ZPacks Duplex on the AT? Or something else???

[fastfoxengineering]

I've been using my Zpacks hexamid with six mooon designs serenity bug net for a little while.

I like it.

Double wall, full bug net, bathtub floor. I haven't weighed it buts it's pretty darn light.

If I were to do it again I would probably get the solo plus tarp in a heavier cuben.






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[Gambit McCrae]

Considering buying the ZPacks Duplex for my thru-hike. Just curious as to whether or not this tent would be good on the AT, since it's not free standing. I've also looked at the Big Agnes Fly Creek and am now considering the SMD Lunar Solo tent. Kind of want something general purpose though that might last me through my thru-hike and for a few more trips afterwards.

Thanks!

Everyone that I have seen use one on a thru or any considerable use at all has loved it. I bought one in November but have not been able to use it yet.

[lukejmills]

It does have full bug netting and you save maybe two ounces vs the duplex. The main advantage is the removable groundsheet. That's been great in my twin.

It does have bug netting? I thought that the guy in the video just rigged it up to have bug netting there. Guess that was an older video...

Here's the video I was talking about btw: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGMG_aBjT3c&t=275s

[colorado_rob]

I own and have used extensively both the zpacks Hex Solo Plus and the Duplex. Both fine, fine tents.

When solo, I'll grab the Solo+ every day. It is nearly as big in floor plan as the duplex. Total weight including the polycryo ground sheet and cords is 16.0 ounces. The duplex is 23 ounces equipped similarly, 7 ounces heavier than the solo+, but I did buy the heavier cuben option, the spruce green, which is said to add 2 ounces. So, with the same cuben, the duplex is ~5 ounces heavier, not 2 or 3. No biggie, still crazy light for a full tent with bug netting.

The entry for the duplex is higher than for the solo+, important for some, not for me. There is plenty of room in the solo+ to stow all your gear beside you when solo.

When with my wife, we grab the duplex most of the time. but when we REALLY want to shave weight for special occasions, we use the solo+. The solo+ is really quite large inside. What it lacks is the second pole and higher ceiling in the back of the tent. the solo+ is also $150 cheaper than the duplex, though you do have to buy a floor sheet; I use polycryo, about 6 bucks.

On the SHR last fall, I loaned the solo+ to a buddy, so this pic shows both of our tents set up side-by-side.

Overall, I'm glad I chose the slightly heavier Cuben for the duplex, I realize it's 90% psychological.... OTOH, my 0.51 solo+ shows zero sign of wear after 100+ nights of use.

Both of these tents have full bug-netting. Does someone think they don't? I'm not talking about zpacks tarps.

[lukejmills]

...

Both of these tents have full bug-netting. Does someone think they don't? I'm not talking about zpacks tarps.

Thanks for that excellent overview!

I thought they didn't because a video I'd seen where someone claimed it did not. Thanks for the clarification though!

[ncwild]

One of my friends thru hiked in 2017 and saw quite a few of the Duplex tents, as well as other single wall tents. He stated it was a good tent, but that many of the users had condensation issues even with proper ventilation. He went with a double wall 2lb tent, I think a Nemo brand, and would stay with a double wall in the future. I'm looking at the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2, around 3lbs.

[Shrewd]

There were a lot of ZPacks on the trail last year. As well as plenty of lightheart Gear solong 6s and six moon designs tents

I’ve heard good things about all; but any single wall tent in a place like the AT is gonna have significant condensation issues


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[colorado_rob]

A note about condensation along the AT: Pretty much every tent of all types, singe or double walled, will have condensation "issues" along the wet AT. I used a BA Fly creek for half an AT. I had condensation "issues" most nights. Then I switched to a zpacks solo+. Continued with the condensation "issues". Really, this is not a big deal. Pretty much most tents will be wet the next morning most nights along the AT. What's nice about Cuben fiber tents is that they don't absorb the moisture like sil-nylon tents. I did a little experiment a while back and made a post, but can't find it. I weighed both types of tents dry, then soaking wet, then shaken dry, like one would do in the mornings with a wet tent. I was able to get way more water shaken off the cuben tent than a sil-nylon tent, meaning less carried weight the next morning. Something like a half a pound less.

[Dogwood]

Thanks all, think I may take the plunge on the Duplex. I've heard mixed reviews about the Big Agnes Fly Creek, but only good things about the Duplex (with the exception of those who neglected it by sitting on it at camp/using it to cowboy camp on). Think it'll be well worth the money if it holds up for this thru hike and a while longer. Would another thru-hike, e.g. PCT, be a little too hopeful to squeeze out of it?

Almost unanimously folks, myself included, promote the gear they own or approaches they take. ZP is a current darling in this regard. You might factor this into opinions when considering your shelter desires.

You should not consider the ZP tent shelters light wt with perhaps greater coresponding durability. Consider them low wt on the UL spectrum to SUL tent designs with correlated lower durability and higher price tags. There are reasons why these shelters are so light.

Respectfully, you could look at it as Shrewd validly stated. You could also look at it as most folks don't expect to purchase a new $600 tent every 1.5 or so TC caliber length thru-hikes.

I think 150 nights in the hands of someone like Coffee who is a backpacker with some diverse experiences is certainly possible.

If it's your goal to get an AT and PCT NOBO out of a ZP Duplex it's certainly possible but IMHO unlikely. For an AT thru followed up by a CDT thru I'd say NO.

Of course, how often it is set up, days to complete such thrus, where specificallly you set up, weather the tent is subjected, how well it's set up(tensioned out, etc), etc factors. Consider those factors to put yourself in the best position to achieve your goal.



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[Coffee]

It does have bug netting? I thought that the guy in the video just rigged it up to have bug netting there. Guess that was an older video...

Here's the video I was talking about btw: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGMG_aBjT3c&t=275s

The hexamids are available as tents or tarps. The tents have full bug netting on the sides and the bottom and you put your ground sheet on top of the bug netting (it sounds weird but works). The tarps have no floor and therefore no bug netting. zPacks has some videos of the tent versions that should show you the netting.

[Coffee]

In terms of long term durability, having owned a zPacks shelter (Hexamid Twin) for five years and I've lost track of the number of nights (but it has to be 150+), I am very happy with the weight/durability situation. The tent itself shows some wear primarily near where the tent poles supports connect to the cuben fiber and I have added extra cuben tape there to reinforce. There are no holes or rips whatsoever in the canopy. Somewhat amazingly, there are no holes of note in the mesh floor. My groundsheet is still working fine. I have replaced the guy lines twice, both times because I chose to tie out to rocks directly rather than pile rocks over my stakes and that's hard on the guy lines after a while. I have 2.5 JMTs, 1 Colorado Trail thru hike, several Appalachian Trail segments, and a 900 mile segment of the PCT on this tent plus shorter hikes like the Foothills Trail. So although I haven't put the tent through the rigors of an uninterrupted long trail thru hike, it has been through at least the equivalent (rain, wind, hail, snow, you name it).

So at the risk of promoting the gear I have, I'll say all of that. But also that I'm very very careful with my gear in general and try not to be hard on it. So your mileage may vary.

I do wish zPacks still offered the Hexamid Twin but the Solo Plus may well be fine for my purposes based on what colorado_rob says above. Since I use the tent as a solo shelter the headroom in the back isn't a big deal. I feel like I should buy a new tent before this summer since I have some extensive plans and will sell my Twin to someone on WB, probably someone just getting into cuben who wants a cheaper used shelter.

[colorado_rob]

In terms of long term durability, having owned a zPacks shelter (Hexamid Twin) for five years and I've lost track of the number of nights (but it has to be 150+), I am very happy with the weight/durability situation.

Agree, I am very pleasantly surprised with the durability of my 4.5 year old, 100+ night zpacks solo+. Frankly, I don't see any wear. I suspect the failure, when it eventually happens, will be a big tear. The fabric must be aging, it's just not yet obvious.

UV is a big tent killer in the long run, I suspect Cuben is not too different from nylon. The good news is that the AT is pretty low, near zero, on the UV scale compared to here out west. So if you use a zpacks for an entire AT before say, a PCT or CDT, you won't have a lot of UV againg in the tent.

[Coffee]

Agree, I am very pleasantly surprised with the durability of my 4.5 year old, 100+ night zpacks solo+. Frankly, I don't see any wear. I suspect the failure, when it eventually happens, will be a big tear. The fabric must be aging, it's just not yet obvious.

My first cuben product was a small ditty bag from zPacks - also 0.51 material. The failure eventually was at a seam. It started to fray. I also have a 1.0 dry bag from zPacks and that material failed around the velcro at the top. So eventually the material will fail, it is just a matter of when. I would feel totally comfortable with my 5 year old hex twin for a shorter trip but I'm worried about relying on it for a month or more just because it would be such a pain to replace a shelter mid-trip (zPacks currently has a 2 week lead-time). One thought I had, if I choose to not sell it, is to order a Solo Plus and leave it at home ready for a friend/family to ship to me if my Twin starts fails for any reason. That way I'd get maximum use out of the Twin and only replace it when it fails. But maybe I'll sell it relatively cheaply to someone who could get some use out of it.

[Red Sky]

Not a thru-hiker, but did over 100 miles in GA and NC last year with a ZPacks Duplex. Love the roominess and quick set up. Got to love the light weight! I never had a problem with condensation, but never had much rain when I was out there.

[Singto]

If someone bought me a Zpacks Duplex, I would say OK. But no way is that amount of money coming out of my pocket for anything when there's other reasonable choices starting for less than 1/3 the price. That goes for anything. No doubt it's the premier shelter nowadays....good for those who can and/or want to afford one.

[lukejmills]

So despite the positive things I've been hearing about the Duplex, I've decided to buy the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 to use (at least to start). Got it from REI, so I have their wonderful return policy in case things don't work out.

The tent was only $150 all said and done (since it's on clearance). I just don't think a relatively good UL tent from a decent company could be beat at that price...

[fastfoxengineering]

So despite the positive things I've been hearing about the Duplex, I've decided to buy the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 to use (at least to start). Got it from REI, so I have their wonderful return policy in case things don't work out.

The tent was only $150 all said and done (since it's on clearance). I just don't think a relatively good UL tent from a decent company could be beat at that price...

I'd rather have that than pay $600 for a duplex.

Even if it doesn't work out. I'm sure you could sell it for $100 if you take good care of it

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[Deacon]

On my last night on the AT at the campground behind the Abol Bridge Camp store, I spent the night in a four inch deep flood in my Duplex. The thunderstorm was horrendous.

I stayed perfectly dry the whole night. Can the Fly Creek do that?


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[Time Zone]

So despite the positive things I've been hearing about the Duplex, I've decided to buy the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 to use (at least to start). Got it from REI, so I have their wonderful return policy in case things don't work out.

The tent was only $150 all said and done (since it's on clearance). I just don't think a relatively good UL tent from a decent company could be beat at that price...

Just curious if you considered the Sierra Designs Tensegrity 1 FL they had on 70% off through yesterday (under $100!). It's back to 50% off today, which is what I paid. I have one and I rather like it, but haven't had it out in a rain yet. I believe it'll do OK condensation-wise even as a hybrid (single-wall over the sleeping bag; more or less double-wall on sides), because of the excellent, if partially forced, ventilation. But I'm not sure. And some say it takes quite some room to set up, due to the broad awning of the gear shed, but I don't think it's that bad, and I like that feature quite a bit. If anything concerns me it would be the pooling of water on the roof, since it's pretty difficult to get a taut pitch. But I've found it surprisingly roomy inside (volume, not sq ft), yet quite light and compact.

Anyway I was surprised that they've not sold out, esp. at the prices offered. I fail to see much wrong with it that isn't also wrong with other hybrid, trekking-pole-supported designs. And it has a leg up in some ways, too, IMO.

[lukejmills]

On my last night on the AT at the campground behind the Abol Bridge Camp store, I spent the night in a four inch deep flood in my Duplex. The thunderstorm was horrendous.

I stayed perfectly dry the whole night. Can the Fly Creek do that?


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We'll have to see and find out! I've heard many success stories with the fly creek, and don't doubt it's abilities. The biggest objective issue I've heard has been the lack of space (other concern being durability - truth is material will last if you take care of it from what I've read). Fortunately, I'm a flexible, wiry guy, so I don't take up too much space