X Mid - Dan Durston

[Zapruda]

Pulling the trigger. Zapruda - your love for this thing here and on reddit tipped me over the edge; hit Dan up for commission.

The 1p sold out everywhere (except Canada) - any eta on restock Dan? Any updates on the prototype folding poles? Thanks.

Haha. It’s been a year of use and I’m pretty confident recommending it now. Feels like I have really been singing it’s praises the past couple of weeks. Hopefully you can find one soon.

[Mookie]

Love my Xmid 2P so so much... waiting for the next drop of xmid 1p's!

There is a facebook page dedicated to Dan Durston Gear, which will answer any questions about likely times of next drops, future plans etc for gear... seems like a great bunch of people all fans of Dan! "Durston Gearheads" is the page name. Dan himself is very active on the page.

[dandurston]

Great photo!

The inner only kit will work for both mesh and solid (if the solid happens).

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

I bought my xmid 2 as an "in between" option for when I need more protection than my UL shelter (mld cricket tarp in dcf) but don't need the heavier tent (moondance 2)... but have found myself using the xmid for pretty much everything! Even considering selling the moondance coz it's gathering dust.

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[Kickinghorse]

Now that owners have had the chance to do a comprehensive track test in various weather conditions, wonder what thoughts people may have in relation the tents performance in “Oz conditions.” Have to say I’ve only read positive comments re the X Mid ?

Phil

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

Now that owners have had the chance to do a comprehensive track test in various weather conditions, wonder what thoughts people may have in relation the tents performance in “Oz conditions.” Have to say I’ve only read positive comments re the X Mid ?

Phil

Only positive from me. Have had in sustained heavy rain and some strong winds and it's held up well. Can't say I've tested it in "4th season" conditions though.

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[Zapruda]

Now that owners have had the chance to do a comprehensive track test in various weather conditions, wonder what thoughts people may have in relation the tents performance in “Oz conditions.” Have to say I’ve only read positive comments re the X Mid ?

Phil

What do you mean by Australian conditions? I think we probably have some of the most benign weather in the world.

I do 90% of my walking in the high country and the Xmid has performed admirably above the tree line and below, in snow, wind and rain.

Would I take it on top the Main Range in July with a storm rolling in? No, but I probably wouldn’t do that with a Hilleberg either, I’d be in the tree line and sheltered.

I sold off the last of a pretty diverse tent collection in favour of the Xmid 1p and 2p. I honestly have never used a more well rounded tent.

[Ms_Mudd]

I am much the same Zapruda, my collection of various tents has been sorted through and 'Marketplaced' in favour of the X-Mid. I have had mine in some gnarly conditions also and cannot fault it's performance.

Ha ha edited to add, just realised you can't even see the XMid in that pic, it is there though, left hand side of pic.

[Ms_Mudd]

And the after

I did have it in 2x exposed positions on GOW year before last, once at Ryan's Den when wild winds caught me by surprise in my cliff top camp in the wee hours and the next night at Princetown when I did not have any sheltered options to pitch. Sustained winds and rain. Those would be the three most memorable rough times I have been surprised by the tent, but honestly, it handles anything I have thrown at it. I especially love how quickly it goes up (and down) in crappy weather.

[Freeman]

Waiting on my x-mid 2p to arrive.

Have picked it up as my tent for trips with one of my kids. Daughter and son alternating each trip with me.
Also consider the Drop DD40L as i have an ancient 70L kathmandu canvas pack.

[Tortoise]

I did have it in 2x exposed positions on GOW year before last, once at Ryan's Den when wild winds caught me by surprise in my cliff top camp in the wee hours and the next night at Princetown when I did not have any sheltered options to pitch. Sustained winds and rain. Those would be the three most memorable rough times I have been surprised by the tent, but honestly, it handles anything I have thrown at it. I especially love how quickly it goes up (and down) in crappy weather.

Hey Muddy,
Was it cold on those wild nights? I'm still holding off in case a solid inner happens. I feel the cold, and usually walk in the mountains in Tassie. I didn't like the cold breeze in the snow in the Walls (pretty sheltered) in my Kaon (mesh inner).

[Ms_Mudd]

Hey Tortoise!
I looked at the socks you mentioned in your thread by the way, I need some new ones. Post if you do try them.

It was very cold but not by Tasmanian standards, it was around -2/-3C, but the wind chill made it feel much cooler. I had worried about the mesh inner too so had taken my reflective tyvek material emergency bivvy and had stuck it over my sleeping bag to block the wind. I had the tent fly pitched low to the ground though, so can't say that I actually noticed too much air passing over me really to rob me off my warmth. The wind settled from a severe gale (so the Bureau of Meterology said) at around 0400 that next morning, at which point I became too warm and peeled the fleece layer I had on over my thermals off and also wriggled tyvek down to just around my footbox, the snow that had been there had melted a lot and what was left iced up after, so it certainly had warmed up in the wee hours. I have done next to no walking in Tasmania (mores the pity!) so do not know how much of an issue the mesh inner would be for spindrift etc, it certainly structually copes well with the wind though.

[Saintpaul]

Does anyone know what the 1P Xmid will retail for when it comes back in stock?

[Tortoise]

Hey Tortoise!
I looked at the socks you mentioned in your thread by the way, I need some new ones. Post if you do try them.

It was very cold but not by Tasmanian standards, it was around -2/-3C, but the wind chill made it feel much cooler.

Thanks, Muddy. I don't often camp below -3 plus windchill, even in Tassie. I've become a wuss! I've thought about the fact that I now have an Escape Bivvy Pro that I can use to boost my sleep system, especially in the wind. But having spent a few days tent-bound, and I expect more days like that(I'd rather plan enough days to sit out the worst of the weather), I don't want to be confined to my bivvy bag the whole time. But it's very good to hear the tent stood up to severe gales. Are you using trekking poles? I've forgotten. I'd need separate poles anyway, as mine is too short, and I wouldn't want to rely on it for my tent.

And thanks for the reminder re the socks. I'd forgotten. I'll let you know how I go - I've sent off a couple of questions to them.

[Ms_Mudd]

Ah you would be right then, that is the same bivvy I have. I think? Or mine might not be the pro version.
Poles. I have used three different sorts;
* Black Diamond Carbon Z fixed length things if flying somewhere (they are light and compact) with carbon fibre pole jacks as they are too short.
* Komperdell Ridgehikers (mega chunky!) that are adjustable. I like having adjustable poles so I can dial in the Xmid to suit prevailing conditions, pitched higher to allow breeze or otherwise. I have just bent the tip on these using a pole jack on my mid tent though, so will need to replace. Would like Fizan Compacts as suggested on Drop to use with the XMid.
* Fragile, small diameter shock corded sectioned carbon fibre poles that were a DIY from someone on the forum when bikepacking. There is zero way you think they would hold anything up, but the geometry of the tent is such that the pitch was awesome and taut even with them insitu. Would I trust those poles if the weather was foul though...probably not!

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

As much as I like xmid one of the very few downsides is that it doesn't hold heat as well as other heavier shelters. To be expected from a lightweight sil poly fly over a mesh inner, and as above can always add warmth by other means in colder conditions.

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[Neo]

Hi Dan
I read the tent volume theory it was succinct.

I have a few tents. I lean towards one that does not rely on pegs.

Cheers, Neo, @hasgonebush

[Kickinghorse]

SaintPaul last time I looked they were available on EBay and Amazon.

Phil

[Saintpaul]

They are on Amazon.com.au for $550 from non official suppliers.
Trying to work out if this is the over inflated price due to lack of supply or the rrp

[MeanderingFlyFisher]

Ground sheets available at durstongear.com if you are quick. I ordered one for my 2p

[dandurston]

Retail price for the 1P is $220 USD which is $285 AUS.

[Saintpaul]

Retail price for the 1P is $220 USD which is $285 AUS.

Thanks Dan. I am definitely waiting for more stock to come onto drop

[dandurston]

Shouldn't be long now. Drop gets the next batch next week. Might take them a few days to get it organized and posted for sale, but probably 2 weeks on Drop.com and another week or two after that for Amazon.

That batch isn't too big though so it'll sell out in 1-2 months and then we won't have any more until around August unfortunately.

[keithy]

Haven't had much experience with pitching on metal mesh tent platforms before. Here it is on the Falls Creek to Hotham trail.

The provided pegs were a little short and got pulled out when the hiking poles went up. So tried two options - loop the corners to the chains and stretch them out, and for the second campsite joined my pegs with the cord loop to form a T (one peg goes in the slots, and the other stops it falling through).

Cope Hut campsite

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Dibbins Hut campsite

20210207_154735 (Small).jpg (200.58 KiB) Viewed 18988 times

I am a handle facing up guy, so I've made a diy keeper rig like Tarptent's Trekking pole handle adapter with some fabric and a stretch cord to keep the pole handles at the grommet. On these mesh platforms, it worked out well, as the tip of the poles fit nicely into the mesh slots, and the tent was semi freestanding, even without the corners pegged out.

At Dibbins Hut got an overnight visit from a little rodent sneaking under the fly to poke around my pack and the rubbish bag hanging from the hiking pole straps. After the second visit at 2am, I moved the rubbish bag inside with me, and thankfully it didn't try to chew through the mesh.

[jobell]

Hey thanks for the pitch info Keithy - I have yet to pitch on a platform so appreciate the tips!

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[Ms_Mudd]

First time I have seen a platform pitch, thanks for posting the pics and info Keithy

[stry]

Good info. I'm curious as to how you managed to stop the zips undoing themselves.

[lachmac]

For me the XMID worked well but I moved it on because the inner size was not right, and because I found closed-up ventilation was ordinary.

The 1P is way too small inside for me, the 2P is too large, for me a DCF 1.5P xmid with a solid inner option would be the perfect do-everything tent - for what I do.

It was a good exercise to try it, it made me realise that I prefer tarps for 3+ season use. An A-frame tarp for milder and coastal conditions, and for me the TrailStar is much more practical, versatile and secure in wilder and more alpine conditions. And more expensive... Of course tarps are also slower to erect, a fast pitch is a definite advantage to the xmid. That said both tarps carried would be similar in weight to the 2P.

[keithy]

First time I have seen a platform pitch, thanks for posting the pics and info Keithy

I've pitched on wooden platforms before, but not these metal mesh ones. The wooden platforms can also require a bit of thinking and additional cordage to secure the corners.

Good info. I'm curious as to how you managed to stop the zips undoing themselves.

T pegs linked.jpg (60.61 KiB) Viewed 18709 times

I use these pegs instead of the supplied pegs, so on the mesh platforms, I join two pegs via the cord on one to form a "T", and drop the end into one of the mesh holes. the loop of the fly zip of the loops around the "T" pegs, and the tension of the tent pulls the pegs at an angle and jams them in the mesh hole. So pulling the zipper up/down the one end stays down if that makes sense.

[stry]

Thanks Keithy. I think I get it. Or at least get it sufficiently to make it work