Made of Cuben fibre and weighing just under 700g (1.5lbs), excluding pegs for a true two person shelter, the Duplex has to been one of the lightest if not the lightest on the market. Whilst not cheap, if you value quality design and manufacture, lightweight, strength and space, then this may be the shelter for you. For a chap in his fifties, who needs to carry less weight, this provides a significant decrease in weight over other shelters I own without sacrificing comfort. The shelter comes with Cuben fibre stuff sack but pegs are not included. I use a combination of blue and black Easton pegs with the Duplex.
I have made a short video review, which show the attributes of this shelter.
Details of the Duplex tent can be found here
Will Wood’s Set up video here
You will see some un-used attachment tabs on the shelter in my video which are there to allow a free standing arrangment – seen here I don’t have this system.
Mark's walking blog 
Hi Mark,
Interesting you have gone from your ss1 to the Duplex. Like you, I have an SS1. I find
that I rarely use both porches as they are so big I find one more than adeqate. With good pegs etc
my SS1 weighs in at 1.100 kgs ,so I suppose you have saved around 400 grms which is a useful saving. I have looked at both the Duplex and Altaplex but my main concern is with all that mesh and the gaps around the side and porch it will be rather cold inside ,and a sleeping upgrade might be
needed which rather cancels out the weight saving ? Several rewiews I have read mention that the
wind/breeze can rip through. For example the inner in my SS1 is often 5 degrees above the porch
temp which I quite like.. Howver,there are some things I don’t like about the SS1 and I am considering an Altaplex at the moment as I like the height (which can be lowered to cut the wind ingress) and that it is slightly hex shaped. Another side to break the wind etc.Also it only needs one pole. Recently a twist lock on one of my Pacers jammed ,and caused some problems to put
it mildly.
Reviews I have read suggest the the Altaplex is good in high winds and was the only tent left standing on one site.. I appreciate the Altaplex is not so roomy as the Duplex,but still good.I was wondering if you had considered this tent when weighing up all those agonising pros and cons ?
Hope all is well with you ,and glad to see you are still getting out there
Hi Charles. I did consider the Altaplex but wanted some more room. I have a plan to take my 5 month old lab pup with me when she is old enough, so that is one of main reasons. Perhaps I would have gone with that one if it was not for that consideration. Also read that the front guy on the Altaplex can rip out in strong winds. As regards the breeze I may either take the SS1 or my Wickiup 3 for the winter or early spring. If I take the Duplex in cold weather might take my Borah Gear bivy to slip quilt into. Weighs 200g if my memory serves me correctly.
Hi Mark . I am sure your pup will be great company when she is older. Watch those claws on the expensive cuben ! I was concerned too about that front guyline. However I read Keith Foskett’s
review (on the Zpacks Altaplex page ) and he got round that potential prob by adding guys
to the two door rollback attachement points which gives a lot moore stability. Makes a lot of sense.
I may hold off my order for a while as in the current climate and strong dollar vs the £ the cost with
all charges vat etc , it’s looking at over £600. You could buy nearly two Scarp 1’s for that ! We all do seem to be increasingly seduced by cuben at the moment. Far cry from the old cotton/canvas tents in my younger days when you had to reproof them regularly.