This Tent Won’t Stop Improving!
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- Опубликовано: 7 июн 2024
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Thanks for the kind words. Glad you're liking tent.
Maybe I'll add those hang loops :) When I got started in ultralight back around 2007 GoLite made some of my favorite gear (Jam pack, Reed rain pants) but they both got heavy when they added a bunch of features and that killed what made them special, so that made me wary of "feature creep". With the X-Mid Pro tents I have soften a bit and added pockets, and I have added hang loops to the non-Pro X-Mids over the last year, so they are a natural next step for the Pro tents.
Right now the X-Mid Pro 2+ is actually lighter than the original X-Mid Pro 2, despite being a larger tent with more features (e.g. pockets), so yeah there probably is room in the weight budget to add hangloops. Right now I recommend the stick on ones from Zpacks for people who want them, but maybe for the 2025 model I'll soften and add these.
Also thanks for the constructive feedback over the years. It can be hard to hear but I do appreciate it and it only helps make gear better.
- Dan
Dan, you are the best!
I bought an X-Mid 2 pro in March and have been using it daily for the past month. A couple hang loops is the only thing I want changed. It's a fantastic tent!
I appreciate the good work, you make high-value tents with your Xmid models. Still wish these top tier dyneema tents costed like at least $100 less, that would feel like really great value for the added features.
@@gabe5661 Thanks. We do have a more affordable version of the Pro tents with the woven floor, and we lowered the price on those by about $50 this year. So they are priced about as low as possible for a DCF tent, but yeah it still costs a lot.
Hey Dan! My xmid 2 solid is arriving in a few days and I'm so excited. Thanks for the great work!
I used Zpacks DCF loops to hang a clothesline on my X-Mid Pro. Over a year and 400ish miles of hiking later, it's been working great.
Same!
Same. They work great.
Same!!
Ditto they stick on, but if you’re worried that they might pull off, you can always sew it and use a dynamic patch this way they won’t go anywhere and it keeps the waterproof of your tent
Mine are on there solid. No issues to date.
a gear/tent brand that listens to their customers and makes upgrades? miracle. thats awsome. Also your unbiased review. Simply amazing.
I appreciate how you updated your opinion once your criticisms of earlier versions were addressed. Others may be dishonest with their critiques and still dislike a product "because it just doesn't feel right" even after their initial critiques on previous versions get addressed.
I literally just received my X-Mid Pro 2+, so happy to the improvements from earlier iterations of the X-Mid. Thanks for coming back to this tent lineup!
I own countless tents and starting to sell off some more of them, but when I started with Durston, I started with the standard 2p Durston tent, then went the pro route, but sold it due to head room issues later down the road with two in the tent and having to drop back to 20" wide pads vs my 25" wide pads (at 6'1" and 210 with shoulders, the 20" pads suck), but for two shorter people the X Mid Pro 2 was perfect. Just purchased the Pro 2+ this morning before reviewing this from Stephen (which it was great to meet you recently as you still remain only one of two reviewers I watch anymore like discussed in a prior video which I listed my complaints with youtube deception, not you, because you always clear your reviews like in this one from prior reviews and I like that!). As to Dan Durston, thank you for listening to us. I emailed you a year ago about a wider, lighter, built for two wide pads tent and you said keep watching and I did. Here we are, can't wait to get it and try it out soon on the trail. I've held off on the HMG Ultamid 2 with full insert waiting on you, and it seems it will be worth the weight even though I'm a hugh fan of HMG products and use them constantly. Sometimes, you just gotta trust people to hear you, and we thank you for listening!
I'm actually in love with the regular X-Mid 2 after my first night. Had no issue with headroom, condensation or anything else for $280 and still under 900g of weight.
FINALLY...I am seriously considering one of these tents. Thanks for the video.
Zpacks already makes a dyneema stick on loop you could add anywhere on your tent. They also have mitten hooks and magnet toggles and flat metal hooks all with a sticky dyneema backing. I think you could easily solve this problem fir a few dollars.
My Xmid Pro 2+ recently arrived in the mail, can't wait to try it out! Great review!
I own an Drop X-Mid 1P. I love mine. I bought mine the moment I came across it on a Drop ad. It ticked all of my boxes. Over the years I have used it backpacking. Lately it goes into my top box for ADV motorcycle camping with the Z-Flick poles. Great tent. I've owned many tents over my lifetime and this is my favorite, go-to-tent. Simply brilliant!
Proud owner of the Xmid 2 Solid non dyneema version. (Not Pro.) it's a fantastic tent. I found your gripes in your initial review of the XMid 2 to be, well, edge cases. But that's what camping is about! Choosing gear that fits you best. Awesome to see these updates and incremental improvements.
I know no one still using 20" wide pad any longer. As we move into the years ahead, a 50" wide floor is a game changer.I am tired of buying a three person tent to fit two people. Now that the floor in bigger I will likely buy one.
Hearing all about the drama over flipping reviews makes me want to stay away from x-mid period.
It's like reviewing an Apple iPhone on an Apple fan site.
@@geraldhenrickson7472 The regular 2p X-Mids fits 2 wide pads (with a 52" floor width). It's only the "pro" 2p which is narrower.
@@geraldhenrickson7472 To each their own. I don't know anyone personally who has switched to a wide pad yet, but I'm sure they're becoming more popular.
@@evilgibsonso you don’t wanna buy the tent because its too well recieved?
Or am i understanding you wrong?
Where did we get this man -- every video has 10x info and testing. What a boss
Great review! Nice improvement on the X-Mid Pro 2! Makes me wish I would have waited a little longer and purchased the pro 2 +.
For loops (if you want) a dyneema or tenacious tape patch with a little loop of cord through it would work perfectly. The SilPoly version has little loops in the corners which makes it easy to run a line between the two poles, proving once again the X-Mid2 SilPoly is superior ;)
With that said, you CAN just zip the zippers up to the top and run a cord from one trekking pole to another and it'll give you a nice ridgeline and bugs aren't likely to get into those extremely tiny zipper gaps. Easy peasy.
Great video! Really the kind of info I'm looking for. Thank you. And it was great to meet you at Trail Days!
wow, I must be the odd one out, still like my Drop/Gen 1 version of the Xmid 1, but you are totally tackling a differrnt problem here (a true 2 person tent). I just cannot get behind single wall DCF tents though. I like my stargazing and a single wall defeats that. The real take away here is that Durston is listening to folks and making improvements that are wanted. Not dropping new versions of what he thinks ppl want.
Maaaan I am currently on the AT and not happy with my tent. You're gonna make me buy one of these.
Good luck!! You're awesome
I love my Duplex! Have the 21 oz. I have yet to try the Durston. Thanks for the review.
EXCELLENT video, Steven! Totally legit. And really useful ad, too.
We have an X-Mid2 (nonpro), and it perfectly fits inside the Zenbivy Light double bad (50 inches wide version), which makes a super cozy place for a couple. The only real problem we found is it is far from the easiest tent to pitch and it requires really big camping site, which is often a problem to find. Uneven surfaces also makes pitching the tent problematic, especially after a long day of hiking or in a bad weather.
I did add the Zpacks stick on loops to my 2+, just be aware, if you put anything very heavy (like a Flextail pump/light) it will tend to pull the poles in a bit. The tent is big, and maybe for thru hikers it's a pain, but for someone like me, that is more of a base camper, where I stay in the same place for 4 or 5 days, it's well worth the extra time to find the right spot. Having everything under cover, and lots of room inside the mesh to keep wet and dry stuff apart, is so much better.
All of those Xmid chsnges demonstrate there is no perfect tent so we can maybe stop looking for it snd just enjoy the outdoors instead.
My Xmid 2 solid is getting here in less than a week, and I'm so excited!! I think it has the same wide floor your one does!
I also used the Z packs attachments on 2 spots in the ceiling of my Durston to hang my light etc. It works well.
I have the Xmid 1p v2, and I love it. Cost me $200US, and yeah, it's almost two pounds, which is absurdly heavy compared to the pro, but it didn't cost me a mortgage payment, either. I just think it's pretty easy to love an extremely expensive tent when it's free.
My pro cost $660, I wish my mortgage was that low. 😂
@@jfgreen1959 the pro 2+in the video is $685 before taxes. My mortgage is a touch over $700.
for your 2 pounds you get a double wall tent. That is also worth it. The pro versions are also lighter to the cost of the single wall concept.
That is not always only cool to have a single wall tent believe me.
@@benhauber1979 my mortgage is $2,245, my taxes are almost $500. I’m in Pennsylvania, I know people in NY whose taxes are over a $1,000 per month.
The Stargazer kit is also a big plus on the original design.
Fantastic review! Thank you for doing all the hard work to give us the usable information we need to decide what is best.
Finally starting my shopping for a backpacking setup. I've always been car to camp (entry level enthusiast camping nothing serious) I know I don't need the best or lightest. With dyneema is it truly waterproof without using a secondary tarp in the rain?
I love my Xmid 2p so far, the headroom is an issue I ran into but for my height I can deal with it, length and width were not an issue at all for solo, also I just can’t justify the price of the Xmid pro series at this time so I’m more than happy with what I’ve got
Sewed-in loops to the apex and strung 200lb-test Dyneema fishing-line to make a 3gram, adjustable, removable clothes line inside the tent (Xmid 2 Pro).
Cool tent, maybe I’ll see it in person some day 😂
The Xmid 2 (regular) has been working great for me over the past year. If I were going to upgrade to a dyneema 2 person tent, the Durston Xmid pro 2+ would be the one.
out of my price range but good to see what the high end tents should have and can do :D So keep this stuff comming.
The Xmid high pockets are already good for putting a phone in to watch.
That Caveman TV is legit. I actually bring my Switch sometimes hahaha. Sounds ridiculous but seriously nice to entertain yourself at times in the tent.
Thanks for sticking CM in the video
The thing that all trekking pole tents do poorly is pitch well on uneven ground. I wish some would focus on this issue.
I recently got the Z-Packs Offset Duo Tent. Although this is (nominally) 0.2oz heavier, it addresses all the concerns I had about the duplex from my PCT thru hike. It would be interesting to see a comparison of Durston X-mid 2pro+ and the Offset Duo.
If they would have made the offset duo a rectangular floor I would have been raving about it. But the tapper down to 44 at the feet is a deal breaker for me.
Would definitely love one of these! Too bad my budget is about $8 😅
Have you had a chance to compare the X-Mid to Tarptent's Stratospire Ultra? They use a different fabric from Dyneema (I think?) and it's gotten good reviews, so I'm struggling to make a choice between that one and this one. As always, thanks for the excellent guides and reviews!
I have the X-Mid Pro2... String a line from the top of one trekking pole to the top of the other trekking pole and then zip the door up until it meets the line. No bugs get in and the trekking poles bear the weigh of whatever you have hanging on the line.
I can’t remember the zipper set up on my pro 2. But the plus has two zippers that meet at the bottom of the door. So this wouldn’t work on the plus.
Just get closer with your friend 🎉🎉
I absolutely love watching movies in my tent at night, a little wine… Heaven
100% Agree. We love our Caveman TV!
you can always bring the top-ends of your poles into the inside of the tent (inside the zippers) , which gives you the option of tying a cord between these two poles inside of the tent. I wouldn;t use this option long-term but it works while you watch your movies.
I'm still rocking one of the original Drop Xmid-1's. Someday I'd like to get a Pro2 or Pro2+
Getting ready for my first section hike on the AT. What should I spray with Permethrin and can I spray Scotchgard on top of the Permethrin?? (All new equipment.)
Jim you should spray every piece of clothing (except underwear) per the instructions. Shoes and gaiters as well. Hats! You can treat the mesh of the tent to keep bugs at bay. I did the inside of the vestibules before a trip to mosquito country, BWCA, and it helped a lot. I'd recommend against putting anything over the permethrin. Also plan to use picardin or DEET as a repellent. Permethrin is more a killer than repellent. Have fun
It's such a shame how expensive any Durston tent is in the UK, by the time delivery and import charges are added even the cheapest version comes in at £350-£400. That's why tents like the Lanchen and the Asta Gear Yun Chuan are popular. Oh well, maybe one day I'll pick one up second hand. 😊
yeah I'm new to backpacking and 640€ for 500 grams of tent (the one in the video) is just ridiculous in my opinion. It's also basically just that expensive because they can and people are buying it. Because it's such a niche thing.
Solid video per usual
Zpacks sells rly good basically permanent patches with clips loops etc etc etc etc etc etc stick on's for dcf
well done. yabadaba doo🤙
I agree 100% as far as the width of the tent. A "true" 2-person tent really needs to be 50 inches wide. Along those same lines, I really hope Durston comes out with a 1+ version that would be somewhere in the range of 38-40 inches wide. This is more of a personal preference than a design flaw, but I find that the 32" width of the Pro 1 footprint is a bit narrow. I do like the space provided with the dual vestibules, but would rather have more of my gear inside the tent proper than in the vestibules. Again, personal preference, but something to consider nonetheless.
I second this /..1+ to this. Dan Durston if you happen to read this comment. Enough room for 1p plus a pack in case hiking with camera gear that needs to be inside overnight. I have and love the 2p pro but the additional width makes it harder to find a good spot.
@@nickash324 @davidfranson8118 Thanks for the suggestions. I do agree we should have something between the current 1P and 2P tents. It's a smaller market so I'm not sure how quickly it'll happen but I am contemplating it.
@@durstongear Thanks for the reply - pleased to hear it may eventuate in the future. I used the 2 pro on many nights in Iceland last year and it handled strong winds perfectly! I did connect additional guy lines during a storm one night and it was sturdy. I'm looking forward to the freestanding version as that will suit places like Iceland with many rocks, sand and uneven surfaces.
Could you recomend an ultralight tent for 2 parents and a kid?, is out there something that big that uses 2 trekking poles?
Will they provide the normal version such as X-mid 2+ (solid)? I think pro version is out of my budget...
Can you compare the nature mongar 2 tent to the msr hubba? The budget replica vs the real deal
@MyLifeOutdoors Steven, What's the brand of the brown pullover at @ 6:10?
Farpointe Alpha Fleece
I'm 195cm (6'5") and while width is relevant for me, most are just too short.
yes. problem for me at 6 4. I now use a 22 oz Triplex which is very wide for 2 ppl but it can be tight at the head and feet without a lot of finagling with extra poles and stakes. albeit the width lets me sleep on an angle to get more length. ZPacks nw makes a longer version of the Duplex but not the Triplex yet. They have the new Offset Trio though - wonder that that is like?
Check out the tarptent solutions. Double rainbow and double rainbow li are nice and long, I love my li. They even have a filter for tents for tall people on their site.
I am also 195 cm and have the x-mid pro 2+. Have now slept about 10 nights in it (solo so far). As much as I can tell the length is sufficient to not having to worry about touching the roof in either end when there was some condensation (which does not seem to bad at all). Otherwise the tent is a freaking palace for one person, and I expect to fit well with my spouse in it as well.
what is that black net like shirt you put on?
This video is nearly 20% advert, if you don't count the whole video as an advert for this tent.
i think they made also major improvements on the xmid 1.
Is it noisy in the wind
Your phone holder was a bit funny to me because in hammocks and the ridgeline this is something we have had for years and since using hammocks wished tents had internal ridgelines because the usefulness of a simple ridgeline seems endless, from phone holders to organization, place to hang my headlamp or glasses, i always miss ot when im inba tent.
Stink test experiment: please test...wash your hiking clothes (t-shirts, pants, socks underwear, hats scarfs etc whatever you shall be wearing, including shoes). Once done re soke everything in a large sink, bath etc in warm water which contains a good amount of baking soda for at least 30 min. Rinse. Spin in a washing machine, and leave to dry or use tumble dryer until dry. Before you go hiking put your feet in a small tub of water containing baking powder... And also put some baking powder under your arm pits etc. after some time say 10 min..dry your self etc...the idea is that baking powder is a natural germ killer and deodoriser. If there is no bacteria present on your clothes and self you should not stink.. at least not to quickly.. then go on your hike... Please test for how much longer you stay stink free.. thanks a fan from the tiny island of Malta
Dan doesnt mess around thats forsure.
I know we almost always bring a little tripod that goes stand about 3 feet tall and have used it when watching a movie, yeah we do knock it down here and there but it helps.
Is this better than the tarptent then ??
With the weight I save by using a tarp and suspended mosquito netting for shelter, I bring a book and some beer for when it's raining.
Welcome to the Not-A-Cult! ;)
this vid makes me happy i shelled out the $$$ for the nemo dagger 3
IMO the best 2-person tent available is the ZPacks Triplex. It's 3oz heavier than the Xmid Pro 2+ and $50 more expensive, but it's a palace for 2. I use the 2nd set of trekking poles to pull out each end-panel in similar fashion as the offset series.
The obsessions with light weight portable shelter is getting to the point of just plane silliness. Portable shelters have been around for thousands of years, as far back as 100,000 years. Several features needed to live the nomadic life is it has to be portable, must have room to move around, be able to stand up, livable during extreme weather for days at a time and must be able to endure extreme weather conditions for days on end, must be able to erect the shelter in a short time, must have the most cubic units of measurement for amount of material used. Just by chance that is the TePe, used above the artic circle from Lapland eastward to the Pacific with a circle of poles bundled together at the top or smaller Tepe's with one center pole. Also the shelter of the nomadic Native Americans of the Great. Planes. There are variations such as the Minner tent with a square base and one center pole. Back in the 1970's Gerry's of Colorado made a version with two external poles connected at the top. In the 1980's North Face made a variation with a center pole which was 5 foot tall and 9 foot in diameter octagon. Our family of five used both these tents to their death month long backpacking, ocean kayaking, canoe river trips and North woods canoeing and Bike touring. The center pole in a tent is under rated. It allows enough height to stand to dress and undress to hang clothing, hang a light. Why try to reinvent a portable shelter that has existed for thousands of years and still in use today? Over the centuries the cover has evolved from animal hides to canvas in the 1800's to manmade fibers.in the 1970's. Today there are newer, lighter, stronger fibers available to make a lighter TePe. So, the question Is: Are new tent design new for the sake of new? Or does is it a revolution thought and function?
try a poly version! the 4 season 1p is awesome!
I’d like to see a comparison between this and the Tarptent Stratospire
I wonder how much this tent co...GREAT GOOGA MOOGA! $800 for a tent! This isn't going to just be my backpacking tent, it's going to be my only tent. And potentially my new home if my wife even sees me thinking about paying that much for a tent!
Anyone know if these improvements have been done to the normal x mid 2?
I update all of our tents regularly (several times per year). The regular X-Mid 2 is already a 50" floor so it hasn't gotten larger, but it's gotten lots of other improvements.
@@durstongear sweet, thank you so much.
@@durstongear think you’ll ever come out with a 3 person tent?
@@JJamahJamerson Probably eventually but not in the next year.
@@durstongear I have a rough idea of how would could work, do you guys have like a suggestion box?
Great video! I want a 1 and a half person tent. One person tent with extra room for gear and movement but lighter with less exterior size for site options compared to 2 person tents.
the x-mid 1P has so much room in the vestibules for gear, it's basically a 1.5P
@@dustyoldhatWhere I live, when I put my gear in the vestibule overnight, it ether freezes, gets moist of filled with ants and other insects.
A 1 1/2 person tent seems like a nice idea !
@@gwen9642 yeah there's insects in nature bud
Inside is inside, a vestibule is outside
@@mobilewintercamp7515 Not really
I’ve never understood why most people insist on both partners sleeping the same direction in an X-Mid. I sleep head to foot when I have anyone else with me, and it means a Pro 2 has ample width for 2 people. Plus both people get better wall angles at their head that way, and the position of your vestibule is equally good for both people. The only downside I find with my X-Mid is the overall footprint being large, so finding a spot to set up can be challenging in some environments. But it’s usually a trade-off I’m happy to live with.
I have a "3" person tent that in reality can fit up to 5 people. Even 6 if pushed to limits
Caveman TV Smartphone Holder
CAD $ 50.00
LOL ...Steven seriously I don't know how you do that with a straight face. You sell your integrity really cheaply to these companies.
Definitely a rip off when the design is ripped off an aliexpress design for sale for $6!
Looks like something you could just 3d print yourself. And honestly wouldn't surprise me if there's already similar designs available for free...
Honestly the best part of the video
Agreed on all counts.
50 bucks for two plastic clips and some line...
While not ultralight, the Lunar Duo by Six Moon Designs can fit 2 wide pads comfortably and has a ton of headroom.
Do you know anything about a DCF lunar solo?
@PT_Hikes it probably will not happen.
@HuckOutdoors bummer. I saw Anish post something before she started the AZT. Looked like a pre production model of some sort.
@@PT_Hikes that was the Deschutes Zero G Tarp paired with a serenity net. Great combo
@@HuckOutdoors I appreciate you clearing that up. Thanks!
If you aren't doing a long through hike, I will never understand all you ultra light, ounce counting types. However you do it, get out and backpack..
If you have back issues weight matters...
I love my 1 p pro
How’s the Metric system going?
How is it compared to the Nemo hornet?
Isn't the Sierra Designs High Route designed like the Pro+? I almost never see the High Route reviewed.
Plastidip a couple magnets. Put one outside and couple it with a magnetic hook on the inside. That way you have infinite adjustment
Sending you stuff for free IS sponsoring!
I need the music at the beginning!
$1000? Jikes.. I think I will stick to my tarp. But this looks great
It's not just weight it's size/bulk
Be cool if you reviewed the less expensive versions, poly, since most can’t afford dcf..just sayin
More than happy too. I just don’t have any of the poly versions.
@@MyLifeOutdoors awesome, and makes sense..im still on fence w xmid since the footprint is so massive, I have the xmid2 poly, but think im going to go Tarptent , little extra weight but just so well designed and so many options, anyway, you and Ryan at Backpacking light are my fave vids since you always highlight all the details w specs, thanks and keep it up👍🏼
@@MyLifeOutdoors have you seen the new 3f Lanshan 2 pro? That’s 50” wide by 90” @2lbs , not bad for $200
@@nicebopo not in person. Hopefully I can check it out soon
Still a tent type based on experience, I will not bring this type of tents on Artic Conditions or Summer in the Norwegian Mountains
Got a 30" wide pad, so much nicer for me. My arms fall off the 25" pads when I lay on my back.
60 inch floors incoming
@@MyLifeOutdoors'Mericans getting ever wider!
I was on board until I saw the price. You can still get an awful lot of tent for a third of that.
I agree with you. I was extremely underwhelmed by the 1st Pro 2. The Pro 2+ is definitely an improvement. Reducing the offset angle really increases stability and ease of pitching. May have to try one again.
The cult still really gets on my tits though.
700 is too much though. With two people a 3 pounds tent isn’t bad
The selling price makes it unaffordable for many people.
Just sew on two loops? Like an hour job max.
Yeah if you can buy one, Durston gear is always selling out
lol how hard is it to put a loop in the ceiling lool.