Great video. I just got the Duplex. I love that thing! Also thank you for sitting in the Solplex and laying down and moving around in there. These tents are great but actually seeing someone in there and moving around really helps with the decision making process when looking to buy one or the other. Good work!
Great to see them side by side. I bought the Duplex. It's a palace when you're on your own and I can fit my pack inside easily. But it's just as fine when my wife comes along. One thing the Duplex has and the others don't (apart from the optional flex poles) is the fact that you can open it on both sides. When it's raining, you can close it on the side where the rain comes from and still be able to leave the other side open or half open for cooking or entry. That's a huge plus. And yes, it's heavier then the Solplex, but still a lighter then a lot of other one person tents.
Good practical review of 3 good tents. At 6’2” and 240lbs. I always get a chuckle when someone 5’6” tells me how roomy something is. Other than that personal quirk this is very useful review of the features of each tent.
I enjoyed seeing all three sizes in a side by side comparison. I purchased the Duplex in 2016 and hands down the best tent I've ever owned. I find it very easy to setup and love the overall weight of the tent. I highly recommend Zpacks gear. They have made some custom gear for me and I find them a great company to do business with. Thanks for making this video.
This is the best comparison video of zpacks tent on youtube. There is a lot of info on the duplex but very little on the solplex and altaprex. I think your video give all the info you would need to make a decision between the three tents without being able to see the actual tents. I hope you don't mind, I posted a link on the whiteblaze forum because I thought others there would be interested in seeing it. Thanks
To string wet socks from a single loop: make a single 8-12 inch loop of shock cord (3/8 or less diameter is best) with a stopper knot to close the loop - figure 8 works well. Then string 3 or 4 or more barrel stops (the plastic stoppers that lock in place with a spring button) onto the loop. Tie the loop to your anchor point (in this case the single loop at the top of the tent) with a lark's head knot. Put the first sock in and cinch in place with the first barrel stop. Put the second sock in and cinch in place with the second barrel stop. Repeat as necessary. I use a couple of these on the outside of my pack to air out my dirty socks and shorts, etc while I'm hiking. It works very well and is super cheap and easy to make. For use at the top of a tent, I suggest starting at the bottom of the loop and working your up as you add more clothing items in order to keep a few inches of clearance between your wet gear and the inner surface of the tent (even more important on a single layer tent like that).
With the altaplex, you can also hang that light from that loop using shock cord or a soft shackle to put it at whatever height you want - or hang it from the bottom of your clothes bungee (see my comment below) assuming it's water resistant if it's under wet clothes. Though if your clothes are wet enough to drip, I wouldn't be drying them inside your tent anyway. Your down bag/quilt will not like you after it gets dripped on.
I was confused about the differences in the solo tents. I think I'll go with either the Duplex or maybe Triplex for the flexibility. At under 2 lbs each they are lighter than my gore-tex bivvy and will feel like glamping in comparison. Thanks for the great video!
HOLY CUBAN FIBER BATMAN! Your wife is a saint! My wife nearly severed my head just buying 1 Zpacks Duplex! LOL! Awesome video and great breakdown and explanation of all the tents!
I'm fairly short but seriously considering the Altaplex for gear and breathing room. Something about your review that confuses me is why you say you could fit a kid in the Altaplex with you, but not a backpack. At 36" you should have a good foot-wide lane beside a wide pad. Also, I've tried a Triplex and while that'll certainly have much more horizontal space, I found the peak height to be barely sufficient, even for me at 5'7", so it felt a bit vertically cramped. Some other pluses I see in the Altaplex are steeper walls for shedding condensation, and usability of the rear 'vestibule' space that is wasted on the Solplex because of the netting. Lastly, regarding the clothes line which I also use, I would set one up between two of the wall loops on the Altaplex that hold up the bathtub floor. If you're really ambitious you could set up a spiderweb of 6 lines between all four loops and dry a full load of laundry!
Pro tip: On ANY of these tents when using trekking poles U can hang your backpack from the trekking pole loop using a carabiner as a clip. Happy Trails 🤠⛺👍
Thank you for a very well done and informative video. You have sold me on the Duplex. I appreciate the comparison between the three. I always hike with a dog, and he always sleeps (on a towel) in the tent along with all my gear. Now that I've seen your video I can see that I can make that work.
NICE comparison review! What was REALLY awesome was your indicating that there is a free standing option on the Duplex!!!! Color me SOLD baby! I will be taking this on my JMT thru hike this summer. THANK YOU for letting us know about that!!!!
Great review. I have a Duplex and had been wondering if I should get the Plexamid which I believe is closest to the Solplex these days but your review basically convinced me I've got the right tent for me.
Great review! Thanks for adding your height. I wish I had seen this video before purchasing my Solplex. As a 6'3" hiker the Solplex leaves a lot to be desired. I had a lot of condensation on both my feet and head as both were close to the walls. I guess I will be getting the Altaplex? Maybe I can sell my Solplex on Craigslist?
Thanks for adding this comment. I respect his concern for the tall people, but alas, I guess he didn't have a tall friend. I'm 6'5" I'm thinking that these tents will be just too low over my head, esp here on the Wet Coast. Was that an issue?
Excellent review on all three, it gave me a better option on choosing a tent. I hardly saw any reviews on the solplex , which I was gearing towards. Keep it up!
Aah, the beauty of being able to return things I love doing those type of comparisons and I've done it a few times myself saves a lot of time and and headache when you have to return something and then wait for something and then return that something is just the smart way to go especially when you've got a credit card. I agree with some of the other commenters nice information much appreciated and I would choose the duplex myself also but for one reason that you didn't mention or at least I didn't hear because I live here in the southwest would be the ventilation the cross flow through from one side to the other and I really like that I don't like the slope ear if on the other one because you only have one opening and therefore you don't get as much been elation so that's my pic great job thanks
Yes, I failed to mention the added ventilation with the double and opposing doors. You and others have pointed that out and it's really a great point and huge added benefit of the Duplex over the solo ones.
After watching this video I'm more convinced than ever that the Tarptent Notch Lithium (Dyneema version of the Notch solo tent) is what I want. My current solo tent is the TT Moment DW. If you compare the moment DW to the Notch design you can see Henry Shires, owner and Tarptent designer, substituted two walking poles for the Moments' single arch pole to save weight. Like the Moment DW the Notch design has two vestibules and plenty of space to store a pack in one and cook in the other in case of bad weather. And it also has more headroom than the smallest solo Z-Packs tent.
Thanks for a great video!! I agree with another commentator, this is the best comparison! I'm also sold on the Duplex: the price is only about $50 more then the Solplex, and more room and better ventilation. Have you used their carbon poles? I don't use trekking poles, so curious. Thanks !!!
I'm looking at all videos I can find with a Zpacks Duplex in it, I'm agreeing it is the best choice if you ever do more than solotrips. I have decided to buy one, just trying to decide colour now. 😀 Just wondering when I saw your video, did you ever considered one of the Hexamid tents? Apart from the slanted roof, they seem to adress your other objections.
I did consider the Hexamid line of tents. They were tempting. Ultimately I went with the Plex line of tents over the Hexamid line because 1) I was concerned the mesh floor that you place the separate bathtub floor on wouldn't hold up on rocky surfaces and could tear easily leading to bug infiltration and 2) I like the taller entry door of the Plex tents (36" vs 29"). Good luck with your color choice. I don't think you will be disappointed with the tent. I have thoroughly enjoyed mine. Love how simple it is to setup/tear down and every step on the trail I'm glad for the ultralight shelter.
Nice comparison. Yeah no brainer if you bring boys! Duplex is actually only 4.2oz more than Plexamid and needs 2 fewer stakes (0.6oz). Only $50 more than Plexamid and 19oz is still very light for solo hiker. I'll take the ~3.6oz "penalty" even for a solo shelter for the dual doors ventilation and space!
Thank you so much for your comparison video. I initially was leaning towards altaplex, but was wondering about the solplex. I think you sold me. I'm also semi-considering duplex, but I'm usually solo. How much smaller does the solplex pack down vs duplex. My final consideration is volume it takes in the pack. Thanks again!
I was impressed with all three tents as far as how well they compact. Not only do they all compress well, but you can compress them in just about any shape that you need. That said, the Solplex does noticeably compress down smaller than the Duplex. For comparison I usually hike with a 45 liter backpack and I don't have problems getting the Duplex to fit in my pack with my other gear, granted most of my other gear is ultralight too.
The Solplex is about the size of a Fosters "oil can" beer when packed. The Duplex is about the size of a volleyball in volume, but a bit oblong versus round. This is with the bathtub ground cloth, but both are slightly larger if you add a Tyvek ground sheet to protect tthe bottom of the tent. Joe Valesko says the Tyvek is not "necessary" and ultralighters may avoid it, but for a $600 tent, I'll give it the extra TLC and protect bottom with the Tyvek for a few ounces more weight.
I haven't used it in super windy conditions, so I can't speak from experience. My guess is the tent itself would be fine in high winds, but there would need to be additional considerations given to the support pieces. For example, the light weight poles that you can buy from Zpacks I think could be a problem in super high winds but if you were using trekking poles instead I think it would be fine as they are sturdier. The stakes that I use may not stay in the ground with high winds so you would probably need to anchor them with appropriately sized rocks on top to hold the stakes in the ground. With the configuration I have, the tent is not a freestanding tent, meaning it needs the stakes or else the tent will collapse. If you're doing a lot of high winds camping, I would suggest buying the optional pole system that allows the tent to be freestanding without the stakes as that should solve any problems associated to high winds. As for the waterproof question, yes the tent is waterproof. I've used it in torrential downpours without water getting in the tent.
Great, great review, it's just what I was hoping to find; a Zpacks tent line comparison. Now it's got me wondering, people collect all sorts of stuff and are there tent collectors for the sake of just collecting them?
What did you think about the air flow difference between the Solplex and Duplex tents? Noticable? I have a duplex, thinking about the solplex for solo thru-hiking
Noticeable, yes, but I felt like there was sufficient airflow in the Solplex. Even on the closed side there is space between the mesh netting and the cuban fiber exterior that allows for airflow.
Thanks! This was very valuable to me in feeling into the "Duplex or SolPlex" question as a gram-shaver. (And by the way: I can see from your video - thanks again - that I wouldn't care for the geometry of the AltaPlex, which gives one great height but at the penalty of being higher up in the wind, and with greater probability of rain blasting in sideways despite the deeper overhang in the entrance area, since higher = more exposed, and any drips that happen to fall down from the upper portion of the tent could more easily be blown in on their long way down). Especially your impressions of the sloped back (side) wall of the SolPlex (even at your height, and I'm just shy of 6 ft.) turned me off of that one. Not to mention the fact that the missing 2nd door appears to give the SolPlex are more "boxed-in" feel. Also, having dual entrances is practical even if you're out solo hiking, since you might pitch the tent with the wind coming from one side and wake up to it coming from the other, so you are free to choose where you want to go in and out or cook. And as someone living and camping in rather wet and windy conditions, I share your preference for taking my whole pack into the tent, so only the Duplex makes sense. You (and several other kind UA-cam reviewers) have just sold me on the Duplex. :-)
Thanks for the comment. I'm glad this was helpful to you. When I was looking I found many videos on the Duplex and some on the other tents, all of which were helpful, but I still had difficulty actually comparing them. My hope when making this video was to help other folks in my situation. Glad you found this useful. All of your points on spot on with regards to the Duplex, plus in hot or really humid weather you have better ventilation with two doors.
Hi AooL. You certainly did provide the community with a very useful comparison, possibly saving myself a lot of research and perhaps even making a bad decision trying to shave off too many grams. Since I last wrote I have purchased the Duplex (they had a great November sale going, for 10% orders of $1,000 or more, so I also ordered up an Arc Haul pack and some little goodies and got $100 off. :-) Unfortunately I live in Germany and it's a hassle (and often an expensive thing) to get stuff shipped over from the U.S., so the Duplex will be waiting for me at my sister's in Nashville until I fly over there in Feb./March. Can't wait to get my hands on it! Thanks again for helping tip the scales in the right (slightly heavier but better) direction for me!
Thanks for the great comparison. I know this is a tough question to answer but do you think the Solplex is long enough for 6ft and 190 pound guy? It seems a great option for my thru-hike but I am concern that my nose will be up against the fabric! Thanks.
James - I have the (discontinued) hexamid twin. It is the same length as the soloplex (and the duplex). I am 6-0, 190 and I fit in it very well. The hexamid is a bit wider than the soloplex so it does allow me to sleep at an angle if needed, but mostly I sleep in line and there is plenty of room to keep my pack and things at my feet (or under them for extra insulation). When it comes time to replace the hexamid, I'd probably go with the duplex just because it's nice to have the extra width for a 2nd person for the reasons stated in the video. You'll have to determine what the weight penalty means to you.
They don't come with the tent unless you add them. Zpacks sells the poles for the tent if you want to use them instead of trekking poles. I have used the tent both with the tent poles shown in the video and also with trekking poles. It works great either way and which one I choose to use depends on the type of trip I'm going on. Sometimes I don't take trekking poles and so the tent poles are lighter weight and I use them. If I'm taking trekking poles anyway, I leave the tent poles home.
Yeah, sorry about that. We only shot this from the front. If you look up the videos where Joe Valesko at Zpacks sets up and takes down the tents you'll be able to see the backside as he walks around the tents as he's setting them up.
I’m sitting here trying to figure out how I can afford one of these tents and this dude has 3 just to see which one he likes best. Plus the pole kit for all 3 tents. You must make some serious bank dude.
I love all my TarpTents (Rainbow, Double Rainbow, StratoSpire 1, StratoSpire 2, even my old Contrail) but not my Notch. I find it rather claustrophobic side-to-side, and from the looks of the SolPlex it's got a more spacious feel, not to mention being lighter. If you opt for a TarpTent and prefer a side vestibule, the Rainbow is a cool choice that works even without trekking poles, and you can order a carbon-fiber ridge pool to make it a wee bit lighter. Great single-vestibule tent, like the SolPlex.
I'm interested in buying duplex, but the carbon poles you used on Duplex seems a little flimsy/shaking/delicate. I'm worried they break in high wind, which is dangerous when you hiking above treeline/raining/below 30F, causing hypothermia. Or the newer version (71gram) Zpacks carbon fiber poles will be much stronger?
The pole set I have is the 71 gram carbon fiber pole. I don't have enough field use with these poles to feel comfortable answering your question about the durability of these poles. Perhaps someone else could speak to that who has more field experience. They do seem fairly solid though and most reviews indicate they hold up well in windy conditions.
I think the poles are quite strong, but I second the trekking poles. They are stronger still, and allow you to pitch the tent lower or higher if you want less or more ventilation. Pitching it lower also increases the floor space which is great if you're using it for two persons.
i have the carbon extra poles to use if i may need stand alone. The best is then using both the hiking poles plus the carbon poles and it makes the duplex rock solid. Just with the carbon poles I am less impressed as there is just so much flex in them that the tent becomes wobbly. With both in it is rock solid!
I made one myself out of some Duck brand heavy duty plastic designed for sealing windows or screen doors in the winter. I need to make some modifications to it though to get it to work right. My initial design has some problems. Zpacks indicates you don't need a footprint, but I wanted to do what I could to preserve the tent floor. I've used it both with and without my homemade footprint and it does seem to be durable enough to not need the footprint.
Wow, great seeing this comparison. This is something that I'm sure all of us wish we could do - buy several choices and do real world testing. Did ZPacks take back your other two tents, even after setting them up and using them? Or did you have to resell them?
They took them back, however, I had called them and pre-arranged what I was doing and also didn't actually use them out in the field. Just set them up in my yard so I could physically check them out. I kept all three for about 3 weeks and set them up and took them down multiple times over that span to be able to make the best choice for me.
That's some great customer service. Awesome company. Thanks to your video, I bought the Duplex. It didn't stop there. I researched their other products and ended up buying an Arc Blast. Their products inspire serious loyalty, for sure. Now I'm looking at their rain gear for the next TGO Challenge.
The pressure is on with the mainstream manufacturers all releasing very light tents. MSR for example - super engineering but not Dyneema. I still love my Duplex for its lightness, spaciousness and the ability sometimes for two people and not to bother setting up two tents. I suggested they add door zips and fix the rain leak issue for what I hope will sometime be a new release. Dara. Safe hiking John and keep up the reviews you also do.
Great Video! you've definitely helped push me toward the Solplex. I am going to Thru-Hike the CDT 2018, and was planning on using the same Copper Spur ul1 I used on the PCT 2016. That was an amazing tent, but i want to shave some weight and think I am ready to take the plunge to a non free standing set up. Keep up the good work! - Ranger Steve
great compare, thanks for doing it, love my Duplex, but thinking a Solplex has benefit for me as well on some hikes, so was good to see how you fit in it
Confused. If you can fit a ten year old child next to you in the Altaplex then you can fit your gear, surely? Or are you basically saying that because zpacks tents are all fairly long you don't necessarily need a bigger one if you're traveling solo and want to stow your gear inside?
A little of both. Zpacks tents are long. In order to fit my 10 year old in with me in the Altaplex we would have to face opposite directions and use the length of the tent to allow us to sleep in that configuration comfortably where mostly just our lower bodies end up next to each other and our gear stays outside the tent. If solo it was more comfortable and convenient to store gear at the foot of the tent than to try to cram it along the side and I discovered I could do that just as easily with the Solplex and have less weight.
Try Henry Shires Tarptents. Great tents for the money. While not as light as Cuban fiber, in my opinion more durability, easier to pitch, much less expensive.
I second this. I can't really compare durability since I don't own a zpacks tent but I've used a tarptent contrail for years and love it. I would really love to buy a Solplex but I did the math factoring in the weight of my trekking poles, stakes and optional zpacks tent poles. The lightest total solution for the Solplex was only 6oz lighter than my contrail. I just can't justify spending $100 per oz saved. 6oz is like the weight of 3 snickers bars!
Major Heath Warning!!! This tent will cause HYPOXIA. Lack of ventilation will give you a major headache. You must leave at least one vestibule open at all times, even in the freezing cold and rain. Condensation is also a major problem in cold weather camping. You will have ice and or water on everything inside including your sleeping bag.
Your wife bought you one of the best tents in the world.. yeah you are tiny and shoulda got a solo. But was super ungrateful, to get the "perfect" tent. It doesn't exist. But your wife is perfect. You should of spent duplex and solo money on a gift for her!!!!! C'mon now
Great video. I just got the Duplex. I love that thing! Also thank you for sitting in the Solplex and laying down and moving around in there. These tents are great but actually seeing someone in there and moving around really helps with the decision making process when looking to buy one or the other. Good work!
Great to see them side by side. I bought the Duplex. It's a palace when you're on your own and I can fit my pack inside easily. But it's just as fine when my wife comes along. One thing the Duplex has and the others don't (apart from the optional flex poles) is the fact that you can open it on both sides. When it's raining, you can close it on the side where the rain comes from and still be able to leave the other side open or half open for cooking or entry. That's a huge plus. And yes, it's heavier then the Solplex, but still a lighter then a lot of other one person tents.
Good practical review of 3 good tents. At 6’2” and 240lbs. I always get a chuckle when someone 5’6” tells me how roomy something is. Other than that personal quirk this is very useful review of the features of each tent.
Don't forget about the cross ventilation on the Duplex. That's a huge plus for it.
I enjoyed seeing all three sizes in a side by side comparison. I purchased the Duplex in 2016 and hands down the best tent I've ever owned. I find it very easy to setup and love the overall weight of the tent. I highly recommend Zpacks gear. They have made some custom gear for me and I find them a great company to do business with. Thanks for making this video.
Well done. Most helpful review I’ve seen on UA-cam.. thank you!
This is the best comparison video of zpacks tent on youtube. There is a lot of info on the duplex but very little on the solplex and altaprex. I think your video give all the info you would need to make a decision between the three tents without being able to see the actual tents. I hope you don't mind, I posted a link on the whiteblaze forum because I thought others there would be interested in seeing it. Thanks
Thanks for the kind words. Hopefully the video will be helpful to folks from the whiteblaze forum too.
I was about to comment the same thing. This video is probably the only one on UA-cam where someone owns all 3 and can do an honest comparison.
Videos that really bug me are when people are describing the space of a tent, or lack thereof, and don't let the viewers know how tall they are 🙄⛺
To string wet socks from a single loop: make a single 8-12 inch loop of shock cord (3/8 or less diameter is best) with a stopper knot to close the loop - figure 8 works well. Then string 3 or 4 or more barrel stops (the plastic stoppers that lock in place with a spring button) onto the loop. Tie the loop to your anchor point (in this case the single loop at the top of the tent) with a lark's head knot. Put the first sock in and cinch in place with the first barrel stop. Put the second sock in and cinch in place with the second barrel stop. Repeat as necessary. I use a couple of these on the outside of my pack to air out my dirty socks and shorts, etc while I'm hiking. It works very well and is super cheap and easy to make. For use at the top of a tent, I suggest starting at the bottom of the loop and working your up as you add more clothing items in order to keep a few inches of clearance between your wet gear and the inner surface of the tent (even more important on a single layer tent like that).
With the altaplex, you can also hang that light from that loop using shock cord or a soft shackle to put it at whatever height you want - or hang it from the bottom of your clothes bungee (see my comment below) assuming it's water resistant if it's under wet clothes. Though if your clothes are wet enough to drip, I wouldn't be drying them inside your tent anyway. Your down bag/quilt will not like you after it gets dripped on.
Guy does not want to buy a zpacks because its too expensive. Ends up buying three variations of a shelter.
🤣🤣🤣🤣👍
Nice review. I recently picked up the Triplex for my old lady and I. What a great tent for 2 people.
I was confused about the differences in the solo tents. I think I'll go with either the Duplex or maybe Triplex for the flexibility. At under 2 lbs each they are lighter than my gore-tex bivvy and will feel like glamping in comparison. Thanks for the great video!
Nice review. My wife doesn't know it but I will be getting a Duplex Flex soon to complete my Zpacks trifecta of pack, sleeping bag, and tent.
HOLY CUBAN FIBER BATMAN! Your wife is a saint! My wife nearly severed my head just buying 1 Zpacks Duplex! LOL!
Awesome video and great breakdown and explanation of all the tents!
RESTLESS OUTDOORS take the pants back. Men run the roost. Not women
Your vid was a great review too by the way 👍🏻
GREAT JOB! This video helped me to make my final choice on which tent to buy. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.
Glad you found it helpful!
I'm fairly short but seriously considering the Altaplex for gear and breathing room. Something about your review that confuses me is why you say you could fit a kid in the Altaplex with you, but not a backpack. At 36" you should have a good foot-wide lane beside a wide pad. Also, I've tried a Triplex and while that'll certainly have much more horizontal space, I found the peak height to be barely sufficient, even for me at 5'7", so it felt a bit vertically cramped. Some other pluses I see in the Altaplex are steeper walls for shedding condensation, and usability of the rear 'vestibule' space that is wasted on the Solplex because of the netting. Lastly, regarding the clothes line which I also use, I would set one up between two of the wall loops on the Altaplex that hold up the bathtub floor. If you're really ambitious you could set up a spiderweb of 6 lines between all four loops and dry a full load of laundry!
Pro tip: On ANY of these tents when using trekking poles U can hang your backpack from the trekking pole loop using a carabiner as a clip. Happy Trails 🤠⛺👍
Thank you for a very well done and informative video. You have sold me on the Duplex. I appreciate the comparison between the three. I always hike with a dog, and he always sleeps (on a towel) in the tent along with all my gear. Now that I've seen your video I can see that I can make that work.
NICE comparison review! What was REALLY awesome was your indicating that there is a free standing option on the Duplex!!!! Color me SOLD baby! I will be taking this on my JMT thru hike this summer. THANK YOU for letting us know about that!!!!
Great review. I have a Duplex and had been wondering if I should get the Plexamid which I believe is closest to the Solplex these days but your review basically convinced me I've got the right tent for me.
Great review! Thanks for adding your height. I wish I had seen this video before purchasing my Solplex. As a 6'3" hiker the Solplex leaves a lot to be desired. I had a lot of condensation on both my feet and head as both were close to the walls. I guess I will be getting the Altaplex? Maybe I can sell my Solplex on Craigslist?
Thanks for adding this comment. I respect his concern for the tall people, but alas, I guess he didn't have a tall friend. I'm 6'5" I'm thinking that these tents will be just too low over my head, esp here on the Wet Coast. Was that an issue?
Did you sell your solplex yet??? I would buy it.
Excellent review on all three, it gave me a better option on choosing a tent. I hardly saw any reviews on the solplex , which I was gearing towards. Keep it up!
Aah, the beauty of being able to return things I love doing those type of comparisons and I've done it a few times myself saves a lot of time and and headache when you have to return something and then wait for something and then return that something is just the smart way to go especially when you've got a credit card. I agree with some of the other commenters nice information much appreciated and I would choose the duplex myself also but for one reason that you didn't mention or at least I didn't hear because I live here in the southwest would be the ventilation the cross flow through from one side to the other and I really like that I don't like the slope ear if on the other one because you only have one opening and therefore you don't get as much been elation so that's my pic great job thanks
Yes, I failed to mention the added ventilation with the double and opposing doors. You and others have pointed that out and it's really a great point and huge added benefit of the Duplex over the solo ones.
After watching this video I'm more convinced than ever that the Tarptent Notch Lithium (Dyneema version of the Notch solo tent) is what I want.
My current solo tent is the TT Moment DW. If you compare the moment DW to the Notch design you can see Henry Shires, owner and Tarptent designer, substituted two walking poles for the Moments' single arch pole to save weight.
Like the Moment DW the Notch design has two vestibules and plenty of space to store a pack in one and cook in the other in case of bad weather. And it also has more headroom than the smallest solo Z-Packs tent.
Darwin on the trail uses the Duplex, even when solo.
Not anymore, he switched to the Altaplex
Agree with your final conclusion. In the end, you can’t do much better than the Duplex.
I'm 5'6" as well. It's nice to see someone my size in the due Plex
Thanks for a great video!! I agree with another commentator, this is the best comparison! I'm also sold on the Duplex: the price is only about $50 more then the Solplex, and more room and better ventilation. Have you used their carbon poles? I don't use trekking poles, so curious. Thanks !!!
I have. They seem to work well. They are a little weaker than a trekking pole is, but so far no issues with them.
You might have sold me on a Solplex :)
lol
Try carrying a caravan in your backpack.
absolutely. Also lousy stitching.
I'm looking at all videos I can find with a Zpacks Duplex in it, I'm agreeing it is the best choice if you ever do more than solotrips.
I have decided to buy one, just trying to decide colour now. 😀
Just wondering when I saw your video, did you ever considered one of the Hexamid tents?
Apart from the slanted roof, they seem to adress your other objections.
I did consider the Hexamid line of tents. They were tempting. Ultimately I went with the Plex line of tents over the Hexamid line because 1) I was concerned the mesh floor that you place the separate bathtub floor on wouldn't hold up on rocky surfaces and could tear easily leading to bug infiltration and 2) I like the taller entry door of the Plex tents (36" vs 29"). Good luck with your color choice. I don't think you will be disappointed with the tent. I have thoroughly enjoyed mine. Love how simple it is to setup/tear down and every step on the trail I'm glad for the ultralight shelter.
Adventure Of Our Lives
The Hexamid tent with Cuben floor and higher door... to bad Zpacks doesn't do custom stuff anymore! 😀
Nice comparison. Yeah no brainer if you bring boys! Duplex is actually only 4.2oz more than Plexamid and needs 2 fewer stakes (0.6oz). Only $50 more than Plexamid and 19oz is still very light for solo hiker. I'll take the ~3.6oz "penalty" even for a solo shelter for the dual doors ventilation and space!
Thank you so much for your comparison video. I initially was leaning towards altaplex, but was wondering about the solplex. I think you sold me. I'm also semi-considering duplex, but I'm usually solo. How much smaller does the solplex pack down vs duplex. My final consideration is volume it takes in the pack. Thanks again!
I was impressed with all three tents as far as how well they compact. Not only do they all compress well, but you can compress them in just about any shape that you need. That said, the Solplex does noticeably compress down smaller than the Duplex. For comparison I usually hike with a 45 liter backpack and I don't have problems getting the Duplex to fit in my pack with my other gear, granted most of my other gear is ultralight too.
The Solplex is about the size of a Fosters "oil can" beer when packed. The Duplex is about the size of a volleyball in volume, but a bit oblong versus round. This is with the bathtub ground cloth, but both are slightly larger if you add a Tyvek ground sheet to protect tthe bottom of the tent. Joe Valesko says the Tyvek is not "necessary" and ultralighters may avoid it, but for a $600 tent, I'll give it the extra TLC and protect bottom with the Tyvek for a few ounces more weight.
Hi and thx for the review. Do you think the duplex could handle wind ? and do you know how much is it waterproof ?
I haven't used it in super windy conditions, so I can't speak from experience. My guess is the tent itself would be fine in high winds, but there would need to be additional considerations given to the support pieces. For example, the light weight poles that you can buy from Zpacks I think could be a problem in super high winds but if you were using trekking poles instead I think it would be fine as they are sturdier. The stakes that I use may not stay in the ground with high winds so you would probably need to anchor them with appropriately sized rocks on top to hold the stakes in the ground. With the configuration I have, the tent is not a freestanding tent, meaning it needs the stakes or else the tent will collapse. If you're doing a lot of high winds camping, I would suggest buying the optional pole system that allows the tent to be freestanding without the stakes as that should solve any problems associated to high winds.
As for the waterproof question, yes the tent is waterproof. I've used it in torrential downpours without water getting in the tent.
Great, great review, it's just what I was hoping to find; a Zpacks tent line comparison. Now it's got me wondering, people collect all sorts of stuff and are there tent collectors for the sake of just collecting them?
Great video! This was exactly what I was looking for!
What did you think about the air flow difference between the Solplex and Duplex tents? Noticable? I have a duplex, thinking about the solplex for solo thru-hiking
Noticeable, yes, but I felt like there was sufficient airflow in the Solplex. Even on the closed side there is space between the mesh netting and the cuban fiber exterior that allows for airflow.
This was SO helpful! Thank you for making this video!
Thanks! This was very valuable to me in feeling into the "Duplex or SolPlex" question as a gram-shaver. (And by the way: I can see from your video - thanks again - that I wouldn't care for the geometry of the AltaPlex, which gives one great height but at the penalty of being higher up in the wind, and with greater probability of rain blasting in sideways despite the deeper overhang in the entrance area, since higher = more exposed, and any drips that happen to fall down from the upper portion of the tent could more easily be blown in on their long way down). Especially your impressions of the sloped back (side) wall of the SolPlex (even at your height, and I'm just shy of 6 ft.) turned me off of that one. Not to mention the fact that the missing 2nd door appears to give the SolPlex are more "boxed-in" feel. Also, having dual entrances is practical even if you're out solo hiking, since you might pitch the tent with the wind coming from one side and wake up to it coming from the other, so you are free to choose where you want to go in and out or cook. And as someone living and camping in rather wet and windy conditions, I share your preference for taking my whole pack into the tent, so only the Duplex makes sense. You (and several other kind UA-cam reviewers) have just sold me on the Duplex. :-)
Thanks for the comment. I'm glad this was helpful to you. When I was looking I found many videos on the Duplex and some on the other tents, all of which were helpful, but I still had difficulty actually comparing them. My hope when making this video was to help other folks in my situation. Glad you found this useful. All of your points on spot on with regards to the Duplex, plus in hot or really humid weather you have better ventilation with two doors.
Hi AooL. You certainly did provide the community with a very useful comparison, possibly saving myself a lot of research and perhaps even making a bad decision trying to shave off too many grams. Since I last wrote I have purchased the Duplex (they had a great November sale going, for 10% orders of $1,000 or more, so I also ordered up an Arc Haul pack and some little goodies and got $100 off. :-) Unfortunately I live in Germany and it's a hassle (and often an expensive thing) to get stuff shipped over from the U.S., so the Duplex will be waiting for me at my sister's in Nashville until I fly over there in Feb./March. Can't wait to get my hands on it! Thanks again for helping tip the scales in the right (slightly heavier but better) direction for me!
Thanks for the great comparison. I know this is a tough question to answer but do you think the Solplex is long enough for 6ft and 190 pound guy? It seems a great option for my thru-hike but I am concern that my nose will be up against the fabric! Thanks.
Honestly I think it would work fine. It's a rather long tent.
Thanks!
James - I have the (discontinued) hexamid twin. It is the same length as the soloplex (and the duplex).
I am 6-0, 190 and I fit in it very well. The hexamid is a bit wider than the soloplex so it does allow me to sleep at an angle if needed, but mostly I sleep in line and there is plenty of room to keep my pack and things at my feet (or under them for extra insulation). When it comes time to replace the hexamid, I'd probably go with the duplex just because it's nice to have the extra width for a 2nd person for the reasons stated in the video. You'll have to determine what the weight penalty means to you.
"I could never bring myself to buy one, because they are expensive.... So I bought three in one month."
Wat
Must be nice 👌
Do the small poles you have the tents set up with come with the tent? Every video I've seen uses hiking poles.
They don't come with the tent unless you add them. Zpacks sells the poles for the tent if you want to use them instead of trekking poles. I have used the tent both with the tent poles shown in the video and also with trekking poles. It works great either way and which one I choose to use depends on the type of trip I'm going on. Sometimes I don't take trekking poles and so the tent poles are lighter weight and I use them. If I'm taking trekking poles anyway, I leave the tent poles home.
Jeffery Marshall i
Nice video. I would have like to see the backside of the tents as well, for comparison.
Yeah, sorry about that. We only shot this from the front. If you look up the videos where Joe Valesko at Zpacks sets up and takes down the tents you'll be able to see the backside as he walks around the tents as he's setting them up.
How waterproof is this Dyneema? (in mm of h2o )
I’m sitting here trying to figure out how I can afford one of these tents and this dude has 3 just to see which one he likes best. Plus the pole kit for all 3 tents. You must make some serious bank dude.
Nice comprehensive review across the models. I'm thinking of the Duplex for using on the AT. :)
Do it. That cross venting will be so nice on hot Virgina nights.
Thank you ,i am new to your channel and i like it so far !!
This video helped me pick between these three. Now to pick between the Zpacks Solplex and the Tarptent Notch. 🤔
Solplex ($555) is a bit longer - the notch ($285) is 12 oz heavier. Both great pieces of gear. Good luck choosing!
I love all my TarpTents (Rainbow, Double Rainbow, StratoSpire 1, StratoSpire 2, even my old Contrail) but not my Notch. I find it rather claustrophobic side-to-side, and from the looks of the SolPlex it's got a more spacious feel, not to mention being lighter. If you opt for a TarpTent and prefer a side vestibule, the Rainbow is a cool choice that works even without trekking poles, and you can order a carbon-fiber ridge pool to make it a wee bit lighter. Great single-vestibule tent, like the SolPlex.
Great. Helpful. Comparisons.
I'm interested in buying duplex, but the carbon poles you used on Duplex seems a little flimsy/shaking/delicate. I'm worried they break in high wind, which is dangerous when you hiking above treeline/raining/below 30F, causing hypothermia. Or the newer version (71gram) Zpacks carbon fiber poles will be much stronger?
The pole set I have is the 71 gram carbon fiber pole. I don't have enough field use with these poles to feel comfortable answering your question about the durability of these poles. Perhaps someone else could speak to that who has more field experience. They do seem fairly solid though and most reviews indicate they hold up well in windy conditions.
use trekking poles instead..problem solved..lol they are stronger than any tent pole anyway..
I think the poles are quite strong, but I second the trekking poles. They are stronger still, and allow you to pitch the tent lower or higher if you want less or more ventilation. Pitching it lower also increases the floor space which is great if you're using it for two persons.
i have the carbon extra poles to use if i may need stand alone. The best is then using both the hiking poles plus the carbon poles and it makes the duplex rock solid. Just with the carbon poles I am less impressed as there is just so much flex in them that the tent becomes wobbly. With both in it is rock solid!
4 season tents?
Great review! Interested in selling the Altaplex?
I didn't end up keeping it.
Do u still have the altiplex,
No, I returned the ones I decided not to keep.
Are you using any kind of footprint with these?
I made one myself out of some Duck brand heavy duty plastic designed for sealing windows or screen doors in the winter. I need to make some modifications to it though to get it to work right. My initial design has some problems. Zpacks indicates you don't need a footprint, but I wanted to do what I could to preserve the tent floor. I've used it both with and without my homemade footprint and it does seem to be durable enough to not need the footprint.
The DCF bathtub floor eliminates the need for a footprint.
Well presented review - great job!
Wow, great seeing this comparison. This is something that I'm sure all of us wish we could do - buy several choices and do real world testing. Did ZPacks take back your other two tents, even after setting them up and using them? Or did you have to resell them?
They took them back, however, I had called them and pre-arranged what I was doing and also didn't actually use them out in the field. Just set them up in my yard so I could physically check them out. I kept all three for about 3 weeks and set them up and took them down multiple times over that span to be able to make the best choice for me.
That's some great customer service. Awesome company. Thanks to your video, I bought the Duplex. It didn't stop there. I researched their other products and ended up buying an Arc Blast. Their products inspire serious loyalty, for sure. Now I'm looking at their rain gear for the next TGO Challenge.
Ha! I'll be there too, with my Arc Blast and Duplex on May 2018! ;-) Enjoy your crossing!
The TGO is one of the best hikes to do. I hope to go for a third time in 2019 if THAT WOMAN will give me a pass.
Always wanted to do a video like this, but have never been rich enough to buy all three lol
The pressure is on with the mainstream manufacturers all releasing very light tents. MSR for example - super engineering but not Dyneema. I still love my Duplex for its lightness, spaciousness and the ability sometimes for two people and not to bother setting up two tents. I suggested they add door zips and fix the rain leak issue for what I hope will sometime be a new release. Dara. Safe hiking John and keep up the reviews you also do.
Nice job. Thanks. Duplex is awesome!
Great Video! you've definitely helped push me toward the Solplex. I am going to Thru-Hike the CDT 2018, and was planning on using the same Copper Spur ul1 I used on the PCT 2016. That was an amazing tent, but i want to shave some weight and think I am ready to take the plunge to a non free standing set up. Keep up the good work!
- Ranger Steve
Thanks! I'm a bit envious of your upcoming hike.......sounds like fun. I've not yet been able to hike any portion of the CDT but it's on my list:-)
great compare, thanks for doing it, love my Duplex, but thinking a Solplex has benefit for me as well on some hikes, so was good to see how you fit in it
Thanks. Appreciate the feedback. Glad it was helpful to you.
Confused. If you can fit a ten year old child next to you in the Altaplex then you can fit your gear, surely?
Or are you basically saying that because zpacks tents are all fairly long you don't necessarily need a bigger one if you're traveling solo and want to stow your gear inside?
A little of both. Zpacks tents are long. In order to fit my 10 year old in with me in the Altaplex we would have to face opposite directions and use the length of the tent to allow us to sleep in that configuration comfortably where mostly just our lower bodies end up next to each other and our gear stays outside the tent. If solo it was more comfortable and convenient to store gear at the foot of the tent than to try to cram it along the side and I discovered I could do that just as easily with the Solplex and have less weight.
great review
Try Henry Shires Tarptents. Great tents for the money. While not as light as Cuban fiber, in my opinion more durability, easier to pitch, much less expensive.
I second this. I can't really compare durability since I don't own a zpacks tent but I've used a tarptent contrail for years and love it. I would really love to buy a Solplex but I did the math factoring in the weight of my trekking poles, stakes and optional zpacks tent poles. The lightest total solution for the Solplex was only 6oz lighter than my contrail. I just can't justify spending $100 per oz saved. 6oz is like the weight of 3 snickers bars!
Yep, I'll second that love of TarpTents (and admit to be somewhat addicted to TT - see my response to Kat3rinaaa above).
Really? I've found that my cuben fibre Zpacks gear is less durable than my Tarptent. Cuben has a much shorter lifespan than silnylon.
Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for sharing.
You need a holiday inn.
That's like $10,000 in tent gear right there. =p
Thanks.
I'll take the one you don't like.
Thank You.
GREAT REVIEW. WILL PROBABLY BY THE SOLOPLEX DUE TO THE INFO GAINED FROM YOUR REVIEW. THANKS!
You sound like Lt. Dangle from Reno 911.
This fella sure loves hanging socks smh
wish you would have demo'd with doors closed to get full demo...
Gusto24 Coty
i agree
Duplex all day.
great video but you gotta do away with that hour and half channel intro.
I have never seen one in person so I really don't know, but why are these tents so expensive, on camera they look so cheaply made
It is because of how lightweight they are as well as their durability & quality given their weight class. I agree they are very pricey.
Wife buys him a tent...he doesn't like it and buys two more....lol
If you want to see what a Camo version of the Duplex looks like I have put together a video on mine here: ua-cam.com/video/lImgArIR10E/v-deo.html
Im so UL I just use a garbage bag as tent and my farts for insulation.
Major Heath Warning!!! This tent will cause HYPOXIA. Lack of ventilation will give you a major headache. You must leave at least one vestibule open at all times, even in the freezing cold and rain. Condensation is also a major problem in cold weather camping. You will have ice and or water on everything inside including your sleeping bag.
Please. No more 30 second intros. T.V. hit shows don't have 30 second intros, Steven Speildork.
Your wife bought you one of the best tents in the world.. yeah you are tiny and shoulda got a solo. But was super ungrateful, to get the "perfect" tent. It doesn't exist. But your wife is perfect. You should of spent duplex and solo money on a gift for her!!!!! C'mon now
Pay very high dollars then have to buy th stakes it needs to set up is stupid fzpacks