Quality only hurts once. If you plan on doing a long hike you'll be living out of a tent for months. This is one area where spending the money will definitely improve comfort and safety.
I went for the Lanshan 2 (blatant copy of this tent) since I'm willing to put up with a heavier version made of lesser materials with more upkeep in exchange for it being about 1/5th of the price. If I was doing a huge through-hike like the AT or something similar I would definitely upgrade to this though.
Luke I’ve been a long time fan of your channel and have a request;) Could you include metric sizes for all your non-American viewers? Maybe just as text on the screen while you talk imperial or something. Anyway keep up the great work!!
I agree, this is a great product. Best part is, it is so light weight and roomy! Expensive? Yes, but when you're out in the mountains, you need the best shelter you can afford and one that is reliable. That describes this tent.
The Zpacks is not a bad tent. It is single-walled, however. IMO, I think the Durston XMID 2P is a better tent. It is a double-walled two-trekking pole tent and made from high-quality durable materials. I have one and have tested it out on the AT and it holds up very well in heavy wind and heavy rain. Great review.
@Timothy Mckee Yeah, I heard. Supply cannot keep up with the demand. I had tried to order the Stargazer kit and as soon as they became available, they sold out immediately. I ordered the kit as soon as it was available again and received it within two weeks. I get nothing but compliments on the tent when I am out backpacking.
great review brother. best tent i ever used too... winter winds tho... you're not wrong. gotta lower the trekking poles and bring the corners down to reduce ventage. works but you're still right its not great at bearing snow load. still worth every penny, and i'm poor... i had to save and save and im still paying it off and ZERO regrets bro none. love your channel, you're one of the better voices in this scene. my best to your family
that was 3 months ago... it's paid off now, no regrets whatsoever. if you have this and an expedition or a litefighter, you're ready to rock in almost all environs and seasons
Excellent video and review. Just some thoughts on the price. When I go camping it usually involves taking a vacation day or two from work and is an investment in my entertainment and enjoyment. If I used this tent 10 times that would be $65 a night. If I stayed dry and my gear was dry and I had a great nights sleep, $65 seems very reasonable. You get what you pay for and quality gear pays dividends. Plus, after you've climbed 2,000 in elevation with a Heavy tent and gear (ouch), how sweet to have this lightweight baby. Pay now or pay later. Thanks for all of your hard work...
Cheap tents are usually a complete waste of money, but not all, I have a Eurohike tent, currently setup in my Garden to test some cold weather gear, it has been there over a week, hasnt leaked, despite heavy rain and freezing temperatures, I paid about 50 UK Pounds for it! For cold, it is better than some of my expensive Tents, costing hundreds, would I take it up a mountain, maybe not, thats what I save my expensive gear for.
Well, I don't think it's so black and white, it's not a choice just between a cheap/heavy and expensive/light tent. Yes, $65 a night is reasonable, but what if you could get something lighter and it was only $20 a night? As a tent, this is very light, but for much less, you could get a tarp and save even more weight. This is obviously not for everyone, but if you are willing to learn something new, you could spend something like $150 for Borah Gear 7'x9' silpoly tarp which weighs just 260g. You can add a polycro groundsheet which adds perhaps 75g, and this could be your whole setup, for 2 people. (Bigger tarp for more comfort, maybe a 9'x9' , say 360g). You have to learn how to use it, but it can be much more roomy and versatile than a tent. If you are worried about bugs, Sea to Summit makes a bugnet for 2 which weighs 137g, costs about $50. All in all, you could have a double wall shelter that weighs something like 375g and cost you maybe $200. Stakes are not included in the weight, but neither are they with the Duplex. Of course, this ain't for everyone, but it is a way in which you can substitute skills for money. Cheers!
Great review as always! I personally can't stand "rainbow" style doors; it's next to impossible to get yourself or just gear in and out of the tent without opening them right up and that lets all the mosquitoes in! Being able to just unzip the bottom and slide yourself and everything else through is much better for keeping the bugs out.
Yes, it is imho the best tent! I use the Duplex alone because I am 6'2" and I love gear explosion, my wife uses the Plexamid and both of us never regretted any Euro. Yes, we are from Germany and the price is even higher for us with shipping, customs and tax but it is worth it!
When I learned the material was originally created for professional sailboat racing, I was like, "Oh interesting. That makes sense. Extremely durable, does not stretch, waterproof, and lightweight..." No matter how many reviews I watched regarding the weight, I was still shocked the first time I held it. I think that's why they don't include the stakes. They're not going to decide for you what stakes you use because they might weigh even more than your tent and you might find them useless for your purposes. Great stuff as always. Thanks!
They don't include to let you choose your own stakes. That's just an excuse. They don't include them to keep the weight lower for marketing purposes. If they would add a fitting set of stakes, it wouldn't be that light anymore, compared to other tents on the market.
@@kobold90 yes, and one could argue trekking poles follow the same marketing purpose. They're nice to have on a hike, but far from necessary, except to keep your tent up. "Since you already have trekking poles, it doesn't count." Yeah right. Then you add a ground sheet, because dcf isn't renown for abrasion resistance. Maybe a dry line, maybe a microfiber cloth to wipe the single wall condensation, etc. At the end of the day, when all the basic stuff are accounted for, you're looking at a bigger tent package. Then UL hiker count poles as worn weight, there doesn't count to their imaginary pack weight. 🤷 It's all kinda silly. 😜 ha ha
I got myself a used plexamid for kayak camping trips; it even came with the fiberglass tent pole. I love it, nice and light, and super easy to set up. I also got that clear sleep pad (18$) you see on the Walmart app. Both items each weigh about 14 ounces. Because these items are so light, I can bring more junk snacks to munch on😉
I like your chanel but let's keep the politics out of it . That's the best way to mess your chanel up . We all know inflation happens and it's happen with every president . That's all I have to say .
The policies of the current President and their administration certainly are exacerbating the inflation problem. The incredible amount of money printed and added to our economy by the Fed during this and the last administration are also fueling the increase in inflation. Sorry but Biden does not get a pass. The rise in gas prices and fuel prices are a direct result of Biden's policies. This affects the cost of everything in our country that has to be shipped from one place to another.
G'day Luke, I am prepared to put away the bucks for water PROOF and indeed light weight and resilient materials that don't need treatment and I like the floor especially too. Btw, I still see this as a 1 person + gear, but hey, as a 6 footer, that's what suits me personally, The kinda thing I have been looking for since I don't need to worry about snow and with the light weight one can still afford to cram in a tarp as well for over the top and make a decent verandah to sit under, preferably with a small fire. 1st class review as always mate. Cheers Duke.
Hi, Luke, one of your best reviews (you may have been even too excited !! :-). I have the Solplex, now replaced by the Plexamid, which is the one person version. It's great. At times I wish I had gotten the Duplex for the room, particularly great if stuck for a lot of time in the weather. However, in many rugged areas it can be hard to find a large enough tent site. Stuck in the weather for some time - white colour especially is much less depressing. Speaking of weather, one of the advantages of Dyneema tent and cord is that it does not stretch. Why is that important you ask? - other materials stretch particularly in the rain - and you have to go adjust them - including more than once in wind and rain in the middle of the night. Tent stakes - for most people who are at the point of considering this tent, they already have quite a collection of tent stakes and use different favourites for different conditions - often one takes a few bigger stronger stakes to anchor the key tent points and save a little weight with smaller lighter stakes for other points. Snow and sand, use deadmen; on rock use rocks. I don't really want to pay any more for stakes I will probably not use. (Lots of reviews of pegs on RU-vid). Cost - yes, people get hung up on this. But do enough backpacking, do enough in iffy situations, age a little and don't carry weight so well, want to finish a thru hike you start, then out here on the trail, cost doesn't matter (you find a way to pay) But yes, you only buy if you want light, dependable, long lasting, best weather proofing, etc. (otherwise there are lots of options out there) - And how much is that per kilometre over 10++ years?? Buy once, cry once. Check out videos of 4-season but non-extreme conditions - you may be able to extend use & safely. A tent liner from a clone might be possible. Otherwise consider a Dyneema tarp to cover - still very light winter solution.
@@AboutaMileAdventures How does Biden control inflation? It’s a global issue as is the supply chain problem. Research Just in Time inventory management and Lean Manufacturing
Bought it last year. This plus a quilt to replace my sleeping bag made a huge difference in pack weight and comfort (and pack bulk). I also bought a ZPacks Arc Haul a few years prior. Great combo of gear. I use it for motorcycle touring/camping too. I'll take my Big Agnes Copper Spur when I might need a freestanding tent (don't have the kit, but did buy two poles to use when not backpacking with trekking poles.) Otherwise this is such a great tent. Downside is single wall = occasional condensation. Buy once, cry once. Great review!
Exporting this tent to Australia i was hit with import duty on top of the high price - so it cost about 1100 AUD - however i rode through France with it and it paid for itself in a week. Condensation in the UK was bad - i needed a special towel to dry it off to pack up before the sun got hot enough to dry it. Needed an eye mask as the light was disturbing. Very much the right tool for the job though. I love this tent.
"Inflation is real and we know who to blame for it?" Huh? I really like your reviewing style, but had to stop to ask what this is supposed to mean. Let's look at this in simple terms. Inflation had been running about 2% for many years -- most of our lifetimes unless you were here for the 70s and 80s (like me) -- before inflation went up sharply in the middle of last year, for reasons obviously related to the pandemic. (Blame who you want for that, doesn't matter for my point right now.) So let's assume 2% -- i.e., normal -- inflation had continued from 2019, when you say you bought the tent for $600, until the end of 2021, when you posted this video. That's two years of 2% inflation. In 2020, the tent would have been priced (if the maker kept up with inflation) at $600 + (2%*$600) or $612. Do the same calculation for 2021 and you get another $12.24 (roughly) in price. Skip the 24 cents for simplicity and let's say the cost at the end of 2021, including 2% inflation, would be $624. That means there was another $26 increase in price to get to the $650 you say was caused by someone you don't name. Now, companies know that customers don't like price increases, so when they make adjustments for inflation, usually they wait a few years, then make a big jump in price, including a few years of inflation they expect in the future. In other words, in this case, it sounds like the manufacturer raised the price -- by $50 -- to accommodate inflation in 2019, 2020, and probably 2021 and 2022. There's no way to be absolutely sure why they raised prices, of course, without being in the head of the person making the decision, or when or whether they will raise prices again. But if you think it's shocking for a company to "build in" the next two years of inflation (i.e., the additional $26) well, that's a sign you've never made pricing decisions in a big company, I'd say. And while I know very little about tents and outdoor gear, it sounds from the other comments like this company has quite a bit of "mark-up" -- i.e., the cost of producing the tent is a lot less than the selling price. Put differently, the company could decide to keep the price at $600, possibly, by reducing the amount of profit they make on each tent. So perhaps the person to "blame" for inflation is someone at the company who prefers not to see profits reduced? Anyway, if you really know who caused inflation over the past couple of years, that knowledge is worth billions of dollars! If you have this information, quit RU-vid and start trading stocks. You'll be a guru billionaire within a month or two. Once again, love your reviews but Boo Hiss for math and economic illiteracy.
Good review, as usual, but nothing about noise? Sounds crinkly to me, like the tent version of the "potato chip bag" Thermarest NeoAir Xlite. Combine the two and let the chips fall where they may.
I purchased this tent in 2018, and still consider it my main shelter three seasons of the year. Yes it is expensive, but if you take care of it it’ll last a lifetime. Thanks for the review Luke. Awesome as always.
I have a knock off of this tent that cost @$100 a couple of years ago. It has served me well in rain and wind. If you’re a weekend warrior or only get out a few times a year I’d say look into a “copy” If I were thru hiking I definitely invest in one of these tents they are tried and true
While I can understand the price is really high: It’s good practice in my view to NOT add tent stakes at high end tents. Stakes depend a lot on the nature of the trip and expected ground. I went to the desert and you simply have another set than what you use in an area with forests.
I agree, and if I remember correctly, I believe their reasoning for it was pretty much that. People are very specific on their stake choices, so rather than charging more and adding stakes, they just didn't include them in the price and dont ship any.
Nothing to be confused about - corporate greed is responsible for the inflation. If you were my age - 75 - you would know that inflation is cyclical. Young people just haven't been around long enough to experience it.
@@lekistick1013 Huh. So would you expect inflation in other countries? Name a country that you *don't* consider to engage in "Big Government Spending" and let's look up their inflation rate. What do you say? Are you with me? Name a country.
@@lekistick1013 When you use 'fiat currency' where it's value is based on growth, there has to be inflation or the numbers stop growing. National economies are huge like a supertanker, and their courses cannot be changed quickly so what's happening today began years ago and is inevitable at this point.
Its for little people for sure. I ordered one to try out, had holes in it, so they sent me another after I returned. It also had holes in it, so got my refund back. Not sure why that material wears through or if I was sent returns. Im not patching expensive “new” gear.
It's funny, people spend $50,000 for a camper that they use once and pay $50 a night at a campgroud to use it and noone says anything about the price. I would rather spend $650 and backpack into the wilderness to a free campsite any day!
Hello 👋 Luke, thank you for sharing this great review. It's certainly a great tent. Unfortunately, the price point disqualifies me. Please keep up your great reviews. 🤗
Great review of a a great product, I have a friend with one and its the ̶t̶i̶t̶s̶ bomb, ...Aaanndd then here's my beef: The political dig was uncool and I expected a little bit of "higher ground " from you. The guy your criticizing is in a tough position maybe the benefit of doubt is the more magnanimous position in the future?... ̶
Two other Cons. 1. The warranty. It's only 2 years. Better than the original "one thru hike" though. 2. Connected to #1. Dyneema is a laminate material, not a woven fabric. This means even if you baby it the material *will* start to simply breakdown naturally and there is nothing you can do to stop it, hence the shorter warranty. One of the reasons they used to have the "one thru hike" warranty was that the constant packing and unpacking over 2000+ non-stop miles speeds up the breakdown significantly.
Awesome overview and review! My favorite thing about Zpacks is that they have the Triplex version. I just ordered one last week ($50 off sale!) and am PUMPED to start using it. Super light and TONS of room for me and the huskies or me and two other people.
@@DoseofDirt you're making me excited to Shell out $800! Lol. Did you get one of the lighter weight colors or the darker slightly heavier color? And do you like the color choice you made? (I don't care about the actual color, I'm concerned about the transparency)
@@jtpromolab I went for a lighter color (the blue) after considering the heavier ones. My main thing was saving weight, so I went with a lighter color. But I will tell you, it is pretty transparent! I knew that going in, but it was even more transparent than I thought it would be. It's definitely not clear (as you can see from videos). but with the light just right you can see the outline of just about anything in the tent. But I honestly love the tent. It was crazy expensive (got it for $700 over black friday) but it's light and spacious!
I bought a Duplex for my upcoming AT thru hike in 2023. I absolutely love it. It’s extremely lightweight, incredibly strong and is a palace for one person. I could not be happier or more pleased with my decision to part with that amount of money for it.
I liked mine a lot buuuut i couldn't stand it in the wind. I'm sure many can handle it and I know many that do. I just couldn't get past the sound of a thin plastic bag When it was Windy..
He said everybody copies this tent for a reason. Well, the makers of this tent definitely copied the Six Moon Design Duo Lunar and that tent has been out for a decade or so.
nice review as always. you should check out the Xmid from Drop Dan Durston. Awsome tent too! if you can get a hold of one. they're hard to find. smaller production and used ones online get snatched up instantly!
Bear Paw Wilderness Designs Luna 2 Dyneema @.15 ozs pyramid design fully configurable (snow skirt, bug nets, extra tie offs, floor, etc… fully optionable) stand with top rope tie off or use trekking pole or adjustable pole or branch. My go to. Pyramid shapes are a more stable design for wind or snow or rain storms.
The total weight of this tent advertise on website is wrong, you need add to the advertise weight the stakes weight, 2 carbon poles weight or 2 walking poles weight or a freestanding kit weight. For a person who don't know who make with is money (Aka: have a lot of then) is a good investment. for a intensive hiker, backpacker is not a good envestment, you with this tent always need another tent for the winter, another point in consideration is what at point during a hiking on summer during 90 days...put on and put of every day...the fabric dyneema is a good fabric, but is not the type of fabric you use every day. Another consideration is this tent is not designed for bikepacking.
It is pronounced die-KNEE-mah. And, who do you think is to blame for inflation? I think I know where you are going with this line of thought but I can assure you that you have no idea what you are talking about. Stick to making recommendations and pronouncing things wrong. Economics is way out of your league, Luke. If you want to make political statements, I suggest you stop cowering and say what you mean. I don't like the current administration and I didn't like the last one, either. But let's be clear on the reasons for inflation. If you don't know the real cause of the current inflation spike, then stay in your lane or ask me about it. I'll be happy to drop some knowledge bombs on you. As for the Duplex, it is a good tent but absolutely not needed unless you are through hiking. There are better tents out there for less money.
Hi Luke! Love your channel.. 👍🏻 Any chance you can get your hands on a Durston X-Mid Pro 1 or 2 and give us your thoughts on one of those? I’m sure I’m not alone and lots of viewers would love to hear your agenda free opinion.
Yes I would purchase this tent and I have purchased this tent. I purchased the spruce green version so I paid 700.00 for mine plus another 100.00 for the footprint. My only regret is I did not do it years ago. When I am on the trail grinding for 10 to 14 hours a day why would I want to carry extra weight. I am a big believer in crying once. I have never regretted anything I have purchased that was high quality. My wife loves high end vacations and I love backpacking. For what we pay for one night at a overpriced resort I have this awesome tent. One more thing for you that complain about the cost this is what things cost when they are made in the USA not China. One more reason I love Zpacks and Western Mountaineering. Expensive and well worth every penny. My big three weigh less than 4 lbs I hate heavy packs.
Even though I partially agree with Luke, I agree that political reasons for inflation should best be omitted in the future because arguing those reasons doesn't relate to reviewing gear.
@@johnmccarthy8160 Let them leave, they want to so desperately pretend "brandon" doesn't exist that whenever someone mentions anything about him they go crazy
@@bruceduncan1684 since inflation is affecting most countries worldwide what single person do you think would be responsible for that? Or are you one of those people that think that the leader of the United States controls worldwide prices?
@@captdoug Maybe the one person that has the single most influence on the united states central bank whose policies, by their very own admission, affect inflation rates.
@@jlee8348 maybe it's a simple case of supply and demand. Basic economics. Our demand is very high right now. The supply is very low due to a backlog at ports. This would have happened regardless of who was president. What economic policies has our president put in place that have have led to the inflation worldwide?
Inflation is real here in Europe as well. So was it the same person who caused that too? ...or was it the virus and governments who mishandled the crisis?
Great review. I agree that if you're going to use it many nights each year the price is reasonable. We all like to save money but I have wasted an awful lot of money over the years buying something that I thought was "just as good" only to find that it wasn't and I had to upgrade anyway. Have you tested the 3F UL 2 tent? I have one. Its actually a 1 1/2 person tent and weights about 2 lbs. I had it out in the rain for 13 hours and it didn't leak. I think it comes seam-sealed but I didn't take any chances. I sealed it myself. I'm not saying the 3F is comparable to the Zpacks. I'm just saying it seems to do the job for less money, packs up a bit smaller but weighs twice as much.
Why don't you show yourself setting it up without the free standing kit? Such videos always show off the tent after its been set up. I suspect such tents are flimsy and hard to set up when you're one person.
Way too many undereducated people in our country!! We took mandatory civics and economics out of the schools, and there we have it!! One of our two major political parties has taken complete advantage of an extremely large, wholly ignorant, often functionally illiterate body of constituents, in order to push forward an anti- democratic, anti-American agenda. History repeating itself….
I'm Section Hiking the AT. My hiking buddy has this Tent - it is AWESOME! I couldn't afford it so I purchased a "knockoff" design - the Mier / Lanshan 2P (on AmazonPrime)...which is made of Nylon...its a nice tent for the price ($140) BUT it the Nylon will absorb some water when it rains. If I was do a Thru Hike of the AT...I would purchase the Zpack Duplex w/o blinking an eye...as that would be my home for nearly 6 months - worth every penny!!
No, would not buy, too expensive for what you get. Biggest con beside $ is condensation, I don’t like wet down foot boxes. I can buy 4 Lanshan 2 Pros for the price of this tent. That would get me thru at least 20 years of camping. Doubt this tent will hold up 20 years.
Totally agree. Every RU-vidr I see using this tent on big thru hikes in colder areas along the CDT, AT, PCT is constantly moaning about the condensation and dripping onto their sleeping bags. I'll stick to my Lanshan 2 as well ;)
Watching thru hiker couples on the AT use Triplex I noticed they got wet in heavy rain or heavy condensation. Or they reported wet anyway. Two inside. Is the Tri more vulnerable to condensation or rain splatter? Or was this just their setup in a particular location?
@@TheBahamabob - I can’t think of any reason why a tent with the exact same design, only slightly larger, would have issues with rain if the Duplex doesn’t. It was probably something with their setup. I often use all 12 stakes. All else being equal, a larger tent should have less condensation, not more.
Thank you for your quick thoughtful reply. Exactly my thoughts reflected by you. One night these experienced hikers set up in a drainage disguised as a tent site! Plus after 100 nights out it’s easy to get sloppy. Most others never reported this model of tents as anything but top performing. Just heard some occasional jeering from the double walled people in heavy storms. But I’m way over 70. Weight and performance both matter more to me!
@@TheBahamabob - no problem! I held off on buying the tent for years because I was also concerned about water and structural integrity. My fears were misguided. I haven’t been through a major storm yet, but after seeing the tent with 12 stakes, there’s no conceivable way the tent could have any problems. It’s fast to set up, but it’s a dream to take down compared to a freestanding tent. The only times I’d consider using a freestanding tent in the future would be in snow, or camping on rock (though there are ways to set up the Triplex on rock).
I bought my son the Zpacks Plexamid in Camo . He lives in Colorado , so he loves that tent , and it's 16oz. weight !! I have the Free Duo in Camo . For the weight vs Size . I have zero complaints . I did have a " Free Return " of the poles , after Zpacks had reports of hubs breaking . I had NOT had a problem , but sent them back for the new set . Just an aside . The copy cat 3F UL Gear & other clones of this tent , have a " inner liner " available for 4ish Season use , I have SEEN . Be safe out there folks ... Gubs
printing fiat money is mostly responsible. Government is out of control. And now they want to spend a few more Trillion that we just don't have. Soon, we'll all be living in a tent.
I asked the same question. I guess he is too scared to say. I don't think he truly understand why there was a spike inflation and has been listening to experts like friends and family.
@@lekistick1013 A national economy is like a supertanker; the course once set takes a long time to change. Today's inflation would happen no matter who is in office no matter what they do. Some of the worst inflation we've ever had was under Republican leadership but of course the truth is not often a popular answer, only the right one.
I have this tent, I'm a weekend warrior...I had a heavier setup prior to buying the duplex, and my legs were absolutely destroyed (non hiking legs) the weight savings even on a 10 mile hike is worth every penny to me
Im pretty sure that dyneema would not last a thru hike here in Norway. Though I havent attemted one with it, i do have done both thruhikes i Norway and, tested a Zpacks Dyneema Alta one time. Here is why: The severe winds, and temperature shift up in the Norwegian mountains, can litterally give a test on gear specially your shelter. A 3 season tents that is not fully aerodynamic, too high, not breatheble enough, and is fully waterproof can fast turn into hell, when you are stuck up in the mountains. Thst happend to me twice. The closest thing I had to this is with the actually recommended Original Jervenduk, when i was hunting and had to take over after a long day hike up for groose. The trekking pole was set as a stand, and guylines where in place making it a pretty much like form configurantion of the Zpacks Altaplex. The weather that evening shifted so much, i litteraly got condesation hell, and almost got the fjellduken blown over. It though saved my life, but i knew from that experience that none breatheble non strech material will not work as a tent for this kind of terrain, if you get cought by a storm. The other time i got stuck it was on a silnylon cheap tent but that wasent 4 season either, so when snow and wind hitted, the tent needed to be hold and tied again, luckly i sold that tent. The other thing is that the Altaplex, slipped to much wind from the ground in, it didnt provide any warmth, specially on below to zero degrees celcius, it gets cold without having the ability to safely turn a stove inside a tent, like you normally can with exp. in a sil nylon tent. So even i do use dyneema material for specially backpack or stuffsack, in my country ill problaby would not use dyneema tents or tarp, since they are expensive anyway. Im helping a company design a new 4 season tent to aid this issue however. In my across Norway expedition, i will bring along the NorTent new UL Nylon 66 tent for 2 persons.
Just literally tore up and threw out a First Arrow 1 (made in Australia) tent I bought @10 years ago , used once in the back yard and stored it until last month when tried to set it up again, noticed that the fly had syrupy goo all over it. (Hydrolysis according to Sea and Summit). The underhook suspension design of the tent below the fly, the tapering lengths of the three internal poles oriented transversely were incredibly complicated. A very expensive tent that was a complete fail. Good thing I tried setting it up on the lawn this second time and realizing that I would never want to be stuck having to set it up on the trail--especially in the rain which is a good point you make with the Z Pack. Well, at least I already have the stakes! But ease of set up is critical, especially if you have to do it in the dark.
Storing a tent for that long in its stuff sack is going to not do it any favours. Will happen with lots of tents not just Wilderness Equipment ones. Try to store the tent loose hanging or in a pillow case. Make sure it doesn't get stored wet or I a humid environment
I don't use trekking poles because I fly alot and never check my bag under the airplane. I've owned the duplex love it but my dream tent would be the hubba hubba made with cuben fiber... Also I wonder why the complex design of the free duo why not just sell ultralight poles instead of trekking poles?
In January I bought the Durston X-mid 2 Pro, it's in the mail to me now (heh). The vastly better storm-worthiness, simplicity of setup, and comfort are worth the added weight for me. And it packs down smaller!
I enjoyed this until the moment you injected politics with your remark about whom to blame for inflation. “Agenda free” is a good thing! Thanks for your understanding.
I wish this was available 25 years ago. As you stated, all tents will degrade with time. The same is true for the human body. LOL. 20 years ago I could have justified the expense due to the type of camping/hiking I did at the time. Now the wife and I use a small camper. Don't get me wrong, we are still very active and don't need or want to stay in the camper watching tv etc. We are at the age where a bit of climate control (especially humidity) a comfortable bed and room to stand up while dressing makes us still able to and want to get outside and enjoy nature. It is great that alot of people are still interested in doing this! Keep getting outside as long as you are able to! 😁👍
I’ve spent a couple thousand dollars on zpacks gear but I can’t seem to the pull the trigger on one of their tents. I’m currently rocking a Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL1 Bikepack and I love it. I got the bikepack version because of the shorter pole sections. It’s free standing and simple without the exposed frame of the zpacks and it’s only around 2.5lbs. All the gear I’ve purchased from zpacks(Arc Air 50 DCS, ARC haul Zip 64, trekking poles, quilt, vertice rain jacket, gators and various stuff sacks) have all been top notch gear. Highly recommend the solo quilt. They also have relatively quick shipping. Way faster than Hammockgear(🤬). They sent the wrong bear bag and replaced it with no issues and I got it a few days later. Excellent company. Just not sure about their tents. I think I would go with Gossamer Gear before zpacks.
One other negative - you indicate good ventilation, but it has no ventilation up high at all, which does matter. Other "like" tents have some up high ventilation which can make a big difference.
