Duplex Classic Tent
How could you not like this? It’s lighter than plenty of one person shelters, but it’s a palace for one, and easily sleeps two. Setup is easy and it’s overall designed well. I don’t think I’ve met any user on the AT so far who doesn’t like their Duplex.
The Duplex Classic tent will allow you to push your limits and hike greater distances; whether losing yourself in the beauty of the Pacific Crest Trail, or weathering an afternoon storm in the Swiss Alps.
Specifically designed for the demands of long distance backpacking with a no frills, no fuss mindset, the award-winning Duplex hits the sweet spot when it comes to size, weight, and features. The Duplex was voted the most popular ultralight tent by Appalachian Trail thru-hikers two years in a row.
The Duplex is lightweight, roomy, well-ventilated, packs down small, pitches easily, and can be set up in the tightest of spaces. You won’t find a lighter functional two person tent anywhere on the market.
More weight conscious hikers and solo adventurers may want to check our our smaller Duplex Lite model, or add all the bells and whistles and extra space with the Duplex Pro.
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- Made from waterproof, durable, PFAS free Dyneema® Composite Fabric. Choose our trail tested .55 oz/sqyd DCF canopy in Blue or Olive, or add opacity and extra durability with Spruce Green .75 oz/sqyd DCF. All versions include a 1 oz/sqyd DCF floor, and 2mm guy lines.
- Sets up with two 48” (122 cm) Trekking Poles or Tent Poles and just 6 to 8 Stakes (each sold separately).
- Compatible with our Duplex Flex Poles for a semi-freestanding option.
- Each of the four storm doors can be opened or closed independently for views, ventilation, vestibule space, or to block cold wind and rain. Overlapping storm doors allow for a small amount of airflow without the need for additional venting. There are no zippers on the doors that could potentially fail over time. Lightweight toggles are standard, or add Stick on Magnet Toggles for a DIY upgrade.
- Each screen door has a rainbow zipper which allows easy entry and access to the vestibule space on either side of the trekking pole. The screen drops conveniently inwards rather than hanging in your way. No need to roll it up or secure it. Fully enclosed ultralight insect netting keeps even the smallest insects out and adds ventilation around the perimeter.
- The tarp overhangs the bathtub floor by 4-5 inches (12 cm). In calm rain or under wet trees one or two doors can be left open for air flow without water dripping on the floor space. In almost all conditions at least one downwind door can be left open for air. For even better rain protection with a door open, use the cords at the ends of the tent to pull the door screen back away from any spray.
- A small footprint allows you to squeeze into those hard to find backcountry flat spots, providing a decisive advantage over asymmetrical designs with larger footprints that require much more space to set up.
- Symmetrical design allows two adults to lay side by side in either direction, sit up at the center without brushing the canopy, or sit side by side facing out either door while removing shoes or reaching for gear outside the tent.
- A 45" (114 cm) wide floor allows two adults to lay side by side on standard width sleeping pads with some wiggle room, and plenty of length to stretch out or store gear at the ends of the tent.
- Taller solo hikers can lay diagonally or add trekking pole cups and 32" poles at the ends of the tent to boost the head room further. Our taller Pivot Duo Tent is also a good choice for extra headroom.
- Mesh pockets are conveniently located near each screen door so that they can be accessed from inside or outside the tent. They are a good place to store your cell phone, glasses, headlamp, the tent stuff sack, and spare seam tape (included).
- The durable floor material does not require a separate groundsheet. Flat Groundsheets are an optional precaution.
- All of our tents do pretty well in the wind. The material can handle high wind loads. As long as your stakes stay in the ground (use rocks if available) your tent will stay standing. Dyneema® Composite Fabric is not a particularly noisy fabric; however, almost any tent will make a little noise in the wind. Earplugs are not a bad idea for windy nights
- All Zpacks gear has a two year limited warranty against defects in materials or workmanship. Please see our return / warranty policy.
- Designed and assembled in the USA from domestic and imported components.
Weight:
The total weight displayed near the 'add to cart' button shows the weight of the tent including guy lines, sewn in linelocs, and taped seams. Your choice of canopy fabric affects the weight shown.
The following items are also shipped with this tent:
- Medium-Plus DCF Stuff Sack - ~.32 oz (9 g)
- 54" DCF repair tape strip - ~.14 oz (4 g)
- Two spare zipper sliders - ~.16 oz (4.5 g)
- Total additional items: ~.62 oz (17.5 g)
- 6 to 8 Stakes are required but are not included. We have a variety of Ultralight Stakes to choose from.
Exterior Dimensions:
Peak height: 48" (122 cm)
Ridgeline width: 53" (135 cm)
Width including vestibules: 93" (236 cm)
Vestibule Depth from floor: 24" (61 cm) each side
Length: 100" (254 cm)
Interior Dimensions:
Peak height: 48" (122 cm)
Floor width: 45" (114 cm)
Floor length: 7.5 feet (2.3 meters)
Floor Area: 28.1 square feet (2.6 square meters)
Canopy pitches 6" (15.25 cm) off the ground with a 8" (20.3 cm) bathtub wall height.
Zipper entry height: 36" (91 cm)
Packed Size:
Rolled Tight: 4.75" diameter by 12" tall (12 cm x 30.5 cm), 213 cubic inches (3.5L).
Stuff Sack Size: 7" diameter by 13" tall (18 cm x 33 cm) Medium-Plus.
Tents will be about an inch (2.5 cm) larger in diameter and length when rolled casually. The included stuff sack is intentionally large so that you don't have to fight with your tent in the morning. Roll it casually and let it squish flat in your backpack.
- Our tents are made from Dyneema® Composite Fabric. Dyneema® Composite Fabric has several advantages over other materials:
High strength to weight ratio – the material can handle high wind force and does not tear easily.
Chemical free, PFC free
Waterproof – there is no DWR or coating to worry about wearing out. The material will not absorb significant water that will add water weight to your pack
Stretch-free – the tent will stay taut all night. Nylon material by comparison can stretch and sag, especially if it gets wet.
Taped seams – our seams are sewn for strength then taped water tight. The tie outs have bonded reinforcements for high strength. No seam sealing will be necessary!
Easily repairable – Any damage can easily be fixed in the field with our Dyneema® Composite Fabric Repair Tape.
- This tent is semi-transparent. In bright sunlight, a fuzzy silhouette of a person sitting inside the tent would be visible, but you cannot see any details. It has a suitable amount of privacy for changing clothes.
In lower light (such as in the evening or at night), you cannot see through at all. We also have thicker, darker material available as an upgrade that you can choose. Another nice thing about this material is that you can see the outlines of trees and your surroundings for a more immersed outdoor experience. - This tent has fully enclosed .67 oz/sqyd (22.7 g/m²) insect screen. The holes in this screen are super tiny, so even the smallest insects cannot get through. Our tent screen is about 30% lighter than comparable Noseeum screen with no noticeable decrease in durability.
- The bathtub floor is made from 1.0 oz/sqyd Dyneema® Composite Fabric. This material weight is more than twice as thick as the canopy material and is more resistant to abrasion and punctures. It is also easy to patch with tape.
- Lineloc V adjusters are sewn to all tie outs. Bright yellow 2.0mm Dyneema® Z-Line cord is cut and attached for you. The yellow lines are very easy to see night or day, and Dyneema® has very low stretch.
- 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.
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Made with Bio-Based Dyneema® Fiber Reduce your carbon footprint with bio-based Dyneema® fiber technology. Sourced from renewable, bio-based feedstock, it is the first ever bio-based ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (HMPE) fiber. Commit to sustainability and help reduce our reliance on fossil fuel resources and rely on the trusted performance of the world’s strongest fiber™. Click here to learn more about Bio-Based Dyneema® Fiber. Made in the USA. |
Duplex Instructions
Click here for a printable version.
Cutting Guylines:
Guylines are pre-cut and attached for you. Linelocs are sewn in place for adjusting the lines. If you choose to switch out your lines for a different cord these are the default lengths:
Peaks (2x) - Cut 80 inches (203 cm) and tie a stake loop at 18 inches (46 cm). The long end attaches to the tent and the short end attaches to the door hooks.
Side Walls (cut 2x) - 48 inches (122 cm)
Corners (cut 4x) - 24 inches (61 cm).
*The two loops with rings at the peaks of the tent, and the upper loops on the side walls are used for the Duplex Flex tent poles add on.
Setup Instructions:
In windy conditions orient the end of your tent with the overlapping storm doors upwind. The Zpacks labels at the corners indicate the upwind end of the tent
Splash-up can occur when camped on hard packed surfaces during heavy rain. Our tall bathtub floor and overhanging canopy helps to keep mud and water from splashing up into your tent, but for best results please choose camp spots on leaves or pine needles when possible. Remove any pointy twigs and sharp objects to protect your tent floor but leave as much rain-dampening cushioning as possible to minimize the potential of splash-up.
- Adjust your two trekking poles to around 48 inches (122 cm). It is expected that your pole tips will sink into the ground an inch or so. On hard packed surfaces you may get a better pitch by reducing your trekking pole height a little bit or angling your tent poles.
- Give your corner guylines some slack. Stake out all four corner guylines at a 45 degree angle, roughly straight off the corner points.
- Insert the front trekking pole outside the screen with the handle at the peak and the tip in the ground. Stake the front line.
- If the peak is too high, tighten the front corner lines. If it is too low, loosen them.
- The corners of the tent should be about 6-8 inches (18cm) off the ground.
- Insert the back trekking pole the same way and stake it out.
- If the walls of the tent aren't smooth, you may need to reposition the corner stakes or adjust the lines tighter.
- Stake out the two wall tie outs.
Storm Doors:
Any of the four doors can be clipped down, or rolled up independently. The storm doors can be clipped down to the front center guylines, or rolled up depending on the weather. Leave at least one down-wind door open for air flow unless the weather is very bad.
Seam Sealing:
All Zpacks shelters have taped seams and bonded tie outs! No seam sealing necessary.
Click here for full instructions on how to wash our Dyneema® Composite Fabric tents and tarps.
For information on how to replace your zipper sliders, check out our instructional videos.