Zpacks - Duplex Classic Tent

ZPacks Duplex with freestanding kit.

I see the Duplex on Ulgeartrade all the time for $500, which is still cheaper and 5x lighter than that heavy ass $519 Kuiu tent. Im not sure why you're saying it's triple the price.

[Kuiu 3p](https://www.kuiu.com/products/mountain-star-3-person-tent-gunmetal-camel) [Duplex](https://www.garagegrowngear.com/products/duplex-tent-by-zpacks) [free standing kit](https://zpacks.com/products/duplex-freestanding-flex-kit?srsltid=AfmBOooaEbUCpQ7opab3eUMTE1Thu0349dJoS6SRzSw1_1sfyQE19Aqk) Even at brand new prices, it's not 3x the price.

In the same weight class a Zpacks Duplex with flexpole option is semi-freestanding. One cannot use the flexpoles without trekking poles, but when one does that tent is bomber with tons of interior volume. It gets no recognition on this subreddit as well. Such is life.

A Zpacks Duplex with the extra 12 oz of Flex-Poles will also work, but be sure to use your trekking poles as well to support the two tent peaks, so you still need to securely use the peak guylines.

669 g is about the same weight as my Zpacks Duplex and my Durston X-Mid Pro 2, so this tent is NOT 100g heavier.

You can get a used in good condition Z-pack duplex for $450 - 600, I bought mine on eBay for $550 and hiked 3000 miles with it, otherwise maybe with a kid the REI flash 2 it’s a complete tent and I just picked up the older brown model for $110 is a little over 2lb with trekking poles, also don’t know if it still is on sale but I also picked up the MSR front range for Person tarp for $200 Which has a huge footprint and is only 2lb!

I hiked the AT with a Z-Packs Duplex, and it was downright palatial. Can’t imagine doing it in a single person tent, no thanks. Have fun out there!

Hi, hiked jmt with a double rainbow. Mine was made in USA before tarptent started manufacturing overseas, so not sure about quality now :( Replaced it with a Zpacks duplex. Loved many things about the tarptent, but also had many issues... 1) Biggest issue I had with the tarptent was that the weatherproofing/seam sealing started to fail. This can't happen with the duplex because the fabric is naturally waterproof 2) Set up is similar but SO MUCH easier & quicker for duplex because it uses trekking poles vs tarptents dedicated tent pole that you have to carry, assemble & shove into a sleeve. I am much less frustrated setting up the duplex vs the tarptent!!! ----- Both tents rely on staking! That being said, if you are new to these kinds of tents they can present condensation issues vs double walled freestanding tents (waking up because water is dripping on your face). Allegedly can be mitigated by campsite selection & leaving doors open etc. Never looked into it much because I don't care Staking is definitely a learning curve and not always possible, might end up having to use rocks to try to secure the tent! Sometimes I didn't have the energy to try to use rocks for every stake, so I just used it like a bivy. These are very loud in the wind if you can't stake well because they depend on staking. My husband hates these kinds of tents, constantly complains about condensation & and will not participate in any complex staking games with me 😂

Perhaps decide first which type of tent is for you. (1) trekking pole (usually A-frame) (2) (semi?) freestanding; (3) tunnel (usually when camping in more challenging weather). Within each category, materials, weight and price should point to what's right for you (DCF is lighter, more expensive, may not last as long as silpoly). We've used trekking pole tents (Zpacks Duplex) for several years. More recently felt that semi-freestanding was a better idea. (BA Tiger Wall 3P; when I travel solo, Nemo Hornet 2P). If weight is secondary vs strength -- Hilleberg tents (tunnel) have an excellent reputation.

I had to get a "real tent" when i started backpacking with my toddler. I ordered a zpacks duplex and has worked fine i will probably switch to a durston pro 2 soon just to check it out. Coincidentally went on a day hike with her shes now 6yr and we had a discussion about when she will be able to sleep with me under the stars and i said talk to your mother about that.

No. I’ve had 3 zpacks shelters. The duplex after doing the entire pct is still going strong. My favorite solo shelter is the hexamid solo tent. They all are light and awesome. They had some wavy stitches back in the day but not anymore.

Oh sorry, I meant the duplex variant (as in, a 2P) my partner and I were using in 2024, not the ZPacks product; too much weight for one person by themselves. Thanks, I'll give the Solomid XL a look. That one's huge!

If you want a free standing tent and like your MSR Hubba NX, you can’t go wrong with a copper spur. I own an MSR Hubba Hubba, Copper Spur HV UL1, and a Zpacks duplex. The MSR and copper spur are basically the same tent with a few minor differences: - copper spur is marginally lighter - msr has more metal clips so is likely more durable than some of the plastic clips on the copper spur (although I haven’t had any issues) - I prefer the interior pockets on the copper spur vs the msr and like that it’s two perpendicular zips per door instead of one big curved zip which is sometimes harder to open when not pitched perfectly taut.

Very happy with my Zpacks Duplex. It’s lighter and cheaper than the Durston tents

Depends on your budget and tolerance for extra weight. I swear by my Zpacks Duplex tent but it’s a lot of $$$.

Most Zpacks tents like the Duplex, Altaplex, and Plex Solo have a 5" overhang around the perimeter. The Pivot actually has a 7" gap around the sides and back, so more than normal. The door can be left open in light rain to help with airflow.