New zpacks tent

[Terry G]

I stumbled upon page today for a new zpacks tent – the Duplex Flex. It is a version of the duplex that can be setup either normally with trekking poles for a lighter weight option or with four long tent poles in freestanding mode (when that is important). Interestingly, the page also says older duplexes can be modified for the same setup. Really, there is very little difference from the existing duplex. Same weight and price (except for an additional $100 for the poles)

This is a beta page and says the duplex flex is still in testing. May be available later this year.

http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/duplex-flex.shtml

[Terry G]

oops, I see Drew already mentioned this in the giant duplex thread a week ago. Anyway, it is good to have it here since maybe not that many folks are following that thread.

[Warren Greer]

But shows how heavy poles are. Gotta give it to Joe and company for continual evolution of ZPacks gear.

[JCH]

Will be really interesting to see how popular this option is when/if it comes to market…Anyone remember the 3 or 4 Duplex prototypes that Joe revealed before the final product was released? Great job of building anticipation/desire by showing the product evolution.

Having used free-standing tents for 25 years, and moving to a Duplex when they came out, It's hard for me to imagine why I would accept the $100 and 1 lb penalty of this arrangement. For backpacking, having to use rocks/roots/whatever when the terrain doesn't lend itself to using stakes does not to me seem like a problem worthy of solving with those penalties. For kayak/bike camping where weight is less of an issue, I would turn to my Hubba Hubba as a better (sturdier) option.

[JP]

I wonder with these poles, will we still be able to pitch the tent low and wide?

[Monte Masterson]

As much as I love Joe and his shelters, the 16 oz added weight is just too much.

[Endi]

Monte Masterson, yes, loses one of its main advantages – weight.

[Mark]

Is there much much of a need for free-standing tents over there?

We have rocky hardpacked ground here is Greece but i can't think of a time when i've not been able to find a rock or another solution if i've not been able to get a peg in the ground.

2 biggest problems with the Duplex that i've found is not being able to have a low pitch AND have the bathtub and having the doors flapping in heavy winds.

Neither of these problems are addressed with this mod.

It's a shame because it's a fantastic mild weather solution as well, but with these 2 problems fixed i think it'd sell better over in Europe.

[Rog Tallbloke]

So it's freestanding, apart from the stakes used in all the photos?
http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/duplex-flex.shtml

I guess it would stand up in flat calm weather without them, but anything more than a gentle breeze would rattle things around quite a lot by the look of it.

I have to say I have been scratching my head on this whole Duplex Flex version.

I understand wanting to make one, but it just seems odd to go about it, given the fact that a hiker could just buy two of the standard carbon fiber stakes at half the price and probably 1/3rd the weight.

I would much rather have seen zpacks invest time into building a double wall version of the Duplex. They did make a prototype of one a year or so ago, not sure who bought it. I think having a double wall duplex would be a heck of a lot nicer… set it up to get out of the bugs, and when you need to get out of the rain, just throw over the rainfly and bam.

Plus, having a double wall would make what minor condensations issues the Duplex has, probably become close to zero.

Might just be me, usually is it seems (shrugs), but I would much rather have the versatility of a double wall than a free-standing version of the Duplex.

What do all of you think? Agree with me? Disagree with me? C/Should we try to get ZPacks to try to make a double wall duplex?

[Mark]

Can't say as i've had any condensation worries even in sunny England.

If a DW Duplex was made though it would be great if the gap at the top would be adjustable, that way the tent could be used in ground hugging snake belly mode.

My ideal would be something like a TT strato2 but made from .75oz CF.

Love my SS2 but having to re-tension throughout the night drives me crazy.

So biggest improvements for me would be

1/ Zippered doors
2/ Ability to drop the tent to the floor in windy conditions and still have a upright bathtub

[Endi]

John Abela, you don't know, why zpacks don't want make zippered doors? :)

Double wall duplex comment: In the rain until you set first wall – inside you will have pool, no? :)

[Jim Jessop]

I would definitely go for a dual wall Duplex and add zippers too which, for me, would really extend it's versatility and capabilities into less predictably calm and mild conditions.

[Barry Cuthbert]

I wish Zpacks would hurry up and sell that Hexadome tent they were prototyping a few years ago. This flex design seems to me more a case of trying to make the flexible poles fit the design of the Duplex rather than making the most of the poles by having 2 longer continuous poles that cross on each side of the shelter and redesigning the shelter to suit the poles.

[JCH]

Agree completely with Barry. I don't blame Zpacks for attempting to extend the appeal of an existing product, but the beauty of the Duplex is it's utter simplicity, low weight and performance in the conditions for which it was designed. A shelter for high wind and or monsoon rain is a totally different beast. I think the Duplex should be used and appreciated as-is. If there is a need for shelter that excels in other, harsher, conditions then one should to be designed (from the ground up) to address those requirements.

[Franco Darioli]

From Mark S : "Love my SS2 but having to re-tension throughout the night drives me crazy" If you are re-tensioning your SS2 more than once, you are not doing it right. You can always send me an E Mail via [email protected] and I will explain how. (same with ANY Tarptent….)

[Mark]

John H, The Duplex is a great tent for what it does, likewise Zpacks have some of the best after sales support i've come across. The problem is, in many areas i visit like the UK the weather can change in an afternoon from bright sunshine to torrential rain, luckily we have pretty good weather services so a 24 hour weather report tends to be pretty accurate. What do you do on a 3 day trip though, how about a 6 day trip? It's a gamble, on one hand you could take something like the Scarp2 that's pushing around 2kg, but it might be sunny and bright, and you'll be cursing taking the extra weight. On the other you could take the Duplex at nearly 1/4 the weight but be stuck in a storm with the doors flapping. We're not talking winter time here either, this is June, July, even August and September, so we're not talking pushing a tent to winter use. As it is it's a gamble, with a bit of a redesign the extra weight of zips and maybe a inner then it wouldn't be a gamble, it'd be the only tent i would own. That's not to say this design would replace the Duplex, it's obvious it works for a lot of through hikes and a lot of the conditions there, but there is also a big world out there where there is a chance that conditions will change on a 6 day trip enough to push the standard Duplex design to it's limits. Hi Franco, Thanks for the offer. Again it's a bit like above in that the conditions aren't really great for a tent design with large silnylon panels. I've watched you (very very helpful) vids and tried several different pitching methods, but in high humidity areas unless i re-tension the tent once or twice during the night we end up with the outer touching the inner, which gives up a damp inner. The crazy thing is if the weather is good then there is no need to re-tension, it's only when the weather is bad (the nights you really really really don't want to get out your sleeping bag or get wet again) that you really need to re-tension. I've not read or watched any reviews on the Scarps having this problem so it seems like it might be just too much stretchy fabric area on on the sides of the SS2, which is a shame as it's really on this and the weight that swayed me towards the Duplex. With the Duplex in CF there is no need to re-tension, you pitch it well and it stays tight till pack up time. Be a tough call on which would get me money, a CF SS2 or a Duplex with zippered doors and the ability to pitch low. I think i'd probably go with Zpacks simply because their after sales support has been exceptional so far, it'd be a close call though.

[Barry Cuthbert]

"This flex design seems to me more a case of trying to make the flexible poles fit the design of the Duplex rather than making the most of the poles by having 2 longer continuous poles that cross on each side of the shelter and redesigning the shelter to suit the poles." An example of what I was trying to describe is when you compare the Moment DW to the Notch, both tents by Tarptent. Both tents have a similar design and capability but have a few subtle differences (such as floor area and width, and overall height) to make the most of the differing poles used.

[JCH]

One could certainly expect a Zpacks tent designed for "challenging conditions" to contain a great deal of DNA inherited from current products…this is normal and beneficial as there is no need to totally reinvent the wheel. The comparison to Tarptent is a good one. Each TT model clearly belongs to a design family, and is a variation on that theme. I think this is why TT is successful. Zpacks has the Hex and Plex branches of the family well developed…could a Dome family branch be next?

[Bob Moulder]

Although I like the Duplex the way it is, this option provides an answer for those who, for whatever reasons, demand a "freestanding" tent. (Almost freestanding… still gotta stake those door panels in order to button it up.) I have not heard or read a single argument that would convince me to carry around an extra pound(!) of tent poles. But I don't see exactly how the Exo poles make it better for harsher weather compared to a proper pitch with trekking poles. Might handle a bit more snow load, but IMO it still isn't a winter tent. Nice that it's an easy retrofit for current Duplexes, however.

[Jonathon Self]

Zpacks posted a video of its setup. Not sure if anyone’s interested, but though I’d post it.

[Author]

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