X-Mid 2

Hans Christian Andersen wrote the following: “Where words fail, music speaks”. The Durston X-Mid is a SYMPHONY. There are so many aspects of the trail experience that are interwoven into the design of this product. It's rare to receive a tent, set it up in your back yard (as so many of us do), and literally not want to take it down. With each setup variation, more advantages come to the fore. The tent is roomy on the x, y, and z axes. The tent is smartly designed - opening and closing the vestibule has always required such a reach, but not with the X-Mid. I feel fortunate to own a piece of ARTWORK created by Mr. Durston, and can't wait to get it out on trail later this month.

At first I was hesitant about purchasing mid x 2p for my week long elk hunt. I spent months researching just about every single UL trekking pole tent out there. I found things that I didn’t like with the other tents, for ex. Packed weight, having to add seam sealer (no biggie), not tall enough, price. This tent checked off just about every box that I needed, only thing I have to maybe complain but it’s a really easy fix is the guy line, not enough reflective, but again it’s a easy fix I can switch it to a different color to see it a little better. This tent is seriously the best for your buck. Looking at high end UL tent priced from $399-799, this tent is literally right up there with those tents. Packed weight without the stakes or footprint came in at 1.9lbs. Now out on the field is where the test came in, still having some doubts every doubt I had went out the window. We got slammed by heavy rains 4 days in a row, no leaks, the vents are perfectly located that I had minimal condensation. One of those nights we had high winds, I didn’t add any extra stakes to secure the tent I used 7 stakes total. The tent stayed up all night I had no sagging, no collapsing, zero issues. In fact I had other hunter stopping by our camp and checking out my tent and asking questions about it. Love the space inside and outside the tent too. Fantastic design I can’t wait to go on my next camping adventure.

I used the X-Mid 2 for 32 nights straight on the CT and through sun, wind and rain and it worked perfectly every night. Setting up in the rain with the pack protected and dry was invaluable. The inner bug netting liner worked incredibly well, especially to reduce condensation on those cold, wet mornings. Being 6’5” the 2-person was excellent for my use with loads of space inside and in the vestibules for my equipment. I could not be happier.

I've used the x-mid 2 a lot this summer.

The tent is indeed comfortable to use and easy to set up on wide camping spots.
At higher altitudes, and in more rocky or steep terrain—such as in the Pyrenees or the Alps—bivouac spots are often surrounded by rocks creating a circle, to provide wind protection and to clear the surface.
Unfortunately, this tent is often too large for those bivouac spots, even in its narrow configuration.
This may sound minor, but it can be extremely frustrating—especially when you arrive late to a bivy spot only to find that none of the sites will fit your tent.

Lastly, while the zippers are smooth at first, they tend to get stiffer with use and exposure to dust. I don’t have the impression that they will last 10 years, which one would normally expect from a high-quality tent.

Just spent a week in the Sawtooths in Idaho, my first backpacking excursion with this tent.
Had some dry days, and had some rain and hail. Love the ease of set up. And the interior space is plenty comfy/roomy for me at 6’2” 200lb. My last tent was another 2P trekking pole brand/style, and this X-Mid 2 provides some very much appreciated upgrades/features. Ease of set up/getting a good pitch….awesome. Vestibule space is very accommodating for all my gear. LOVE the magnetic ties for the fly. It made getting in/out super easy. Also love the upper vents and how the lower venting can be adjusted. I packed a dry tent every morning except one, and it had rained just before dawn. Also very much appreciated the interior height. I could be up on my knees and my head still had clearance. Also, it proved very convenient that the door openings are on reciprocal sides, allowing me to pick which direction sleeps more comfortably (without re-pitching) when it is hard to determine the exact nature of the slope. The near vertical walls on each end also made this option very convenient. Clips at the bottom of the fly zippers were also nice. They can help relieve tension on the zipper, and they also allow some venting variability since the zippers can be opened while still keeping the doors closed. Packing it up is also a breeze. I had it packed into one of the exterior water bottle pockets (where you’d put a Nalgene). And I certainly noticed the fly material did not sag or need adjusting/tightening when it rained. If your initial pitch is solid, then the tent proved stable in the wind/rain we experienced. I did not encounter some of the nastier storms I’ve been in like the Weminuche wilderness of CO, but I’d have no qualms taking this tent to the CDT for an extended trip.
Overall I’m very pleased with this tent. Thanks Dan Durston, for such a well thought out design.