Single walls, shmingle walls. Marmot has 'em, The North Face has 'em, Bibler / Black Diamond has 'em, Garuda by Dana has 'em, even Sierra Designs has 'em. It's certainly obvious manufacturers are placing a lot of stock in offering single wall tents to their customers. Why all this attention to a category that, until someone figures out the ventilation and condensation question, is limited to a world of blowing snow and freezing temps?

Probably because manufacturers are looking for the next new gizmo that will give them technological and design innovation bragging rights and make you, the consumer, ooh and aah and, hopefully, plunk down the green for one.

Don't get me wrong here--single wall tents have their place for sure and those offered by by Dana and Bibler are superb. In fact, the reason single wall tents appeal to mountaineers is because they offer solid shelter at a reduction in weight and bulk from the traditional two-walled models. But, here's the question anyone should be asking if they don't have cold weather, mountaineering tendencies: At $500 and up, should the three season adventurer be looking to spend their the money on a shelter that is designed to work best in cold climates where ventilation and moisture management are not the primary issues. In a word, NO.

While it is likely that new fabrics and available technology will help manufacturers to maximize ventilation and minimize condensation while lowering the price to a more reasonable $250 to $350 range, it won't happen in the next year. Hang onto your hard-earned bucks, unless of course you fall into the technophile category and simply have to have the latest and greatest.