Nice job on the CDT hike and thanks for putting this together. I'm glad you liked the tent. The CDT has been a dream of mine after hiking the PCT in 2014, so hopefully I can follow in your steps one of these years. It was nice to see the tent generally held up well. 2023 was our first year for the X-Mid Pro 1 so I particularly appreciate the feedback on the few issues you had, and I have been working hard to improve those. Starting around mid-2023 we changed to a stronger construction for those pole tip connections and also improved a few other things. The fly and floor pitch a bit better now due to refinements in the shape of the tent, we made the corners a bit stronger, and in a couple months we'll have larger reinforcements at those two corners that had pinholing to address that. I remember fixing this tent. We have a repair partner now that is helping us with some more complicated repairs (e.g. zippers) but for most everything else I still do all the repairs myself. Thanks for using our gear, Dan
Also really nice job on other parts of the video. Just watching more of it now. Good job explaining the pitch, and your double guyline technique is really nice. I haven't actually seen that before to have the two spots to the same stake like that. Very cool. Regarding the magnets, we don't actually have them on the inner doors yet on the X-Mid Pro 1. I developed the dual toggle system for the new X-Mid Pro 2+ that launched a few months ago. I was only going to use on it on that tent in 2024 before rolling out it out to the other models (just in case there were any issues with it that I wasn't seeing). However, our factory made me a prototype of the X-Mid Pro 2 (non-plus) and the dual magnets ended up working perfectly there (usually there are small adjustments that need to be made for each model). Since it was working perfect on the Pro 2 as well, we proceeded to use it on our 2024 production run for the Pro 2 and Pro 2+, plus we haven't yet prototyped it on the Pro 1. People love it, so obviously we are going to add that, but it'll likely be late 2024 before we have that.
Thanks Dan! I was through hiking the AT in 2014, so it's fun to think that we were on opposite sides of the US through hiking at the same time. I can't recommend the CDT enough. I have my permit for the PCT this spring, starting on May 18th. I'm excited to hear that you've been actively working on the minor issues I ran into and appreciate the fact that you take the time to watch videos like this.
@@durstongear Again, thanks for the updates and clarification. I had heard of the interior magnets and assumed they were on all the models already. Even though my current Pro 1 is going strong, I'll likely end up picking up another with the DCF floor and interior magnets once that's available.
@@durstongear The way you operate your company is incredibly inspiring. I've been researching your tent for a while now. To see that the owner of the company is watching these videos and providing a thoughtful response is remarkable. As a young aspiring gear designer I hope to emulate your passion, care, and attention to detail. Looking forward to testing out an X-mid pro 2+ soon!
This is quite possibly the best and most thorough gear review I have ever seen. I like how you not only reviewed (i.e., pros and cons) but also highlighted tips for use. I also like how precisely you described and demonstrated everything. As someone who is detailed and technical I really appreciate the time/effort you took in putting this together.
50 minutes for a very professional review that will be of great help to all owners of an X-Mid Pro. Thanks for sharing your experience, and enjoy your PCT.
This is easily the best video on the X-Mid Pro anyone has made to date. I hiked (some of) the PCT last year with this tent, and I thought I had a pretty good handle on it, but you taught me a few things. I concur with a lot of your experiences; I had one of the trekking pole loops snap off on the second day and no field repair stuck so I gave up on it. I constantly worried that the zipper was too taught. A couple modifications I made was adding a clothesline, and some velcro to secure the vent struts when packed. I had bought some clips for the zippers to relieve some stress but decided against using them because clipping them from the outside was cumbersome. I'm in your shoes as well, seeing the new version and have been on the fence for months over whether I wanted to upgrade or just repair mine. Excellent to see the repair work though. Thanks so much for this video!
The clothesline is a good idea. I had thought it would be nice to have a close line with one of those hammock ridgeline gear organizers on it. The ones made from DCF are super lightweight and it helps keep things organized and off the floor. From Dan's comments, I think they are really solving most of my issues and I bet I'll purchase an early 2025 model after the slight geometry changes, inside door magnets, DCF floor, reinforced corners, and strengthened pole tip connectors are all in a good place.
Thanks so much for taking the time to record and share this. As a new owner of an XMid Pro 1, I had several questions about setup, etc. and you answered pretty much all of them. The review is particularly helpful coming from someone who used the tent under the harsh conditions of an extended through hike.
Wow what a great and thorough review. Great detail in how you set it up and all the pro tips, great job showing the minor issues you had and how great Dan Durston was with taking care of said issues for a complete customer satisfaction. P.S. What an ominous bolder wall you set up beside at 31:00 in the video.
This review and walkthrough was by far one of the best I've watched. I've been bouncing between the Xmid Pro or the Zpacks Olffset Solo for the past month... This video has sealed the deal on the xmid for my thru hike of the AT this coming Spring. Thanks for making this video!
I'm glad it was helpful. I really like the Xmid. I don't know of a tent as easy to pitch and so fully featured for this weight category. Plus I really like Dan Durston and his company and am glad to support them.
Thank you for the incredible review. Your experience with repairs really highlights the value of buying quality gear from a quality company. I bought my x mid pro one person at the end of last season. I’m really looking forward to using it for a full season this year.
Thanks for the review. I'm hiking the CDT this year with this tent, so it's nice to know the issues you had and the tips on pitching the tent. I added a couple of the mods you suggested. Thanks again!!
I'm glad it was helpful. I'm about half way done posting videos of my CDT journey if you're interested. You can check them out on my channel and feel free to message me if you have any CDT related questions.
Holy smokes amazing tips! Love the double guyline to one stake for the wide panels. So simple, but so smart. I’ve just changed up my pro 2+ to have the exact same setup! Also loving the little tips like rolling it up on your knee, and even spiking your trekking pole in the ground when you take down the tent. Saves me from bending over to pick then up after, and feels cool as to stab the ground like that hahah. Thanks a million!
Evil genius level with the Dutch ware gear clips! I’m doing that with mine now. That zipper sound is 🤌 I get the same wonky corners inside the bathtub most of the time, too. I leave all 4 corners max length when pitching and that seems to help. Those lines for fast drying mode are something I’m going to give some serious thought. Solid review, thanks!
The CDT had fierce t-storms roll in out of nowhere and after 3 or 4 nights of getting out of a cozy sleeping bag to go out into the rain and wind to guy out the tent I realized I wanted something faster and simpler. The guy outs with the ring clips chain together very nicely for extensions and making clothes lines, etc too!
I appreciate long reviews but almost invariably I don't finish them because they don't address important issues thouroughly. 50 minutes is a very long time for a review, but yours seemed much shorter as all of my questions coming into it were answered; you did raise a point that I was hoping to hear about a possible fix for. Dan, if you're out there, do you have any thoughts on Lynx's concern about flapping on the broadside near the area close to the head? One of my biggest concerns with DCF shelters is wind-flapping/noise. I will gladly carry a few additional ounces in a different shelter if it's quieter in the wind. I'm gearing up for a CDT thru and am considering this shelter. Grateful for this info Lynx. Thanks!
I'm glad I was able to answer most of your questions. When I was talking to Dan at one point he did talk about there being some tweaks to the geometry of the Xmid Pro 1 that should help with it being more taught. My experience with the flapping in that spot wasn't constant, but on above average windy nights in exposed sites. I was very happy overall with the tent on the CDT. I'm certainly interested in the rumored double wall DCF version that might come out in 2025.
Thank you for all the great information. I took a lot of notes. Really appreciate you doing this after having so much experience with the tent. And thanks for not adding music while you're talking. Such a pretty dog! Very sweet with her squeaky toy.
Thanks! She's my little vizsla sweetheart. I hope to take her on some shorter though hikes in the coming years. I also prefer most of my YT videos to not have distracting music going at the same time someone is talking. Plus its a whole heck of a lot easier to not add it ;)
Similar mods. DCF-taped mesh magnet & sewn onto inner-bungee, so that it loops around to stack on the outside magnet (expecting to never need an open mesh with a closed door, which has been correct so far). 2) Using 250lb Spectra (dyneema) fishing line for the apex tie-outs. Line wrapped on those tiny plastic sewing-thread cards, permanently attached to apex (so they don't get lost). 3) Sewed-in a clothes-line inside, apex-to-apex. 4) Added tent-peg size loops at corners for tight-to-ground pitch option. 5) Added outside apex tie-outs facing toward each other. Purpose is to enable condensation blocking metalyzed ground-sheet to be tied overhead when conditions warrant.
Thanks for such a comprehensive review. I had been going around in circles trying to evaluate my options. Durston is available here in NZ - very expensive but I think this review has really demonstrated its value and excellent design.
I really do belive its a great product and a great company. Im currently 900 miles into the PCT with it and well see how it does after 2 through hikes.
My durston xmid 1 pro failed on the trekking pole loop also. Used seam sealer to glue it back in place. If any tent can last a full thru, it’s a good tent.
Thanks for the video awesome review I just bought the tent a couple nights ago. I haven’t received it yet. But this video has made me feel much more confident in my choice to purchase wish I’d see this video before I wouldn’t have had to debate with myself for as long before hitting the button to buy.
Fantastic. I like the different and deliberate way you pack up the tent. Seems like one of the best ways to pack up in the rain. I couldn’t tell if you were feeling for the posts at the corners of the inner. I always worry they’ll risk poking through if they don’t all lay perpendicular to the roll. I haven’t heard anyone discuss that issue or how to manage it.
That was one of my bigger concerns when I first got the tent myself. However, after packing it up everyday for 5ish months I found it was very obvious when loosely rolling it up if one of the corner poles or peak vent poles wasn't lined up well. You can quite easily use one hand to shift the pole flat without unrolling it at all. The best way i can describe it is that as youre rolling your hand feels when the carbon rod isnt at and you can sort of pinch the rod and material through multuple layers kf the tent and lay it in thr correct orientation. I didn't ever end up breaking one or having one rip out of its sleeve.
Great thorough video, nice! I noticed you tighten the corners after setting the poles. If I remember correctly the "official" pitch guide tightens the corners before inserting the poles. Does this order have any effect on the resulting pitch?
I just made a video demoing why I do it afterwards. It's the 5200 mile Xmid Pro Update. But yes, I do prefer to tighten them last. I find it lets me get the proper floor height to have higher splash protection, and a taught ridgeline at the same time.
Well done! New sub for ya! (You gave me so many good tips in this video, if I may I'd like to make one suggestion for your editing. It sounds like you had to go pretty heavy on the noise cancellation for the audio and the dead silence in between speech clips can be "softened" with some light music in the background. Cheers!)
Thanks, I do appreciate it. I'll be the first one to admit my editing and entertainment skills have a lot to improve on. I'm glad some of the tips are helpful.
Thanks for this review. In the California High Sierra, I often need to tie off (or anchor down) my stakes to rocks when they wont penetrate deep into the thin layer of sand/gravel. Dealing w/ 4/5 points min vs 8 needed on my trekking pole tent sounds like a real win, however, that same amount or more may still be needed w/ this tent under high wind conditions (guy outs). Assuming you dealt w/ that on the CDT, did u have enough length to tie off and stack rocks or? If using rocks, how much did that impact the tent set up? I'm sure it was manageable, but curious nonetheless.
The included short corner guylines aren't long enough for much of an improvised pitch. Usually the common "deadman" stake trick where you place a stake sideways through the loop of the guyout and place a rock over it worked for me. I do carry some spare cord and have had to use it to loop around larger rocks or logs to use as anchors. I've heard of people damaging their DCF by trying to place big rocks on the cords attached to the tent and having the rocks rub on the DCF. If it's common for you to need to do trickier set ups on hard ground, i'd say it can be done pretty easily with the help of carrying a couple extra small pieces of cord to tie to those rocks/logs.
Would the small edge guide out below the “loose area help? By tightening it downwards? Just curious if that would help that area. Thankyou for an excellent view of this tent. ❤
I'm not sure. I'll be certain to give it a try. I usually guyed it out like I showed in the video with both guy-out points at the same time. Dan commented above that they've been improving the shape of the tent and I bet the newer models will naturally pitch more ideally.
Thanks for the video it was quite well done! Was wondering on your storm pitch, the bottom guyline is angled higher up since its attached to the mid level guyline point. My question is in very stormy windy conditions, would it not be better to tie the bottom guyline (separately) at a lower angle (and the tent in general, lower to the ground) so that the strong winds don't enter the tent from the bottom and circulate within the tent? In this manner the outer fly is a purely protective barrier, simply pushing out the high winds up and out. Have I missed something in my thinking? A final question, did you consider in your mods putting longer guylines in the corners and getting rid of the linelocs (Skurka's system) to give you more flexibility in setting the tent up (e.g., to rocks/logs, higher/lower pitches, etc.) or again am i missing something? Thanks again.
Sorry for the delay, I'm finishing up a PCT through hike at the moment. You're correct about getting the fly lower to the ground. The guy out setup is very situational, depending on flat ground and which way you can pitch the tent into the wind. The corner lines are longer than the stock ones that came with it but if you go too long you lose tension on the trekking poles. I like the linelocs for the 97% of the time when the weather is fair as they make pitching and taking down the tent much faster and easier. I've never had a lineloc break on me.
@@LynxOutdoors686Hope you are enjoying your PCT hike! I recently return from a hiking trip in Norway where I got to use the xmid1 that I purchased but had not yet used. There a small learning curve that I went through (still sometimes have an issue getting a perfect pitch, especially in uneven ground). I did put guy lines all around the tent (using skurkas system) and used them half the time (other times used the original lines with the tensioners), most in situations where I simply could not put a stake in the ground because of hard ground or barriers. Definitely works better with the original lines and tensioners but not always possible. Overall very happy with the tent. One issue I had is not being able to easily discern the direction of the inner tent while setting it up (when it's already attached to the outer). Maybe there is a way to mark it so it's more apparent ?
Very good. Over tensioning of the tent at the guy out points will cause these problems. It's better to leave a little bit loose unless you know bad weather is coming or you may have to get out and retention your lines as a storm comes. Button general you want to leave that just a little bit loose. The closest tent in design is the Tarptent Stratospire 1 & 2. They are far superior as far as breathability goes. Put a lot more difficult to set up but it's the same design. Tarp tent is really cheap skates when it comes to pockets however. It is very lightweight whether you do the one p or the 2p and comes in dyneema, standard and the new Ultra material. This is a double wall tent. And you can choose either the mesh or solid insert depending on conditions or you can buy both of them.
Thanks for the advice. I do also have a Stratospire LI myself. I prefer it for its versatility here in New England where it can be hot and humid and is very wet. The other Tarptent I currently own is a Dipole 2. I really find that I prefer trekking pole tents without the struts and pitchloc corners personally though.
You did a great job on this review. Such detail so I can better make my decision on which UL tent to procure. My only question is how does this matl. fair with moisture condensation and rain? Also does the material sag in rainstorms?
Thanks for checking out the video. So DCF acts more like a generic "blue plastic tarp", but in a good way. It's much more durable than that, but it absorbs 0% water and does not stretch. There is no sagging when it rains, and you can shake over 90% of the water off with a couple quick shakes while packing it. It also dries faster than any other tent material I've ever used. It is not a breathable fabric, so it is prone to condensation. The major use of it is in single wall tents to achieve the lightest possible weights, so it is often associated with condensation, but this is primary from single wall tents in general. Another great thing about it is that it can be permanentaly repaired with DCF tape sticker patches, and it does not require seam sealing.
I really enjoyed this thoughtful video. Did you feel that the ground sheet was really needed on the CDT? Would have a piece of polycryo have sufficed? Trying to save weight for Colorado Trail this year. Thanks!
It's really hard to say. This was the first time I've ever brought a ground sheet on a through hike and in hindsight, I think I wouldn't bother brining one if I redid the same trip. The nylon floor is undoubtably thin, but I didn't have any damage at all to it on the inside of the tent either. The CDT had everything from cactus to thorns to crazy sharp tumbleweed grass. Even if something did poke through, a simple repair tape job fixes it quickly and easily. I've had very good experiences with DCF floor tents on through hikes and now that the Pro 1 is offered in a DCF option, I would personally pick up that model and skip the ground sheet. The sections of CDT that overlapped with the CT had incredible and well groom campsites. i don't think you'll need one and a sheet of super light polycryo would definitely work if you wanted to be on the safe side.
hello, thank you for the great review! I have a ringworms question. Just to clarify, did you hike with 4 ringworms? Two for the apex points, and two for the door points? Or did you also have two more ringworms to storm-worthy the other door? Or did you not feel the need to double-ringworm both doors, and only the door facing against the wind? Thank you
Yes, I had 4 of them total. 2 on the long cord for the door and 1 each on two guyouts for the apex. I never needed more than that and if it was extremely bad weather I could tie cord to other guy outs as needed.
Thanks for sharing the tip on staking for strong side wind, really great stuff. I wonder why you decide to use double guy lines (17:00) instead of anchoring the bottom broad side tie out to the ground, and running just a single guy line from the to top tie out? Does the double guy lines make the tend more stable?
Guying out the tent is very situation specific. I was just showing a way that I've guyed it in the past, but there isn't a specific reason. I have a rock-climbing background and perhaps having 2 legs of an anchor point is just how my thought process worked when setting it up.
I’m tweaking my X-Mid setup (silpoly version) for an AT thru-hike, so your video was amazingly timely. I liked your mods, but at the end you mention carrying only one 12-foot guy-out with the double ended ringworms. Is that because you found you only needed it on prevailing windward side and not the backside too?
Yeah, exactly. I'd usually guy out the two apex points which really pulled the tent tighter. I'd usually only add the singe long guy line into the wind if the campsite was exposed or forecasted to be extra windy.
I’m trying to decide between your version, and the DCF floor for a ‘25 AT attempt…. Curious as to why you would switch? I like the smaller pack size …..
I think either model would work great. I through hiked the AT in 2014 and you'll have hundreds of amazing, groomed, and flat tenting options all the way from GA to ME. I personally prefer the DCF floors in ultralight shelters as I've had better experiences with them over the years. DCF floors (and rain flys) are permanently fixed with a small piece of DCF tape, whereas I usually have to patch and seam grip repairs to nylon. The DCF floor option is actually a fair bit lighter than the nylon too. Were only talking a 90 x 32" bathtub floor so I doubt it would be significantly bulkier but have yet to get my hands on one to try. Based on Dan's comments to this review, I'm almost certain I'll pick up the late 2024 model with a dcf floor, interior magnets, reinforced corners, and optimized geometry.
Do you mind sharing which diameter of cord you have found best for the upgraded corner guyouts that are still compatible with the factory quick releases? And also what diameter zing-it is best with those Dutchman hooks - that looks like a pro set up for tensioning! Thank you for such an awesome and detailed review, super helpful!
Amazing review. I own this tent and plan to take it on the GDMBR (bikepacking) this year. I also have the original 2P non dyneema. I’m thinking about taking the 2P because it’s got so much more room. Did you feel you’d prefer a larger interior? Also on a bikepacking trip last year I had a lot of condensation and it was drizzling in the morning. How did you pack up a wet tent and not get everything else wet? I was thinking I might bring a plastic bag or something just for the tent … then dry it out later in the day. Your tutorial is amazing , thanks again
If weight and pack space weren't a concern I'd have liked slightly more room. The Xmid Pro1 has enough room for me but I wouldn't have hated being able to be a few more inches away from the sloped fly by your head when you're sleeping, especially if it was very windy and it was flapping. The double wall has the advantage of using just the tarp to cook under or just the inner to stargaze if its buggy. Most mornings I had some condensation inside the tent. I keep a small camp towel nearby and do a quick wipe down on the inside each morning and ring the water out of the towel. The DCF fly inside doesn't absorb any water so this does get rid of 90% of it. It also drys extremely fast and if the tent was extra wet I would drape it out in the sun during a lunch brake when I could. The included stuff sack is a waterproof material I believe. It'll keep the wet tent from getting other things in your pack wet. If you really wanted to make it extra waterproof, you could either put some seam tape on the included stuff sack or just swap the entire stuff sack out for a small DCF dry bag. I hope that makes sense and may be of some help. I think either model would work well for your trip. I met a bunch of folks doing the bike trip. It sounds like an epic time!
@@LynxOutdoors686 oh the stuff sack is waterproof? I’ll take another look, but I tend to pack without a stuff sack … but maybe I’ll rethink it. I’m leaning towards taking the older version 2P tent.. being on a bike does allow for obviously more weight but you have to consider it. Thanks for quick reply!!
Thank you kindly. How about to make mesh magnet strings uneven. I mean , one shorter than the other and magnets will not rub mesh? They will not connect each time when mesh is closed (perhaps). 😁
That should help prevent the damage. I am happy to say that the mesh didn't seem to get any worse during the PCT through hike despite the extended extra use. The new Pro tents from Durston come standard with interior magnets I've heard.
I'm using the same setup right now 1100 miles into the PCT. Currently, I have two 6' lengths of 1.75 zing it, each with a ringworm. I also have one longer 8-10ish' length piece with a ring worm on each end. I use the 2 shorter ones for tightening the apex guylines and the long piece to tighten the windward side in 2 places like I show in the video. I hope that helps.
One of the best reviews I have ever seen. Thank you! May I ask you have you ever used a groundsheet. How is the floor doing? I wonder wether I should use a groundsheet or not?
Thanks for checking out the video. I did use a DCF groundsheet for the first 1500 miles. I switched to the Durston specific nylon one once it was back in stock for the last 1500. The floor itself is doing fine with no holes or repairs needed. I'm sure using the groundsheets helped out here but I'm curious how it would do without one. In hindsight, I think I'd likely not use the ground cloths if I were to do the trip again. I haven't heard of anyone having major damage to the thin nylon floor.
Thank you for the quick reply. Did you find the groundsheet useful with regards to other use cases (e. g. keep tent floor clean, cowboy camping)? I wonder if there is any other reason I take one apart from protecting the floor. I wonder if I should get one or do the experiment: How will the tent floor do without it, of course, me taking care when choosing a sport without sharp objects. Have you encountered areas on the CDT where you where happy to settle the tent on sheet protecting it from harsh surface, where no perfect side was available, just rocks and gravel e. g.?@@LynxOutdoors686
@@lennart822 If you like to camp under the stars a ground sheet is basically mandatory as you wont want to put an inflatable down on the ground directly or risk getting your sleeping bag dirty. I found it just wasn't my style so I didn't use it for that much. Many people prefer to cowboy camp and the ground sheet is a great way to do that. The ground sheet is also nice to set things out on while setting up camp, or for keeping things off the wet or muddy ground when you take them out of your pack. I never did this either, but you could in theory hang it up like a tarp to get a little shade or cook under if you had to. There wasn't ever really a campsite that I would only have set up on with the ground sheet. The closest time for this was just west of Helena MO staying in a mowed yard. The yard had hard to see thistle growing flush with the grass and I was very glad to have the ground sheet there. The lovely thing about nylon and DCF floors are that they are very easy patch if you do get a hole or tear. In hindsight, I personally think I wouldn't bring one again unless you think you'll sleep under the stars often. If this is the case, check out polycryo ground sheets. They are much lighter, less expensive, and pack up smaller. They aren't as durable but they offer some benefits at fraction of the weight and cost.
It's hard to say, honestly. If I were going to redo the trip over again I don't think I'd bring one for it. In the beginning, I brought a DCF ground sheet thinking I might cowboy camp often, but I almost never did. The floor is very thin, but worst case you end up patching it a time or two. If you started without one you can always start using one later if you find it getting holes often. If the DCF floored Xmid Pro 1 was out when I bought mine I would have chose that one and skipped a ground sheet altogether. I've used dcf tent floors for years and have no concern with their durability. I might end up picking up one of the newer Pro 1's that has the DCF floor, inside magnets, and the optimized geometry.
I just purchased this tent. I’ve only set up in the backyard. Great video by the way. I have a question, I’ve set up the tent and got a good pitch, I think but when I get inside the bathtub floor flattens out at one end, the end with my feet. I turned the other direction and it did the same thing. Whichever direction I have my feet flattens. Any ideas on what I may be doing wrong?
Hmm, Im not certain what could be happening. It might be the height of the tent being too hogh or low. Id try pitching it with more or less head room to see if that helps.
I used a simple overhand on a bight, sized to be just slightly larger than the stakes, so they could slide in easy but wouldn't come undone unless pulled straight off.
For the small loops I attached to the tent loops I used opposing overhands and pulled them tight into each other. It's very similar to a fisherman's bend, but with simple overhand knots as opposed to a Fishermans to use a little less cord. The knots on the end of guy lines that have the Dutch rings are simple overhand knots, sized just slightly bigger than the stake diameter. I wanted to try to keep it simple.
Tent Designers should make small and large tents for small and large people. At 6'2" I want a tent that's 6 inches longer than the Durston and Zpacks. With the Durston Xmids you need to be a sort of connoisseur of tent pitching more so than the duplex and so many people cant even pitch a duplex which is more strait forward (or just have a sloppy pitch)
I can only imagine how frustrating that must be. I'm 5'11" and fit into almost all standard sized tents pretty well. It must really limit the options when you're those few inches taller. I do think the zpacks tents like the Duplex are more forgiving with spots that you can't get stakes in as well as the overall geometry. I also think that once you get the hang of it, the Xmid is simpler to pitch. I'd say I think the Xmid is easier to pitch, but the Duplex is much more forgiving. I can set my Xmid up much faster than the Triplex I have.
How would you compare this to the Dipole 1 Li? Ryan at BPL says he thinks the Dipole is slightly more storm worthy. Its pitch would seem intuitively easier given the correspondence between the tent and sleep axes. X-mid looks to be at least 4.3 ounces lighter (more so with the DCF floor) and would appear to pack smaller.
So I haven't used a Dipole 1, but I do own the Dipole 2. Structurally, I do think you can get a more taught pitch with the Dipole because of its geometry and the fact that it has additional carbon struts. However, the Dipole windows are never able to be closed very securely. I have had wind and water get blown in threw the windows even after trying to make them as closed as possible. Besides maximum taught pitches for wind, I'd give my personal nod towards the Xmid since it did very well for my CDT through hike and I've had over a standing inch of water in the Dipole after a very long rainstorm. The windows on the Dipole are both a blessing and a curse. The Xmid does certainly pack smaller, and it doesn't have any folding struts to deal with so packing it is much easier. My Dipole 2 is my most comfortable and spacious 2-person trekking pole tent, which I love. With that said, it's the most comfortable tent when the weather is nice, but I don't trust it in extreme wind and rain due to my experience with so much water getting in the windows. I've been considering selling it and trying something different. I'm considering purchasing the DCF floor Xmid pro, as well as possibly buying the DCF double wall Xmid that is rumored to come out in 2025.
@@LynxOutdoors686 Thanks for the thoughtful reply. The window security during heavy rain was my biggest concern. Durston’s commitment to innovation and unparalleled customer service is pushing me to the X-Mid. All the best as you embark on the PCT.
Great informative review, thank you. I have a question: I have the impression that the space needed to pitch this tent is a bit large for a one-person tent (compared to the Plex Solo, for example). Haven't you ever had too many problems finding flat, even ground? Cheers!
You're correct, it does have a larger overall footprint than most 1 person tents for a couple major reasons. Firstly, it's a roomier 1 person tent with a floor width of 32" vs some of the smaller ones that have 25 or even 20"s. Next, it has 2 vestibules. There are pros and cons to this, but one of the cons is it does take up more space. Another thing to consider is that the rectangle that gets initially staked out keeps the fly around the entire tent low to the ground. This means that if it's a rocky area, or there are low bushes/stumps its harder to find a place to set up than something like a Duplex that you can keep the vestibules tied up and out of the way. It's harder to do on the Durston tents, but not impossible. There are some great videos on the "skinny" pitch that Dan Durston has made that show how you can pitch the tent with one, or even both, of the vestibules tucked back so the space required is just the size of the floor. If you do that, it can fit into almost any spot that any other 1 person tent could fit. I never had to do that on the CDT and was always able to find something that would work. Sometimes, maybe only 2 or 3 times the entire trip, I'd pitch the tent so a stump or rock took up an entire vestibule and I just wouldn't use that side. Another thing to consider is that while this is on the larger side for a 1 person tent, most tent sites on trails can usually fit 2 or even sometimes 3 person tents as many people travel together and share tents in the back country. You can fit this tent more easily into any space that a 2 person tent can go. I'd recommend checking out Durston's videos on the skinny pitch. At the very least, I didn't have any real issues finding a tent site on the CDT.
The vestibules offer some nice benefits, mainly for things that you don't want to bring or do inside the tent. The angle on these ones grants easy access to the door without the trekking pole blocking it. It makes it much easier to get in and out compared to tents like the Zpacks Duplex. It also allows you the larger space in the corner to put your pack/shoes to get them out of the way as well. Its nice to be able to cook in the vestibule when its raining and having the angle lets more of the fly protect the stove from wind and rain. The Pro 1 already is on the larger side for a 1 person tent with it's 30" interior width, so making it even larger inside by adding the vestibule space to the main body would make it more of a 2 person tent.
I didn't find it to be anymore than any other DCF shelter I've used. The geometry still does set up nicely and there isn't anything too problematic from it.
I'm not certain the exact number, but many. I inherited roughly 10 from my father when he passed away years ago. Since then, I've likely bought another 10-12. I've sold some of the models that didn't really work for me and currently have somewhere around 15. They range from 2 and 3 person 4 season tents to LW freestanding tents to DCF trekking pole tents.
Thanks for this very thorough video. I too have this tent, but I am struggling with the layout of the floor as shown in 1:10 to 1:35 or so of your video. When I turn the tent upside down to view the floor on top view (1:10 ish) then do either a straightforward flip either long or crosswise, the floor has now changed angles by twice the ~20 degree offset of the floor to fly. to the original upside-down layout. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to make a compound flip from the upside-down layout to right-side up layout to retain the original orientation of the inner floor? Your video and Kane Does Outdoors 5 Step to Active Your Tents Winter are both most useful. th-cam.com/video/JkLu5T5f3U0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=MZ3qs4jPCW8oAvd0
Sierra Designs was my family's tent of choice growing up. My father was a pretty successful mountaineer and we had a bunch of different models over the years. Our family of 4 slept in a Prelude, my father used a Super Light Year 1 and Clip Flashlight 2 for some of his earlier trips, and I still own and use a Tiros Expedition 2 and 3 for my winter base camping. I fixed up and used my Gamma 3 for a New Zealand trip I did about 10 years ago. I can say that out of all the tent brands that I inherited from my father when he passed, the Sierra Design models are by far in the best long-term shape. None of the seam tape delaminated, and they are all still in great working order even 30 years later. The only thing I've had to change out was fresh shock cord in the poles.
Thanks for this very thorough video. I too have this tent, but I am struggling with the layout of the floor as shown in 1:10 to 1:35 or so of your video. When I turn the tent upside down to view the floor on top view (1:10 ish) then do either a straightforward flip either long or crosswise, the floor has now changed angles by twice the ~20 degree offset of the floor to fly. to the original upside-down layout. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to make a compound flip from the upside-down layout to right-side up layout to retain the original orientation of the inner floor? Your video and Kane Does Outdoors 5 Step to Active Your Tents Winter are both most useful. th-cam.com/video/JkLu5T5f3U0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=MZ3qs4jPCW8oAvd0
Thanks for taking the time to watch. I turned the tent upside down just to show that the floor is not parallel to the outer tent body. When I go to pitch it in real life I hold the head or foot end of the floor, and ignore the outer tent. My right hand will go to the corner guy out and my left holds the elastic guy out in the center of the head/foot end. I shake the tent out away from me and when its slowly coming back down I look at the floor as its falling. I find I can get a good idea where the floor is this way without having to actually see it before staking it out. What I'm trying to describe is at 1:27 in the video. I hope that makes sense.
@@LynxOutdoors686 thanks, I believe that after playing around indoors on my wooden floors for reference guide lines; I set it outdoors using the procedure you described in your reply. I think it was your camera angle that wasn’t that clear on that particular step.
@@artallen2860 That makes sense. Sorry, I did just have the camera on a tripod for the whole video and it didn't showcase the angle I was trying to demonstrate. Did you have any more success with your layout afterwards?
Nice job on the CDT hike and thanks for putting this together. I'm glad you liked the tent. The CDT has been a dream of mine after hiking the PCT in 2014, so hopefully I can follow in your steps one of these years.
It was nice to see the tent generally held up well. 2023 was our first year for the X-Mid Pro 1 so I particularly appreciate the feedback on the few issues you had, and I have been working hard to improve those. Starting around mid-2023 we changed to a stronger construction for those pole tip connections and also improved a few other things. The fly and floor pitch a bit better now due to refinements in the shape of the tent, we made the corners a bit stronger, and in a couple months we'll have larger reinforcements at those two corners that had pinholing to address that.
I remember fixing this tent. We have a repair partner now that is helping us with some more complicated repairs (e.g. zippers) but for most everything else I still do all the repairs myself.
Thanks for using our gear,
Dan
Also really nice job on other parts of the video. Just watching more of it now. Good job explaining the pitch, and your double guyline technique is really nice. I haven't actually seen that before to have the two spots to the same stake like that. Very cool.
Regarding the magnets, we don't actually have them on the inner doors yet on the X-Mid Pro 1. I developed the dual toggle system for the new X-Mid Pro 2+ that launched a few months ago. I was only going to use on it on that tent in 2024 before rolling out it out to the other models (just in case there were any issues with it that I wasn't seeing). However, our factory made me a prototype of the X-Mid Pro 2 (non-plus) and the dual magnets ended up working perfectly there (usually there are small adjustments that need to be made for each model). Since it was working perfect on the Pro 2 as well, we proceeded to use it on our 2024 production run for the Pro 2 and Pro 2+, plus we haven't yet prototyped it on the Pro 1. People love it, so obviously we are going to add that, but it'll likely be late 2024 before we have that.
Thanks Dan! I was through hiking the AT in 2014, so it's fun to think that we were on opposite sides of the US through hiking at the same time. I can't recommend the CDT enough. I have my permit for the PCT this spring, starting on May 18th. I'm excited to hear that you've been actively working on the minor issues I ran into and appreciate the fact that you take the time to watch videos like this.
@@durstongear Again, thanks for the updates and clarification. I had heard of the interior magnets and assumed they were on all the models already. Even though my current Pro 1 is going strong, I'll likely end up picking up another with the DCF floor and interior magnets once that's available.
Durston x-mid 1 or 2 is just a knock off pyramid tent! Not even worth half of the price! 🤑
@@durstongear The way you operate your company is incredibly inspiring. I've been researching your tent for a while now. To see that the owner of the company is watching these videos and providing a thoughtful response is remarkable. As a young aspiring gear designer I hope to emulate your passion, care, and attention to detail. Looking forward to testing out an X-mid pro 2+ soon!
This is quite possibly the best and most thorough gear review I have ever seen. I like how you not only reviewed (i.e., pros and cons) but also highlighted tips for use. I also like how precisely you described and demonstrated everything. As someone who is detailed and technical I really appreciate the time/effort you took in putting this together.
Thanks for the kind words. I tried to make it how I wish other gear reviews were done. It looks like we have similar tastes.
Totally agree.
Excellent learning about setup and caring for the tent. We need more presenters like yourself.
Thank you kindly!
50 minutes for a very professional review that will be of great help to all owners of an X-Mid Pro. Thanks for sharing your experience, and enjoy your PCT.
Thanks. I'm super excited for the PCT. I'm glad you found parts of the video helpful.
The absolute most detailed tent review ever! All useful & practical without any unnecessary fluff. It is certainly one heck of a tent!
Thanks. Sometimes I think I spend too much time over explaining things but I'm glad it helped!
Thank you! One of the best review I’ve seen of the X Mid!
I appreciate you taking the time to watch it.
This is easily the best video on the X-Mid Pro anyone has made to date. I hiked (some of) the PCT last year with this tent, and I thought I had a pretty good handle on it, but you taught me a few things. I concur with a lot of your experiences; I had one of the trekking pole loops snap off on the second day and no field repair stuck so I gave up on it. I constantly worried that the zipper was too taught. A couple modifications I made was adding a clothesline, and some velcro to secure the vent struts when packed. I had bought some clips for the zippers to relieve some stress but decided against using them because clipping them from the outside was cumbersome. I'm in your shoes as well, seeing the new version and have been on the fence for months over whether I wanted to upgrade or just repair mine. Excellent to see the repair work though. Thanks so much for this video!
The clothesline is a good idea. I had thought it would be nice to have a close line with one of those hammock ridgeline gear organizers on it. The ones made from DCF are super lightweight and it helps keep things organized and off the floor. From Dan's comments, I think they are really solving most of my issues and I bet I'll purchase an early 2025 model after the slight geometry changes, inside door magnets, DCF floor, reinforced corners, and strengthened pole tip connectors are all in a good place.
Thanks so much for taking the time to record and share this. As a new owner of an XMid Pro 1, I had several questions about setup, etc. and you answered pretty much all of them. The review is particularly helpful coming from someone who used the tent under the harsh conditions of an extended through hike.
I'm glad it was helpful. If you think of any questions I didn't address feel free to shoot them in a comment and if I can I'll try to help with them.
Wow what a great and thorough review. Great detail in how you set it up and all the pro tips, great job showing the minor issues you had and how great Dan Durston was with taking care of said issues for a complete customer satisfaction.
P.S. What an ominous bolder wall you set up beside at 31:00 in the video.
Thanks for checking out my video. I'm very happy with my Durston tent and the company. That campsite was top notch!
This review and walkthrough was by far one of the best I've watched. I've been bouncing between the Xmid Pro or the Zpacks Olffset Solo for the past month... This video has sealed the deal on the xmid for my thru hike of the AT this coming Spring. Thanks for making this video!
I'm glad it was helpful. I really like the Xmid. I don't know of a tent as easy to pitch and so fully featured for this weight category. Plus I really like Dan Durston and his company and am glad to support them.
Thank you for the incredible review. Your experience with repairs really highlights the value of buying quality gear from a quality company. I bought my x mid pro one person at the end of last season. I’m really looking forward to using it for a full season this year.
Thanks for checking out my video. I do think it's a great tent and hope you can get out and enjoy yours as much as possible!
One of the best gear reviews I've ever seen. Well done and thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow! This was great!!! Everything I needed to know and then some. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for checking out the video.
Thanks for the review. I'm hiking the CDT this year with this tent, so it's nice to know the issues you had and the tips on pitching the tent. I added a couple of the mods you suggested. Thanks again!!
I'm glad it was helpful. I'm about half way done posting videos of my CDT journey if you're interested. You can check them out on my channel and feel free to message me if you have any CDT related questions.
Awesome tips. Thank you. Dutch Ringworms and Zing-it lines are superb.
They are!
Holy smokes amazing tips! Love the double guyline to one stake for the wide panels. So simple, but so smart. I’ve just changed up my pro 2+ to have the exact same setup! Also loving the little tips like rolling it up on your knee, and even spiking your trekking pole in the ground when you take down the tent. Saves me from bending over to pick then up after, and feels cool as to stab the ground like that hahah. Thanks a million!
I'm glad they were helpful. It's a great tent and I think you'll have many great adventures with it.
Evil genius level with the Dutch ware gear clips! I’m doing that with mine now. That zipper sound is 🤌 I get the same wonky corners inside the bathtub most of the time, too. I leave all 4 corners max length when pitching and that seems to help. Those lines for fast drying mode are something I’m going to give some serious thought. Solid review, thanks!
The CDT had fierce t-storms roll in out of nowhere and after 3 or 4 nights of getting out of a cozy sleeping bag to go out into the rain and wind to guy out the tent I realized I wanted something faster and simpler. The guy outs with the ring clips chain together very nicely for extensions and making clothes lines, etc too!
I agree with a previous commenter: a very believable review with some excellent experience shared with us. It’s appreciated
Thanks. Im using it this summer right now. Im 900 miles into the PCT with it.
I appreciate long reviews but almost invariably I don't finish them because they don't address important issues thouroughly. 50 minutes is a very long time for a review, but yours seemed much shorter as all of my questions coming into it were answered; you did raise a point that I was hoping to hear about a possible fix for. Dan, if you're out there, do you have any thoughts on Lynx's concern about flapping on the broadside near the area close to the head? One of my biggest concerns with DCF shelters is wind-flapping/noise. I will gladly carry a few additional ounces in a different shelter if it's quieter in the wind. I'm gearing up for a CDT thru and am considering this shelter. Grateful for this info Lynx. Thanks!
I'm glad I was able to answer most of your questions. When I was talking to Dan at one point he did talk about there being some tweaks to the geometry of the Xmid Pro 1 that should help with it being more taught. My experience with the flapping in that spot wasn't constant, but on above average windy nights in exposed sites. I was very happy overall with the tent on the CDT. I'm certainly interested in the rumored double wall DCF version that might come out in 2025.
Thank you for all the great information. I took a lot of notes. Really appreciate you doing this after having so much experience with the tent.
And thanks for not adding music while you're talking.
Such a pretty dog! Very sweet with her squeaky toy.
Thanks! She's my little vizsla sweetheart. I hope to take her on some shorter though hikes in the coming years. I also prefer most of my YT videos to not have distracting music going at the same time someone is talking. Plus its a whole heck of a lot easier to not add it ;)
This is extremely helpful, thanks a ton!
I'm glad it was helpful. Let me know if there's anything else about the tent I missed and I can try to get back to you.
Superbe vidéo . ❤ merci pour ce retour d'expérience 👍🇧🇪
Outstanding video.
Thank you very much!
Similar mods. DCF-taped mesh magnet & sewn onto inner-bungee, so that it loops around to stack on the outside magnet (expecting to never need an open mesh with a closed door, which has been correct so far). 2) Using 250lb Spectra (dyneema) fishing line for the apex tie-outs. Line wrapped on those tiny plastic sewing-thread cards, permanently attached to apex (so they don't get lost). 3) Sewed-in a clothes-line inside, apex-to-apex. 4) Added tent-peg size loops at corners for tight-to-ground pitch option. 5) Added outside apex tie-outs facing toward each other. Purpose is to enable condensation blocking metalyzed ground-sheet to be tied overhead when conditions warrant.
lots of great ideas. I'll have to considering adding some of your ideas.
Thanks for such a comprehensive review. I had been going around in circles trying to evaluate my options. Durston is available here in NZ - very expensive but I think this review has really demonstrated its value and excellent design.
I really do belive its a great product and a great company. Im currently 900 miles into the PCT with it and well see how it does after 2 through hikes.
Extremely helpful video, with very helpful tips. Great job!
Glad it was helpful!
My durston xmid 1 pro failed on the trekking pole loop also. Used seam sealer to glue it back in place. If any tent can last a full thru, it’s a good tent.
Did you get in touch with us about this? We are happy to repair this for free. We have made these stronger now on current tents.
- Dan
Dan seems hard at work improving and fixing issues that folks had. Like he commented below, his repair job does a great job remedying the issue.
@@durstongear its ok Dan. I put nearly 800 miles and 45 nights on it last year. Nothing lasts forever.
Thanks for the video awesome review I just bought the tent a couple nights ago. I haven’t received it yet. But this video has made me feel much more confident in my choice to purchase wish I’d see this video before I wouldn’t have had to debate with myself for as long before hitting the button to buy.
I think you'll really enjoy it. It's a great design and full of features with a very low weight.
@@LynxOutdoors686 got it and test pitched on the front lawn, very nice. Can’t wait to get out in the woods and use it.
Outstanding review and advice 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
Thanks!
Remarkably well done review.
Thanks!
Thanks so much for this tutorial and the tips.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video! Thanks for all the specific details.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks
Thank you so much! I'm less than 3 weeks away from finishing the PCT and will be making an update video after it's been through 4,800 miles.
@@LynxOutdoors686 Thank you for the comprehensive review! I'd like to hike PCT next year and now researching gear. Your review is a big help.
thanks for the outstanding video!
Thanks for checking it out!
I agree with everyone else here frickon good review sir.
Thanks. Im glad you found it useful.
super useful video, it's hard to find detailed gear reviews from people who have used the item for a long time
Thanks. Im putting it through the ringer again right now. Im 900 miles into the PCT this very moment.
Fantastic. I like the different and deliberate way you pack up the tent. Seems like one of the best ways to pack up in the rain. I couldn’t tell if you were feeling for the posts at the corners of the inner. I always worry they’ll risk poking through if they don’t all lay perpendicular to the roll. I haven’t heard anyone discuss that issue or how to manage it.
That was one of my bigger concerns when I first got the tent myself. However, after packing it up everyday for 5ish months I found it was very obvious when loosely rolling it up if one of the corner poles or peak vent poles wasn't lined up well. You can quite easily use one hand to shift the pole flat without unrolling it at all. The best way i can describe it is that as youre rolling your hand feels when the carbon rod isnt at and you can sort of pinch the rod and material through multuple layers kf the tent and lay it in thr correct orientation. I didn't ever end up breaking one or having one rip out of its sleeve.
This is the best setup video! Question: How might I best slide a Tyvek groundsheet under the interior section during a setup? Ideas?
I found it easy enough to pitch completely and slide a ground sheet under last. It's easy to do and just the trekking poles are in the way.
Amazing video, thank you
Thanks for watching.
Great review. Nice work. :-)
Thanks!
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching.
Great thorough video, nice! I noticed you tighten the corners after setting the poles. If I remember correctly the "official" pitch guide tightens the corners before inserting the poles. Does this order have any effect on the resulting pitch?
I just made a video demoing why I do it afterwards. It's the 5200 mile Xmid Pro Update. But yes, I do prefer to tighten them last. I find it lets me get the proper floor height to have higher splash protection, and a taught ridgeline at the same time.
Literally siting in my new XMid pro1 with the dyneema floor… watching this video 😂
Bonus points. I like your style!
Well done! New sub for ya!
(You gave me so many good tips in this video, if I may I'd like to make one suggestion for your editing. It sounds like you had to go pretty heavy on the noise cancellation for the audio and the dead silence in between speech clips can be "softened" with some light music in the background. Cheers!)
Thanks, I do appreciate it. I'll be the first one to admit my editing and entertainment skills have a lot to improve on. I'm glad some of the tips are helpful.
Thanks for this review. In the California High Sierra, I often need to tie off (or anchor down) my stakes to rocks when they wont penetrate deep into the thin layer of sand/gravel.
Dealing w/ 4/5 points min vs 8 needed on my trekking pole tent sounds like a real win, however, that same amount or more may still be needed w/ this tent under high wind conditions (guy outs). Assuming you dealt w/ that on the CDT, did u have enough length to tie off and stack rocks or? If using rocks, how much did that impact the tent set up? I'm sure it was manageable, but curious nonetheless.
The included short corner guylines aren't long enough for much of an improvised pitch. Usually the common "deadman" stake trick where you place a stake sideways through the loop of the guyout and place a rock over it worked for me. I do carry some spare cord and have had to use it to loop around larger rocks or logs to use as anchors. I've heard of people damaging their DCF by trying to place big rocks on the cords attached to the tent and having the rocks rub on the DCF. If it's common for you to need to do trickier set ups on hard ground, i'd say it can be done pretty easily with the help of carrying a couple extra small pieces of cord to tie to those rocks/logs.
Great detailed video!
Glad you liked it!
excellent review!
Thanks for watching!
Would the small edge guide out below the “loose area help? By tightening it downwards? Just curious if that would help that area. Thankyou for an excellent view of this tent. ❤
I'm not sure. I'll be certain to give it a try. I usually guyed it out like I showed in the video with both guy-out points at the same time. Dan commented above that they've been improving the shape of the tent and I bet the newer models will naturally pitch more ideally.
Thanks for the video it was quite well done! Was wondering on your storm pitch, the bottom guyline is angled higher up since its attached to the mid level guyline point. My question is in very stormy windy conditions, would it not be better to tie the bottom guyline (separately) at a lower angle (and the tent in general, lower to the ground) so that the strong winds don't enter the tent from the bottom and circulate within the tent? In this manner the outer fly is a purely protective barrier, simply pushing out the high winds up and out. Have I missed something in my thinking? A final question, did you consider in your mods putting longer guylines in the corners and getting rid of the linelocs (Skurka's system) to give you more flexibility in setting the tent up (e.g., to rocks/logs, higher/lower pitches, etc.) or again am i missing something? Thanks again.
Sorry for the delay, I'm finishing up a PCT through hike at the moment. You're correct about getting the fly lower to the ground. The guy out setup is very situational, depending on flat ground and which way you can pitch the tent into the wind. The corner lines are longer than the stock ones that came with it but if you go too long you lose tension on the trekking poles. I like the linelocs for the 97% of the time when the weather is fair as they make pitching and taking down the tent much faster and easier. I've never had a lineloc break on me.
@@LynxOutdoors686Hope you are enjoying your PCT hike! I recently return from a hiking trip in Norway where I got to use the xmid1 that I purchased but had not yet used. There a small learning curve that I went through (still sometimes have an issue getting a perfect pitch, especially in uneven ground). I did put guy lines all around the tent (using skurkas system) and used them half the time (other times used the original lines with the tensioners), most in situations where I simply could not put a stake in the ground because of hard ground or barriers. Definitely works better with the original lines and tensioners but not always possible. Overall very happy with the tent.
One issue I had is not being able to easily discern the direction of the inner tent while setting it up (when it's already attached to the outer). Maybe there is a way to mark it so it's more apparent ?
Great, helpful and detailed video, thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Very good.
Over tensioning of the tent at the guy out points will cause these problems. It's better to leave a little bit loose unless you know bad weather is coming or you may have to get out and retention your lines as a storm comes. Button general you want to leave that just a little bit loose.
The closest tent in design is the Tarptent Stratospire 1 & 2.
They are far superior as far as breathability goes. Put a lot more difficult to set up but it's the same design.
Tarp tent is really cheap skates when it comes to pockets however. It is very lightweight whether you do the one p or the 2p and comes in dyneema, standard and the new Ultra material. This is a double wall tent. And you can choose either the mesh or solid insert depending on conditions or you can buy both of them.
Thanks for the advice. I do also have a Stratospire LI myself. I prefer it for its versatility here in New England where it can be hot and humid and is very wet. The other Tarptent I currently own is a Dipole 2. I really find that I prefer trekking pole tents without the struts and pitchloc corners personally though.
You did a great job on this review. Such detail so I can better make my decision on which UL tent to procure. My only question is how does this matl. fair with moisture condensation and rain? Also does the material sag in rainstorms?
Thanks for checking out the video. So DCF acts more like a generic "blue plastic tarp", but in a good way. It's much more durable than that, but it absorbs 0% water and does not stretch. There is no sagging when it rains, and you can shake over 90% of the water off with a couple quick shakes while packing it. It also dries faster than any other tent material I've ever used. It is not a breathable fabric, so it is prone to condensation. The major use of it is in single wall tents to achieve the lightest possible weights, so it is often associated with condensation, but this is primary from single wall tents in general. Another great thing about it is that it can be permanentaly repaired with DCF tape sticker patches, and it does not require seam sealing.
I really enjoyed this thoughtful video. Did you feel that the ground sheet was really needed on the CDT? Would have a piece of polycryo have sufficed? Trying to save weight for Colorado Trail this year. Thanks!
It's really hard to say. This was the first time I've ever brought a ground sheet on a through hike and in hindsight, I think I wouldn't bother brining one if I redid the same trip. The nylon floor is undoubtably thin, but I didn't have any damage at all to it on the inside of the tent either. The CDT had everything from cactus to thorns to crazy sharp tumbleweed grass. Even if something did poke through, a simple repair tape job fixes it quickly and easily. I've had very good experiences with DCF floor tents on through hikes and now that the Pro 1 is offered in a DCF option, I would personally pick up that model and skip the ground sheet. The sections of CDT that overlapped with the CT had incredible and well groom campsites. i don't think you'll need one and a sheet of super light polycryo would definitely work if you wanted to be on the safe side.
Thank you for the advice, This helps with my decision.
hello, thank you for the great review! I have a ringworms question. Just to clarify, did you hike with 4 ringworms? Two for the apex points, and two for the door points? Or did you also have two more ringworms to storm-worthy the other door? Or did you not feel the need to double-ringworm both doors, and only the door facing against the wind? Thank you
Yes, I had 4 of them total. 2 on the long cord for the door and 1 each on two guyouts for the apex. I never needed more than that and if it was extremely bad weather I could tie cord to other guy outs as needed.
Thanks for sharing the tip on staking for strong side wind, really great stuff. I wonder why you decide to use double guy lines (17:00) instead of anchoring the bottom broad side tie out to the ground, and running just a single guy line from the to top tie out? Does the double guy lines make the tend more stable?
Guying out the tent is very situation specific. I was just showing a way that I've guyed it in the past, but there isn't a specific reason. I have a rock-climbing background and perhaps having 2 legs of an anchor point is just how my thought process worked when setting it up.
I’m tweaking my X-Mid setup (silpoly version) for an AT thru-hike, so your video was amazingly timely. I liked your mods, but at the end you mention carrying only one 12-foot guy-out with the double ended ringworms. Is that because you found you only needed it on prevailing windward side and not the backside too?
Yeah, exactly. I'd usually guy out the two apex points which really pulled the tent tighter. I'd usually only add the singe long guy line into the wind if the campsite was exposed or forecasted to be extra windy.
I’m trying to decide between your version, and the DCF floor for a ‘25 AT attempt…. Curious as to why you would switch? I like the smaller pack size …..
I think either model would work great. I through hiked the AT in 2014 and you'll have hundreds of amazing, groomed, and flat tenting options all the way from GA to ME. I personally prefer the DCF floors in ultralight shelters as I've had better experiences with them over the years. DCF floors (and rain flys) are permanently fixed with a small piece of DCF tape, whereas I usually have to patch and seam grip repairs to nylon. The DCF floor option is actually a fair bit lighter than the nylon too. Were only talking a 90 x 32" bathtub floor so I doubt it would be significantly bulkier but have yet to get my hands on one to try. Based on Dan's comments to this review, I'm almost certain I'll pick up the late 2024 model with a dcf floor, interior magnets, reinforced corners, and optimized geometry.
Do you mind sharing which diameter of cord you have found best for the upgraded corner guyouts that are still compatible with the factory quick releases?
And also what diameter zing-it is best with those Dutchman hooks - that looks like a pro set up for tensioning!
Thank you for such an awesome and detailed review, super helpful!
Sure. It's Lawson Glowire 2mm. A single 50' hank was enough
Amazing review. I own this tent and plan to take it on the GDMBR (bikepacking) this year. I also have the original 2P non dyneema. I’m thinking about taking the 2P because it’s got so much more room. Did you feel you’d prefer a larger interior? Also on a bikepacking trip last year I had a lot of condensation and it was drizzling in the morning. How did you pack up a wet tent and not get everything else wet? I was thinking I might bring a plastic bag or something just for the tent … then dry it out later in the day. Your tutorial is amazing , thanks again
If weight and pack space weren't a concern I'd have liked slightly more room. The Xmid Pro1 has enough room for me but I wouldn't have hated being able to be a few more inches away from the sloped fly by your head when you're sleeping, especially if it was very windy and it was flapping. The double wall has the advantage of using just the tarp to cook under or just the inner to stargaze if its buggy. Most mornings I had some condensation inside the tent. I keep a small camp towel nearby and do a quick wipe down on the inside each morning and ring the water out of the towel. The DCF fly inside doesn't absorb any water so this does get rid of 90% of it. It also drys extremely fast and if the tent was extra wet I would drape it out in the sun during a lunch brake when I could. The included stuff sack is a waterproof material I believe. It'll keep the wet tent from getting other things in your pack wet. If you really wanted to make it extra waterproof, you could either put some seam tape on the included stuff sack or just swap the entire stuff sack out for a small DCF dry bag. I hope that makes sense and may be of some help. I think either model would work well for your trip. I met a bunch of folks doing the bike trip. It sounds like an epic time!
@@LynxOutdoors686 oh the stuff sack is waterproof? I’ll take another look, but I tend to pack without a stuff sack … but maybe I’ll rethink it. I’m leaning towards taking the older version 2P tent.. being on a bike does allow for obviously more weight but you have to consider it. Thanks for quick reply!!
What is best type of knot for making the small loops you added to the tent as mentioned in guy outs for tighter pitch portion of video?
@@commonfan5230 i used opposing double fisherman's knots.
Thank you kindly. How about to make mesh magnet strings uneven. I mean , one shorter than the other and magnets will not rub mesh? They will not connect each time when mesh is closed (perhaps). 😁
That should help prevent the damage. I am happy to say that the mesh didn't seem to get any worse during the PCT through hike despite the extended extra use. The new Pro tents from Durston come standard with interior magnets I've heard.
Hi. Could you write me the details of your guyline setup. How many ekstra lines with ringworm and is it zing-it 1.75 or 2.2mm?
I'm using the same setup right now 1100 miles into the PCT. Currently, I have two 6' lengths of 1.75 zing it, each with a ringworm. I also have one longer 8-10ish' length piece with a ring worm on each end. I use the 2 shorter ones for tightening the apex guylines and the long piece to tighten the windward side in 2 places like I show in the video. I hope that helps.
One of the best reviews I have ever seen. Thank you! May I ask you have you ever used a groundsheet. How is the floor doing? I wonder wether I should use a groundsheet or not?
Thanks for checking out the video. I did use a DCF groundsheet for the first 1500 miles. I switched to the Durston specific nylon one once it was back in stock for the last 1500. The floor itself is doing fine with no holes or repairs needed. I'm sure using the groundsheets helped out here but I'm curious how it would do without one. In hindsight, I think I'd likely not use the ground cloths if I were to do the trip again. I haven't heard of anyone having major damage to the thin nylon floor.
Thank you for the quick reply. Did you find the groundsheet useful with regards to other use cases (e. g. keep tent floor clean, cowboy camping)? I wonder if there is any other reason I take one apart from protecting the floor. I wonder if I should get one or do the experiment: How will the tent floor do without it, of course, me taking care when choosing a sport without sharp objects. Have you encountered areas on the CDT where you where happy to settle the tent on sheet protecting it from harsh surface, where no perfect side was available, just rocks and gravel e. g.?@@LynxOutdoors686
@@lennart822 If you like to camp under the stars a ground sheet is basically mandatory as you wont want to put an inflatable down on the ground directly or risk getting your sleeping bag dirty. I found it just wasn't my style so I didn't use it for that much. Many people prefer to cowboy camp and the ground sheet is a great way to do that. The ground sheet is also nice to set things out on while setting up camp, or for keeping things off the wet or muddy ground when you take them out of your pack. I never did this either, but you could in theory hang it up like a tarp to get a little shade or cook under if you had to. There wasn't ever really a campsite that I would only have set up on with the ground sheet. The closest time for this was just west of Helena MO staying in a mowed yard. The yard had hard to see thistle growing flush with the grass and I was very glad to have the ground sheet there. The lovely thing about nylon and DCF floors are that they are very easy patch if you do get a hole or tear. In hindsight, I personally think I wouldn't bring one again unless you think you'll sleep under the stars often. If this is the case, check out polycryo ground sheets. They are much lighter, less expensive, and pack up smaller. They aren't as durable but they offer some benefits at fraction of the weight and cost.
Thank you 🙏@@LynxOutdoors686
How important was the footprint for you? Did you always use one? Were you happy you got one? Would you have gone another route, like Polycro or Tyvek?
It's hard to say, honestly. If I were going to redo the trip over again I don't think I'd bring one for it. In the beginning, I brought a DCF ground sheet thinking I might cowboy camp often, but I almost never did. The floor is very thin, but worst case you end up patching it a time or two. If you started without one you can always start using one later if you find it getting holes often. If the DCF floored Xmid Pro 1 was out when I bought mine I would have chose that one and skipped a ground sheet altogether. I've used dcf tent floors for years and have no concern with their durability. I might end up picking up one of the newer Pro 1's that has the DCF floor, inside magnets, and the optimized geometry.
@@LynxOutdoors686 thank you so much for this, very much so helps my decision!
Can you do a deep dive on the squeaky alligator
I would, but Zara won't allow me that much time inbetween her playing with it.
I just purchased this tent. I’ve only set up in the backyard. Great video by the way. I have a question, I’ve set up the tent and got a good pitch, I think but when I get inside the bathtub floor flattens out at one end, the end with my feet. I turned the other direction and it did the same thing. Whichever direction I have my feet flattens. Any ideas on what I may be doing wrong?
Hmm, Im not certain what could be happening. It might be the height of the tent being too hogh or low. Id try pitching it with more or less head room to see if that helps.
Thanks for the guy out tips. What type of knot did you use for the loops you added to the connection points?
I used a simple overhand on a bight, sized to be just slightly larger than the stakes, so they could slide in easy but wouldn't come undone unless pulled straight off.
What knots did you use for the loops you added? Excellent video!
For the small loops I attached to the tent loops I used opposing overhands and pulled them tight into each other. It's very similar to a fisherman's bend, but with simple overhand knots as opposed to a Fishermans to use a little less cord. The knots on the end of guy lines that have the Dutch rings are simple overhand knots, sized just slightly bigger than the stake diameter. I wanted to try to keep it simple.
Tent Designers should make small and large tents for small and large people. At 6'2" I want a tent that's 6 inches longer than the Durston and Zpacks.
With the Durston Xmids you need to be a sort of connoisseur of tent pitching more so than the duplex and so many people cant even pitch a duplex which is more strait forward (or just have a sloppy pitch)
I can only imagine how frustrating that must be. I'm 5'11" and fit into almost all standard sized tents pretty well. It must really limit the options when you're those few inches taller. I do think the zpacks tents like the Duplex are more forgiving with spots that you can't get stakes in as well as the overall geometry. I also think that once you get the hang of it, the Xmid is simpler to pitch. I'd say I think the Xmid is easier to pitch, but the Duplex is much more forgiving. I can set my Xmid up much faster than the Triplex I have.
@@LynxOutdoors686 After watching 5 videos on pitching it, it does seem that it's no harder than the Duplex other than you having to adjust your poles.
How would you compare this to the Dipole 1 Li? Ryan at BPL says he thinks the Dipole is slightly more storm worthy. Its pitch would seem intuitively easier given the correspondence between the tent and sleep axes. X-mid looks to be at least 4.3 ounces lighter (more so with the DCF floor) and would appear to pack smaller.
So I haven't used a Dipole 1, but I do own the Dipole 2. Structurally, I do think you can get a more taught pitch with the Dipole because of its geometry and the fact that it has additional carbon struts. However, the Dipole windows are never able to be closed very securely. I have had wind and water get blown in threw the windows even after trying to make them as closed as possible. Besides maximum taught pitches for wind, I'd give my personal nod towards the Xmid since it did very well for my CDT through hike and I've had over a standing inch of water in the Dipole after a very long rainstorm. The windows on the Dipole are both a blessing and a curse. The Xmid does certainly pack smaller, and it doesn't have any folding struts to deal with so packing it is much easier. My Dipole 2 is my most comfortable and spacious 2-person trekking pole tent, which I love. With that said, it's the most comfortable tent when the weather is nice, but I don't trust it in extreme wind and rain due to my experience with so much water getting in the windows. I've been considering selling it and trying something different. I'm considering purchasing the DCF floor Xmid pro, as well as possibly buying the DCF double wall Xmid that is rumored to come out in 2025.
@@LynxOutdoors686 Thanks for the thoughtful reply. The window security during heavy rain was my biggest concern.
Durston’s commitment to innovation and unparalleled customer service is pushing me to the X-Mid.
All the best as you embark on the PCT.
Great informative review, thank you. I have a question: I have the impression that the space needed to pitch this tent is a bit large for a one-person tent (compared to the Plex Solo, for example). Haven't you ever had too many problems finding flat, even ground? Cheers!
You're correct, it does have a larger overall footprint than most 1 person tents for a couple major reasons. Firstly, it's a roomier 1 person tent with a floor width of 32" vs some of the smaller ones that have 25 or even 20"s. Next, it has 2 vestibules. There are pros and cons to this, but one of the cons is it does take up more space. Another thing to consider is that the rectangle that gets initially staked out keeps the fly around the entire tent low to the ground. This means that if it's a rocky area, or there are low bushes/stumps its harder to find a place to set up than something like a Duplex that you can keep the vestibules tied up and out of the way. It's harder to do on the Durston tents, but not impossible. There are some great videos on the "skinny" pitch that Dan Durston has made that show how you can pitch the tent with one, or even both, of the vestibules tucked back so the space required is just the size of the floor. If you do that, it can fit into almost any spot that any other 1 person tent could fit. I never had to do that on the CDT and was always able to find something that would work. Sometimes, maybe only 2 or 3 times the entire trip, I'd pitch the tent so a stump or rock took up an entire vestibule and I just wouldn't use that side. Another thing to consider is that while this is on the larger side for a 1 person tent, most tent sites on trails can usually fit 2 or even sometimes 3 person tents as many people travel together and share tents in the back country. You can fit this tent more easily into any space that a 2 person tent can go. I'd recommend checking out Durston's videos on the skinny pitch. At the very least, I didn't have any real issues finding a tent site on the CDT.
Thanks for this very complete answer👍@@LynxOutdoors686
Thanks for the very complete answer👍@@LynxOutdoors686
Ditto what @randalmartin22 said! Arguably the best video on backpacking tents that I’ve ever watched. And I’ve watched a lot.
Thanks. im glad it helped.
What is the advantage of having the mesh inner at an angle? Why not eliminate the vestibule area and make the inner full size?
The vestibules offer some nice benefits, mainly for things that you don't want to bring or do inside the tent. The angle on these ones grants easy access to the door without the trekking pole blocking it. It makes it much easier to get in and out compared to tents like the Zpacks Duplex. It also allows you the larger space in the corner to put your pack/shoes to get them out of the way as well. Its nice to be able to cook in the vestibule when its raining and having the angle lets more of the fly protect the stove from wind and rain. The Pro 1 already is on the larger side for a 1 person tent with it's 30" interior width, so making it even larger inside by adding the vestibule space to the main body would make it more of a 2 person tent.
Looks like the large panel did in fact stretch out over time. Do you feel it's less, more, or about the same as other DCF tents you own?
I didn't find it to be anymore than any other DCF shelter I've used. The geometry still does set up nicely and there isn't anything too problematic from it.
Thanks!
Hahahaha a Vizsla. Of course. We have one as well.
She's an amazing dog. I love Vizslas.
What were the guyout hooks you used and the string?
Can you post a link. I looked and couldn’t find them
@@jacobzirkle9153 dutchwaregear.com/product/ringworm/ they are Dutchware Ringworms and Zing It line, also sold by Dutchware.
How many tents have u owned ??
I'm not certain the exact number, but many. I inherited roughly 10 from my father when he passed away years ago. Since then, I've likely bought another 10-12. I've sold some of the models that didn't really work for me and currently have somewhere around 15. They range from 2 and 3 person 4 season tents to LW freestanding tents to DCF trekking pole tents.
very helpful
Thanks!
Did u have any issues with getting things done through customer service ??
Never mind 😂
Nope, they were great. They repaired everything for me without charge.
Thanks for this very thorough video. I too have this tent, but I am struggling with the layout of the floor as shown in 1:10 to 1:35 or so of your video. When I turn the tent upside down to view the floor on top view (1:10 ish) then do either a straightforward flip either long or crosswise, the floor has now changed angles by twice the ~20 degree offset of the floor to fly. to the original upside-down layout. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to make a compound flip from the upside-down layout to right-side up layout to retain the original orientation of the inner floor?
Your video and Kane Does Outdoors 5 Step to Active Your Tents Winter are both most useful.
th-cam.com/video/JkLu5T5f3U0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=MZ3qs4jPCW8oAvd0
Nice review, but I like more original version of this tent - Sierra Designs, High Route 😊⛺
Sierra Designs was my family's tent of choice growing up. My father was a pretty successful mountaineer and we had a bunch of different models over the years. Our family of 4 slept in a Prelude, my father used a Super Light Year 1 and Clip Flashlight 2 for some of his earlier trips, and I still own and use a Tiros Expedition 2 and 3 for my winter base camping. I fixed up and used my Gamma 3 for a New Zealand trip I did about 10 years ago. I can say that out of all the tent brands that I inherited from my father when he passed, the Sierra Design models are by far in the best long-term shape. None of the seam tape delaminated, and they are all still in great working order even 30 years later. The only thing I've had to change out was fresh shock cord in the poles.
Thanks for this very thorough video. I too have this tent, but I am struggling with the layout of the floor as shown in 1:10 to 1:35 or so of your video. When I turn the tent upside down to view the floor on top view (1:10 ish) then do either a straightforward flip either long or crosswise, the floor has now changed angles by twice the ~20 degree offset of the floor to fly. to the original upside-down layout. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to make a compound flip from the upside-down layout to right-side up layout to retain the original orientation of the inner floor?
Your video and Kane Does Outdoors 5 Step to Active Your Tents Winter are both most useful.
th-cam.com/video/JkLu5T5f3U0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=MZ3qs4jPCW8oAvd0
Thanks for taking the time to watch. I turned the tent upside down just to show that the floor is not parallel to the outer tent body. When I go to pitch it in real life I hold the head or foot end of the floor, and ignore the outer tent. My right hand will go to the corner guy out and my left holds the elastic guy out in the center of the head/foot end. I shake the tent out away from me and when its slowly coming back down I look at the floor as its falling. I find I can get a good idea where the floor is this way without having to actually see it before staking it out. What I'm trying to describe is at 1:27 in the video. I hope that makes sense.
@@LynxOutdoors686 thanks, I believe that after playing around indoors on my wooden floors for reference guide lines; I set it outdoors using the procedure you described in your reply. I think it was your camera angle that wasn’t that clear on that particular step.
@@artallen2860 That makes sense. Sorry, I did just have the camera on a tripod for the whole video and it didn't showcase the angle I was trying to demonstrate. Did you have any more success with your layout afterwards?