Zpacks Duplex
My Price: $669.00 (plus tent stakes and trekking poles)
Manufacturer: Zpacks
Made In: Florida, USA
Availability: Online (www.zpacks.com)
Weight: 23 ounces with stuff sack and tent stakes
Season use: 3
Review: I can still remember how excited I was when I received my signing bonus at work and could finally afford to place an order with Zpacks. The ArcBlast backpack and Duplex tent were ordered as I had seen my favorite backpacking YouTubers Darwin and Dixie using them online. The months crept by and the package finally arrived two days after I got back from my first week long backpacking trip. Oh well. Since that 2018 purchase I have put hundreds of miles and countless nights on my Zpacks Duplex. When section hiking the PCT in Oregon it fits in with many of the other Thru-hikers who also appear to be sleeping in trash bags. However, on more traditional backpacking campgrounds it often does draw attention.
Nearly every time I go backpacking, or even hiking for that matter, I use trekking poles. I live in the Pacific Northwest and elevation is a near constant and the trekking poles give me not only balance but the much-needed relief for my knees when trekking downhill for long periods of time. Because of this a trekking pole tent appealed to me for maximum weight savings. The other benefit for the PNW is its lack of sagging when wet. Rain is a frequent in the PNW and I love that I do not have to worry about the fabric leaking although condensation on the inside does have to be managed.
As a single walled shelter, I often sleep with at least one of the vestibule doors open on either side and often both of them unless I am expecting a storm. I also try to use the side wall tie outs to give a little more head and foot room to ensure my sleeping bag/quilt does not contact the walls which helps keep me and my sleeping bag dry.
It's high price tag makes me wonder why stakes are not included with the tent, however, I appreciate that different people and different ground surfaces may prefer different tent stakes. In the often soften ground of the PNW I can easily use a set of MSR carbon cores for the corners and Zpacks Titanium V stakes for the peak tie outs. This ensures I keep my pack as lightweight as possible while ensuring my tent is as secure as possible as it relies on tension to remain standing.
Occasionally I chose the wrong site to pitch my tent or pitch it in a direction I wish I had not. My friends will often just pick up their free-standing tents and move them where I would have to completely take mine down and repitch. That is annoying but it doesn’t take long to learn how to properly select a site and tent orientation before committing to the pitch. The Zpacks Duplex may not be the perfect tent for everyone and having two people in it means you better be good friends, like really good friends, but if you are a solo backpacker or travel with a loved one this may just be the perfect tent for you. Cheers!
My Rating: Buy it! Buy once cry once and know the rain will always be kept out!
Rating scale:
-Bypass: This isn’t worth the money.
-Borrow: Handy but may or may not be worth your money.
-Buy: Get one. You’ll love it!
May the miles you hike be filled with wonder and the glasses you raise be filled with whiskey.
Cheers!
