Oh sweet mercy it's even better than I thought 😅 So I just got back from 8 days on the Tour du Mont Blanc and wild camped all but one of the days, and this thing performed amazingly. I almost want to make an update video. In hindsight, I feel like I was a bit harsh on the interior space of this, it's definitely no Deschutes Plus (though that tarp is ridiculous for floor space), but I always had enough room, and even slept with my backpack in the inner tent with me a few nights. Also, we had a storm blow through when we were camping next to a refuge one night, and after a lot of hail, and some really strong gusts, 3 tents collapsed 😶 But not the XMid! My friend's Nemo tent (after a partial collapse he propped up) also held up well, and so as I was standing with the people who were now sleeping in the communal area shelter, someone remarked, "Ok, so next tent I need either a Nemo or an XMid, got it." I also got to use the peak guylines for the first time and they definitely helped. Condensation was good compared to other tents, however there were some days were it was just unavoidable and every tent was drenched. On those times, I loved being able to unclip the inner, and keep that separate from the tarp. In the noon sun, they all dried out quick. I do have one bigger complaint. During that big storm, I had one of the corner linelocs fail on me, not catastrophically, but it just let out the tension all at once and after the storm I found the line at max extension. It held, but it troubled me that during the storm, it let released tension. On later nights when I feared a storm, I staked the front facing corners at full extension for peace of mind which is annoying but not the end of the world. This might be an issue of me getting my lineloc cord order mixed up (which goes on top vs under) because at the time I didn't think to check that, so next time I take this out (possibly next weekend), I'll take a look at that. I did discover some nitpicks, I wish there were pockets by the doors. I overall prefer the new headroom pockets compared to the long trough pocket, but I want more space. Additionally, some small loops at the peaks would have been nice so I could string a line for hanging socks and shirts to dry while sleeping. That's easy to add on my own though, and I know not everyone uses them. Overall, this thing is absolutely my new go-to shelter. It's so easy to set up, storm worthy, comfortable, more spacious than I expected, and just so darn easy to enjoy. It reminds me of how I felt about the G4-20, it just melted into the background of my adventure, putting a smile on my face when I used it, and never distracting me from the journey.
@@BluTrollPro The 2p was sold out in less than 5 minutes and the 1p did last about 1h indeed. I managed to buy the Kakwa with both X-Mids 1p and 2p. I'm used to tents like zpacks so I'll see. They look promising.
I know you posted this almost a year ago, but this is one of the most well-made videos I've seen on this. Absolutely awesome editing, you've gained a subscriber from me.
What an excellent video. Well edited, well presented and very informative. Thanks very much for sharing this. I've just bought the new version and this was a brilliant insight.
Great video of first impressions. I too was able to click through to the payment button in that pre-release earlier this year and my tent arrived last week. I tried it out on an overnight trip to a provincial park and found it to be a great size inside, even with my LW Nemo tensor pad. I had space at the head and foot for a couple of small stuff sacks and some other small items. Lots of room in the vestibule for my 65 l pack which I lay on a folded contractor bag (can also use it to out the pack in if windy rainy. Yesterday I took a 3 ml contractor garbage bag, cut it along both sides and opened it along the bottom seam. I put it under the inner and trimmed a bit off on side and the ends to make a homemade lightweight ground sheet for the inner. I really enjoy your videos. Very well done.
Thank you 🙂 I'm pinning this comment for now so others can see your real-world impressions, I appreciate you sharing! Glad to hear you enjoy it and got lucky with the pre-sale!
Wooowww!! What the heck?? This is by FAR the best video I've seen on the Xmid durston tent I've seen!!! That was some incredible footage, editing, and directing!!! This was just so beautifully done, and engaging, I really enjoyed it!! Thank you for taking the time to make such a thorough and wonderful comparison review!!
Your augmented reality motion graphics flourishes are really fantastic. You should do more gear videos like this, I think your subscriber base would explode.
Love this video, not overly long. Great editing, and valid points. I just got the xmid 2p and love it so far. I will say while setting up in my front yard a sharp piece of grass or shrub (idk poky stick like thing) went through the floor, so I got a piece of polycro for a ground sheet (extra strength window shrink wrap essentially). I'm 6'4" 200lb so I really do enjoy the space in the 2p. I also have a dagger 2p for when I can split the weight with my gf, but love the xmid for soloing it.
Awesome review! I use a MYOG polycro groundsheet with this tent that extends to the edges of the fly so I can lay out my gear on a dry/clean surface. To me, I don't notice any sacrifice in interior space because of this. Also, your collegiate loop video was great. I'm thinking about doing that or the TRT this summer. Thanks for the great content!
Ive had my 2nd gen XMid1 for about a year now. Its becone absolutely ideal. Proven itself in all sorts of weather, and livability (the offset doorway is easier to get in and out of vs a pole in the middle of the opening. I'm contemplating now the xmid 1 or 2 Solid for dustier locations.
The X-mid's limited interior space is balanced by the spacious dual vestibules. I prefer the limited space because I want my sleep space clear of any "dirty gear." I keep everything in the vestibules and keep my sleeping gear clean and dry.
Thank you for this well-done and concise review. My X-Mid 2 Solid is arriving today, and I can hardly wait to get this out into our local Cascade mountains. My wife and I have been using a well known MSR 2 person tent for several years, but have been looking for a lighter weight option that will hold up in mountain storms. When I first came across the Durston, I got very excited, and every review like this one confirms that the Durston tent may be “the One” for us. I just subscribed and am looking forward to exploring your content!
Lol I'm kinda in the same position as you, as in, it touched my case when you said MSR 2p because that's actually the tent that me and my bf are about to buy ourselves!! The MSR elixir 2 right?? And then the xmid tone into the picture!! Lol it seems tempting!! But, I still want to have this MSR tent first. Let me ask though, as a couple, how did you find the space in this MSR tent? Did you have 2 wide mats? Did you have enough space for your belongings?? How cramped did it feel??
@@bluebellcrushedvelvet , ours is the Hubba Hubba NX2, and it’s a fine tent that can fit two 25” sleep pads easily. It has held up to some mighty winds in the Cascades, but it weighs nearly twice that of the Durston. We’ve now used the Durston twice and love it for its spaciousness, ease of set up and small packed size.
@@Muhlenburger ok good to know. Yeah I prefer the elixir actually, I feel like the design is much better for the climate and all the tent features actually! It's not always about just weight! Yep it's what we have been doing with our tent also. Only a small amount left over inside
I'm so excited for these to come back in stock! Dan has really impressed me, especially with this tent. I was looking at the Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo, and while that tent has more interior space and width, this tent seems to be overall the best value on the market for the borderline ultralight tents outside of Dyneema. If nothing changes, this is the tent I'm bringing with me on my 2023 AT thru hike. 4:17 No pun intended? haha
Thanks! I actually did finally take it out on an overnight last Friday and it performed excellently (in super easy conditions) but the best thing was that it was roomier than I thought. I stashed stuff on either side of my quilt, and even put my backpack down by my foot with plenty of space up top. I am super excited to take this onto the TMB in July, I think it will work wonderfully.
I'd love to hear more about your journey crossing over to winter hammocking. I'm a hammock guy myself but it isn't unusual to hear people say the opposite. I like winter hammocking, but I'm a weirdo and prefer to use my insulated sleeping pad over an underquilt
I would love to make a video talking about how/why I arrived on my current shelter/sleep set-up, thanks for the idea! However I also have like 5 million other hobbies that I want to give attention to (plus...I have a job 😅) and there's only so much time!
I camped the first time in my X-Mid 1p, 2 gen a few days ago. I camp from a canoe or a motorcycle. It seemed to do the job effortlessly. In 3weeks, it will serve me on a 6 day river trip in Michigan, moving every day. Being a smaller package than my other 1 person tent is a small plus. But, being roomier, better ventilated, and more vestibule space are big plusses. I would guess that you can sell your older X-Mid pretty easily. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
Thanks for the field report! Haha I have debated about selling my Gen 1 XMid but it's still a good tent and I want to loan it out to people when I take them on trips :P So I think I'll hang onto it for now.
Very lucky! I just couldn't justify the 2P Pro, I'm exclusively solo backpacking for the foreseeable future but I always have the poly 2P if that changes
Great video! You have obviously taken great care with the video shots and also the sound quality as well. One of the best I've seen and I've just subscribed. My X-Mid 1p solid arrived a couple of weeks ago and I'm itching to get out and try it. One query: I saw you pitched with the walking poles handle up, not with the pole tip through the grommet at the top. Is that because you are concerned the tip could slip out and damage the tent? That is certainly my concern, but then, tip down, are the pole handles secure at the top of the tent in a wind?
Don’t make the same mistake you did with your first one lol. I’ve got the prior model as well and found the mesh interior would collapse inward and limit the interior space. I am glad he’s addressed these issues with the newer model. Maybe I will be able to score one when the shippments go on sale next year.
Organized, straight to the point, informative and satisfying. Those motion graphics look smooth and professional and really adds to the delivery. Were they done in after effects? It would be great if you could make a quick tutorial on them. I am an amateur video editor and would love to create these graphics. 🤩
Thank you thank you 😊 I did all of this in the free version of DaVinci Resolve 17, the Fusion VFX editor is surprisingly powerful and a direct competitor to After Effects, but since it's built into the program you don't have to roundtrip things. I'd love to do tutorials and stuff but I'm in the deep end of finishing up a video from the Alps and that's taking up my free time 😅 (been working on it for 3 months!) I learned this by searching "glowing line tutorial DaVinci Resolve Fusion" or similar and messing around with stuff. But once I got the hang of it, making all this was surprisingly easy so I'll be including a lot more in future videos I hope!
Thanks!! Haha I don't know much about shoes, but I found these Saucony Peregrines at REI garage sale and have always wanted to try them. I've tried Altra, Hoka, Topo, and now Saucony, but the Topo's are just so solid I don't think I'll move away from them for a while. These Peregrines are honestly more my everyday shoe since they don't aggravate a metatarsal stress-fracture I'm letting heal. Maybe if I learn a ton about shoes I'll make a video chronicling my experience.
Very nice! Great sound quality on the voice overs. Love the text overlays. I have used my first gen X-Mid 1P on snow many times. It works pretty well but when it's nearing shoulder season with possible warmer temps and/or rain, the tent can sag from the corner stake points melting and/or the snow beneath the trekking pole melting.
I am real curious about this one... I went with the 2p a few years back when I got one as I was worried that I would be too tall for the 1p - I think that was addressed in this version.
Awesome video. Dan needs to hire you. 2 questions for you. How is the tent floor? It seems more durable than the 1st gen. And does it come with the reflective iron wire by default. It looks like it does when watching the close up shots.
Thanks! Haha I'm flattered 😊 Tent floor does *seem* more durable now that you mention it, but I'm pretty sure it's the same 20D material as before, just in black. I've got both hanging up to dry right now (did a trip with friends/parents this weekend and all 3 xmids I have were in use) and they both feel the same. It does come with reflective lines by default (just like the v1 and 2p) but they're just now in black instead of sage. And can confirm they light up well at night.
Thanks for the great Video :) I'm looking for a lighter tent for Bikepacking and this one definitely interests me. Wondering if you can / could pack this down even smaller than the stuff sack provided.....say with a compression dry bag? Also, I wont have trekking poles as I'm on the Bike.....can you recommend a set of lightweight Carbon poles suitable for this tent? Other than the ones available on the Durston site? - Thanks again! Dyneema tents interst me, but their lifespan is an issue and I've read you need greater care in packing them down and you shouldn't stuff them...is this true? I'm hoping to roll my entire sleep system together and fit into a Bikepacking Bar Roll for ease of use.....still a work in progress :)
I think you're probably in the clear, from what I read though you're on the upper limit. I have heard of people your height being comfortable in it, and people using long wide pads in it 25x72 with a little room to spare. I would imagine you might get a bit of tight headroom / wet footbox, but the only tents to substantially mitigate that would be a 2p model or the SoLong, so I still think the Gen2 Xmid is a good bet.
Thanks! Here's the page with the comparison table. I added a few others in (I think) manually but it should be pretty comprehensive. www.switchbacktravel.com/one-person-tents-shelters-weight-comparison-chart
I am the same height, and just tested my 1p V2 in the back yard. I think we are right near the upper limit, but I am certain it will work! (especially for me as a side sleeper - I may touch the netting a bit while on my back if I am not dead center, but I am no where near the outter)
Thank you! Your height might work, but honestly you would be on the edge in my opinion. Dan's official recommendation is that it should work for 6'3" - 6'5" (see link: www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/rw178h/comment/hr9ggh0/?context=3) but if you want to be sure of fitting, the Lightheart Gear SoLong is usually the best tent for truly tall people.
Thanks! You might be too tall for this in my opinion as well, although Dan's official recommendation says 6'3" to 6'5" as seen here: www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/rw178h/comment/hr9ggh0/?context=3 But if you want a sure thing, check out the Lightheart Gear SoLong, it's one of the only 1p tents actually made for tall folks and I've only heard good things.
Do you find that a narrow tent like this is an issue when using a quilt? I'm interested in transitioning to a quilt from sleeping bag, but it seems like they might need room to drape around either side of you to function properly. I own an X-mid 1P V1 and find it too narrow, but otherwise excellent, and am planning on getting the V2 when available.
The width is just fine for quilt or a bag, but the v1 was also just fine for quilt and bag use. I personally don't find there to be a space requirement for a quilt over a bag, you don't really need room to drape the quilt since most of the time it's tucked around my with the cinch at the neck.
So far so good, but I only got them this winter and haven't taken them backpacking. Love the fit and feel so far, maybe not as much as my Topo Ultraventures, but they're pretty close!
Ouch, that's a shame! They are very light, but I'll definitely be bringing spares until I get a better handle on their performance (like all new stakes).
Yeah the titanium V stakes are really best suited for softer soils. We're looking at stiffer stake options but stake are one of those things that are super backlogged during covid so it is hard to source something stronger right now. We are working on it.
Oh good question! In my opinion, the Cascade Mountain Tech 3 section CF poles are unbeatable for price to performance ratio (especially on sale). I used them for years and loved them. I recently upgraded to the 2 section poles after scoring some in a flash sale and have no regrets, they're solid and unbelievably lightweight. For more traditional options, I bought my parents the Montem Aluminum poles for a more traditional/durable set, and I've only ever heard good things about the BD Alpine Cork CF poles as well, though they're expensive.
@@TaylorPassofaro Thank you Taylor. I’m an old guy, getting beck into it. Overwhelmed by choice. Another way to narrow the field. Could be, not made in China.
@@billpetersen298 I hear you. To make it simple, I'd recommend the Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork. Get them from REI with their great warranty, and you won't have to think about poles for a long while.
Haha I know 😭 And I know it's not Dan's fault, he's ordering as many as he can, but when factories have obligations to bigger brands, it's tough to get production time. Hopefully once supply chain stuff settles down this will be easier to get!
Supply has been a huge challenge for sure, but we will have much better supply of all models starting this fall when our increased production starts. I think we'll be able to pretty much keep our tents in stock then. Until then, we have a batch going on sale on June 7 of the new solid inner version of the X-Mid 1 and 2, and more of the X-Mid Pro 2 in August.
No one talk much but Durston (X-Mid) cloned this tent from the Sierra Designs - High Route 🙂 Sierra Designs - High Route Was realised in 2016 and Xmid came out 2018. Sometimes reality not as you want, fact is a fact 😊....
How come you set it up with the trekking pole tip down? I would imagine putting the tip into the grommet up top would eliminate slippage in windy conditions?
Well done. I would buy this tent, but... I am a cycliste not a hiker (which means I don't use hiking poles). Much to be said on philosophy of use. I'm so glad you touched on this. Cheers from Montreal QC (subscribed)
Thank you :) I do like how gear choices can make us outdoors people think about how and why we use certain items, it's definitely got me thinking about who I am a lot more than I expected. Cheers to you too!
Sorry, a bit confused to the question. I just copied the table from the switchback travel website and pasted it into excel, and then did some formatting. So it was just plain text copied, I didn't do anything fancy. The website is www.switchbacktravel.com/one-person-tents-shelters-weight-comparison-chart if you wanted to do the same!
Great vid, thanks. I'm a Gen1 X-Mid user in the UK and love it. Performed really well on a wet and nasty Pennine Way LDW a couple of years ago and will be my Kungsleden trail tent later this month. In contrast, my Hilleberg Akto sweats like hell, so I much prefer the X-Mid, unless I'm going to hit 50mph+ winds.
Thank you for this. No other video I've watched focused on the amount of interior space. I've been trying to decide if I should wait for the Xmid pro 1, but now I can see that it's most likely going to be too small for me. Great video. Thanks again!