Shelter
Z Packs : Duplex 2P
In this edition, we are going to get our collective heads around Shelters!
I must start by saying again that this is my own opinion and may not reflect what others prefer and / or may have experienced. This is one of the most expensive pieces of equipment that you will invest in so you will want to get it right first time, or you may need to get acquainted with “Market Place”
Back to the Shelters, there are a number of questions you will need to ask yourself:
a. How much weight have I allocated to my Big Three? ( Backpack / Shelter/ Sleep System)
b. How much am I prepared to rough it?
c. Will I be using Trekking Poles?
I wish I had known these points before I ventured down to the local Kathmandu!
After much advice from the wonderful staff member and then some time deliberating the pros and cons of the many options on display I purchased a Nemo Hornet 2P ($569.95), all of the research indicated that this was the Shelter for me, Much to my surprise when setting this unit up for the first time in fair weather I found that whilst not overly difficult and I am sure that with a lot of practice I would be able to get the set up time down below 10 minutes this in fact was not the Shelter for me.
Back to the drawing board (Google) much to my surprise there is a whole range of manufacturers out there that do not make it to the Retail sector that Kathmandu, Anaconda and the Scout Shop and others fit into to.
With all of my research and new found knowledge I settled on a Z Packs Duplex Shelter ($699)
Pros
· Lightweight – 539g
· No Poles
· No Fly (Pro & Con)
· Easy to set up
· Takes up very little room in your pack
· Robust, and rips are easily repaired
· 2p Shelter
Cons
· The price ($699), you do pay for what you get.
· The product is out of America, no quick returns here!
· No Fly, only a con if you get condensation on the inside.
I have used this unit in the field for 5 nights and it worked as expected with plenty of room to organise your gear, in saying this the weather was exceptional