Single Layer Tents

What a single layer tent is

A single-layer tent is one waterproof skin, with no separate inner tent underneath. It is lighter and quicker to pitch than a double-layer tent, because there is only one thing to put up, and it packs smaller. The cost is condensation: the moisture you breathe out settles on the inside of the same skin you sleep under. A tent is filed here when its description says single layer, single wall or single skin.

The kinds in this range

• Ultralight camping tents for one or two. The Ultralight Camping Tent here weighs 1000g in its 1-person size and 1200g for two, and several state UPF 30+ sun protection. See hiking tents.
• Pop-up tents, from a 2-person beach tent to a hexagonal family tent for 3 to 6, which open from the bag. See pop-up tents.
• Pyramid and tipi shelters, such as a single-layer pyramid tent for one or two and a 270cm tipi hot tent with a net weight of 1.5kg. See pyramid tents.
• Vehicle and storage tents: a pickup truck bed tent, and covers for a motorbike or mobility scooter. See motorbike tents.

Living with condensation

Condensation is not a leak, but it can feel like one. To keep it down, open the vents and, if it is dry, a door, so damp air can get out. Pitch where a breeze can reach the tent rather than in a hollow, keep wet coats and boots outside, and try not to brush the walls. In the morning, wipe the inside with a small towel before you pack. On warm, breezy nights it hardly shows. On a cold, still night in spring or autumn, a double layer tent will be drier.

What the waterproof rating means on a single layer tent

The rating in millimetres, the hydrostatic head, is the height of a column of water the fabric holds back before it leaks, tested to BS EN ISO 811. About 1,000mm is the lowest rating usually called waterproof, most lightweight flysheets are 1,500mm to 3,000mm, and more is worth having for long wet trips or a single-layer tent left up for days. The groundsheet is often rated higher, because you kneel and lie on it. One skin does all the work here, so the figure matters: on these tents it runs from 1,000mm on the TOMSHOO 2-person rainfly to 5,000mm on the single-layer pyramid tent. Taped seams matter as much as the number. Shop by rating: to 2,000mm, to 3,000mm and 5,000mm and over.

Questions people ask about single layer tents

Who is a single layer tent for?

Walkers counting every gram, festival-goers, beach days, and anyone who wants a tent up in a few minutes in fair weather.

Can I use a single layer tent in winter?

A few are made for it: the tipi hot tent here is single layer and four-season, and takes a stove. Use the stove made for it and a carbon monoxide alarm. Never take a barbecue or a stove without a flue into any tent: carbon monoxide kills. For most winter camping, a double-layer 4-season tent is warmer and drier.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when that tent usually arrives, so check it before ordering for a set date.

More to look at

• Double layer tents
• Summer tents
• Pop-up tents
• Hiking tents
• Pyramid tents
• Tents by layers
• Guide: Single, double and triple layer tents