Durston X-Mid 2 - your experiences please

[Tomwoodbury]

Am likely to pull the trigger on one of these tomorrow as Valley and Peak have a 15% Black Friday discount.

It will be my third bikepacking tent following a big Agnes copper spur HV2 and a Terra Nover laser.

Obviously the Durston isn’t free standing like the copper spur but keen to understand relative difficulty of getting a good pitch, space / livability, performance in wind etc from anyone who has used one.

The main appeal of the Durston is weight and space inside as it will be used by my wife and I on tours of 3-4 days.

Are there other options that would be better around the £350-400 mark?

Thanks

[The Cumbrian]

I bought a Kuiu Mountain Star a few months ago that I'm very impressed with. The only caveat is that depending on how big you are, it may be more of a 1.5 person tent than a 2 person. I'm 6' and it's palatial for me on my own, and there's plenty of space when my 5' girlfriend joins me. If she was much taller it would be a bit of a squeeze.

They're on sale at the moment too.

https://www.kuiu.com/products/mountain- ... 1130259614

[yourguitarhero]

Am likely to pull the trigger on one of these tomorrow as Valley and Peak have a 15% Black Friday discount.

It will be my third bikepacking tent following a big Agnes copper spur HV2 and a Terra Nover laser.

Obviously the Durston isn’t free standing like the copper spur but keen to understand relative difficulty of getting a good pitch, space / livability, performance in wind etc from anyone who has used one.

The main appeal of the Durston is weight and space inside as it will be used by my wife and I on tours of 3-4 days.

Are there other options that would be better around the £350-400 mark?

Thanks

I have the one man version.
As long as you can get the 4 corners pegged out in a good rectangle it is very solid. That can be a little bit of an issue if you are over a big rock when doing the 4th corner for example. I've only rarely had that problem but it is resolved in a couple of minutes.

If you are bikepacking I would recommend the Z-Flick poles you can get with it, pack down a lot smaller than even a 4 piece trekking pole.

[Tomwoodbury]

Thanks both. The kuiu looks interesting but the company seems to exist to make stuff for people who murder animals for fun so definitely won’t be buying from them for ethical reasons.

[Alpinum]

Am likely to pull the trigger on one of these tomorrow as Valley and Peak have a 15% Black Friday discount. It will be my third bikepacking tent following a big Agnes copper spur HV2 and a Terra Nover laser.
Obviously the Durston isn’t free standing like the copper spur but keen to understand relative difficulty of getting a good pitch, space / livability, performance in wind etc from anyone who has used one.

Which version?
My experience is very mixed with the DCF version (2 Pro, 2nd gen). Coming from dome/geodesic tents for mountaineering and 'mids for biking/long distance hiking I find the X-Mid goes up fairly easy. Absolutely faff free actually. Even in a stiff breeze it takes us just a couple of minutes to pitch it, despite all the extra guy lines we added to it.
So not much difference here to a genuine mid, but quite a bit faster if compared to a 'mid and a separate inner tent for example.
Sheds wind nowhere near as good as a classic mid, but offer a little more headroom than a 2 p 'mid of similar weight (incl. a bathtub floor).
No idea if this has been added, but our came without pockets (inside). I added some myself since for us, this make quite a difference to livability. Two entrances and well sized vestibules (for most use cases) add very much to making it livable. If you're looking at the DCF version for 2 persons, get the larger version (wasn't available when we got ours).

The main appeal of the Durston is weight and space inside as it will be used by my wife and I on tours of 3-4 days.

And that's the main drawback of them. For my use, they are too light. I guess the term would be "stupid light".
Specs look great, but the 2 Pro is too narrow for wide mats, it's basically even too narrow for one wide and one regular mat – if you use it like that, you'll be putting an amount of stress to the tiny zip and weak mesh that will see it fail/tear after probably only 20 – 40 nights or so.
The low weight comes with a price in other areas too; everything is built not to last, but to be very light.
Mine/ours has now seen about 50 nights or careful use (in the Alps) and it's a bit stupid how much I had to fix things already (reinforcing fabric in different areas which are showing tear & wear with DCF tape, fixing zips, add in buckles to protect zips on fly). The mesh is of a low quality and loses form much quicker than any other mesh I ever came across. I make some of my own gear and know how the lightest available mesh behaves, but this is a real shame. Same with the zip. No idea what fake rubbish the factory used, but I've never seen a size 3 zip fail so quick.
We like to pitch our tents in exposed places for the views. Whilst the X-Mid (with modifications as a ton more guy out points and others) holds a stiff breeze off well, the fabric doesn't like many nights under "stress".
I'm a lover of 'mids for many, many use cases and have been above 6000 m and in some of the worst winds I ever camped out in them and was safe and even found good rest (with ear plugs and a belly full of warm food).
Getting the X-Mid was a mistake. In hindsight we wouldn't get it again and are actually going to need to replace it again probably by end of 2025 if it continues to break down at this rate (only got it 2 years ago). The non DCF version will behave differently I'm sure, I can only speak of the Pro (DCF) version.
Our X-Mid 2 Pro weighs 757 g without any pegs, incl. stuff sack – this is our setup for use on hikes mainly in the Alps (when there's no snow), where you can't always chose your place concerning wind direction and type of ground. The original floor surely doesn't like granite…
The original 610 g may work if you use it along rivers, close to lakes – Dan hiked the GDT one year after we did and the camp spots (where available) where all tucked away in the forrest on soil. I guess the X-Mid is pretty much designed for such trips. GDT, CDT, PCT etc.
Use in the mountains, atop viewpoints in the Alps and you'll need to use a protective fabric to get more than just a couple of nights out of the very thin floor and you'll need to add more guy out points/lines for less stress on the very few guy out points it has originally.
This weight and pack size then is similar to that of a spacious classic 'mid with a floor. Yet the spacious classic 'mid will still stand at 100 km/h (of course this depends on how well it's pitched and pegged down).
Some more chat on these threads:
https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpB ... ilit=x+mid
https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpB ... d&start=25

Are there other options that would be better around the £350-400 mark?
Thanks

Better option at 350 - 400 quid?

https://liteway.equipment/shelters
Pyraomm Plus or the great Scout with a selfmade bathtub floor for 2 will be lighter than a modded X-Mid 2 Pro and offer same space, similar livability and more foul weather protection.

Edit. Looses or loses sorry, just half English here.

[Tomwoodbury]

This is super helpful- thanks Alpinium.

I’m looking at the cheap version - probably the Solid version as it’s a more sensible colour.

[yourguitarhero]

Yeah, I have the "standard" version. I've used mine around 40 times now and never had any tears/stretches in the way Alpinium has.
However, I use mine at low level, generally camping in fields etc so much more sedate!

[Tomwoodbury]

Hmmm getting slightly cold feet now - there do seem to be quite a few of them popping up on eBay barely used.

I guess freestanding tents are less faff so might wait for the X-Dome

[Alpinum]

Hmmm getting slightly cold feet now - there do seem to be quite a few of them popping up on eBay barely used.

I guess freestanding tents are less faff so might wait for the X-Dome

Same problems I bet. The stuff is built at the limits of semi sustainable lightness (as mentioned the DCF tent being - for my uses - just a bit too stupid light). Not everybody's cuppa.
Check out a video, perhaps best by Durston Gear, how the X-Mid is pitched and how the X-Dome is pitched. Should give you a good idea of the processes.
Whilst it may seem so, it's not like Durston Gear has invented something radically new to save weight.

If you want something strong, freestanding and still quite light I suggest ArcDome by Tarptent.
Palace for two. Vestibules are a bit small for use in winter/snow (snowmelting with multifuel stove), but everything's proper burly. It's our go-to winter (in the Alps) tent and has not less than redefined strong double wall dome tents for high mountain use. I've been through Bibler I-Tents, BDEL Lighthouses & Firstlights, Rab and Crux single wall domes too, but the ArcDome has the comfort, flexibility and livability of a two wall tent with a small vestibule, yet safety, weight and pack dimensions of mentioned mountaineering tents.