The Path Less Traveled #076: Zpacks Duplex Zip Tent, Ultralight 2-Person
Andrew D 04.17.23
Zpacks has released the Zpacks Duplex Zip Tent and the ultralight community goes wild. This tent is the ’92 NBA Finals – Chicago Bulls vs. Portland Trail Blazers – of tents because the Zpacks Duplex Zip Tent just stacks wins. Zpacks is playing the role of Jordan over here and laying down 35 points in the first half of the 2023 year.
Wanna snuggle in for the night and read about more tents? Check these out:
- LiteFighter Introduces the Dragoon 8 Person 4 Season Tent
- The Path Less Traveled #057: Stone Glacier SkyAir ULT Tarp Tent Review
- AllOutdoor Quick Review – Durston Gear X-Mid Pro 1 Backpacking Tent
Zpacks Company Info
Zpacks was founded in 2005 by Triple-crowner Joe Valesko, the company is based in West Melbourne, Florida. Zpacks was born out of Joe’s passion for backpacking and his desire to create the lightest, most durable gear possible.
The company has become well known for its innovative designs, which have helped to revolutionize the ultralight backpacking industry. Zpacks has developed a wide range of products, from tents and shelters to sleeping bags and backpacks. The company is also known for its custom gear options, which allow customers to design their own gear to meet their specific needs.
Zpacks has become a favorite among thru-hikers, with its lightweight gear helping to reduce the burden of long-distance hikes. The company is also committed to sustainability, using recycled materials and offering repair services for its products. Zpacks is a leader in the ultralight backpacking industry, and its products are widely used and highly respected by thru-hikers.
Last year when I saw Zpacks at Damascus Trail Days, Zpacks’s vendor tent was poppin’, helping hikers choose some ultralight gear, repair snagged bags, and even help stitch up other brands’ bags to keep people moving. They’re good people.
Product Info – Duplex Zip Tent
Did I tell you this tent was Made in the USA?
577 Grams. ([20.4 ounces] includes guy lines, sewn in linelocs, taped seams, and a stuff sack. A piece of repair tape and two spare zipper sliders are included with each tent.) Zpacks new Duplex Zip Tent fights with the top tents by remaining under 600grams while having double doors, double vestibules, and a tall bathtub floor to keep you and your companion warm and dry across the mountain ranges.
5.6L Pack Space. For Americans, that’s 340 cubic inches – Roughly the same as the displacement from the famous LT1 engine! This pack takes up 6″ diameter by 12″ long amount of space. Remember, this is a two person tent. This size allows you to pack it vertically in your backpack, or cram it at the bottom of your pack in the supplied stuff sack.
28 Sqft. Floor Space. – This is as much floor space as your friend Stephen’s apartment in downtown Manhattan, but you get to pick your view and neighbors! The floor measures 45 inches wide by 90 inches long. This gives you and your dog, best friend, or lover 22.5 inches each, with a bit of space at your feet to keep some doodads.
With a peak height of 48″, you won’t be worrying about getting your head or back of your puffer wet from condensation when waking up in the morning to go pee.
Ventilation? Plenty. Magnetic toggles hold the doors open for a full breeze on clear night skies. Peak vents at both ends allow a breeze to keep air moving, even if the rain is pounding down on you in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Opinions
Zpacks is a good brand in my mind. I’ve heard their bags can be a touch too light and need mending during a thru-hike, but these are the understood compromises of being ultralight. The Duplex Zip Tent pushes their well established Duplex design to more comfortable places with added YKK zippers and optimization of seam placement.
Don’t forget, with me saying this is the ’92 Jordan of tents, it still has strong competition. 1992 was the year where Magic Johnson, Barkley, Malone, Ewing, Pippen and other top players were also on the court. Zpacks has stiff competition with the Durston X-Mid Pro 2, Hyperlight Mountain Gear UNBOUND 2P and even the slightly heavier and less expensive options like Gossamer Gear’s The Two.
It is truly a great time to be a hiker!
Price and Weight…
Now hold up. You’re telling me that spending seven hundo on a dyneema tent is a good idea? If you’re in the market for it, yes. If you’re price aversive, you should still consider Dyneema tents because they offer superior protection from the elements and are much lighter and more durable than traditional tents.
Dyneema tents are also more resistant to UV rays, wind, and water, making them a great choice for long-term camping trips. The initial cost may be higher than traditional tents, but the long-term savings in terms of durability and protection make them a great investment.
This tent weighs less than two full isobutane camp canisters and can fit you and the golden doodle you decided would be a great hiking partner for months on end. With Zpacks using 1.0 oz DCF for the floor, and .55 OR .75 oz DCF for the canopy, you know materials were prioritized for not only weight, but durability.
Specifications – Duplex Zip Tent
Note: I always put specs at the bottom because I know you guys are smart and know how to find basic info on your own.
All info found from Zpacks.com
- Sets up with two trekking poles adjusted to around 48″ (122 cm). Slightly taller or shorter fixed length poles will also work.
- Symmetrical design allows two adults to lay side by side in either direction. Two people can also sit upright side by side facing out either door while removing shoes or while reaching out to cook or access gear just outside the tent.
- Any of the four storm doors can be opened or closed independently. Leave all four open on nice weather nights for a breeze and great views. Close the upwind doors to block cold wind, or close all four for 360° rain protection.
- The doors can be secured closed with our custom made metal hooks or independently rolled up and out of the way with the built in magnetic toggles.
- Both sides of the tent feature a peak vent to increase air flow and deter condensation when the doors are closed.
- Each screen door has a rainbow zipper which allows easy entry regardless of which storm doors are closed, and they give you access to every vestibule area. Each screen door conveniently drops inwards rather than hanging in your way. No need to roll it up or secure it.
- Built with high quality YKK #3 zippers on the screen and storm doors. All zippers on the tent have been designed to allow the zippers sliders to easily be replaced in the field. Two replacement sliders are included with the tent, instructions here.
- The tarp overhangs the bathtub floor by 4-5 inches (12 cm). In calm rain or under wet trees one or two doors can be left open for air flow without water dripping on the floor space. In almost all conditions at least one downwind door can be left open for air. Tip: For even better rain protection with a door open, use the included elastic cords to pull the screen door back away from the rain spray, as shown.
- This tent has a solid, sewn in 8 inch (20 cm) tall bathtub floor. The bathtub floor is a rectangle 45 inches wide by 7.5 feet long (114cm x 2.3m). Plenty of space for two average people to stretch out plus space for gear at the ends of the floor.
- If you are particularly tall, you might try propping up the side guylines with Trekking Pole Cups, or check out the DupleXL. Some couples prefer the additional width in a Triplex Zip tent.
- Mesh pockets are conveniently located near each screen door so that they can be accessed from inside or outside the tent. They are a good place to store your cell phone, glasses, headlamp, the tent stuff sack, and spare seam tape (included). The pockets are about 8″ x 8″ (20 cm x 20 cm).
- A separate groundsheet is NOT required for this shelter. The floor material is reasonably durable, and all Dyneema® Composite Fabric gear can be easily patched in the field with repair tape. If you do prefer to use a groundsheet as a precaution, Flat Groundsheets are available. (I’d use Polycryo Window Insulation, personally.)
- There is screen between the bathtub floor and the walls at the ends of the tarp. An elastic cord keeps the bathtub elevated ensuring the screen slopes downwards away from the bathtub. Any condensation, which single wall shelters may experience, will run down the walls and out through the downward sloping screen, rather than onto the floor. Click here for tips to avoid condensation.
- All of our tents do pretty well in the wind. The material can handle high wind loads. As long as your stakes stay in the ground (use rocks if available) your tent will stay standing. Dyneema® Composite Fabric is not a particularly noisy fabric; however, almost any tent will make a little noise in the wind. Earplugs are not a bad idea for windy nights.
- Dyneema Composite Fabric is naturally waterproof and is not treated with any potentially harmful chemicals such as flame retardants or water repellents.
- All Zpacks gear has a two year limited warranty against defects in materials or workmanship. Please see our return / warranty policy.
- Made in the USA.
Weight:
The total weight displayed near the ‘add to cart’ button includes guy lines, sewn in linelocs, taped seams, and a stuff sack. A piece of repair tape and two spare zipper sliders are included with each tent. Your choice of canopy material will change the total weight.
*8x Stakes are required but are not included. We have a variety of Ultralight Stakes to choose from.
Exterior Dimensions:
- Peak height: 48″ (122 cm)
- Ridgeline width: 53″ (135 cm)
- Width including vestibules: 93″ (236 cm)
- Vestibule Depth from floor: 24″ (61 cm) each side
- Length: 100″ (254 cm)
Interior Dimensions:
- Peak height: 48″ (122 cm)
- Floor width: 45″ (114 cm)
- Floor length: 7.5 feet (2.3 meters)
- Floor Area: 28.1 square feet (2.6 square meters)
- Zipper entry height: 36″ (91 cm)
Packed Dimensions:
- Packed Size: 6″ diameter by 12″ tall (15 cm x 30 cm), 340 cubic inches (5.6L).
- Stuff Sack Size: 7″ diameter by 13″ tall (18 cm x 33 cm) Medium-Plus. The intentionally loose stuff sack makes packing easy and it will squish down in your backpack.
Construction:
- Our tents are made from Dyneema® Composite Fabric. Dyneema® Composite Fabric has several advantages over other materials:
- High strength to weight ratio – the material can handle high wind force and does not tear easily.
- Chemical free, PFC free.
- Waterproof – there is no DWR or coating to worry about wearing out. The material will not absorb significant water that will add water weight to your pack.
- Stretch-free – the tent will stay taut all night. Nylon material by comparison can stretch and sag, especially if it gets wet.
- Taped seams – our seams are sewn for strength then taped water tight. The tie outs have bonded reinforcements for high strength. No seam sealing will be necessary!
- Easily repairable – Any damage can easily be fixed in the field with the included Dyneema® Composite Fabric Repair Tape.
- This tent is semi-transparent. In bright sunlight, a fuzzy silhouette of a person sitting inside the tent would be visible, but you cannot see any details. It has a suitable amount of privacy for changing clothes. In lower light (such as in the evening or at night), you cannot see through at all. We also have thicker, darker material available as an upgrade that you can choose. Another nice thing about this material is that you can see the outlines of trees and your surroundings for a more immersed outdoor experience.
- This tent has fully enclosed .67 oz/sqyd (22.7 g/m²) insect screen. The holes in this screen are super tiny, so even the smallest insects cannot get through. Our tent screen is about 30% lighter than comparable Noseeum screen with no noticeable decrease in durability.
- The bathtub floor is made from 1.0 oz/sqyd Dyneema® Composite Fabric. This material weight is more than twice as thick as the canopy material and is more resistant to abrasion and punctures. It is also easy to patch with tape.
- Lineloc V adjusters are sewn to all tie outs. Bright yellow Dyneema® Z-Line cord is cut and attached for you. The yellow lines are very easy to see night or day, and Dyneema® has very low stretch.
- The expected life span of this shelter is at least one full 2500+ mile thru hike, or many years of casual use with some care.
Check Out Zpacks at their Official Site and on various social media:
