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Z Packs Plex Solo Tent Review - 4 Nights in the Sierra
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- Опубліковано 29 чер 2022
- This was a resupply trip over Kearsarge Pass in the Sierra for some friends doing the JMT. While on this 4 night adventure into the back country I thought I'd share my experience with my new Zpacks Plex Solo tent.
Check out my video review of the Z Packs Arc Haul Ultra100 backpack:
• Z Packs Arc Haul 60L U...
That was a terrific review of your Plex Solo, the best I've seen so far. Since you're 6' tall I'm surprised you didn't go with the Alta Plex which gives you a bigger bathtub and more headroom and still only weighs 13.2 oz (lite version). I'm still considering buying a Plex Solo or Alta Plex to add to my kit with the option to use it on my longer and more demanding treks in the Sierra. I currently use a Big Agnes Copper Spur UV UL2 which I love, its a palace and pretty much bomb proof, but sometimes at the end of an arduous day of hiking, especially if it's windy, I don't have the energy to set it up. I think I could learn to deal with the condensation on the single wall tent, and the weight savings is a huge plus, but I'm not too thrilled to learn about so much dampness on your sleeping quilt, I wouldn't like that. Thank you for being so honest and telling about all the pros and cons of your tent. And by the way, your filming was excellent, you really captured the beauty of the area.
Love my Plex Solo. For what I hear, a nice percentage of those trout die after being released. I've stopped fishing the high Sierra myself.
Thank you for the thorough review! What a beautiful video! Loved the gorgeous mountains and sunsets.
I love that tent. I have been saving for one. Nice review and video. New follower here. Crow✌️
Loved your review. I'm also looking to buy the Plex Solo, but I guess I just missed the July 4th sale :-((
About the condensation, I have a "solution". For background, I've been using a ZPacks Triplex for about three years and condensation is definitely an issue that you have to manage. I'm only 5'6", so I'm not usually close to the end wall. However, my son-in-law, who I often backpack with, is 6'3" and initially had the same issue with his sleeping bag getting damp/wet. We've come up with two "solutions", both of which we often implement at the same time, and since then he's never had a wet sleeping bag.
The first "solution" is that, if we can find downed branches at least 18" long (2 feet is even better), we put one at each end and run the higher-up end guyline over a sticking out twig or bump, or even wrapped around the branch, and then stake out that guyline. This pulls out the ends even more than just staking it out normally, giving you a lot more inside volume, and pulling the end wall even further away from your sleeping bag. Of course, we use the best branch at the foot end, since that is where it is most important ;-)
The second part of the solution is to throw your rain jacket over your foot box. That way, if you still bump the end wall, any condensation goes onto the waterproof raincoat, instead of your down sleeping bag!
Thanks again for your review. Everything else I could find was a first impression or unboxing, and yours was the first multi-night use that I've seen. And as others have said, it was very helpful.
Thanks for sharing your tips! I’ll give both a try…
Use a breath barrier like a buff or balaclava to help mitigate the moisture from your breath. I also zip my rain jacket and put my quilts foot box in it so my bag doesn’t rub on the inside and get wet from condensation. Nice video, looks like a great time.
That was a very thorough tent review buddy.... almost felt like I was with you!
KCHBR baby!
The Colonel wasn’t happy with moisture on his quilt!!!
Where you in the Sierra up over Kearsarge Pass as well? Thought I saw you hitch hiking for a ride north…
@@SummitSeeker546 yeah this really creepy guy picked us up!
I have a duplex and only on a few occasions have I had condensation. Have at least 100 nights in the Sierras. Only thing I don’t like is always having the doors open it can be drafty and colder than a double wall tent.
34:41 , AMAZING
One of the things I have learned from owning a zpacks plexamid, is not to camp near water , where there is alot of moisture in the air , the condensation is more manageable
Awesome video...thanks! As far as condensation, since it comes from our respiratory tract, maybe there's a way we could injest damp rid just before bed and it might reduce condensation? I'm gonna email Dr Birx about it.
thank you, very helpful, just got plex solo and I'm looking forward to use it and dreading at the same time the condensation, I hate getting wet "indoors" just like you...so I will see :)
So we did a trip a couple weeks ago in the Sierra, I kept the vestibule doors open and we didn’t camp very near water and fortunately no condensation. The tent grew on me. The weight is amazingly light when you need it. Come mid October we are doing another Sierra trip and I’ll use my free standing, double walled Marmot Tungsten UL 1. It’s better for warmth.
nice review. I'm on the fence with this tent and noticed it's on sale for the 4th. This is a helpful insight. This will be my first tent if I pull the trigger
If you’re ok with putting some thought into where you set it up; don’t mind using a Pack Towl to wipe up the interior moisture; don’t mind taking additional time to dry out any light moisture on your bag/quilt, but want the lightest, well made tent available, and at a discount, go for it! It really is a solid tent!
@@angell6425 IMO this tent is for people 6’1” or less using a 2.5” inflatable sleep pad. I strongly recommend a 1/8” foam pad (Mountain Laurel Design or Gossamer Gear) under your inflatable to hold you in place with no sliding into the tent walls. (A Thermarest Z Seat might work as well). With the right setup it’s a great light weight tent. Again if weight is a critical issue then this is your tent if more comfort/function is your desire then a free standing tent like the Marmot UL 1P, Nemo, or BA are great options. Good luck with your choice!
@@angell6425 one other thing, I talked with Z Packs customer service and they were awesome! If I had any issues with the craftsmanship of this tent they were ready to replace or refund. Fortunately I think they had learned from the initial complaints and corrected the quality control issues. I’m not a paid reviewer. I’m just an ordinary customer who paid full price for this quality tent. If I didn’t like it, I knew I had 30 days to return for a full refund provided I didn’t use it in the back country and get it all dirty. As you saw, I had my issues with this tent but I’m still sticking with it. I shaved over 1lb 10oz off my weigh compared to my Marmot. That’s significant! Tent choice is a personal choice and I hope I’ve given you some insight on this tent and that you make a good choice that serves your needs. Good luck and happy trails…
Thanks for the tip. I'll look into the gossamer to hold me in place
@@angell6425 one more comment on the outstanding customer service I’ve experienced. I’ve had multiple questions and Jaime at Z Packs has been a wealth of knowledge and has reassured me that I would be taken care of if I had any problems. It’s hard buying a product online that you’ve never seen or touched in person. Knowing that if I had a problem they would give a full refund or ensure quality craftsmanship was important to me. I’ve returned 1 dry bag due to it didn’t fit in my pack as I had hoped and I got a full refund. Jaime told me to put some weight in the backpack and try it out around the house and if it didn’t fit right or just didn’t meet my expectations they would give me a full refund. Not sure what comments you saw on Reddit but I’ve learned there are haters out there that can give a wrong impression of an organization. Thus far I’m sold on Z Packs. They seem to care about their customer experience and want to make sure we are fully satisfied with our Z Pack purchase. This is just one man’s experience!
Great review! Thank you very much 😊
It appear that the tent lacks a zipper vent with mosquito netting and weather hood. If so then that is why the Z Packs Plex Solo Tent is generating the condensation that you're experiencing. My DIY less than 4 ounce floorless Dyneema tent has the vent described. Perhaps they failed to include a vent due to the additional cost involved. A vent would regulate both condensation, heat and cold. You could add a vent to the tent. My DIY all glue Dyneema tents include a 100 to 200 test pound cord loop at the peak of tent for hanging the tent from above by 8 methods or supported by my 2 piece pole depending on field conditions. I've made a heat reflective floorless tent made with Polyethylene heat reflective material and Dyneema weighing less than 5 ounces to determine how effective the reflected heat could save on the weight and volume normally required for a non-heat reflective tent. The major drawback is the lack of strength of the polyethylene.
Pitch the tent so the door is facing wind or at an angle. Am working for a mod to push wall out more or add mesh
any development on this mod?
these are the lightest tents on the market which means it's going to have the most sacrifices. my first camping trip I got my feet wet in sub freezing temps. I don't play around with staying warm and dry.
Yup! Just got back from 6 days in the Sierra and I had no problems with condensation. The temps were comfortable and I was able to keep both vestibule doors open. If light weight is your biggest concern then this tent nails it!
Randy, Excellent run down on the z-packs tent. Curious on how to you get the dirt / grit out of the floor. (Generally speaking) is it quicker, same, or longer to set-up/ tear-down than a semi free standing tent like nemo hornet. Finally, are folks still using tent foot prints anymore, I dont see them in your or Johnny 5star videos? I'm planning my future JMT hike and maybe thinking to much about gear.
Glad you enjoyed the review. I think the ultra light crowd avoids a footprint due to the slight increase in weight and the fact, especially with dyneema, you probably don’t need it. However I like the extra protection a footprint gives. It possibly saves my inflatable sleeping pad from punctures and preserves my investment in a quality tent. I plan to have it for a long time so why not take extra good care of it. Also to your point on dirt/grit. With a footprint it will get wet and dirty, not the tent, allowing me to pack away the tent and then air out just the footprint. I also use the Pack Towl to wipe away any moisture and dirt to assist a quicker dry time. If dirt gets in my tent before tearing it down I quickly wipe up any debris inside my tent. When all done wiping away the dirt you’ll need to rinse the towel clean so you can use it again. Setting up the footprint with a tent requires a negligible amount of extra time, a few seconds, but provides the benefits I mentioned. It’s funny most of the guys I backpack with use a footprint including Johnny 5💫. Have a great time on the JMT!
I didn’t fully answer you question sorry. I love my Marmot UL 1p which is very much like the Nemo as far as freestanding and double walled. Setting up the Plex Solo with footprint is definitely quicker (Once you have your system or setup method down). Imagine not spending the time clipping the tent to the tent poles and then securing the fly over the tent. That is time saved…
Thanks for the review!! I'm interested in this tent for Bikepacking, so will need the required Tent pole, rather than Trekking poles. Wondering how you get on sleeping with the vestibule open for ventilation and reduction in condensation, but having to deal with bugs and mosquitoes?? Also, I've just done 4 months bike touring in Scandanavia and Europe with the JetBoil Stash and love it also!! Good Kit. I currently have a Hilleberg Tent, but need to drop some serious gear weight for some upcoming events, hence looking at these uber lightweight tents....they look super fragile and I'm curious how they stack up in serious weather......the Hillebergs are bombproof and super well made....but heavy!
This tent is solid and sturdy or to use your words, bombproof and well made. I had this tent in winds up to 60mph and it handled the conditions beautifully. Just be certain to rock out the stakes or guyline to heavy rocks. The netting does a great job keeping the bugs out and a decent job with ventilation when you need to close the vestibule doors when it rains. Also bring ear plugs cause when it rains, hails, or is windy, the dyneema can be loud!
at 58 minutes this has got to be the longest review of this tent lmao
Lol! Yeah it started out to be a trip video then evolved into a tent review. Hope you enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the Sierra!
Man, looks like you have to hug the pole or you are touching the sides. Not much room for error.
It’s a great ultralight tent! But yes it is a bit snug and dealing with condensation is a reality. My go to tent for most of my backpack trips is the Marmot Tungsten UL 1p. It’s a full freestanding tent, has a condensation vent in the roofline, more spacious, warmer than a single wall tent, bombproof to the elements, and relatively lightweight. My complete tent system weights in at 2lbs 10oz. That includes the tent, poles, upgraded MSR Groundhog stakes, footprint, guylines, and sack. This tent is slightly heavier than other UL semi freestanding tents like Nemo because it uses silpoly versus silnylon. Silpoly is more durable, doesn’t stretch when wet, and doesn’t absorb as much water thus dries faster. I also love the fact that the footprint is tiny unlike trekking pole tents like The One or the Plex solo. I can set this tent up in the smallest of areas when you are above tree line looking for a flat space to set up your tent. Next trip I think I’ll do a review of the Marmot Tungsten.
@@SummitSeeker546 I own a lunar solo from six moons design. It is made out of silpoly and is very similar to the plex- solo. Might be a hair bigger but also a one pole design.it weights about 26 oz. Seam sealed cost me 285. Floating floor with mesh. Single skin. It is my first single wall tent. Maybe 30 nights in it. Airflow is ok the vestibule is a little high off ground for airflow and the mesh helps with condensation.But much like your tent,the walls are tight. Not alot of room to sit up the walls are close to ya. But the floor space is nice. I can bring all my stuff inside with me.