Why My Zpacks Ultralight Tent is the Best Shelter I've Owned

 

After 200+ nights spent camping in my Zpacks Free Trio, I can comfortably say that it is the single greatest tent I've ever owned.

Sure, it’s spacious, easy to set up and take down, has an aesthetically pleasing shape, is human-made in the USA, and provides great shelter from those formidable mosquitos. But there are five additional performance features that really make it shine.

Highly Water Resistant

 

While you can't technically call a sewn shelter waterproof because of the micro holes made for the thread to pass through, I can say that in multiple days of consistent, heavy rain, the Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF) used to create my Zpacks Free Trio has never let any moisture in.

Every seam is sealed, every point of attachment is reinforced and sealed, and the bathtub-style floor has such a deep, stable, and well thought out shape that even that one time when I mistakenly set my tent up at the bottom of a concrete slope in the pouring rain and woke up in 2 inches of standing water, not a drop got in.

 

 

When it rains sideways, I batten down both doors so the inside stays dry, then fasten the flaps with the toggle to keep things snug and quiet. The purposeful space between the bottom of the doors and the ground allows air to continue flowing through the tent, mitigating condensation even when the flaps are closed down.

Dries Quickly

My Zpacks shelter is highly water resistant, yes, but it still gets wet in the rain or dew. However, it doesn't absorb the water, meaning you can wake up, tear down the shelter, and shake off most of the moisture.

Cue angelic music.

 

 

If you leave it out in the sun or wind, or  simply set it up in the air to dry, it takes mere minutes to get rid of any clinging drops both inside and out. Magic!

If you don't have time to let it dry in the morning, at least it isn't heavy, soggy and saggy like other tents that absorb water and add extra poundage. There’s also always the option of using a PackTowl or bandana to wipe condensation and other moisture off the shelter. 

Ultra Lightweight

 

I've owned a lot of tents, but I've never had one that was so spacious and yet so light at the same time.

Weighing in at 2.165 lbs / 34.6 oz, the Free Trio is one of the lightest 3-person tents on the market. Need I say more?

Super Packable

 

Spacious, lightweight and compact, the Zpacks Free Trio rolls up into a cylinder that's 7” in diameter and 13” in length. It easily stuffs into any ultralight backpack or bikepacking handlebar harness with plenty of room to spare.

The nature of DCF is that it's highly compressible, folds up easily, and gets these really cool creases in it that I like to think of as adventure scars. Just don't try to be a hero and pack it down as absolutely tight and small as humanly possible. It's not good for the tent.

Durable

 

Ultralight gear doesn't always have a great reputation for being durable, but this Zpacks DCF shelter has blown my expectations out of the water.

I've set it up well over 200 nights without a footprint, and while I aim to select surfaces that aren't rocky or rough, sometimes that's just not possible. It's seen its fair share of sharp rocks, pointy twigs, gravel, limestone, and abrasive sand pitches, all without any signs of wear and tear on the bottom floor.

 

 

The mesh has held its shape with only two tiny holes, both of which were easily repaired with fun Gear Aid patches. The zippers are still running as smooth as butter.

I'm hard on things and this tent has been easy on me.

Bonus — Amazing Customer Service

 

Somewhere around the 200th night of setting up my shelter, one of the ends on a carbon fiber pole broke. The UL gods must have been looking out for me, because there was a broken carbon fiber arrow shaft left for dead at the very primitive campsite where I was staying. I tied it to my broken pole with a piece of cord, which worked as the perfect brace.

When I reached out to Zpacks customer service the next day, they responded within hours, shipping a loaner set out to my next destination. They also provided a return shipping label so I could send my tent poles back and have them fixed at their warehouse.

The replacement poles showed up within 24 hours of my request (they got to town before I did!) and my poles were fixed within a week (and shipped out with a new stuff sack!)

Their customer service was fast, friendly and outstanding. I felt super taken care of. 

The Bad / Good News

 

After all of this hype, I have to tell you that Zpacks just sold out of the Free Trio and will no longer be manufacturing this fabulous tent.

HOWEVER . . . they have something even more brilliant coming down the pipe that will launch in early 2024. Their new ultralight shelter shares a lot of the same amazing performance features as the Free Trio, and has quite a few noteworthy updates too! Stay tuned.

In the meantime, the good news is that ALL Zpacks shelters share the same performance features — highly water-resistant, quick drying, ultralight, packable and durable — and come backed by outstanding customer service with a super solid two year warranty program. Even better, Zpacks most popular shelters are available on GGG, including their new Duplex Zip.

 

 

 

 

Ali Becker is a freelance adventure writer and narrative storyteller who shares compelling conversations about personal transformations, overcoming limitations, wellness education and adventurous situations. You can follow her rambling adventures on social at @thisisalibecker.