Duplex Tent
374How 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.
This ultralight 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, the award-winning Duplex hits the sweet spot when it comes to size, weight, and features.
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.
Voted the most popular ultralight tent by Appalachian Trail thru-hikers two years in a row.
An optional flat groundsheet is available for added protection here.
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Sets up with two trekking poles adjusted to around 48" (122 cm). Slightly taller or shorter fixed length poles will also work. If you do not use trekking poles, we have straight tent poles available, or you could consider our Freestanding Duplex Flex Tent Upgrade. Eight stakes are required for this tent. Stakes are not included but we have a variety of Ultralight Stakes to choose from.
Symmetrical design allows two adults to lay side by side in either direction. Two people can also sit upright side by side facing out either door while removing shoes or while reaching out to cook or access gear just outside the tent.
Any of the four storm doors can be opened or closed independently. Leave all four open on nice weather nights for a breeze and great views. Close the upwind doors to block cold wind, or close all four for 360° rain protection. The overlapping doors are closed with custom made metal hooks, with a toggle at the center to keep them pinned.
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.
- Each screen door has a rainbow zipper which allows easy entry regardless of which storm doors are closed, and they give you access to every vestibule area. Each screen door conveniently drops inwards rather than hanging in your way. No need to roll it up or secure it.
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. Tip: For even better rain protection with a door open, use the included elastic cords to pull the screen door back away from the rain spray, as shown.
This tent has a solid, sewn in 8 inch (20 cm) tall bathtub floor. The bathtub floor is a rectangle 45 inches wide by 7.5 feet long (114cm x 2.3m). Plenty of space for two average people to stretch out plus space for gear at the ends of the floor.
If you are particularly tall, you might try propping up the side guylines with Trekking Pole Cups, or check out the DupleXL. Some couples prefer the additional width in a Triplex tent.
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 pockets are about 8" x 8" (20 cm x 20 cm).
A separate groundsheet is NOT required for this shelter. The floor material is reasonably durable, and all Dyneema® Composite Fabric gear can be easily patched in the field with repair tape. If you do prefer to use a groundsheet as a precaution, Flat Groundsheets are available.
There is screen between the bathtub floor and the walls at the ends of the tarp. An elastic cord keeps the bathtub elevated ensuring the screen slopes downwards away from the bathtub. Any condensation, which single wall shelters may experience, will run down the walls and out through the downward sloping screen, rather than onto the floor. Click here for tips to avoid condensation.
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.
Dyneema Composite Fabric is naturally waterproof and is not treated with any potentially harmful chemicals such as flame retardants or water repellents.
All Zpacks gear has a two year limited warranty against defects in materials or workmanship. Please see our return / warranty policy.
Made in the USA.
Weight:
The total weight displayed near the 'add to cart' button includes guy lines, sewn in linelocs, taped seams, and a stuff sack. A piece of repair tape is included with the tent. Your choice of canopy material will change the total weight.
*8x 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)
Zipper entry height: 36" (91 cm)
Packed Dimensions:
Packed Size: 6" diameter by 12" tall (15 cm x 30 cm), 340 cubic inches (5.6L).
Stuff Sack Size: 7" diameter by 13" tall (18 cm x 33 cm) Medium-Plus. The intentionally loose stuff sack makes packing easy and it will squish down 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 the included 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 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 DSM’s 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 our sustainability initiatives. Made in the USA. |
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.55 oz/sqyd Standard Dyneema® Composite Fabric Available in Blue, Olive Drab, and White The default canopy material choice on this tent is .55 oz/sqyd Dyneema® Composite Fabric. It has high tensile strength and can handle strong winds, storms, and all the typical conditions a tent will be in. All Dyneema® Composite Fabric material can easily be repaired in the field with the included repair tape if it were to get a puncture. The material is semi-transparent, allowing you to see the silhouette of trees when looking out. In bright sunlight, you can see the fuzzy silhouette of a person when looking in, but it is opaque in low evening light. Tensile Strength: 63 lb/in (552 N/5cm) |
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.75 oz/sqyd Dyneema® Composite Fabric Available in Burnt Orange, Dirt, and Spruce Green This canopy material has a higher Dyneema® thread count which gives it a higher tear strength. The standard material is already difficult to tear, so this weight is unnecessary. Many thru-hikers like this feature for added peace of mind. It is also a bit thicker and darker than the standard weight. It is less transparent and offers more privacy. Tensile Strength: 104 lb/in (911 N/5cm) Puncture Strength: 3.1 lb (14 N) Water Resistance: 20,000 mmH₂O Made in the USA. |
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.67 oz/sqyd Ultralight Nano-Noseeum Insect Netting Regular "No-see-um" bug netting weighs about 1 oz/sqyd. This ultralight version weighs roughly a third less without a noticeable difference in performance. It has extremely small holes which block even the smallest of insects including mosquitoes, noseeums, etc. Nothing gets through this screen. |
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 102 inches (259 cm) and tie a stake loop at 40 inches (102 cm). The long end attaches to the tent and the short end attaches to the door hooks.
Side Walls (cut 2x) - 54 inches (137 cm)
Corners (cut 4x) - 32 inches (81 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). If you expect your pole tips to sink into the ground, add a couple inches to compensate.
- 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.
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United StatesDISAPPOINTED!
This is not only about the duplex but about all of the zpacks products I’ve used. Short version is I’ve ordered numerous products from zpacks and I’m absolutely disappointed in their quality. Long version. The word I think about when I think zpacks now, gimmick. The duplex is a $700 tent that is actually worth no more than 300. The duplex is obviously handmade and definitely not in the good way. Second day I used it the taped seam came up. The stitching looks like it was done by 2 guys in a garage. The tub floor is too small so when I put anything too close to the side it pulls on the doors so I can’t zip it closed. That’s huge cuz then it turns into a one person tent. I can’t see fitting two people without pulling the walls down. Definitely would never pay $700 for this tent and never will recommend. I really wish I would have gotten the HYPERLIGHT version as they have the same model. I’ll admit is an amazing design just bad quality. I also got an umbrella, trekking poles, and stuff sacks. The cap on the tip of the umbrella kept falling off. The trekking poles seem really really cheap. The clasp is super cheap plastic. They flex a bit so I highly doubt they’ll take a fall. I got a small stuff sack and a medium. The small is significantly bigger than the medium. Guessing just wrong tags but it’s just another sign of cheap manufacturing processes and poor quality. I work at an outfitter and I definitely won’t be recommending ANY zpacks products for hikers ever.
United StatesFirst night in my Zpacks Duplex tent
The moon is high in the sky and it's time to extinguish the headlamp and curl up under my down quilt in the shelter of my Zpacks Duplex tent. It went up easily after I figured out what was what. It exceeded my expectations. Checked inside wall for moisture in the morning and there was none. Broke camp in a light mist. All is well.
AustraliaSuperior hiking tent
This tent is so light, many other things in my pack weigh more than it, which is great because my last tent was probably the heaviest item in the pack, as well as the biggest. The duplex also packs down well and is quite compressible. The more you pay, the less it weighs is very true here, I don’t believe there’s another 2p tent that’s this light. There’s plenty of adjustable toggles insides and outside the tent to allow more ventilation or keep some wind out. The rainbow mesh doors inside are great, they fall down instead of just hang there in the way like some other tents do. This tent is an investment in my backpacking gear that I’m very impressed with so far, and based off other reviews, will last for quite some time
United StatesGreat Tent
I love my Duplex! I've now hiked the John Muir Trail 3X using my Duplex and it's kept me warm and dry thru horrible wind and snow and sleet storms. I love the large inside dimensions and especially how light weight it is.
United StatesExcellent tent
Amazing tent! Used on the entire CDT. I never had a leak, any holes were my fault and easy to repair. Best tent I have ever owned in the past 30+ years of camping/backpacking. A little bulky but not a deal breaker. Worth every penny.
Duplex Add-Ons
Duplex Freestanding Flex Kit
This kit not only does what it should, but it actually (I would argue) does it better than many inherently-freestanding tent models.
Transform your Duplex into a freestanding ultralight tent for when stakes aren’t an option. Our Flex Kit is perfect for platform camping on the Overland Track, the White Mountains or for packed down campsites along the John Muir Trail.
The Flex Kit is like owning two ultralight tents in one. Simply install the hardware and attach the lightweight Flex poles to your Duplex and you're good to go.
*THE DUPLEX FLEX KIT IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH OUR DUPLEXL TENT
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