ZPacks Tent Floor Hack

[@waltersobchuk-khesanh]

Maybe I’m crazy, but when I put the sleep system down and my bag inside, the floor doesn’t flap around.

[@deKampeerwijzer]

If the floor is floating, you set it up to tight! We experienced this floating too but we figured out it had to do with setting up this tent to tight. You can set it up a bit lower, also recommended by Zpack for bad weather. Plus: with your sleeping pads and quilts and other stuff in your tent, the floor won't float anymore! Four or six extra loops, no way! This doubles this tents weight ;-).

[@PierceClark]

Thanks for watching!

[@timmayvsjimmay]

I have been pondering this exact hack for some time, just wasn’t sure how to implement it. Using the box is a solid solution. Really dig this. Great work and thank you.

[@PierceClark]

Thanks for watching!! No doubt the box was the trick!!

[@bonhzeppelin55]

Brilliant idea! Thank You!!! 👍

[@markswishereatsstuff2500]

Just waiting my loops from Zpacks to arrive. Will do the corners, trek pole location and a couple loops so I can string up a small clothesline inside for a light and such.

[@PierceClark]

Awesome! I hope it works well for you. Thanks for watching

[@WanderingMonkHikes]

My hiking buddy, Jason Kelly of Jason Outdoors, did a similar hack. Your details is very helpful. I’m ordering 6 of those loops for my duplex. Thanks. Looking forward to seeing your videos. Stay on the path! Monk

[@MrGoodaches]

I like this idea a bunch! We had been coping with the floor blowup issue by quickly tossing our pads and quilts inside. However, that didn't keep the corners in place. The corners would be up merely because of fabric set from being rolled up, or lifted by how the upper part of the tent is staked out. The corners being up is annoying for not being able to lay lightweight items near the corners without them sliding away and the high corners would hold our down quilts up to touch the single wall tent (wicking condesation). I too am very aware of Z-packs approval for no ground cloth but we still use one anyhow. The ground cloth provides us utility that exceeds the few ounces extra weight. I made our ground cloth of Tyvek and carefully sized tie out cords from the corners. We have the Duplex with self supporting tension poles - my ground cloth perfectly and consistently sets position of the four corners of our tent. This provides a quick, aesthically nice pitch of the tent without chasing around on readjustments. A one time, predictable, small tensioning pull on the four upper tie outs and set up is done. Tent corners never require adjustments because they are set to match ground cloth. The other big advantage of the ground cloth is not packing a dirty tent. Without ground cloth we'd be wrestling to not get the flopping, blowing top part of the tent dirty or muddy while trying to clean or dry off the bottom. We are able to roll up our clean tent on top of the ground cloth. The ground cloth is much easier to wipe off because we begin by folding clean side in and do a sandwich wipe of dirty side. Ground cloth is so insignificant in bulk that we roll it around the tent a drop them together in the Duplex's stuff sack. I'll be adding the corner tabs to our Duplex as shown in the vid. Even with the enormous extra weight of my ground cloth and the anvil weight penalty of these new tabs our shelter system will still be lighter than everyone in camp except the solo guy in a bivy or under a tarp.

[@PierceClark]

No doubt the little bit of weight is worth it to me. I had a few comments about adding weight to it and not using the ground sheet, but I really could care less about that, to me having the bottom of tent clean and corners secure is what I was after. Thanks for watching!!

[@eddysuyachmir2244]

@@PierceClark may I ask what ground cloth you are using. I am looking to buy a duplex and would rather use a ground sheet too. Thanks

[@eddysuyachmir2244]

@goodaches read Is it possible to post a pic of the groundsheet corners and how you managed to attach the tie out cords to the corners? And did you measure out the ground sheet exactly the same size as tent floor? Thanks

[@PierceClark]

@@eddysuyachmir2244 sure thing Eddy I will get some pics of it tonight when I get home and post here. I just used a piece of Tyvek house wrap for the ground sheet. As for as cutting the ground sheet to size I cut it to match what Zpacks page had for the duplex ground sheet which was 43" x 88" (the ground sheet is 2 inches shorter on the width and length than the tent itself). You don't want the ground sheet to extend out past the tent floor itself to keep water from pooling under tent floor. I just attached the tie outs to the ground sheet with the stick on loops from Zpacks. The whole process is very very easy.

[@nathandolenc554]

The squared off ground corners and the roof overhang will help prevent rain and condensation from coming in. Nice work!

[@PierceClark]

Thanks for watching!

[@rkatrails]

That's a great hack for those that don't mind the extra grams.

[@mtadams2009]

Nice work. Thanks so much.

[@PierceClark]

Thanks for watching

[@dperry7309]

For the price they’re asking, this should already be on the tent. Good job!

[@PierceClark]

Yeah, no doubt, but you have those crying because it added a couple more ounces to it. Thanks for watching.

[@IrregularPineapples]

... why would you need this??? it's completely unnecessary

[@PierceClark]

@@IrregularPineapples Because I wanted it!

[@IrregularPineapples]

@@PierceClark that's fine -- i just don't agree that it should be standard

[@PierceClark]

@@IrregularPineapples I wasn’t implying that it should be standard I just added it to mine because I didn’t like the floor blowing around when nothing was inside (which is rarely). Plus it was a good time killer. Thank you for watching..

[@justrusty]

I went ahead and modified my Duplex like this. Only had a chance to use it once and because of the site I was at, I couldn't quite get the tent pitched perfectly but it seems to work really well so far. I can't wait to see how it works on my long hike next year (about 5 weeks on the trail.)

[@PierceClark]

Thats awesome I hope it works out well for you .

[@ollakalla1]

Did this on my Mld mesh inner. Thank you 😊

[@Faceless2020]

This is a fantastic idea thank you

[@sundaymorninghikes6275]

The sound you hear is UL hikers screaming as the run away to crush another 30 mile day - those tabs and shock cord must add a whole extra ounce! The horror!!! All kidding aside, great hack! I like the neater appearance with the tub! Thanks for sharing.

[@KenLeonard]

5 seconds after my duplex is up, there are things inside to hold the floor down. This is OCD but if it makes you happy…

[@PierceClark]

Your right it’s just OCD, but I’m like you as soon as my tent is up my stuff is inside. Just trying something with this is all. The product itself is great. Thanks for watching

[@vincentc6919]

Great hack!!! will have to try this with my Plexamid...was wondering...the guy lines on the sides of the tent about half way up. You have those going straight to the ground. Have you tried using a stick and run the guy line away from the tent and over a vertical stick (branch) and then going to the ground to give you a more horizontal pull to open the tent up even more? I did this last week on a backpacking trip and it was a game changer. Really opened up the Plexamid. Anyway...great hack, thank you.

[@PierceClark]

Thanks for watching!! Oh yeah I a lot of times will raise the guys lines up like you described. It definitely gives more head room and ventilation as well.

[@wolfeadventures]

Zpacks sells pouches too that make it easy to capture the stick or hiking pole end as well.

[@USMC6976]

I modified my triplex using this method. thank you.

[@PierceClark]

Thank you for watching

[@berningklaus]

Hello, thanks for the great idea. I have had the duplex for 4 years and am very happy with it. Your idea to include the corners, the corners of the tent in the bracing - great. I come from Germany and have certainly not understood all your explanations verbatim, so my question: What height did you choose (distance between stick on loop to the mosquito net)? Thank you very much for your info. Many greetings Klaus

[@PierceClark]

I used approx 18 cm (7 inches) from the bottom outside corner. We placed a box inside to locate the exact corner and put the loop at the top of the box.

[@fortyoneshades]

Nice hack for the floor, although Z-packs says it's unnecessary to use a groundsheet with this tent. That floor is very tough. I guess to keep it clean if you don't mind carrying the extra ounces, but that kind of goes against buying an ultralight tent in the first place.

[@PierceClark]

Yeah it is just to keep it clean, I have used it both ways and I can't stand the dirt that gets on the bottom then have to pack it up. The ground sheets helps tremendously.

[@TheFleetcaptain210]

I use Tyvek for my Altaplex. I 'shaped the Tyvek to give me a bit of a groundsheet in the vestibule. This is handy to leave my shoes outside the tent. I too like keeping the dirt off the bottom of the tent and the Tyvek does give a little bit extra protection from potential punctures. I find the benefits of the ground sheet worth the extra few grams.

[@blakew5672]

I won’t actually do this, but it’s not a bad idea. Not sure how you set the tent up, but I’ve found the suggested 48” way too high for the trekking poles. The tent pitches much better with poles at 46” or even lower. I find the mesh around the tent perimeter is much too taunt at the suggested height and it doesn’t let the floor drop down like it should. As for the floor flapping in the wind I’ve found actually being inside of and using the tent controls it lol.

[@PierceClark]

I'm with you on that I usually set my poles at around 46" sometimes lower. Thanks for watching.

[@meganpetruccelli]

What trekking pole height are you pitching this at? You've got a great amount of bathtub floor youre working with!!

[@PierceClark]

Megan I am pretty sure they were at 48 inches, I will set it up again this weekend and verify.

[@bonhzeppelin55]

@@PierceClark Do you happen to know the suggested ideal trek pole ht. for the DupleXL? I guess I could ask zpacks, but lately I haven't been able to get a live agent on the phone or to chat! ☹️

[@PierceClark]

@@bonhzeppelin55 I’m sorry I don’t know that for the duplex xl

[@philslates1495]

Do you also have these loops on your groundcloth and what is your ground cloth made of and do they stick well.

[@PierceClark]

Yes I do have the same type loops on my ground sheet. The ground sheet is a piece of tyvek I cut. They do stick just as well to the ground sheet I have had zero issues.

[@glennandvirginiamencer9794]

question for the group- how do you keep yourself from sliding to the low side of the tent- pushing the our the side and allowing rain to run in through the netting?

[@PierceClark]

I use a piece of cabinet/drawer liner under my air mattress. Add a few more ounces but to me it’s worth it.

[@feralhikes8898]

Great idea!

[@carolreville2192]

How is this hack holding up? By far this issue is the most annoying about this tent. Too bad Zpacks isn’t offering this as an upgrade & manufacturing this into new ones.

[@PierceClark]

So far, I have had zero issues with it. As soon as it gets cooler here, I will be back out on trial a lot so that will tell the tell, but I am anticipating no problems.

[@carolreville2192]

@@PierceClark Thank you! I just filled my cart and for less than $30 I’m gonna do mine.

[@PierceClark]

@@carolreville2192 Thats awesome!!

[@boutthere3374]

It's such a good idea I kinda wonder why Zpacks was asleep on this? I'll be doing with my Duplex and Free Duo.

[@PierceClark]

Thanks for watching!

[@wolfeadventures]

It’s not needed. Once gear is inside the floor won’t float.