Why the Durston X-Mid instead of a Pyramid for winter camping?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 มี.ค. 2024
- Some of my trip videos that feature x-mids and pyramids:
- 4 days across frozen mountains with Marty Morissette and Justin Outdoors • 4 Days Across Frozen M...
- Turn back or keep going? Solo overnight in the Rockies • Turn back or keep goin...
- Alone in the Snow - Winter Camping in Banff • Alone in the Snow | Wi...
- Hard truth about winter camping • The hard truth about w...
- Winter on a 40 km trail with Justin Outdoors • Winter on a 40 km trai...
- Winter Camping in the High Alpine • Winter Camping In High...
Some of my favourite gear:
Durston X-mid 2P tent fly durstongear.com/
Thermarest Polar Ranger -20F/-30C sleeping bag geni.us/RGtNh
Thermarest NeoAir Xtherm mattress geni.us/Pamfg
MSR Whisperlite stove geni.us/0qXZ
MSR Titan Big Kettle geni.us/vGaini
Fenix HM50R headlamp geni.us/gKkl6c
Simond Down Mountaineering Parka - 23.1 oz decathlon-canada.mkr3.net/Zd2P9q
** Affiliate links provide a small kickback to me at no additional cost to you. It helps support the channel **
My quick review of the Durston X-mid 1 Person Solid tent • Quick Review - Durston...
Connect with me: / kane_does_outdoors
#wintercamping #backpacking #hiking #ultralightbackpacking
A new video from Kane? Instant like. I thoroughly enjoy the way you film your videos. Succinct, never any BS, always educational. Your content is a breath of fresh air in this filthy short-form era. Great points with the use cases for the X-Mid over a Pyramid shelter.
Appreciate the feedback!
dude, your gear videos are the best. Perfect comparison btwn these two styles of tent. Excatly what I was looking for. Detailed and useful information. I bet you blow up on youtube if you keep it up
I did a brief stint as a combat engineer - the goal there was to avoid blowing yourself up. Times change!
Kane does Common Sense! While not a catchy YT title, it's the truth. As an owner of an HMG UltaMid 4 pyramid tent, I agree with all your comments about both styles of tents. Additionally, so many of your reviews are based on actual experience and use. Grateful. Keep bringing no-fluff content... unless, of course, you're talking about fluff... that stuff that floats in the air during spring... poplar tree fluff? I hate that stuff.
Loved the Mountain Hardwear Kiva (5 sided mid tent) for Winter and Spring ski touring. We usually had 3 people in them and it worked perfectly. Would like to try one of these two pole x mid types though. The BD Beta Light is the one I’ve looked at the most. Though I don’t recall if it has its doors configured as cool as the X-Mids are (need to check again because those side doors are sweet).
Thanks Kane, my X-Mid 2P is in the USA waiting for my snow bird hiking buddy to return home, cannot wait to try it this season! I'm still pretty amazed this awesome tent was less expensive than my Hubba Hubba!
The silpoly versions are definitely a bargain compared to some of the big name brand tents.
We used xmid 2 this winter in northern BC and blew us away as to how versatile it is, love that tent!
Great video. You got me interested in the pyramids but I started thinking a trekking pole tent mad3 more sense for me. Your channel is all conduct and information, no fluff
All depends on what you’re doing and what’s important to you.
Kane, thanks! That’s frickin’ awesome that you answered my question! I actually just ordered the Xmid 2P a few days ago based on watching your winter trips. I think the versatility of the tent used with fly only for winter trips and adding the inner for summer is going to work great! Thanks for the info!
You can’t go wrong with that tent. Dial in the pitch and you’re good to go!
Great info again!
I"m sure we'll be seeing more of the Front Range in your videos!
This was really cool man. When I was in forestry school in NoCal we would go backcountry skiing for 3 days in various areas one of which was Mt. Shasta. We always just went with my chouniard megamid. 9x9. Simple. We'd get 3 of us in there sometimes. With 3 of us it was awesome because it meant we had 6 tent stakes!😄. The way they built that thing, you could always use your Karhu boards as tent stakes! Now I lean towards my hammock setup even in winter. Seems like Banff doesn't lend itself too much towards hammocks though.
Good times man! We'd get ripped ass stoned in that tent and laugh at the alternating colored panels of purple and gray😊. Yes... that was many years ago.
Back to hammocks though. I know they aren't the lightest systems by far but I just like the ability to literally set up anywhere, especially since I'm sober and don't want to be camping with active drunks in backcountry sites. The Mrs. and I moved to New England 23 years ago from SF, right as it was starting to get bad there. There's plenty of trees in New England. But yea.. they definitely aren't near as light as your systems for sure.
Fun stuff to chat about for sure. Good to see these kinds of comparisons.
Take care sir.
NQU
I did a navigation course with Andrew Skurka back in 2012. We left from the Hancock Notch Trailhead in NH and cut cross country through the woods. I had the 9x9 speedmid, and the other guys had tents as well. Not Andrew, he had a hammock. Poured rain. I bought a Warbonnet Blackbird when I got home. Out east, they are hard to beat. Lots of rain and trees.
You could make xmid 2p taller just use sticks or another 2 streking poles with Velcro straps 3 each per pole to use for dug out hole in snow ..I have the same tent
Great comparison, thanks Kane. Only wish Durston was affordable in Canada (where the company is from).
I’m having to come to terms with the fact that prices aren’t what they used to be. My first UL pack was a golite jam2 that sold for 100 USD. That was 2007 or 2008 though….
X-Mid tent components are now available within Canada via Durston's 'Spare tent parts' section (you can mix & match the regular flys and inners)
I just invested in the X-Mid 2p solid combo, and will get an individual mesh-inner later.
The risk of paying import fees from the States prevented me from investing until now... The base U.S. price is a little less at current exchange, but after shipping cost, there may still be $100+ added on for taxes and duties.
This is the first tent I've bought in 40+ years. I can't afford, and am generally not interested in the ultra-ultra light tents... as they seem to have less durability/longevity... I can only afford one tent and that's it. It's going to be a vast step up from my old pup-tent ;)
I'm going overseas to a festival in England and I'm trying to get everything down to carry-on size... plus my acoustic guitar that I want to be able to chill in my tent and play.
The comparable sized stand-alone tents that I could relatively afford, are bulkier, heavier and apparently not as storm worthy... so I decided to invest in Canada.
Now I'm just hoping it'll last me the rest of my life ;)
** Also, I just found out that trekking poles are prohibited from being in a carry-on bag (only checked baggage)... so I got Dan's folding poles for the trip.
P.s.
Dan informed me that the Kakwa 40's won't be available directly from him for a couple years yet :(
@@Bretthall8 good to know - that section with the tent components is hard to find!
Thanks for another epic video! Curious to hear your thoughts on Yama's cirriform? I noticed that you used to have one back in the day, but don't see you using it much anymore
I still have the Cirriform 2p. I like that it offers full coverage/protection from the elements in a very light package, and is plenty long. My feet never come close to touching the end. Two drawbacks though: the model I have requires 8 stake out points minimum (4 corners, 3 front, 1 back), ideally 10 (1 on each side), and you need to crawl in and out of the front. The x-mid had a very comparable weight in silpoly, but you can get it up with 4 stakes minimum, 6 ideal. It is also a lot easier to get in and out of, you can have the doors open in moderate precipitation and not soak your gear getting in and out.
The updated cirriform has fewer stake out points which is a welcome upgrade, plus the zipper is reconfigured to allow side entry when it's not raining.
All that being said, I have all the shelters I need and try to avoid buying and trying too much gear just for "fun". The x-mid works so I'm just sticking to that. My preference is the double wall version since it's modular. I sold my 1p pro. I use the 2p x-mid fly for winter, 1p for 3 season with the inner for buggy conditions.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Durston develops interchangeable inners for a DCF fly. This way you could go sans inner. I also think Tarptent will do this with their DCF Dipole.
He's working on it right now, had this confirmed by Dan himself :) I think he said it'll be out sometimes near the end of 2024
Hi Kane , même si la Xmid ne m'attire pas pour le moment , j'étais plus là pour écouter tes arguments positifs concernant les abris de type MSR Front range . Je la vois très utile l'hiver pour y rentrer ma pulka , y cuisiner , et surtout pouvoir creuser à l'intérieur pour y faire un espace de vie . On ne fait pas le même type de randonnée toi et moi par contre et je comprend ton point de vue concernant la xmid et l'utilité que toi tu en as .
You have the best channel that explains down to earth reality , you have a scientific approach to compare things between them without being so much emotional . I alway's like to hear about your train of thoughts on a specific subject . ( hope it's readable in english 😅)
I understood your english perfectly!
100% agree the 9x9 are enormous - I wouldn’t bring a pulk into either size x-mid. Being able to dig out from the inside, making a table, sleeping area etc are where the pyramids really shine.
I have a tunnel telt with a big vestibule for pulk trips, Hilleberg Keron 3 gt. It’s very good for those extended trips, above treeline/arctic conditions.
I was considering a pyramid for winter those shorter trips in less hostile environments but gave it another thought and landed on xmid solid 2p. I think it’s a better option and it can be used in harsh conditions in the following 3 seasons.
Several relevant points covered here. I go w/ Pyramidal 1-pole shelters of good design, materials, features, staking loops, tie-outs, zips, etc. and higher end or well-proven quality... over any dual-pole or duo-mid type shelters in terms of environments and conditions I'm in. Biggest downer of the x-mid shape 'for me' is the 'Asymmetry'. Symmetry is an important property regarding what I'm doing, various set-ups, whereabouts, and for the getting creative scenarios. Versatility factoring here in terms of symmetric norms fits more predictable forms. My pyramidal tent usage started with original Chouinard Megamids of the '80s (still have one I modified with oversized #10 YKK zips) and the larger classic Salewa Mountain tents. I also have a C-130 Herc. emergency crew crash/survival tent that is way cool and super rugged (bright orange high 1000 denier mil-spec nylon!!!) Think Scott Tent or Polar Pyramid = fully contained, floor, snow entrance, guy lines adjustable from inside as well as outside. One of my all time favorites is my Mountain Hardwaer KIVA (that I still use), and remains highly dependable in worst of conditions. I feel that where many Pyramidal tents loose there versatility form factor and ease of set-ups is by adding too many panels to stake out on the perimeter... ie. the more complex and numerous polygonal additions... the harder it is to prep a site and get a fast, even pitch. This is where the original megamid shines... stake like a 4-corner tent, place pole, and situate the entry, back and sides with ease. A good example is that I can even set it up in a flash atop my 18' catarafts 10' main frame as bomber shelter expedient when everything is bank fill/flooded on a river trip. Made for great sweat lodges over volcanic fumaroles - lol. Dug-outs in deep snow to work on a snowmobile. Preheating aircraft or vehicles. Back of pick-up truck shelter was yet another option. Today (if needed/wanted) --- I'd relate, Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ultamid 4 (tho' somewhat overpriced) is the way to go 'for me' solo or 1 other person. DCF? yes or no??? Consider: Poor Abrasion and Puncture Resistance, hard to find pinhole damages, often field expedients are not reliable repairs, UV damage issues, lamination issues, condensation issues, etc. Why DCF - It is light!!! This in no way whatsoever is any dig on Durston tents... the owner it would appear from online stuff I see is a really good guy. I would not mind testing some of his products to gain experiences and/or provide insights from my remote destination Alaska fly-out ventures. Worth noting and food for thought: all these ali-blah-blah outsourced, rebranded hot tent 1-center-pole variant clones are not very good. Chiefly... Not well thought out in terms of fire retardant fabrications. Sparks and embers render these storm/rain/snow leaky and less reliable overall within short duration... pock-marked full of cumulative burn holes and endless little repairs. Good thing is they are sort of OK and good enough reasonable value for lower cost. .
I absolutely loved the Kiva. Spent nearly 30 nights in one between winter and spring ski touring trips in 2001 while in high school. Way up in N Idaho in the Selkirks I think. Not too far from Canada. Those things were incredible. I’ve been really bummed out about not being able to find one recently for sale used nor can I find info, pics, or specs on them. Bums me out with how great those were. Bought a Mega Light (all blue poly version) finally when a used one popped up for $200. Haven’t used it besides an initial set up at the park when it arrived. Looking forward though to using it all over here in CA.
the xmid is very versatile but is it also easy to set it up in sandy environments? Would you feel confident to take the xmid with you on a trip on an island where is a lot of sand?
Great info as always! I've always wondered how you attach two trekking poles together, are you literally lashing them together with rope or is there something more sophisticated going on?
The MSR FR comes with rubber ski straps like Voilé straps. They work great. Other mids often come with nylon straps in various configurations but the ski straps are better imo! If I’m out in the winter I’ll have some ski straps with me anyways.
good content, quick question: here in Switzerland the shoulderseason is about to begin and I start using the inner tent again (dips not mutch below 0 c /32 f at night). Do you pull through with fly only or do you switch too?
There's definitely a period where the inner is useful to cut down on drafts during the shoulder season as you describe. I tend to go fly only though, until bugs come out.
Nice video! Think I'm gonna jump on the msr frontrange with the REI 20% coupon! Then I have a year to figure out if I like it or not 😂
It's a solid tent - all depends on your what you're doing and preferences!
@KaneDoesOutdoors mainly winter adventures Dec-Apri, can't be worse then my nemo kunai haha. Just have to stay alittle more organized, rather than throw everything on tent floor. Have 1 last trip in April before summer construction starts... then 70-90 hour weeks to pay for my adventures I'm gonna start planning for next winter!
Hey Kane, I used the xmid pro on the Rockwall last year. Someone asked me if I was worried about hail puncturing the tent. Honestly I thought that could be a problem for any tent but what are your thoughts?
Ya - I think that’s a material issue more than specific tent design. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a tent during a big hail storm though… No idea what a typical tent could withstand.
Great tip! +1 for trekking pole tents
Yo! I’ve got a pro 2+ and got caught out in a hail storm earlier this year. Was dime sized hail on and off for a few hours. I got about 5 pinholes (like 1mm wide, could barely even see it) on the fly (mainly broad side) but that was it. Was raining heavy rest of that night and only felt a tiny splatter here and there though the pin holes. Everything’s been patched up now with some DCF tape. I reckon if I knew about the Lower trekking pole tip to relieve tension, I would’ve probably gotten no damage at all. So overall, was quite impressed with it. My mates big Agnes copper spur didn’t receive any damages at all though, so idk at the end of the day would probably not go with a DCF shelter if stormy potentially hail conditions are coming. Reckon a sil based poly or nylon would fare better
I’m shopping for my XMid right now but why on green earth did you not purchase the XMid Solid ????
You could use it with the winter inner fly and you can also buy the mesh fly so it could be used for both summer and winter.
Or you can remove the inner completely and just run the shell fly.
Really I’m trying to understand your thinking here but I’m not getting it
The fly in this video is a 2p “solid” made from the original colour fabric. I don’t have an inner for it. It’s a prototype with defects that I don’t care about.
I have a 1p solid with the inner for three season+ use.
👍
is there less condensation with the x-mid solid?...or the same just the outer
thanks