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  1. #1
    Registered User One Half's Avatar
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    Default Tent for a couple

    So my husband and I used to do a lot of backpacking together and then we had a child who became a teenager and didn't like to backpack. So the old tent eventually got used for car camping and stuff and then decommissioned due to wear and tear. I bought a BA UL1 a few years back because I decided I would go solo if we couldn't go as a couple. Now our son is approaching the point where he will be moving out and self supporting (maybe 2 years?) and we are getting back into backpacking as a couple.

    My husband is 6'3" and I am 5'3". We are still newlyweds (22 years last may) and we like our privacy and our space. We are planning on doing a thru hike in a couple years but will be able to get out and do some long-ish hikes before then. I was looking at tents and considering the Zpacks Triplex, both for now and for a thru hike. We are considering a triplex for all the "extra room" in case we want to sleep in later, spend a rainy day not hiking but not in town, etc. The cost isn't a factor so long as it has the value we are looking for - space, lightweight, durability with care, etc.

    So I am looking for anyone who thru hiked (any long trail) with another person in the same tent and which tent you used-pros and cons, etc. Specifically looking at this size because of my husband's height.

    Thanks for any feedback!
    https://tinyurl.com/MyFDresults

    A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~Paul Dudley White

  2. #2
    Registered User One Half's Avatar
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    one of my concerns is finding enough space to pitch it.
    https://tinyurl.com/MyFDresults

    A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~Paul Dudley White

  3. #3
    Registered User Grunt's Avatar
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    After 10+ years of backpacking the AT I share your concern about space. I've owned several tents over that time and have seen many many others in the field. Weight is always a consideration for me but more important is space. I tend to sleep with ALL my gear and as I begin to mellow (getting old) I really like the space. Recently I purchased a Pyramid 4 from My Trail Co (old Golite).... it is humongous, but I use it with 3 grandboys for any kind of camping. I'm actually taking it on a section-hike through the Shenandoah's in two weeks with my buddy and although finding space will be a challenge... it nice to have a tent you can STAND up in. My Trail also offers a 3 person; probably more better suit for two that offers LOTS of space and standing room for you... your husband will have to bend over. These are teepee tents with a single pole in the center.... DON'T let that brother you; it has never been a problem. You don't see these style tents out there and I just don't know WHY??? Your concern over finding tent space is for the most part unfounded except perhaps in the Smokies and Shenandoah's NP.... I'd rather say in my tent than most shelters and I don't remember having too much difficulty in finding a tenting site. Just saying..... check out their tents.... I also have a Golite Imogene 2P that they sell under another name... love it very much.... think it comes as a 3P also...

  4. #4
    Registered User zachzz12's Avatar
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    My GF, our Husky, and I love our Marmot Limelight 4P @ 8.8lbs. we split the weight (poles and rain fly / tent) and the husky carries stakes. so her and I carry ~4lbs

    Pro's : we can stand up and change in private. its large enough to hangout in comfortably in bad weather and host a new friend if an emergency occurred. share the weight ( zpacks are so light, is it even a concern)

    Cons : i have to work Monday - Friday and cant hike w my gf, tent, and dog full time
    introduced to backpacking on my 21st in the red river gorge, KY (2012)

    2015 salkantay trek - Glamping

    16'-17' amicalola--> Fontana dam

    7 days solo on Huayhuash circuit!! 9/17

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by PennyPincher View Post
    So my husband and I used to do a lot of backpacking together and then we had a child who became a teenager and didn't like to backpack. So the old tent eventually got used for car camping and stuff and then decommissioned due to wear and tear. I bought a BA UL1 a few years back because I decided I would go solo if we couldn't go as a couple. Now our son is approaching the point where he will be moving out and self supporting (maybe 2 years?) and we are getting back into backpacking as a couple.

    My husband is 6'3" and I am 5'3". We are still newlyweds (22 years last may) and we like our privacy and our space. We are planning on doing a thru hike in a couple years but will be able to get out and do some long-ish hikes before then. I was looking at tents and considering the Zpacks Triplex, both for now and for a thru hike. We are considering a triplex for all the "extra room" in case we want to sleep in later, spend a rainy day not hiking but not in town, etc. The cost isn't a factor so long as it has the value we are looking for - space, lightweight, durability with care, etc.

    So I am looking for anyone who thru hiked (any long trail) with another person in the same tent and which tent you used-pros and cons, etc. Specifically looking at this size because of my husband's height.

    Thanks for any feedback!
    Not a thru-hiker, but I did get a kick out of someone with the username "pennypincher" looking at a $700+ tent

  6. #6
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    We got a Luna Duo after researching the space issue, and it has plenty of room, and headroom and for it's size (3 in a pinch) we have not had a problem finding space for it and per person is pretty light. Couldn't justify the price for the z-pack model as we are not planning a thru, but for a thru I would consider cuban in a heartbeat (which I did get for my thru for one person and would do again).

    However some drawbacks, well one primary drawback, of an expensive tent is if you ever intend to use it car camping or base camp camping it will give you pause to leave a $700 tent. I would be tempted to take it with me, and for it's weight not a bad penalty, jsut consider all it's uses and see if a uber-expensive tent is the way to go, or perhaps better for your present needs to go cheaper, then spring for the cuban $$$ when your thru is imminent. Also consider that it is possible, and perhaps likely that the price for cuban fiber will fall in upcoming years or a new alternative material will come about.

    As for cuban for tenting material, it is wonderful, better than silnylon in almost all categories except wear and money.

  7. #7
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    Your husband's height is kinda on the outer limits of many tent designs. The resurrection of Go-Lite is a good option, as stated above. Another is Bear Paw Wilderness, http://www.bearpawwd.com/. The make both Sil-nylon and cuben fiber products.

    I am 6'1" and the BA Copper Spur UL designs work ok. The UL 4 is about 6#, pretty robust and advertises a 96" width.

  8. #8
    Registered User KDogg's Avatar
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    I solo hiked with a Duplex and met two couples hiking with a Triplex. They loved the Tri as much as I loved the Duplex. Not sure I would go cuben if I hadn't been doing a thru-hike though. Might have gone for something a bit more robust but not going to get rid of it now

  9. #9
    Registered User One Half's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SWODaddy View Post
    Not a thru-hiker, but I did get a kick out of someone with the username "pennypincher" looking at a $700+ tent
    I knew people would like that! And I should have added that we are looking at ultralight options. No heavy tents or backpacks for us!
    https://tinyurl.com/MyFDresults

    A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~Paul Dudley White

  10. #10
    Registered User One Half's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Starchild View Post

    As for cuban for tenting material, it is wonderful, better than silnylon in almost all categories except wear and money.
    I am a little confused. Cuben more expensive, weight comparable? and much more expensive. Am I reading this right? And is silnylon more durable?

    Quote Originally Posted by Hosh View Post
    Your husband's height is kinda on the outer limits of many tent designs. The resurrection of Go-Lite is a good option, as stated above. Another is Bear Paw Wilderness, http://www.bearpawwd.com/. The make both Sil-nylon and cuben fiber products.

    I am 6'1" and the BA Copper Spur UL designs work ok. The UL 4 is about 6#, pretty robust and advertises a 96" width.
    Thanks for the link to bearpawwd. Prices are much nicer than zpacks. just wondering on durability as compared to cuben. weight looks similar.
    https://tinyurl.com/MyFDresults

    A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~Paul Dudley White

  11. #11
    Registered User One Half's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PennyPincher View Post
    I am a little confused. Cuben more expensive, weight comparable? and much more expensive. Am I reading this right? And is silnylon more durable?



    Thanks for the link to bearpawwd. Prices are much nicer than zpacks. just wondering on durability as compared to cuben. weight looks similar.
    after more perusing I see that the Luna has no floor which explains the cost and weight. There are floors I can buy but then that doesn't give you any bug protection since they are separate pieces. hmmmm... I can see this will take more research but please keep the suggestions/experiences coming!
    https://tinyurl.com/MyFDresults

    A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~Paul Dudley White

  12. #12
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    I don't have much experience with cuben other than an 8.5'x11' tarp. I think cuben has less abrasion resistance and maybe less puncture resistance than sil-nylon. I thought Joe Valesko @ Zpacks said he had pretty well wore out his shelter after completing the AT. Not sure an ultra light sil-nylon tent would fair much better. My experience in the west is that granite tends to wear fabrics much faster than dirt or forest duff. A piece of poly-cro is a lightweight option that is pretty tough.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by PennyPincher View Post
    I knew people would like that! And I should have added that we are looking at ultralight options. No heavy tents or backpacks for us!
    Haven't seen this talked about much here, but considering your size/weight requirements... The MSR "Thru-Hiker" tent (3P) has an interior dimension of 84" (7') by 64". The mesh tent and fly pack separately and look to be around a pound each. Doubt you could pitch this tent in as many places as you could the Triplex, but it's an option.

    http://www.cascadedesigns.com/msr/te...helter/product


    Thru_Hiker_Wings_1_.jpg

  14. #14
    Registered User LIhikers's Avatar
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    My wife and I use a Tarptent Rainshadow II.
    It does a good job keeping out the bugs and weather while providing plenty of space and privacy.
    We even have room to include our 90 pound shepherd dog.

  15. #15

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    I used the Zpacks duplex for myself and it had enough space for me at 6'2". I found that pitching it with my poles slightly shorter than recommended allowed the tent to be longer and gave me more space. I saw a number of couples, some using the Duplex and others the triplex.. It seemed to me that the triplex doesn't setup as well as the duplex. It is too wide. If you feel the Duplex would be wide enough for the two of you, I would recommend that.

  16. #16

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    Cons of any zpacks cubed fiber tent - I thru hiked without a ground cloth and got a number of holes in the bottom. However, I frequently stealth camped, and at least a dozen times I camped in unestablished areas well off the trail. No problems with the top of the tent, however and I had the lightweight version (.51 oz/Sq yd).

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by PennyPincher View Post
    I am a little confused. Cuben more expensive, weight comparable? and much more expensive. Am I reading this right? And is silnylon more durable?
    Sorry, it was a quick post, Cuban is an ideal tent material except for it does wear faster and cost more. Cuban's pluses are light weight, repairability, no sag and limited water holding ability.

  18. #18
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    My husband is 6' and I am 5'3". Last year we used the BA Copper Spur3. It was easy to set up, held up in some pretty intense weather and felt plenty roomy inside. We used it for 5 1/2 months and it still is in decent shape. We divided the tent between us so it was pretty lightweight.

  19. #19
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    When Im hiking, I spend very little time in the tent. I'm 6'3" and my GF is 5'3" and we use a SMD Haven tarp in silnylon. It weighs just over 2 pounds. Plenty of room for me. Enough room for packs and shoes under the tarp or under the vestibules. Never spent an entire day just sitting in it, though. Think I would get stir crazy and want to hike.

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