Single wall v. double wall tent

“Hello everybody --

I'm planning out my gear for a run at the AT, and I'm trying to pick a tent. It's a toss up between the MSR Hubba Hubba and the North Face Spectrum 23. The main difference between the 2 is that the NF is a single walled. I've never used a single walled before. Seems like it would be nice to only have to worry about 1 setup step -- no fly. Anybody able to share their experience here? Thanks!”

“You should look at the tarptent.”

“Rosey beat me to it. You will be in shelters more than a tent. Save the weight.”

“If I were going to do a Thru-Hike, I think, I'd use the TarpTent Virga, which is a single wall. Fast set-up with only 2-5 stakes.
You'll have some condensation issues,at times, but you can easily shake-off the excess before packing it away.
Packs down very small, so you can stow it, on the outside of your pack, in a side mesh pocket . Very light-weight too at around 24-26 ozs.”

“tarp or hammock. tarp if your just using it as an emergency shelter.”

“Single wall will almost always give you condensation every morning, easily wiped up with your bandanda or chamois cloth. You'll want one anyway due to the lighter weight, though. Especially for a thru-hike. Ask crash bang.

edit: I have a tarptent Squall and love it. 1.75 pounds, lighter if I used a hiking pole instead of the front pole. http://www.tarptent.com
last edited: 11/16/06 11:53:55 AM”

“The only experience i've had with single wall tents is with a Henry Shires tarp tent. Its exceedingly well ventilated and thus has worked real well. I think thats the key - without really good ventilation, you get a lot of condensation.”

“Don't listen to Roam Around. He doesn't know what he is talking about.”

“Think solely in terms of weight.”

“Don't listen to Roam Around. He doesn't know what he is talking about.”
Wounded Knee
11:05:18 AM
11/16/06


doo too”

“heck I would go with the Tarp Tent...I tarp for the room and weight factor. If you consider the advantages of a tarp they seem to work.

Manys the time I have been able to go to sleep, get up cook and pack under a properly pitched tarp in a driving rainstorm.

Granted given the choice...Tarp tent.”

“I do have a NORTH FACE Spectrum23 and it sucks when it rains . I have used mine 2 times both during rain and I have never been so miserable, dripping wet inside, not enough ventilation. It may work if the humidity is low or maybe winter time maybe. The spectrum is well made and very tight like a true bomb shelter, but I will never believe in these tents. I do however also have a tarp tent and have never had any problems. CBROOK02/ I will sell you my North Face with a discount. let me know...............”

“A reasonable compromise is a "hybrid" tent like the Sierra Designs Baku. Single wall two-door tent with two vestibules. You get a lot for the weight.”

“For some odd reason I go the bivy, quilt and spintarp. With Henrys'Contrail @ 24 oz. it's hard to save weight another way.”

“Hell - after a review like that, I'll buy your Spectrum! LOL”

“After 25+ years of watching thru-hikers and doing segments myself all along the AT, I would have to go with the tarp tent in this situation”

“I used a clip flashlight”

“spintarp?”

“wow, thanks for all the great advice. I'll def look into the Tarp tents. I'm doing this hike to raise money for a charity. As such, I'm soliciting a number of gear companies to donate gear/big discounts. You'd be surprised how receptive they have all been. Guess I'll be carrying whichever one gives the most amount of money. Just hope it doesn't weigh a ton...I'm looking for people to join me on the hike, look for my post in the "trips" section. Thanks everyone!”

“A 'spintarp', because the material is light weight spinaker sail cloth. A trapezoidal 5' x 4' x 8' is 5oz. and has very good tear strength.”

“I get to claim that I inspired Henry Shires of Tarptent to design a new tent. It should be called the Idaho Bob tent, but he calls it the Contrail. He took the design of a 1891 tent I had on my blog, and redesigned it as a single wall ultrlight tent. Two man, uses a hiking pole, and weighs 1.5 pounds, that caught my attention. Its about the fifth post down from the top on my blog:

http://patentpending.blogs.com/
last edited: 11/21/06 4:15:53 PM”

“That is cool....”

“FYI, idaho bob, you can link directly to the individual post using a permalink.

http://patentpending.blogs.com/patent_pending_blog/2006/10/the_contrail_si.html

BTW, I like your blog.”

“Tarptents are really popular with you guys? I have never used one. The consideration for weight and packsize is obviously a big plus. The only thing that would put me off though, is becoming the object of unwanted attention of all sorts of critters, who want to feast on me. I am talking about bugs, slugs, snakes, spiders, ants, creepers and crawlers....ugh! Any experience there? How can you keep them off you while you're asleep?”

“I have tarped for many years and only had mice, I guess they were mice, race across my sleeping bag a few times.

In buggy weather I use something with a net.

http://www.tarptent.com/

I have one of their Cloudburst tents and it keeps the buggaboos out.”

“Those look like some nice tarps/tents!!”

“mmm...looks good. What I couldn't see from the pictures though, is the flooring sewn in to the net, all the way around? There is no gap between the both? Or is the net just hanging down over the flooring?”

“If you opt for the floored option, it sewn to the noseeum mesh. This creates an impenetrable barrier agst pesky critters.

I can vouch for the Cloudburst as well. My prefered three season tent now.”

“I've used the Hilleberg Akto for a few years now using just the outer part as a tarp shelter. Other than a spider or four, nothing weird yet.”

“Spiders!?”

“More like daddy long legs.

We really don't get anything too nasty up here in Michigan.”

“uhm...so, you met Daddy Long Legs, huh?

Well, thanks for the info. I am really tempted to get one of these tarptents. Fabulous design. Unfortunately, while they seem to be extremly populare over there in the colonies, they don't seem to be available here :-( At least my search wouldn't come up with any supplier who sold them here.”

“Hilleberg is on your side of the pond.

http://www.hilleberg.com/


I highly recommend.”

“I don't know about this Laqdude guy.........

http://www.sonomaoutfitters.com/tent_bp_img/mh_kiva_l.jpg

I use a Mountain Hardwear Kiva for the bugless seasons, since it has no screen.

Just think of all the little uglies that can crawl into that thing!
Slugs seem to like the Kiva, but I never had a slug crawl into my ear..........yet.”

“lol!”

“slug in the ear? yuck.

that's like a mondo wet willy!”

“Yes, Hilleberg is very highly regarded. A bit on the expensive side though.

I am afraid, anything that is not Big Daddy Legs or Slimmy Mummy Slug proof will give me sleepless nights.”

“the Integral Designs SilShelter might be worth a look if you are considering a tarp

http://www.integraldesigns.com/product_detail.cfm?id=729&CFID=8671600&CFTOKEN=46184026&mainproducttypeid=1”

“A bit of booze might help you sleep through the night.


http://jimthompson.org/wp/2005.07.04-18.43.56/IMG_3893.JPG”

“I've got a Henry Shires tarptent with the sewn in floor - i feel secure in it - no unwelcome guests in teh night.”

“huh?...ouwh!..ugh! OOWH!!!
***...!”

“quick...some pepper spray or schnaps befor I faint!”

“throw that man some SALT!”

“I am a lady, not a dude.

Thanks for the salt though.”

“OK, dudes don't care about slugs.”

“Ha ha. I got reprimanded for the same thing, Mark.”

“sorry euro. :)”

“euro -- Great pics!


How often do you get out?”

““huh?...ouwh!..ugh! OOWH!!!
***...!”
euro hike
12:42:56 PM
12/14/06


What language is that?
Nice slugs, no?”

“If you opt for the floored option, it sewn to the noseeum mesh

i have an older model. the floor is sewn into the sides, but not the front. i woke up one morning with 13 or 14 daddy longlegs all congregated at the foot of my tent. apparently theyre attracted to the smell of cheese”