Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Just released, the new Zpacks Free Zip 2P Freestanding Tent is the brand’s latest dedicated freestanding shelter. It boasts a Dyneema Composite construction, includes lightweight carbon poles, and weighs under two pounds. Find everything you need to know here…
Products from Zpacks regularly take top spots in our annual Gear of the Year Awards, and while their shelters aren’t cheap, they’re among the lightest, best-designed tents we’ve used. They cater to lightweight backpackers and thru-hikers who prioritize efficiency and pack size, which applies to bikepackers as well. Plus, every shelter is constructed exclusively from US-made Dyneema Composite fabrics. Up until today, they’ve only had one other dedicated freestanding tent (alongside a freestanding conversion kit for their popular Duplex tent). While trekking pole tents make loads of sense for hikers, there are fewer benefits for those traveling by bike. That’s where Zpacks’ latest freestanding shelter comes in.
The Zpacks Free Zip 2P Freestanding Tent is a sub-two-pound (packed weight) tent that can be pitched quicker and in more places thanks to its freestanding design. It requires no stakes for a proper pitch but can use up to 10 in windy conditions. It pitches using four exterior-mounted Easton Carbon 6.3 poles in an X-frame shape that Zpacks’ says excels in windy conditions while also creating steep angles at the head and foot of the tent, resulting in a ton of of useable space. As a bonus for bikepackers, the poles pack down to just 12″ (30.5 cm) long.
The Free Zip 2P Freestanding Tent has zippered doors on both sides that can be opened up for increased ventilation or star gazing, and there’s an overhanging canopy that prevents dripping water from entering the tent. There are peak vents above each door, large rainbow zippers to easily access the inside, and the 5″ tall bathtub floor is 44″ x 86″ (112 cm x 2.18 m), leaving plenty of room for two standard-width sleeping pads and even some double sleeping pads. There are internal mesh pockets near each door, the entire tent is enclosed with Nano-Noseeum Insect Netting, and it can be packed down to around 6” x 12” (15 cm x 30 cm) including the tent poles. Other little details include magnetic door toggles, sewn and taped seams, and water-resistant exterior zippers.
The Zpacks Free Zip 2P Freestanding Tent is made from either .55 oz or .75 oz Dyneema Composite fabrics with a heavier 1.0 oz fabric on the floor for added durability. Zpacks says a groundsheet isn’t required, but they offer an optional one for those who need it. The total weight of the tent, poles, and tent pole sack is just 1.97 pounds (896 grams). Zpacks also includes a medium DCF stuff sack, DCF repair tape, two spare zipper sliders, and optional guylines, which add 24 grams. Stakes are not included. You’ll see a slight increase in weight with certain color options, as Burnt Orange, Dirt, and Spruce Green Dyneema use 0.75 oz Dyneema.
All of this Dyneema and carbon comes at a cost, as the Zpacks Free Zip 2P Tent is priced at a cool $899 USD. Like the rest of their tents, it is made in the USA using domestically produced materials and hardware. Learn more at Zpacks.com.
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