Duplex and bad mesh stretch

I always set mine up a bit lower than the instructions specify to avoid this issue.

Edit: I see now that you say you dropped the height down a little. I did not experience this issue with me on a 66×20 XLite and my hiking partner on a ZLite pad. We always had our pads right next to each other.

Have you tried shortening the corner guys? The longer they are the higher off the ground the tarp corners will be and thus will stretch the mesh more. With my poles set at 45"/115cm the mesh sides (doors) are quit loose and not stressed at all.

Gary, I had the same problem with the mesh stretching. I noticed this while my dog was using her prolite XS and me, my neoair L. I noticed the horizontal stitching seam along the top of the bathtub stretching. More so where the zipper area was attached to the top of the bathtub. I noticed it more there because the pull of the bug netting comming down from the trekking pole is strongest there. I ended up placing 2-3" of cuben tape on the bathtub centered left to right over the stitch seam where the zipper comes down and is sewn to the bathtub. Since then, spring last year, I haven't noticed any issues of stretching. Also I always pitch mine low. Around 4" tub is what I like to see. Get more air flow and better views this way.

Drop the pole height down, lower than 45" so the stretch is not so tight. Mine are typically at 110cm, 43", and even lower when there's two in the tent.

Great advice. I had trouble closing the storm doors on the side being used as entrance the first time I used my duplex this weekend. I figured this might be related to the height of the poles and will try dropping to 110cm next time. Awesome shelter, the moon light thought the blue cuben was really something…

I find that lowering the height of my Hex solo long drops the bathtub floor down quite a bit. On the other hand, I have no real problem with the mesh door being too tight–right on the edge perhaps at the recommended height.

I wonder if the angle of the pole plays a part here?

The angle of the pole really doesn’t come into play; it’s the height of the ridge of the tent that matters. What typically happens with two people in the Duplex is one sets up with what looks to be good with a good depth to the bathtub. Then two people crawl in with pads and sleeping bags, push away from each other to get more room and the sum of the widths pushes out on the sides of the walls, which then lowers the walls and that’s when the stretching occurs. If two of us are large, we’ll sleep flip-flop from each other, ie, one person’s head is next to the others feet. This takes up less width that shoulder to shoulder sleeping. The Duplex is tight with two people, but doable. Most of my hikes involved just me in the tent, but if the majority involved two people in the tent, I would get the Triplex for increased width.

50" width would be heaven, instead of the cloud 9 we get with the standard 45" width. :)

Yeah, that's why I made my MYOG silnylon version 52" wide. And floorless, so I don't have to worry about tearing the mesh. Of course, it's heavier, so I still have weak moments where I covet a real Duplex.