Thread: Zpack tents and other dyneema tents???

So, heading into fiordland for the ballot and wanting to reduce weight. Looking at he Dyneema type tents.
Wondering if anyone has any real world experience with them.
Half tye onlinereviews are written by people hike through hikes in the USA where the weather is. Little more stable.

Leta hear some nz experience..
Cheers

Fiordland is not really the kind of place you want to be relying on a lightweight shelter such as the Zpacks offerings

Originally Posted by robhughes-games

So, heading into fiordland for the ballot and wanting to reduce weight. Looking at he Dyneema type tents.
Wondering if anyone has any real world experience with them.
Half tye onlinereviews are written by people hike through hikes in the USA where the weather is. Little more stable.

Leta hear some nz experience..
Cheers

I love lightweight shit and push the limits a bit hunting with a tarp and bivvy pretty much solely except in winter but from what I have gathered I agree with Ryan. Fiordland is not the place for them especially as most really light options don't have mesh and ares single wall leading to condensation issues which are a major if you get stuck in the tent all week which is likely.

Originally Posted by Stocky

I love lightweight shit and push the limits a bit hunting with a tarp and bivvy pretty much solely except in winter but from what I have gathered I agree with Ryan. Fiordland is not the place for them especially as most really light options don't have mesh and ares single wall leading to condensation issues which are a major if you get stuck in the tent all week which is likely.

Actually to be fair bringinh one to use in the tops but accepting if the weather hits you are going to have to drop back to a more substantial base camp in a valley might work out but even then.

I'm going to go against what other have said. I have looked into buying a Dymeema tent but got put off by a couple of things but what I did learn is Dyneema is a bloody tough material, a lot stronger than your average tent material. Some of those z pack tents are a bit lacking in material as a second layer though and use mesh to keep the weight and price down. If you could find a tent made of of Dyneema that is double walled then this would be a goer in Fiordland. One of the issues that turned me off is that when it rains, apparently its like living in a big bass drum.

Originally Posted by possum_shooter

I'm going to go against what other have said. I have looked into buying a Dymeema tent but got put off by a couple of things but what I did learn is Dyneema is a bloody tough material, a lot stronger than your average tent material. Some of those z pack tents are a bit lacking in material as a second layer though and use mesh to keep the weight and price down. If you could find a tent made of of Dyneema that is double walled then this would be a goer in Fiordland. One of the issues that turned me off is that when it rains, apparently its like living in a big bass drum.

People pay for that white noise shit mate. In fairness those people also salivate over kale

Originally Posted by possum_shooter

I'm going to go against what other have said. I have looked into buying a Dymeema tent but got put off by a couple of things but what I did learn is Dyneema is a bloody tough material, a lot stronger than your average tent material. Some of those z pack tents are a bit lacking in material as a second layer though and use mesh to keep the weight and price down. If you could find a tent made of of Dyneema that is double walled then this would be a goer in Fiordland. One of the issues that turned me off is that when it rains, apparently its like living in a big bass drum.

There's no problems with the material itself the problem being that most of those tents are not designed to handle extended periods of wet weather and heavy winds etc. I know for the sake of even half a kg more I'd be looking at something as robust as possible with a decent bathtub floor area and good wind loading.
We camped out in the Bush in wapiti River a couple years back thinking that we would be afforded some kind of shelter from a storm that bought heavy rain and wind for 48hours and even with decent tents it wasn't the most fun experience, there were branches falling from trees etc which made us nervous and almost want to avoid "sheltered" areas for the rest of the trip.
You need to cover all your bases in an area like that not just "make do" it's a wild place and it's chewed up and spat out its fair share of the ill prepared

Originally Posted by possum_shooter

I'm going to go against what other have said. I have looked into buying a Dymeema tent but got put off by a couple of things but what I did learn is Dyneema is a bloody tough material, a lot stronger than your average tent material. Some of those z pack tents are a bit lacking in material as a second layer though and use mesh to keep the weight and price down. If you could find a tent made of of Dyneema that is double walled then this would be a goer in Fiordland. One of the issues that turned me off is that when it rains, apparently its like living in a big bass drum.

Yeh I have not problems with the material. I have issues with the design and they aren't that much lighter when they are double walled. For example look at the MLD Duomid pyramid style. The do extremely well in wind etc but by the time they are double walled they weigh quite a bit more than the likes of the duplex your probably looking at. Also by adding a second wall you end up with less space. Not that they won't work but cost is very high by the time you get setup in one that does. I'm thinking about the MLD but definitely wouldn't buy it for fiordland specifically as I'd have to test the shit out of it first. Also when it tears it tears. Id be stoked though if you do go down this route and document how it went for you for future reference.

https://www.tarptent.com/product/notch-li/
Has a double wall.

Originally Posted by robhughes-games

https://www.tarptent.com/product/notch-li/
Has a double wall.

Doesn't look like a great design for the wind you might experience in Fiordland.

https://youtu.be/UlRUmBAaiWM
https://youtu.be/hpwOpzNmoXQ
https://youtu.be/jwiJLbIl04w

Just back from Stewart Island with 10 days use of my Z-Packs Duplex and freestanding kit. Like all similar tents works best with a level surface. Floor is a solid tub with fabric sides which meant I stay dry and wasn't eaten by sandflies. Had some condensation because I had the sides too close to the ground, fixed by creating the gap that helps ensure a flow of air. Probably a bit small for that long but it worked well and took a pounding with some wind and rain.

I tried staying in the fiordland tops with a light set up. had a huntech bivvy bag and a macpack tent outer . weather came in after dark and i got wet , was a long night shivering till dawn so i could bail out of there. single layer tent will get wet then every gust will shake the water off onto you, not ideal.

Originally Posted by Tikka7mm08

Just back from Stewart Island with 10 days use of my Z-Packs Duplex and freestanding kit. Like all similar tents works best with a level surface. Floor is a solid tub with fabric sides which meant I stay dry and wasn't eaten by sandflies. Had some condensation because I had the sides too close to the ground, fixed by creating the gap that helps ensure a flow of air. Probably a bit small for that long but it worked well and took a pounding with some wind and rain.

Did it sustain any damage?


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No. Just wear and tear.

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