Macpac Duolight Tent Review | The Tent That Keeps On Giving

When you’re venturing into the mountains on an extensive and challenging expedition, having confidence in your hiking tent is crucial. Fortunately, Macpac has consistently proven its reliability, and you can expect nothing less from the Macpac Duolight Tent.

We have been putting the Macpac Duolight Hiking Tent to the test for over 5 years now, pushing its limits in the harsh conditions of Tasmania and New Zealand. To our surprise, the Duolight barely has a scratch to show for all its hard years of service.

If you’re reading this review, chances are you’re looking for a sturdy tent that can handle rough conditions and comfortably accommodate you and your gear. We’re happy to report that this is where the Duolight Tent shines. However, nothing is flawless, and there are a few aspects to consider before purchasing this hiking tent.

In this article, I’ll share my honest review of the Macpac Duolight Tent. You’ll find details about each component, the reasons why we chose this tent and how it has performed over the past 5 years.

My Honest Review Of The Macpac Duolight Tent

Quick Info On The Macpac Duolight Tent

Price: $800 ($560 AUD members price – free to sign up)
Fly Fabric: 15D Nylon Ripstop with SI/PE coatings, 3,000mm Hydrostatic Head
Inner Fabric: 40D Nylon Ripstop
Floor Fabric: Torrentwear 40D PE Nylon Ripstop, 10,000 mm Hydrostatic Head
Weight: 2.33 kg 
Internal Peak Height: 109 cm
External Peak Height: 115 cm
Packed Size: 15 cm x 45 cm
Internal Size: 1050 x 2300 x 1400 mm
External Size: 1100 x 2315 x 2600 mm
Floor Area: 3.22m²
Vestibule Size: 1.36m²
Sustainability: N/A

The Macpac Duolight Tent is a free-standing 3 season backpacking tent designed with durability and comfort in mind. The spacious interior and impressive build quality make it a favourite for couples venturing deep into the rugged wilderness.

It’s difficult to find many negatives for the Duolight tent, aside from its slightly heavier weight compared to other popular 3-season tents – like the MSR Hubba Hubba or the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2. However, these lighter tents sacrifice size and comfort, not to mention the significantly higher price tag – which, in my opinion, isn’t worth it.

Who Is The Macpac Duolight Tent For?

The Macpac Duolight is the ideal tent for keen hikers with a strong need for a reliable tent to accompany them deep into the mountains. But it’s also a fantastic budget-conscious upgrade for beginners branching out to bigger hiking trips.

On top of its superior durability, the spacious interior is ideal for couples needing a little extra space to keep their belongings inside and safe from the weather and animals.

However, it’s because of these traits that the Duolight weighs slightly more than competing tents. So if you’re someone looking for an ultralight hiking tent to keep your overall pack weight down, the Macpac Duolight probably isn’t the tent for you. 

Packed Size & Weight

The Macpac Duolight 3-season tent certainly isn’t the lightest 2-person backpacking tent on the market, weighing 2.33 kg. Its additional weight is primarily due to its larger size and high durability characteristics. While you may appreciate the added comfort and toughness, it’s important to remember that this is one of the heavier 3-season hiking tents out there.

The Duolight is not just heavy, its packed size is also quite large. When packed, it forms a cylinder around 15 cm in diameter and 45 cm in length – which could pose an issue if you prefer to hike with smaller backpacks.

In saying that, the Macpac Duolight is by no means excessively bulky or heavy.

While the packed size and weight of the Duolight are definitely drawbacks, I have personally never found them to be problematic. The Duolight fits perfectly at the bottom of my Osprey Aether 85L Backpack and I am more than happy to compromise on the extra weight for the benefits of its durable fabric and size.

If weight is your main concern and the added comfort of a spacious tent isn’t a high priority for you, I’d recommend you check out Nemo Hornet Elite Osmo 2P. This ultralight tent has a great reputation, though there is no doubt that the Duolight is cheaper and will be more durable in the long run.

Interior Space & Comfort

If you’re looking for a backcountry tent that offers maximum space and comfort for livability, the Macpac Duolight will not let you down. The Macpac Duolight Tent boasts massive internal space when compared to competing tents in its category and was the ultimate reason behind our purchase.

The ample headroom and livable space that make the Duolight so comfortable are facilitated by a central ridge pole and its dome-like design. The pole structure maximises interior room, allowing for an average peak height of 1.09 m inside. This is easily tall enough for more than two people to sit up comfortably. The freestanding construction also keeps the tent base taut, even when camping on difficult terrain like rock or alpine grass. 

Another major benefit of the living space that the Macpac Duolight offers is the untapered and large footprint. At 1.4m wide, it accommodates two standard sleeping mats comfortably, leaving ample space for boots and gear beside them. And the 2.3 m length also provides enough room to fit your pack at your feet.

In addition to the tent’s interior, having two doors and vestibules massively increases comfort in bad weather. This allows both users to get in and out of the tent quickly and provides space to remove wet gear without having to wait for one another. The vestibules also offer plenty of space for storing gear outside and serve as a great cooking space when the weather turns south.

Due to the above reasons, our Macpac Duolight always becomes the group tent when the weather turns south. And in the 5 years we’ve owned it, I’ve never regretted buying such a spacious tent.

Build Quality and Durability

The Macpac Duolight Tent excels in durability, continuously surpassing our expectations with its tough fabric and high build quality that withstand even the most ferocious storms.

The Fly is made from a 15D nylon ripstop fabric that has proven to withstand the high winds and rains that frequent Tasmania. Furthermore, the inner lining and base of the tent are constructed with 40D Nylon Ripstop for even higher levels of durability. Thanks to these traits, this tent has kept us warm and dry on many hikes in Tasmania and New Zealand.

The Duolight is constructed with DAC Featherlite NSL poles that are 8.9 mm in diameter – this is on the thicker end for hiking tents. These poles show no signs of stress or wear and the shock cord is still as stretchy as it was when we first purchased the tent.

As good as this tent has been concerning durability, nothing is indestructible. The small issues we’ve faced during 5 years of heavy use have been a small rip in the mesh on the door panel (which was my fault), a tear in the tent bag and one of the guy ropes on the fly snapping. All of these issues were an easy fix.

But even with these small issues, the build quality of this tent has held strong throughout its life and only now has begun to show signs of ageing. While no holes have formed in the floor fabric – despite many nights camping on rock slabs and rough alpine terrain – the waterproofing has noticeably deteriorated in the base.

Now, if we’re caught in heavy rain, small puddles seep through during the night. While the current amount of water seeping in isn’t enough to raise any concern, it indicates that the tent is beginning to reach the end of its life. And let me tell you, it’s been a tough one.

With all that said, the Macpac Duolight has been our most reliable piece of hiking gear and has stuck with us since the beginning. It has endured the tough weather of the Western Arthurs Traverse, held strong in 80 km/h wind gusts on Mt Tyndall and saved us from the dreaded sandflies on Gillespies Pass Circuit. As a result, I highly recommend this tent to anyone looking for a reliable and tough backpacking tent.

Note: While Macpac states that this tent doesn’t need an extra footprint, we always place a nylon groundsheet under it for added protection.

Weather Protection

Waterproofing

The waterproof fly is factory seam-sealed and features a silicone coating on the outside to repel moisture and a PE coating on the inside to ensure a high level of waterproofing during downpours. The fly has now been upgraded to a 3,000 mm Hydrostatic Head rating on the new model, which we expect to perform even better than the flawless one we had – we never experienced any water leakage with the 1,200 mm HH fly, even in heavy rainstorms!

The tent’s base is made from a 40D waterproof lightweight ripstop nylon tub floor, rated to 10,000mm Hydrostatic Head. This floor is definitely tough, providing ample protection from ground debris and drafts. And despite our extensive use, camping on all sorts of rough terrain, it shows very little signs of wear.

However, it is the floor that is beginning to fail in terms of waterproofing.

As I mentioned above, after 5 years of heavy use, water is beginning to seep through our tent’s base. Even though the amount of water wasn’t concerning, we chose to send our tent off to Macpac to see if a repair was possible. Unfortunately, it wasn’t, but they offered us 40% off for the newest version of the Duolight. This wasn’t the outcome we were hoping for, but it was better than nothing and we still plan to use our original Duolight for car camping and as a backup.

Wind Resistance

Apart from a dry night’s sleep, what truly impresses us is the Duolight’s capability to withstand high winds. We’ve spent multiple nights worrying that our tent would survive the night, but it has always pulled through for us, withstanding gusts exceeding 80 km/h on several occasions.

Ventilation Of The Macpac Duolight

The main body of the Macpac Duolight is constructed with 40D nylon ripstop fabric and large amounts of mesh. This combination offers a great balance between durability and ventilation.

Additional ventilation is provided through the large top vents located on the fly. These vents are propped open by struts and fastened with velcro to keep them secure. Positioned on both sides of the tent, they effectively catch drafts and direct them through the mesh for increased airflow. Also, their clever design angle ensures efficient water runoff, preventing any water ingress during heavy rainfall.

We have primarily used this tent in cold environments. Throughout our adventures, we have always found the ventilation to be more than adequate, rarely feeling the need to open the top vents.

But if you live in a hot climate, perhaps a lighter tent lined with more mesh – such as the Sea To Summit Telos – will be better suited to your needs.

Set up And Pack Down

The Set-Up Of The Macpac Duolight Tent

Being a fully freestanding tent, the Macpac Duolight Tent has an extremely easy set-up process and can be fully pitched in less than 5 minutes.

To set up the tent, start by laying out the body on the ground and securing the corners to ensure a taut base. Take note of the corner with the yellow tag as this will help you align the fly correctly.

Next, attach the shock-corded pole system to all corners of the tent using the press stud mounts. Then, connect the rest of the tent inner to the poles via the simple clips to establish the structure. The Duolight’s rectangular shape allows the poles to be set up in any direction, which is especially useful during challenging weather conditions.

Finally, drape the fly over the tent and align the yellow tags for positioning guidance. Secure all four corners to the base via the simple clip system and peg out the vestibules and guy ropes to anchor the fly securely to the ground.

The Macpac Duolight has proven to be one of the easiest backcountry tents we’ve ever set up and after you do it a couple of times you’ll see why we have this opinion.

A really cool feature that Macpac have included in the Duolight tent is the inclusion of extra straps that can be clipped into the poles, allowing you to create the shape of the tent without the inner. This clever design lets you set up the fly first, keeping the inner dry and protected during rainy weather.

Pack Down

When it comes to packing down the tent, one of the most rewarding aspects is how easily it fits back into the tent bag.

To pack up, start by removing the fly and ideally hanging it up somewhere in the sun to dry. Then remove all of the pegs and poles from the tent and stow them in their respective pouches.

After that, fold the base into thirds (length-ways) before placing the poles, pegs, and fly on top. Finally, roll everything together to create a neat package stored in one tent bag for easy organisation.

If you would rather share the weight of the tent between you and your partner, you could keep the poles and pegs separate from the base and fly and pack them into different packs.

Features

Pegs

I am pleased to report that Macpac provides the right amount of pegs to stake out the tent completely. You’d be surprised just how common it is for brands to only include enough for the tent base and the vestibule – making you purchase more to stake out the guy ropes.

Furthermore, we are highly impressed with the lightweight alloy pegs. They are easy to remove and despite our frequent use – bashing them into hard ground on multiple occasions – none have bent or deformed.

Poles

As I mentioned above, Macpac uses the DAC Featherlite NSL poles for the Duolight. DAC is a popular manufacturing brand that boasts a reliable reputation for durable, long-lasting poles.

While some ultralight tents opt for thinner poles, the Macpac Duolight features an 8.9 mm diameter for its poles. This increases the strength and performance in strong winds. We’ve been incredibly impressed with these poles, which barely move in moderate winds and hold strong in ferocious weather.

Such a durable and strong design does mean they’re a little heavier, but this is a trade-off I am more than willing to accept for such a trustworthy design.

Guy Ropes

The Macpac Duolight tent is equipped with four strategically placed guy ropes, ensuring the tent remains secure and stable even in strong winds. Positioned at each corner, these ropes include adjustable fittings, allowing you to easily modify their length for optimal tension and protection.

Doors

There are two large doors on the Duolight, with a bungee tie to roll back one side of the fly and the inner door. The door design isn’t as good as others that allow you to open both sides for better views – or give you multiple opening options like the Zorali Summit Seeker.

However, this isn’t a deal breaker for us, we simply stuff the other side of the fly into the corner of the tent for a better view. 

One thing we do like about the doors is the fact that the zips rarely gets snagged. This is super beneficial when you’re trying not to let pesky bugs inside!

Pockets & Storage

You’ll find two large mesh pockets at either end of the Duolight tent, plus a hook at the peak to hang your headtorch.

The pockets serve well for stuffing light items, but they seem to sag a little if they get too heavy. If we could alter the design, we would ask for a smaller, water-resistant pocket on both sides near the head for phones.

Repairs Kit

The repairs kit included in the Macpac Duolight tent comes with spare fabric squares to patch small holes and a pole splint to fix a broken pole on the go. These are quite standard inclusions in repair kits for tents, but it would be nice to receive glue for the fabric squares as well.

Sustainability

Although the Macpac Duolight may not be sustainable in terms of materials, its impressive build quality ensures longevity, thereby reducing waste and contributing significantly to sustainability.

Macpac as a whole is striving to become more sustainable by introducing recycled products, using Bluesign-approved fabrics, incorporating fair trade materials, and maintaining their commitment to producing durable, high-quality gear.

Macpac offers a repair service in which they will assess and hopefully repair your gear at a fee. Unfortunately, they didn’t offer to repair our tent when we asked and instead offered a new base for almost the same price as the discount they offered for a completely new tent.

This annoyed us a little as the outcome wasn’t a very sustainable one. I assume that for less intricate gear they might be better at repairing instead of replacing, but I can’t personally comment on that.

It would be great to see Macpac developing more recycled content in their tents, built with the same ingenuity to ensure longevity, they just aren’t quite there yet.

If you would rather have a tent built with sustainability at the forefront, we recommend looking into the Nemo Dagger OSMO. It’s one of the only tents you’ll find made with 100% recycled materials and also has the quality to back it up. If we were looking for another 3-season tent, this is the one we would buy.

Value Of The Macpac Duolight

The Macpac Duolight offers great value when you consider what you’re getting for the $560 AUD it will set you back. While I have mentioned that the weight is somewhat of a turn-off for ultralight hikers, you will be hard-pressed to find a lighter tent in this price range with the same level of durability.

To unlock the discounted Macpac price, you need to become a member – which is free to do and just a way to add people to their email list. But after you purchase the tent, you can unsubscribe if you prefer not to receive marketing emails.

I chose the Macpac Duolight as our backcountry tent mainly due to its durable 40D nylon base and spacious living area. As I touched on earlier, the slight increase in weight wasn’t a concern for me as I would rather have a tent that can withstand the elements.

Some other features that have proven invaluable are having doors on either side of the tent, spacious vestibules that are great for cooking or changing out of wet gear and very solid pegs.

How It Performs

The Macpac Duolight has never let us down, exceeding our expectations in durability and space. It has kept us sheltered from the elements in many testing cold weather environments.

The only small issue we’ve faced up until now was one of the guy ropes snapping. This was mainly due to the rock slabs we were forced to camp on – but this was easily fixed by tying a simple knot.

Only now, after 5 years of heavy use, the base has begun to seep water. However, I believe that for most users, this tent will last much longer before encountering this issue. We will resolve this issue by purchasing a separate tent footprint and continue to use our original Duolight tent as a backup.

Overall, I have absolutely no hesitation recommending this tent to anyone looking for an extremely reliable shelter for the backcountry.

Where Do I Take My Macpac Duolight Tent?

This tent has been with us since before the beginning of Tracks Less Travelled, over 5 years ago. It has accompanied us on all of our hiking expeditions throughout Tasmania and New Zealand.

We have seen this tent flourish in all kinds of bad weather and have set it up in all sorts of difficult terrain – including rock slabs, alpine grass, rough forests and light snow.

I do not regret buying the Macpac Duolight at all and if I needed to purchase another 3-season tent, I would happily buy it again.

Final Thoughts

Other than a few minor issues, I am extremely happy with the Macpac Duolight Hiking Tent and would recommend it to any adventurer who is looking for a reliable tent for backcountry trips.

I hope this detailed Macpac Duolight Tent review has helped you make an informed decision on whether it is the right hiking tent for you. If you have any further questions or require any extra information, please leave a comment below or DM us on Instagram.

Happy Hiking 🙂