
Downsides
Weight: if you plan on taking longer hiking or backpacking trips, you’ll likely want to reduce weight as much as possible. While advances in tent tech have helped bridge the gap slightly, single-walled tents are almost always lighter than double-walled tents (when measuring the same size tents). You’ll need to sacrifice durability and better ventilation if you want to shed a few ounces by switching to a single-walled tent.
Longer setup time: double-walled tents will often require the use of additional stakes, especially if your tent is equipped with a vestibule. You will also need to set up the rainfly properly by staking out guy lines and tensioning them correctly (do this proactively to prevent any issues if a storm rolls through).
Can mess up the setup: if the rainfly is setup too close to the inner wall, ventilation will become an issue. Getting the rainfly set up properly will take a little extra effort and possibly a little time adjusting.
Rainflies stretch: even after you’ve gotten the rainfly set up perfectly, there’s still a chance you’ll need to readjust. That is because when rainflies get wet they stretch out and will need to be adjusted to be tight again.
Tips For Properly Setting Up A Double-Walled Tent
A double-walled tent can be a great choice in many different situations, but only if set up correctly.
The issue that you usually face when compared to a single-walled tent is the addition of the rainfly.
This usually isn’t directly attached to the tent body and will need to be set up separately, which leaves room for error.
Follow these tips to properly set up your double-walled tent:
Setup guylines before you need them: this will save you in case a storm decides to come rolling through halfway through the night. Better to set them up now and be prepared while it’s easier to set up!
Use all of the guyline loops: you’ll often notice that your tent comes equipped with more loops than needed to properly set up your rainfly. Using these loops will help to pull out the outer edges of your tent, allowing for additional space inside.
Use stakes at a 45 degree angle: by staking the lines at a 45 degree inward (towards your tent), you set the stakes up to take on a little resistance should it be windy out.
If the ground is too hard, use weight to your advantage: if you can’t use the stakes you brought due to the ground being too hard, look around for some larger rocks or logs that can weigh down each line.
Use tensioners: using tensioners will allow you to adjust the tightness of the rainfly, which is great since your rainfly will likely stretch a little if it gets wet.