[pct-l] Tents...

[Viajarapie]

 > Are double-wall tents inherently subject to less condensation?

depends on the design. As far as tent design goes, the key to avoid or 
minimize condensation is ventilation. In a single wall (and to a lesser 
extent in a DW with a mesh inner) ventilation needs to go through your 
living quarters. DW tents with a somewhat wind resistant inner tent can 
be designed to allow ventilation in between the two walls. Condensation 
can and does still happen though in the right (or rather wrong) conditions.

Condensation or any other kind of humidity in a tent adds some but not 
much weight in silnylon tents or tarps because the silicone impregnates 
de fabric making it hydrophobic. A good shake and most of the water is 
gone unlike PU coated fabrics that are usually coated only on the inside 
(because PU is very sensitive to UV) and do absorb water (if coming from 
the outside) despite being waterproof. For the same reason, silnylon is 
very quick to dry: the humidity is over the fabric not absorved inside 
the fabric.

I strongly disagree with the mention of ounce-counting being not so 
important through the High Sierra because of an already heavier pack. 
It's right the contrary. It's true the weight savings relative to total 
weight are less but it's when your total weight goes up when it's 
particularly important to count every gram. Choose the gear for the 
function first but never take the weight out of the equation, it easily 
leads to heavy loads that are bad enough for themselves but even worse 
if you were carrying a lightweight pack that might be not so comfortable 
with a load it wasn't designed for.

A somewhat big tarp (8x10 or similar) and a mesh inner is a very good 
arrangement that can take you through the whole trip without much 
compromise if you know how to use it well and it's very versatile (tarp 
only, mesh only, both, nothing). I forgot to mention Golite used to have 
some tarp + mesh inner combos but I don't know if they still do. Golite 
shelters tend to be on the heavy side of lightweight but they're usually 
well made and functional.
rainskirt