Zpacks� Duplex Flex Tent Upgrade

Description:

The Flex tent upgrade is an add-on to our normal Duplex Tent that allows it to be pitched with freestanding tent poles. It can be set up with zero stakes in calm conditions, or with just 2 stakes if you want to use the vestibules. It is not necessary to stake the corners or side walls except in extreme weather.

Freestanding tents are convenient in situations where stakes are difficult to use. They make it easier to pitch on beach sand, snow, or on rocky or compacted terrain. You can set up on a tent platform, or other suboptimal locations without struggling with stakes. Flex poles are also handy on trips when you don't have trekking poles, for example bike packing, canoe trips, or car camping.

The poles also lift the side walls of the tent outward for more interior space, which is especially valuable for taller hikers.

You still have the option to leave the flex poles behind and pitch with your trekking poles to save weight on regular backpacking trips.

Features:

Watch the Duplex Flex setup and overview video.
Four 96" (245 cm) Easton Carbon Ion poles are included. Easton's carbon fiber poles are made using proven technology, and they are super lightweight. Just 11 ounces (312 g) for a set including a stuff sack!
The additional hardware for connecting the poles to the tent only adds .2 oz (5 g).
The poles will flex and bow horizontally when the wind gusts. In really windy conditions if you can find a couple sticks or trekking poles to prop the peaks of the tent you can keep it more rigid.
The folded length of the poles is 17" (43 cm). A tent pole sack is included. The best way to pack them is stand them in your pack's side pocket, or tuck them inside your pack vertically.
Any new Duplex tents made in 2016 and later include attachment points for the Flex upgrade, and poles can be added at a later date w/o sending the tent in.
Older Duplex tents can be retrofitted, see additional info below.

Ordering a new tent:

Add a normal Duplex Tent to your cart, then add the poles and hardware here. The normal tent lead time applies.

What's Included:

4x 96" Easton Carbon Ion poles.
1x tent pole stuff sack.
4x small metal rings. Untie the four corner stake loops on your tent and re-tie them with rings attached like this.
2x toggles. Loop them on to each wall tie out to secure the poles at the center like this.

4x Duplex Flex tent poles with 4x rings, 2x toggles, stuff sack - $125

Retrofitting an older tent:

**If your tent already has rings at the peaks you do not need to send it in.

If you would like to update an older Duplex tent produced before 2016 you will have to send it in to us to sew on the required attachment points and add hardware. This does not include poles. Add the pole kit above to your cart too.

Make sure to email us right after ordering this and we will give you instructions for sending in your tent.

Sending Duplex Tent for Flex upgrades - $25

Reviews and Customer Testimonials:

Please email us with feedback (good or bad) if you have any!

Restess Outdoors covers the advantages of the Flex Pole upgrade in this Duplex Flex Tent first look video.

"My Free-Standing Duplex Flex Tent worked great on my Arizona Trail section hike. It even got christened with some overnight hail and rain at 6000 feet." -Robert H.

"We have just come back from a trip to Iceland, the maiden voyage for our Duplex free standing tent. Overall it functioned great. Would bring it again. The freestanding poles allowed for more placement flexibility which was helpful for stake-unfriendly soils as well as for swift adjustments/adaptations to local site-irregularities in the harsh volcanic Icelandic conditions. The good air flow and dual entries were much appreciated. Although tent-integrity never appeared threathened, glacier-plain wind forces made the poles flex horizontally a fair bit (good thing, no breakage risk). -Gerrit B.

"I love your gear, the Duplex tent is unreal especially with the free standing poles, made it very easy to find the perfect spot to sleep :)." -Devlin G.

"I have a tent problem: I can�t stop buying them. I�ve been tempted by Zpacks tents for a long time, but was able to resist since I have an aversion to non-freestanding tents. Then your Duplex Flex came along. It�s still amazingly light with the poles (1.5lbs lighter than my previous, smaller solo tent). It�s like Doctor Who�s TARDIS� somehow bigger on the inside than on the outside. It�s huge in there! I may be able to stop buying tents now. I�ve found the ultimate shelter. Here�s a picture of my Duplex Flex in Dolly Sods, Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia." -Shannon

"Just used my new Duplex Flex tent on a hike and really love it. You really have designed the best lightweight tent on the market. The freestanding tent pole setup really suits coastal hiking in Australia." -Rick V.

"Great designs � really forward thinking with the uses of Dyneema Composite Fabric in products. I personally think the Duplex Flex Tent Upgrade is brilliant. I was on a tent innovation committee with a mainstream company a few years back (I did a bunch of photography for them, and they invited me to participate), and I asked why something like what you did wouldn't work to turn some of their new tent designs to be free standing with added poles (when one doesn�t want to use trekking poles and when free standing is needed), I was told it was imposible. Clearly you had the wisdom to make it work, and matched it with a beautiful tent design." -Dave S., outdoortrailgear.com

"I ordered the Duplex Flex, and took it out for a long weekend test. The tent is great, gusts over 40MPH and the tent barely budged. We kept asking ourselves what we forgot at home, our normally light packs seemed unreasonably light with a shared quilt and an insanely light tent." -Dave S.

"Here is a photo of the Duplex Flex that I took while camping recently in Portugal. We love the everything about the tent and couldn't be happier! We are in Spain now and will surely be posting more pictures of the tent during our two year cycling tour." -Steve C.

"Attached is a photo of me looking very pleased with my Arc Blast and Duplex Flex Tent at Hance Rapids in the Grand Canyon, the first evening of my Tonto Trail hike a few weeks back." -Dinny P.

"Quick note from the AT, about 6 miles south of Pine Grove Furnace. Thanks for the great work on the camo Duplex Flex and for the flex upgrade on "ole blue". Both are performing flawlessly." -Dan V.

"Just used your Duplex Flex tent on the West Coast Trail in Vancouver Island - it was fabulous. Thanks so much for getting it to me in time. So light, so secure. It's a terrific design." -Michael E.

"I wanted to reach out and say that my son and I completed the Colorado Trail a few days ago and the Duplex Flex tent performed perfectly. We've had a wet July in the mountains and we had big winds and rain nearly every day. Attached is a pic one evening near Hermosa Peak outside of Durango. Thanks!" -Ed P.

"I camped on top of Max Patch in my Duplex Flex tent and 5F Zpacks Sleeping Bag in January. The temp got down to -1�F and the wind chill was -15�F. The top of Max Patch looked more like the surface of the moon. I posted a video on my YouTube (Plug-it In Hikes), but it really doesnt do it justice. The sleeping bag worked perfectly. I was also wearing my Goosefeet pants, socks, hood and jacket along with my Patagonia Thermal Weight Capilene top and bottoms and my Black Rock down beanie. To be honest I was on the edge of sweating. It was very toasty." -Benny Braden

"I spent the night at Mount Baker during a winter storm and tested out the new flex upgrade to my Duplex. The day was windy with gust to 35mph. The night became calm, but dropped a foot of powdery snow. The flex upgrade provided nice stability when used in addition to hiking poles. When used in snow, I attach 6 foot cord to the tie-down points so that I can create snow anchors (buried at least 1 foot in the snow). Here are a couple photos of my Duplex Flex Tent in the snow." -Chris F.

"I had used the Duplex tent for a few weeks in May without the flex poles and liked the tent, but had to fiddle with it a bit and get in just the right position inside to avoid touching the ends when lying down. The flex upgrade pulled out the walls just right making it feel much roomier while lying down or sitting up. I'm 6'1" and think that anyone taller than I am would find the tent awkward without the flex poles. I'm also very particular about getting nice, flat ground where I'm sleeping, so the ability to easily adjust the tent's location is a nice thing. I was planning to only use the poles sometimes, but after trying them out, I may find it hard to leave them behind." Ed S.

"Sofia and I have just returned from a 9 day hike on the Larapinta Trail in Australia. The Duplex Flex tent was fantastic. The minimal weight made a huge difference to the base weight of my pack. The tent was really easy and quick to pitch on a variety of terrain. While some people have commented on there being less privacy with the translucent fabric, we really liked seeing the profile of trees from inside the tent. Using the freestanding Flex poles in combination with our hiking poles provided a really rigid structure which we needed on our final night with winds gusting to well over 50 km/h. Would definitely recommend this tent! Looking forward to our next hike with the Duplex." -David M.