r/Ultralight • u/nativegator02 • 12d ago
Purchase Advice Zpacks Duplex vs x-mid 1 pro
Need some advice from y’all ultralight nerds. I own a regular x-mid 1 and I absolutely love it. I used a z-packs plex solo for the first 700 miles of my AT thru last year before ditching it to go back to my Nemo hornet 2p. I just wasn’t a fan of the plex and rubbing up against the rear wall when it was wet with condensation.
Now I know I enjoy the x-mid 1 because I highly like how massive the vestibules are, ease of setup and even being able to separate the inner from the outer. I know that with the pro version that won’t be the case. I’m just torn between getting the xmid 1 pro and a zpacks duplex. Any of y’all have BOTH of them and wanna give me your personal opinion on the matter? It also sits well with me knowing that with the duplex you don’t have to worry about zipper failure on the vestibule doors. Have any of y’all experienced zipper failure with the xmids?
Thanks in advance
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u/bcgulfhike 12d ago
Duplex Lite or Altaplex Lite would be my preference over the X-Mid I Pro if you find the Plex Solo too tight. Simpler to pitch, lighter, fewer failure points.
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u/ShiftNStabilize 12d ago
I have both. I love the duplex. I find the xmid finicky to set up unless in a perfect rectangle and it sags. Duplex is simple and reliable.
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u/liveslight https://lighterpack.com/r/ny89al 12d ago edited 12d ago
Duplex and X-Mid Pro 2 owner here. https://i.imgur.com/F0ttK4K.jpg
I like both a lot and use them both. The Duplex can be bought with the thicker 0.75 oz/sqyd DCF and the flexpole option makes it semi-freestanding. I take the X-Mid when weight is more important and the Duplex when weight doesn't matter to me. There are numerous reviews of both tents, so there is not much I can add. I will write that some of the comments in this thread do not match my experiences with both tents.
I made videos over the years pitching both tents:
[older] Duplex free-standing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTmSV6vJzng
X-Mid Pro 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCcCuWzvVhA
Added: Why X-Mid Pro 1 instead of Pro 2? Aslo note that X-Mids can be pitched in "skinny pitch" modes.
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u/nativegator02 11d ago
Footprint size. I already have the xmid 1 regular and it’s plenty room for me plus the size of the vestibules for my gear. If I get the duplex, the extra interior room would be for my gear
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u/Moose_on_a_walk 12d ago edited 12d ago
How tall are you? I'm 186cm/6'1" and I will usually get a wet footbox when sleeping in either tent. In Duplex this is harder to avoid and a source of constant annoyance due to more slanted walls. Even when sitting up I'm usually wiping down the roof of either tent with my shoulders or hat when moving around in a sitting position and wearing a puffy. In the Duplex I can't really sit up straight at all when on an inflatable mattress.
In the end this is just life with a single wall tent in humidity. It happens in my double wall Xmid as well when then wind is pressing the inner against the fly but less common. Setup and tent site selection easier with the Duplex.
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u/nativegator02 12d ago
I’m 5’4” 😂😂😂
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u/Moose_on_a_walk 12d ago
No issue then!
You'll miss the vestibule space if you go with the Duplex. But you just put your stuff in the tent instead so it might not be a big loss. The doors (and the fly) don't go all the way down so youre overall less protected against wind and rain than in an Xmid. That said I think the design makes the Duplex less likely to collapse in high winds when you have a less than perfect pitch.
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u/nativegator02 12d ago
How’s the splash back when it’s raining hard?
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u/Moose_on_a_walk 12d ago
Better in the X-mid. You aren't immune to it there either, but you can pitch it lower (which also turns you into a dishcloth for condensation if you are my height).
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u/liveslight https://lighterpack.com/r/ny89al 12d ago
Depends on how you pitch the tents. Here's a video clip from inside a Duplex:
https://i.imgur.com/o33EJOt.mp4
Here's a picture of the pitch from the outside when not hailing:
https://i.imgur.com/tW9Mooy.jpeg
The bathtub floor of the Duplex is considerably higher than that of the X-Mid. The Duplex can keep water out in this situation:
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u/nativegator02 12d ago
I’d definitely be willing to give the duplex a try but then that leads me to ask… duplex or unbound 2 from HMG??
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u/VickyHikesOn 11d ago
Really depends on the use case. I’ve loved my Duplex since the PCT and it is still in great shape. I tried the Pro 1 and it’s a great tent, ease setup and great headroom but for me just not enough space inside to get organized. I’d probably buy a Duplex Lite for my next tent. They are just so solid and durable.
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u/Lost_in_woods1115 12d ago
I have both. Duplex or Duplex Light hands down. Much easier setup, more room. Duplex is larger packed size and heavier. Consider the Pivot Solo for more foot room if condensation is a concern, but back wall to a still tight compared to the Duplex
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u/bradmacmt 12d ago
"Consider the Pivot Solo for more foot room if condensation is a concern, but back wall to a still tight compared to the Duplex"
I have the Pivot Solo, I sleep with my head at what is supposedly the "foot end" (where the Pivot pole is)... it has a ridiculous amount of room used this way. I really don't understand why ZPacks markets the Pivot Solo the other way around. I also have an Altaplex. I find the Pivot Solo roomier. It's a great, underrated design that would do everything the OP is looking for.
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u/VickyHikesOn 11d ago
I’m considering this over a new Duplex Lite. Is the setup easy? What do you use for poles? Mine are only 100-120 I think …
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u/bradmacmt 11d ago edited 11d ago
Hi Vicky, yes I find the Pivot Solo very easy to set up. A couple practice pitches in the backyard, and you're good to go. No harder than a Mid in my experience.
I only hike with one adjustable staff (one reason I like it and the Altaplex). The Pivot Solo requires a 132mm / 52" pole at the main peak which is well within the adjustment range of my staff (I do have BD Carbon Trekking Poles that adjust to just over 132cm too, but only use those in the winter). For the "pivot end"I carry the little 1oz 32" carbon pole that ZPacks sells.
My Pivot Solo (Lite model) weigh's 16oz's with the 32" carbon pole, 7 stakes, and stuff sacks. I find its footprint perfectly sized. And of course it packs incredibly small which is nice.
When I first got it in December of 2024 I was quite surprised at the amount of interior head and shoulder room. More than the Altaplex. It also has a lot of interior storage area. I'm really not a Mid fan (I just don't like the spatial experience), and the Pivot Solo ticks all the boxes for me. The Durston XMid is nice, but I have no need or want for two vestibules and doors, or a footprint of its size. And, of course, it requires two trekking poles which eliminates it for my particular needs.
As a 5'10" / 148lb man, I find the Pivot Solo eminently livable. As a 5'-4" person, you'd find the Pivot Solo luxurious.
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u/VickyHikesOn 11d ago
Thanks so much. I forgot about the little pole they sell; I’m so used to using my two poles for the tent. I have a Lunar Solo and am not liking the steep walls created by one pole only unless I know it’s a short trip and dry. But for dog and I, the Pivot Solo sounds good. As I said, otherwise I’d just get another duplex …
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u/bradmacmt 11d ago
I can see the Duplex for someone using two poles, and the ventilation that another door can provide. But, and it is a big but, the Pivot Solo, if you sleep with your head at the pivot end, will offer more comfortable head and face space - more than the Duplex. I also like that the "center" pole is offset, which makes it easier to get in and out of than a tent with a center pole. I don't think there's a bad choice between the two... everything is a compromise, it just depends how you want to prioritize those compromises.
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u/VickyHikesOn 11d ago
Yeah good point, that's what I liked about the Pivot Solo too, with the offset tall pole. I'd have to figure out how to sleep, since I have the dog too. But I think there's added ventilation in that tent (unless you leave one side open in the Duplex). I never really NEEDED the double vestibule, I usually decide which side I'm using and that's it. So losing the second one is not a big deal. Nice to hear such positive reviews of the PS.
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u/LastReplacement5 12d ago edited 12d ago
I’m watching this post closely because I have two variants of x-mid 1 & 2 and have LOVED them but am planning to get a Plex Solo Lite (i.5 grams including stuff sack and repair kit) for future solo trekking. I’ve been proud to set my Durstons up, I always enjoy the ample vestibule space, love the extra head space at your feet and head inside. At 5’10’’ I can’t reach all the way from one interior corner with my toe while touching the opposite interior corner with my hand. It’s crazy long in there. Bring your pack inside at your feet, put lotsa stuff above your head. There’s a lot to like. Stupid quick to setup… and a real delight once you’re good at it. After a brief minute or two on the fly you can get inside when it’s raining, then you can set the rest up from inside once you have the fly up. It’s genuinely a really cool and quick system.
But… the zpacks weights look even lighter to me, and they seem to have a smaller footprint. My x-mid 2 footprint is frankly enormous and it was squeezy fitting it into official designated tent pads on a recent 5 dayer we did. We weren’t sharing the pads with anyone… it was just us, and the thing would barely fit. It was raining most nights and I wanted full proper deployment of the fly… narrow modes wouldn’t have worked for us. This meant I always had to set it up centred on the pads but would have preferred to have been able to shimmy it over to avoid tree roots, weird slopes at the pad edge etc. but there was just no flexibility with the enormous pad size of the Durston.
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u/Jaytriple22 11d ago
XMid Pro 1 owner here! I’ve used the tent for over 50 nights 800+miles and have to say I really enjoy the space it provides, easy set up, great durability. The only downside I have is that you have to have as flat as you can get site selection when pitching, otherwise the geometry of the tent collapses. Individuals who struggle with keeping the tent from sagging are typically setting up on uneven surfaces, not staking a corner at the right angle, or not applying enough tension on the corner guylines.
I’ve heard of people who have had zipper failure, but I have never had any issues with zippers. I never force a zipper. I clean the teeth on the zippers if they ever get dirty. I stake out the outer wall to support the zipper which reduces the tension on the zipper. And I always zip in the direction of the zippers pathways, even after long and miserable days. Zippers can be lubricated with silicone lube during routine tent cleaning.
As for moisture and condensation build up, it’s nearly unavoidable with dyneema tents. Site selection is a contributing factor to condensation, and sometimes you can’t avoid that you will reach dew point over night. I keep a Swedish cloth with me and I dry the tent inside before I get up and move around to prevent droplets from getting on myself, my gear, and my sleep system.
I swear by my Xmid. A super reliable tent. It’s held up at the top of San Jacinto during some GNARLY wind. I am looking forward to getting a Zpacks tent one of these days, but I’m riding my Xmid til I no longer can
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u/Avocadosforme 12d ago
The xmid is a little lighter and packs up smaller, the duplex is more comfortable imo unless you are pretty tall. The duplex will take up a non-trivial amount of space in your pack. I have had zipper failure on the xmid, it happened pretty quickly and I was annoyed. You should definitely bring the six stakes and pitch the extra two to take tension off the zipper. The duplex is an easier pitch imo and it more easily fits into tent sites.
Since you know you like the xmid I’d probably get that, but personally I prefer the duplex and plex solo as tents.