Desert Shade Shelter (Zpacks Aluminized Duplex)

Sounds like it blocks rays. It'll go well with my tinfoil hat.

And tentatively shown to block high frequency radio waves. Maybe there is a new niche for this material within the anti-mind control community.

I don't mean to disparage Joe at Zpacks, but the craftsmanship on that aluminized cuben duplex looks kinda poor. It is also pitched with a lot of slack, but, setting that aside, the taping of the seams at the peak looks sloppy. I don't doubt that it works well.

I have noticed that using 3m tape is harder to flatten vs cubic tech's tape. The thickness of adhesive is thicker with the 3m stuff. Zpacks nustve made that tape specifically for the shelter. Maybe that's the issue?

I don't know, this could be the first positive connotation associated with the phrase "shady business."

I doubt the craftsmanship is poor. Poor is what you would get if I made it. I'll bet the fabric looks weird and wrinkly in a photograph. And it's not a production model anyway, more a prototype.

So I can drive out to Death Valley when it's 109 F and set up a Aluminized Duplex and create a 78 F environment?

No, you can create a 109 F environment when it's 109 F in the shade and 139 F in the sun

"I don't mean to disparage Joe at Zpacks, but the craftsmanship on that aluminized cuben duplex looks kinda poor. It is also pitched with a lot of slack, but, setting that aside, the taping of the seams at the peak looks sloppy. I don't doubt that it works well."

The pitch does seem to be very poor and sloppy. There were a few images of the author's camo-cuben duplex and its pitch was also quite poor/novice looking. I'd like to see the aluminized version with a nice, taught pitch some of those with more experience have posted here (in a duplex pics thread I think).

Also – I wonder how much of a difference in temperature is due to just being in the shade created by the tent blocking light. A cursory search indicates about 15-20* difference due to shade. Either way, the AL duplex, or any AL cuben shelter for that matter, could be a viable choice for desert hikers. The transparent nature of cuben fiber really lends itself to the whole greenhouse effect…

I get a giggle out of all you folks saying my pitches are crap.

I have stated many times that I pitch my shelters loose, on purpose, as explained at around this point in a video.

If you feel a loosely pitched shelter is a crappy setup, I just have to sit here and giggle at you.

@Nathan, that whole issue with the 5Ghz WiFi is a rather interesting thing. I retested this a couple days ago and it happened again.

ps: I addressed the stupidity (mine) of having the thermo outside first. I have since done all of my tests with the thermo on the inside first. Just a bonehead mistake on my part on the initial video I did. Here was a result from a few days ago – with the thermo inside first, and taken outside.

Anybody out there interested in how the fabric continues to perform might want to keep an eye on this fb post as well as the link Nathan posted to my website. Minor updates/testings/results will probably be posted on my fb page with more detailed updates on my website happening less often.

Pitch and "craftmanship" look fine to me but maybe I'm just another "novice" ;-)

"It'll go well with my tinfoil hat."

Darn it Piper, I'd been waiting for the right opportunity to make an Aluminized Cuben — tinfoil hat joke.
It's almost as if you were…. reading my brainwaves remotely?
Better double up to be safe.

And it’s not a production model anyway, more a prototype.

That is not entirely correct. ZPacks had full intentions of bringing the aluminized cuben fiber into their shelter fabric option lineup.

They purchased a rather large supply of it from CTC.

However some issues have come up with my last aluminized cuben fiber shelter that has given them pause to hold off on adding this fabric as an option until further testings have been performed.

If my testing of the fabric is not able to replicate/reveal any problems ZPacks will likely make this fabric an available fabric to select from later this year.

The shelter I have is just the first off their production line, making one is Al CF is obviously no different than any other fabric option they offer, templates are templates.

"Pitch and "craftmanship" look fine to me but maybe I'm just another "novice" ;-)"

Stephen, here is the ideal pitch for a Duplex (ironically on HL website):

Craftsmanship is on par with zPacks' gear, which is quite good and consistent, no question there. Perhaps the reflective tape makes it easier to spot imperfections as opposed to clear cuben tape.

John, I don't think anyone called your pitch "crappy", but it's definitely sloppy, according to duplex users as indicated in a recent thread, aside from whether it's pitched loosely or taut.

Redbeard – if you're out there – get a AL cuben duplex and pitch it for us :D

I don't mean to disparage Joe at Zpacks, but the craftsmanship on that aluminized cuben duplex looks kinda poor.

Craftsmanship is on par with zPacks' gear, which is quite good and consistent, no question there. Perhaps the reflective tape makes it easier to spot imperfections as opposed to clear cuben tape.

Ah, yes… let's judge a shelters craftsmanship from a few random photos, all except for one taken from a few feet away, and that you have never seen in person.

Too funny.

FWIW, he did say it looks kinda poor…and it's his judgment based on the photos and what he implied about the sloppy pitch, so I wouldn't criticize him for that.. I think me and some of the others judge it to be good craftsmanship. Based on the photos*.

*And not the sloppy pitch.

If John's write up was focused on how to get a drum tight pitch with the Duplex, then I would agree with you guys. But since that was not the focus, I think it's kind of nit picking.

and this:
"There were a few images of the author's camo-cuben duplex and its pitch was also quite poor/novice looking. I'd like to see the aluminized version with a nice, taught pitch some of those with more experience have posted here (in a duplex pics thread I think)."

John is fortunate to be able to get out on trail a lot and put his gear to a lot of use (much more than most of us). Regardless of how he pitches his shelter, I don't feel "novice" and "those with more experience" are really appropriate.

Ralph your joke is funnier.

Has anyone ever gotten a perfect pitch on a tent every single time? I've never gotten one as far as I'm aware. Anyway I would not expect a tinfoil tent to look perfectly pitched even if it was.

So let me get this straight, the foil side is supposed to be inside? That doesn't make sense to me.

A couple years ago the early summer had been unseasonably cool so I dropped my BF off at the section C trailhead of the PCT. That would be by the windmills near Palm Springs. I went home. He attempted the next day to hike in 125 degree temperatures. He made it a little beyond Whitewater creek and decided to turn around. He set up his dark green poncho as a shade shelter and alternated between sitting in the water and sitting in the shade waiting for it to cool enough to hike out. Perhaps a tinfoil tarp would have worked better but I doubt it would have made a whole lot of difference. Maybe it would have been lighter but honestly, this is not a situation you would want to get into normally on purpose, so I don't know that there would be a huge market for something like this. Maybe a small one.

I pitched a tent with a loose panel once…

I had to take a year off from backpacking to recover

John Abela, my complaint was about the tape. In the photo taken after the morning rain the taping of the seam looks sloppy. That's a true and pretty inocuous observation, and I added that it shouldn't affect the function.

My comment about the pitch was an aside. I just observed that it was pitched with a lot of slack, which is true. We all have preferences about pitching shelters. You evidently have yours and I have mine. I'm not interested in watching all of your videos, so I wasn't aware of the justification you had for yours.

Anyone who feels tempted to make a joke about me taking this misunderstanding too far should review this thread. This is my second post and I'm answering John Abela's overreaction to my first post.

Colin Krusor (ckrusor) stated: "… the craftsmanship on that aluminized cuben duplex looks kinda poor… "

Colin Krusor (ckrusor) stated: "… John Abela's overreaction to my first post."

I made the statement:

Ah, yes… let's judge a shelters craftsmanship from a few random photos, all except for one taken from a few feet away, and that you have never seen in person. Too funny.

And, yet, I am the one that is participating in "overreaction" ??

Yet again, too funny… and yet so sad.

Facts are fact here. You claimed something based on a single vague picture and something you have never seen in person.

Do not attempt to place, or shuffle, negative facts on me for statements you have made when you probably never should have hit that "submit" button.

Chad B (CenAZwalker) stated: If John's write up was focused on how to get a drum tight pitch with the Duplex, then I would agree with you guys. But since that was not the focus, I think it's kind of nit picking.

Chad B (CenAZwalker) stated: Regardless of how he pitches his shelter, I don't feel "novice" and "those with more experience" are really appropriate.

Thank you Chad. Nice to see somebody actually understand the situation / purpose /goal – and not just post a comment for no reason but to be critical of a product or a fellow hiker. How unfortunate it is that most threads here at BPL turn into such on the first page. How unfortunate it is that most people seem to have to post negative oriented posts… is that really the nature of most of you here at BPL these days. I remember years ago when I joined and it was rare to see what I am seeing here at BPL the last year or two in regards to all the negative and attacking. I feel ashamed of most of my posts within this thread, because of this very fact, when/yet all I was trying to do was to correct things that other folks said that probably should have never been said in the first place. Tis a shame. Anyway, again, thanks Chad.

I'm breaking my own rule here…in order to explain my rule.

When I see a thread start to devolve into unpleasantness, and unfortunately this one is rather mild compared to some, I simply never open that thread again. Maybe if we all did that, the "offending" thread would very quickly involve only those committed to being unpleasant. Meanwhile the rest of us would spend our time enjoying the many helpful, thoughtful and interesting threads where unpleasantness does not exist.

John A –
You started this thread simply to share. I enjoyed the information…for a short time…before the unpleasantness. The only reason I re-vistited this thread is because I saw you were the last poster, and have enjoyed so many of your previous posts and responses to my questions. Defending oneself is a natural reaction, but just walking away from illogical statements works too. I'm not judging, or trying to give advice, that's just my opinion.

Perhaps I'm just too simple or too optimistic, but if those BPL'ers who, like me, are lamenting the "all-to-common sorry state of BPL intercourse" followed this "rule" I think we could get this forum closer to where it used to be. If we don't actively attempt to steer these forums in the right direction we risk all the good, helpful and knowledgable people turning off and going somewhere else.

>When I see a thread start to devolve into unpleasantness, and unfortunately this one is rather mild compared to some, I simply never open that thread again.

John H, I have to say that is my usual MO also.