ZPacks has a new pack and shelter…

[Chris Chatman]

Greetings all. Has anyone else taken a look at the new ZPacks pack and shelter?

The shelter is a new hexamid sized between the solo and duo and looks very interesting to me as a great size for the solo hiker who wants to stretch out a bit more:
http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/hexamid_plus.shtml

The pack looks like it has a nice combination of weight, volume, and durability although I'd be interested to hear opinions on the usefulness of the CF stays to transfer weight:
http://www.zpacks.com/backpacks/exo.shtml

[Jacob D]

Sounds like a good idea. I like to have a little more room personally, and at 10.9 ounces fully featured that's sounding amazing. Hmmm…

Regarding the CF stays, I don't see why CF would be an issue, is flexure your concern?

[Chris Chatman]

"Regarding the CF stays, I don't see why CF would be an issue, is flexure your concern?"

Now that I look closer at the pictures and description it seems that there are two "frame" options. One is the "two tent pole option" which I was more skeptical of given other reviews/feedback on this type of system and the second is the "exoskeleton" option which looks like it would do a better job transferring weight as it's similar to the U-shaped hoop stays that other vendors use.

Either way – I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on one…

[Jason G]

I was thinkin and i might have posted this before that I was thinking of selling my solo and asking joe to custom build me a hexamid that was 10-15% bigger with a sewn in groundsheet! ahh why couldn't he have released this in may. if i order in now it don't get here till VERY late in the season.. decisions..

[Brett Peugh]

It looks like a good product but it just priced Zpacks right out of my range.

[Praveen M]

I have a prototype of the new hexamid solo plus shelter, one customized with a cuben fiber floor sewn in.

Joe said the model with sewn-in floor didn't work so well when he tried it for couples use as the bath-tub design was inadequate for two and water would get in in a storm, compared to just using separate ground cloth(s) with overlap over the mesh as he normally recommends. However, no such problems for single use. It weighs about 11oz including seam-sealing, hard to beat that in a shelter of this size with full floor & insect protection.

Will be testing it the coming week in the black hills and report back with more thoughts.

[Ceph Lotus]

These new Zpacks pack and tent look real interesting. I would love to see some reviews and videos.

[Sam Ridge]

Ya someone buy one and hate it. Then give it to me for free! In all seriousness though this is some next generation stuff going on here. I think we are going to see more and more of these lightweight frames being introduced. Watch out; as I have been notified of MLD releasing a 22 oz framed exodus by October 1st. Exo or Exodus? hmmmm

[Sam Ridge]

I almost forgot osprey has an "Exos" too.

[Stephan Doyle]

I'm not sure about the framed Exo. It looks uncomfortable. Then again, I don't like much transfer to the hips (90% of the time you won't see me with my hipbelt buckled).

The larger Hexamid is great. I love my single, but if I were purchasing today, the larger size would likely win out.

[Chris Chatman]

I just ordered the Exo pack. I'll try to post some pictures and thoughts after I receive it.

[Ceph Lotus]

Anyone buy the new Zpacks pack or tent yet?

[Jason G]

Praveen, let me know if you want to sell!! Ill take it!

[Randall Dee]

The hexamid solo plus looks pretty cool. It looks pretty stake intensive though (10). I think I'd like it better if there was an option for a little heaver weight Cuben then the .51.

[Ceph Lotus]

I agree. The .51 oz/sqyd cuben fiber used on the tent is less durable. There's this note about it on the website:

"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. The shelter can also be easily repaired in the field since duct tape sticks well to the fabric."

On the other hand, the ligher Cuben is what makes the tent so ultralight to begin with.

Tradeoffs…….

[Mary D]

I'm hoping to get a good look at these items at PCT Trail Days in Cascade Locks, OR this Saturday. I'll try not to drool on them! It's really great that Joe is coming all the way from Florida for this event!

[tyler marlow]

I had a hexamid twin in the .51 cuben on my Colorado Trail hike this summer and was a little nervous about how thin/light it was. After a few days I noticed a defect in the material where very thin pieces of mylar had delaminated on one side. I contacted Joe and he assured me this was not normal and quickly offered to send me a new one.

I decided to upgrade to the .75 weight cuben as I was going to use this tent for a PCT thru as well and was willing to take the (estimated) 1.5 oz weight penalty for the heavier material.

Joe was super awesome and had it sent out immediately. Before we got to the town where we were picking up the new tent we were caught in a few days of bad weather, most notably a very intense hail storm with blueberry sized hail and an allllll night long rainstorm. The .51 held up perfectly and instilled in me complete confidence! I believe that the .51 cuben is comparable or stronger to silnylon and the .74 is definitely 'bomber'

In the end, Joe makes great, extremely well designed and made gear backed up with superb customer service! You won't to wrong with anything you buy from him.

[Ben Smith]

I've got a Hexamid Twin made from the 0.74oz cuben, and it is about 6.5oz after seam sealing and including guylines. It is my favorite shelter! I used it in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana with lots of rain, hail, and wind, and it held up wonderfully! I have yet to see a single defect, either in materials or workmanship.

[tyler marlow]

Ben, is your Twin in the super stealthy DarthVader black cuben like mine?

[Ben Smith]

Nope, Olive Drab. He used cuben that I sent him…

[Anthony Weston]

I switched from a hexamid solo to a hexamid twin.
It did quite well in the wind and is big enough that when
the wind punches the sides it didn't affect me.

I also ended up also purchasing a pyra bug net with 10 inch cuben sides from bearpaw
to stop the spray from blowing in when it gets bad.

[Ceph Lotus]

One thing I noticed with the Hexamid Solo-Plus tent, is that if it is used for 2 people, then the person at the back of the tent is going to get less headroom. In fact, in looking over the photos carefully, I don't think you'd be able to sit up at the back of the tent without hitting the tent roof. I guess that's not surprising since one pole it used.

[Diana Vann]

Hi, Mary.

I looked on the PCT website for a list of vendors and couldn't find one (other than the logos that are shown on the Trail Days poster).

Edited to say:

I didn't realize that it was last weekend when I was just finishing a trip. Too bad I missed it. It would have been fun to see the Zpacks exhibit.

[Link .]

Trail days was the Sept.2,3,4.

[Mary D]

All I knew was from the logos on the PCT Trail Days poster (some of which I couldn't make out even when enlarged and using strong reading glasses). It's too bad they didn't provide more information! Of course, as Anna stated, the event is now over with.

I never got to Trail Days because my dog developed explosive (!) diarrhea Saturday morning on the way home from Seattle. Once we got home (with all car windows wide open, and stopping every 20 minutes to let him out for more), I got to spend the rest of the day letting him out every 20-30 minutes (so he wouldn't explode again in the house) and cleaning up the car!

Too bad–I wanted to see the new tents from Joe, Henry and Ron M, and I had planned to meet "Balls" and "Sunshine" who were there Saturday!

Fortunately, the dog appears recovered (he's getting frequent small meals today) and my car is now clean and deodorized!

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