Durston - X-Mid Pro 1

The Xmid 1 Pro is definitely the best option, but I have also enjoyed using the GG The One. I have found it impressively stormworthy in wind, rain, and hail of Wyoming summers. It's much less good for me at 6'2" than the Xmid Pro, but for you it would be fine. The second con is indeed the silnylon, but I didn't find sag to be a huge problem. Only one pole can be height-adjusted without leaving the shelter, which is one strategy for coping with sag. The third con is requiring 6 anchor points instead of 4. The obvious advantage is the lower price, but another is packed size. The One can pack up much smaller than it's included sack, roughly the size of a grapefruit. I'm not sure about longevity. I never had issues with the ultra-thin silnylon in about 50 days of summer use, but it would have to go much longer to compete with the Xmid Pro (a long-term review on YouTube used one for like 10 months). If you rule out Zpacks, as I have, for the poor designs, quality control, and customer service, there are unfortunately few tents in this category.

As someone who has exclusively used X-Mids for years now (OG, Pro 1, Pro 2+) I'd recommend going with none of them. The Lunar Solo is going to provide you with enough space for your dog, and save you $400. I love my Pro 1 but it will not fit a dog comfortably, and the Pro 2 is too big for the PCT.

My Pro 1 barely fit in some campsites and didn't fit at all in others. Though I know people do it (it's the third most popular tent on trail) I certainly wouldn't want to.

I have a Durston X-Mid Pro 1 with a lot of miles on it. The tent does feel very spacious on the inside and is brilliantly designed. However I am a hike all day kind of person and I don't think I'd want to hang out in the Pro 1 all day. It's extremely comfortable to sleep in but there isn't really a lot of space to hang out in.

I used my x-mid 1 pro for shasta but the weather was good. The solid should be more, well, solid. I would expect that if the weather is good enough to want to climb it would be good enough to use it.

The Durston tents are awesome. I have the 1 person with the separate poles (very lightweight). It's so light and easy to pitch. I use this one backpacking. I have the Nemo Osmo 2p tent for when I want a little more room and don't care so much about the weight (it's still very lightweight considering).I use this one car or canoe camping, like I said, when weight isn't so much an issue. It's very roomy inside and the "landing zone" in the vestibule is great for keeping gear dry and off the ground without having to bring them inside the tent.

With our doublewall tents including the X-Dome the fly can be rolled back as much as you want. You can expose a corner or two (I show this in the pitching video) or the entire interior. So the X-Dome 2 can have any amount of ventilation from fully covered to 100% inner exposed. The regular X-Mid can do this too, but the singlewall Pro version has the fly and inner attached so the versatility is less.

The regular X-Mid has always been tips up, and the Pros have always been handles up. The main reasons for that is that a doublewall tent (regular series) doesn't have a natural pocket for the handle, so the lightest option is a grommet for the tip, whereas the Pro series are singlewall/hybrid tents so the inner wall connecting to the fly creates a natural pocket that we use to go handles up. You can go handles up without adapters in the regular X-Mid too, but it doesn't have that wall there to positively stop the handle from sliding around. It works normally but in high winds the greater security of a grommet or an adapter can be nice.

We do both. Our singlewall tents (X-Mid Pro) pitch handles up (because with a single wall tent the inner wall connects to the fly here to create a natural pocket for the handle). Whereas with our doublewall tents (regular X-Mid) there is no natural pocket so adding grommet to hold the tip is simplest/lightest (lighter than building a whole pocket). In our tips up models, we have a metal grommet, protective webbing above, and then a reinforced cone above that. The cone used to be weaker so if you didn’t put the tip in the grommet it could lead to damage, but about a year ago we changed to a tougher peak cone that is fine even if someone fails to put the tip in the grommet.

The ‘solid’ inners for our X-Mid have a panel of mesh (on the upper part of the doors) that can’t close, but with the X-Dome this mesh panel is accompanied by a second layer of solid material that can be closed to have it ‘full’ solid (no areas of exposed mesh). I don’t have a great photo of it, but [this shot](https://durstongear.com/cdn/shop/files/16_-_Durston_X-Dome_2_Ultraight_Tent_-_Solid_Inner_446.jpg?v=1757631867) shows it when the solid layer is shut behind the mesh

The short answer is that it is a combination of sewn on and zippers, and is included in the weight. The long answer is that the ‘flap’ of solid fabric is a triangle that is sewn along the bottom edge (permanently attached & part of the weight). So the bottom edge is ‘sealed’ such that any snow building up on the solid panel isn’t going to slide down into the tent. Then the other two sides are both sewn for the lowest 4-5” to further prevent wind blown snow from sneaking in, and this creates a pocket that the rest of the flap can be tucked into when it is open. Then above that, the side of the triangle along the main zipper has a zipper to zip shut. The zipper is not vertical, but angling over the flap, so it does a nice job of raising up the flap to cover the mesh. Operating the zipper is what closes the flap. As it does that, the final side near the top is pulled closed and sits shut with a bit of overlap. It is an overlap closure for the upper part of the ‘top’ side, such that the mesh is covered but the edge here is not ‘sealed’. We could’ve put another zipper here (or Velcro etc) but it’s at the top, sits shut nicely now, and is shielded by the fly. If it’s so windy it’s forcing snow through there, it’s probably not the right conditions for this tent anyways, but if a user wanted it would be easy to add a bit of velcro

Being a shortie with a shortie partner is always surreal when reading this sub and other ultralight resources. "A 2 person is really a 1 person tent" "for me personally the X-Mid 2 is simply unusable for two people with position head to head" meanwhile me and my partner both fit into a X-Mid Pro **1** lmao

Tbh not a real big issue. I’ve pitched it in some tiny places, often with a stump or rock in the vestibule or using the guyline intead of actual pitching a corner.  I think this is your best bet given your opinions. 

Durston X-Mid Pro 1 is fantastic. It can be pitched multiple ways and why wouldn’t you go with Dan Durston? Dude literally answers any questions you tag him in on Reddit. Best customer service and very high quality tent. I have the newer dyneema x-mid pro 1 and I love it. I had it pitched in GUMO a few weekends ago with 50-60mph winds. Took it like a champ

I'm from the Netherlands and thought I needed a double wall tent aswell. I choose the Tarptent Double rainbow DW. A nice tent but I didnt like it. To big a footprint. To big a inside tent, a bit heavy Eventually I cut my losses and bought the XMID1 Pro and never looked back. I have no condensation issues at all. I think because the walls are that steep. I'm 192 tall and have enough space inside

I used a trekking pole tent on the PCT and CDT. I never had a problem setting it up, even with a trail family of 8 sharing camp sites. Always room. Always rocks. The Durston Xmid Pro with a Dyneema floor would be my recommendation

Look into the X-mid pro by Durston

My wife and I both slept in them all last summer for 5 months while hiking the continental divide. Best tent I’ve owned and I’ve owned a lot of them. The can use tracking poles so if you have some you are bringing, great. But for biking I bought the ultralight extending poles they sell for it on Durstons site to keep the weight/size down.

My wife and I have done the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail together. We sleep in separate tents next to each other. Unbroken sleep is critical to having a nice time out there in the woods. If you wake up each time each of you rolls over or gets up to pee neither of you sleep. Plus you can stay awake reading, get up early to make coffee. Whatever you want! We settled on one man x-mid pros after trying many other tents. Best tent I’ve owned! https://preview.redd.it/e0s46i5tcr7f1.jpeg?width=2246&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4b04bdb1117a0eb67c0d33893849f7b6cb25df3

Durston X-Mid 1p, X-Mid Pro 1p with the nylon floor. If you want a free standing get the X-Dome 1p+ with the shorter bike pack poles. For the X-Mid if you don't travel with trekking poles you could use the Durston zFlicks carbon fiber support poles. Tarptent, Zpacks, Six Moon Designs and 3F UL Gear's trekking poles tents also have small pack sizes.

Having used both...i honestly prefer the standard model. Its cheaper and i like the net wall being sepperate. Save yourself so money. The Xmid 2 is an amazing tent.

2 kg is way off the mark. 500g is an achievable yet ambitious shelter weight for a tall person. Consider Xmid Pro 1 or a tarp + bug bivy setup.

Of the tents you’re considering I would go either the Durston 1p pro. The large footprint is overstated and is really not as big of a problem as people make it out to be.

Of all the mentioned tents, I'd say, xmid pro 1 is great but to me it's a bit big for fast packing. Why not something like the Whisper from gossamer gear? With a polycro groundsheet it becomes fully enclosed. It's light and packs small. Or maybe in the same style, the new (apparently unreleased) zpacks hexamid solo tent ! [https://zpacks.com/products/hexamid-solo-tent](https://zpacks.com/products/hexamid-solo-tent) :)

durston xmid 2p. pro if you can swing the cost. I use a 1p pro it's a great tent and dan is a great human. he sells z poles that are extremely light for them if you don't want trekking poles.

yeah the xmid 1p pro is very light, the 2 pole ridge gives you decent enough headroom to sit up in the middle. the footprint pretty much exactly fits my tensor all season tall/wide pad with like 6" extra height left over. pack fits just fine in one of the vestibules leaning against a pole. you'd have to be in a really tight site to not be able to fit it, and if you watch the videos there's alternate pitch configurations to squeeze it in (I've never had to). also dan is really active on here.

he's already posted footprint comparison diagrams in this post. I'm very happy to have supported his company. love my xmid 1 pro (I have the silpoly floor version).

Because you haven't actually bought your tent yet, I'd recommend that you try to do some research first. Durston Tents are not obscure/hard to find anymore like they are a few years ago. If you live within a reasonable distance of any population center, it's likely you can find individuals that own the various models of Durston tent for you to try out. Your major concern - because of your height - is that they'd be long enough. By default you've chosen probably the biggest possible configuration - the 2 Pro +. I'd encourage you to find people who have these tents that would be willing to allow you to lay down inside of them to see if it truly does require the largest possible configuration to make you comfortable. I say this as an owner of a 1 Pro, a 2 Pro, and a standard 2P. The 1 pro is surprisingly roomy and longer than you might think. It also weighs 125 grams less than the 2 Pro +, and can fit in smaller footprint areas (which is sometimes a concern.) Other stuff: * If you REALLY feel like you need a groundsheet, consider polycro instead of the Durston groundsheet. It weighs about a third of the weight and is a small fraction of the cost * Consider using your tent stuffsack stuffed with whatever clothing you are not wearing to bed as your pillow * 135 grams for your 750 ML pot is heavy. A Toaks 750, with handles and lid (both of which are unnecessary) is 100 grams. And the mesh bag for it could be replaced by a ranger band. * I recommend splitting the fuel canister into the empty can weight (100 grams) and the fuel weight (110 grams). The fuel weight can be marked as a consumable. * Your S2S sponge and detergent seems excessively heavy. You can likely cut a small chunk off of a sponge in your house, acquire a Litesmith container, and take a fraction of the detergent. I'm not familiar with that specific detergent, but Dr. Bruhners is a concentrate, meaning you could get bye with even less of it. I personally carry a 10ml Litesmith bottle and 10 ml of Dr. Bruhners for a total weigh total weight of 14 grams. And my sponge is a chunk of a scotchbrite sponge that weighs 3 grams. * Consider a McDonald's McFlurry spoon (5 grams) vs the 18 gram titanium version * Consider an Rovy Von flashlight for 18 grams vs. your headlamp's 80 grams. * I'd list out each and every item in your first aid kit with weights for each one. You should rationalize exactly what you NEED for each item. 120 gram FAK might be overkill depending on what's inside. And that's not even counting the "medics" line item you've got. * A couple things to think about with respect to emergencies in the backcountry: First they are very rare events. Second, you have the rest of your gear with you, so the need for a space blanket, when you've already got a quilt and shelter, is dubious. Third, there's often not much you can do about them. Stabilization and evacuation are your best bet for anything beyond basic cuts and scrapes. Which brings me to a concern: you have cables listed for your Garmin, but haven't listed a Garmin. * 460 grams in camp clothes seems excessive, and again, is all bundled together under one opaque heading. LIst each item separately so it can be evaluated individually. If those items aren't made of Alpha Direct, that would be one easy way to cut the weight. And I'd make your camp clothes the same garments as your "hiking merinos." It's unlikely you'd be hiking in those garments every day. You may start out in those garments, but will likely change out of them after a few minutes and you begin to warm up. They should serve double duty as your sleep clothes * 416 grams for a par of conversion pants is excessive. My $30 ones from Academy (Magellan) are 307 grams, *and that includes the belt.* * If you're not familiar with Litesmith, you should check them out. They have all sorts of trinkets to cut your weight. For instance, they have lighter versions of several of your listed items: Lip balm, tooth brush, bottles for repackaging liquids, etc. For example, I 'd repackage both your sunscreen and bug repellant and cut those weights by two thirds. * I see you have hiking *boots* listed, as well as camp sandles/slippers. If you're old school and refuse to try trail runners, OK. Otherwise, I'd recommend you try them out. Trail runners are generally comfortable enough that s separate pair of camp shoes is unnecessary. One of the nice things about PackWizard is that you have a ready-made database of other folks packing lists that you can study, and a tabulation of everybody's base weight. If you haven't taken the opportunity to use that resource, I encourage you to do so. Every individual has their own cost/benefit/comfort balance they need to strike. I encourage you to study PackWizard and see what stuff other folks used to accomplish the same tasks you have. Some will be expensive and not meet your cost/benefit/comfort balance, but some will be cheap and easy (like the Litesmith stuff.) Good luck

Yeah, this is the way. You really arent saving anything going with the 1p over the 2p, unless you are camping in some insanely small/limited campgrounds. I have had both the OG 2p pro and now have the 1p pro. If I could go back in time Id stick to the 2p. (I see the 2p as a big 1p, and the 2p+ as the only real two person alternative).

I love my X-Mid 1 and have not had any problems fitting it into pitching spaces. I mainly camp in the Sierra FWIW.

Durston X-mid if you use trekking poles. Huge vestibule if you want your pup outside but still next to you (depending on behavior), pretty light, and cost effective. You can also look for used gear on /r/ULgeartrade

If you want freestanding, the Big Agnes line is well loved. Sold my Tigerwall UL2 this year for $250 with groundsheet (semi freestanding). The copper spur is also well loved and is freestanding. I just got the X-mid 1 pro and slept in it for the first time Sunday night. Dan put so much thought into the little details. Friday is a 3 day trip to Grayson Highlands where I'm expecting weather and will put it to the real test. Regarding your pup, if you put him inside you might want to look into a tyvek sheet to put on the inside for them, depending on how long/sharp their nails are. Or, maybe you already have booties for them.

The 1 isn't big enough with a dog. But the 2 is bothersome for the PCT due to its footprint.  Get the Pro1 for the PCT and a regular Xmid 2 after.

I can't say enough about the X-Mid Pro 1. I mostly use it in the Olympics and haven't found a place yet that I can't pitch it in. It's more spacious inside than it appears with plenty of headroom. Granted, I'm only 5' 10", and it's roomy enough to put plenty of gear inside. I've tried a few others and the X-Mid is better than them by far, IMO.

I usually keep my pack in the vestibule, but there is room enough to store one inside, either at the foot or head. Keep in mind that I'm 5' 10".

I do as well and am still able to fit quite a lot inside. I don't think you could go wrong with the X-Mid Pro.

I have the pro 2+ DCF but I’m about to buy the pro 1 as well 😂🤣 love my tent so much

To much weight for me personally ,I prefer the durstin trekking pole tent,no poles just use straight sticks,it's only like 20 ounces or so.

Lanshan 2 Pro is a great tent for the price, an absolute palace. If I had the money and really wanted a 2 person I would go Xmid just because it's higher quality, not a Zpacks rip-off. The Lansahan is Fine. I've seen some storms with it and been peachy. I'm looking to move to an Xmid pro just because there is too much room in the Lanshan. I simply don't need it all and it makes pitching in sneaky wildcamps harder. ETA: I had to seam seal the Lanshan, twice, and spray the fly with silicon to stop misting.

The use cases to justify the extra weight of a Portal over a traditional ultralight tent don’t exist outside of bizarre edge cases on the PCT. You can save a bunch of weight and have an equivalent shelter for your needs by going with a Xmid, duplex or similar. I use my Portal 2 over my Xmid pro when I am going to be camping in exposed terrain deep in shoulder season with a forecast showing some gnarly weather in the Canadian Rockies. Otherwise the Xmid is in my pack - it’s far more resilient and storm worthy than what the weight would suggest, though it takes some effort to pitch properly as the penalty for an improper pitch is higher than with a Portal.

Looks easier to pitch than my Xmid Pro. After a year of setting it up it still pisses me off that half the time the bathtub doesn't have erected sides. The thing we do for UL.

A dyneema tent is going to weigh the same as most bivies. A few bivies will weigh less but they don’t come close in comfort or moisture management to a sub-pound trekking-pole tent such as a ZPacks Altaplex or Durston X-Mid Pro.

The newer version was revised with a grommet for the tip, Dan said in an explainer video that it was less likely to slip and allowed for a sturdier setup. So now you need to go handles down. I think pro series still goes handle up but regular and solid are tip up. Edit: hear it direct from Dan at [ 4:22 in this video ](https://youtu.be/fOJ4BKIoKGs?si=hYzemLr8ZoBpXFw1)

I agree it makes the alarm bells go off thinking about it but I make sure my hand is over the tip as I'm placing the pole into the tent, that the pole ends are not too wet or dirty so that it might slip in my grip, and that the fly fabric is loose/poles are adjusted down so no pressure is on it until everything is in place before using the pole extension to create tension. Never even had a close call doing that but if one was careless I'm sure it could make issues.

Big fan of my durston xmid pro 1. I have never set up a zpacks, but I’ve seen it done. Zpacks requires many lines, stakes, etc. looked more complicated than my durston. My durston can be set up quickly with 4 stakes minimum, 6 stakes is ideal though.

My favourite is the Tarptent Notch Li. It’s a 1 man with adequate internal space and double vestibules. It’s the easiest pitch I’ve ever had from a tent including in the wind. The shape is excellent for spilling the wind and it’s done great for me in winds upto 50mph. It weighs 600g. I had the V1 for a while and then upgrade to the V2, I bought them both off eBay for circa £450. Because it’s a trekking pole tent, with adjustable poles you can set it very low or very ventilated. It’s also got some great vents and you can pitch it with the vestibules rolled back in calm warm weather for a fantastic view. The net stops midges, it’s proven strong and durable. I love this tent so much. I also think it’s worth getting the DCF version, not only for the weight saving but you can just shake the water off it and it doesn’t stretch when cold and wet. I think the closest competitor is the X-Mid pro which is pretty much the same weight but has more internal space but is less good in the wind and a little bit slower to pitch. I’ve pitched my notch on summits in minus temperatures and high winds, as long as your stakes hold, it’s been good for that. I got myself some Titan ground anchors to ensure the main-stays will defo hold in high wind. P.S if you look through my posts, you will find it in quite a few of them. I apologise in advance for all the ridiculous stuff in there :)

I did the same thing! I have been sewing mosquito netting on my tarps since 1983. My primary shelter is now a ZPack 7x9 tarp modified with mosquito netting sewn around the edges. I always pitch A-frame, and as a result, it is not great in windy conditions. For those conditions, I got an X-mid 1p and added the mosquito net around the edges, very similar to your modification. I also extended the corner guy lines in case I want to pitch it higher. As you noted, with this modification, you can fit two people in the 1p shelter by angling the poles to the center. With one person, there is a huge amount of space available. As I noted, my primary shelter is my 7x9 tarp because I can pitch it in non-existent campsites and it is very light. As a result, I haven't used my modified Xmid-1p much. I never completed the modification for the netting over the vents and just close those (I get plenty of ventilation through the perimeter netting). Have you added netting over the vents, and if so, how did you do it?

Get a used durston 1 or 2 “I need an X-Mid” facebook group. Can def get one under 200 for 1 man.

I have the Lanshan and the X-Mid. Both 2 Pro. Both are terrific tents. The Lanshan is perhaps the better value because of its low price. The X-Mid is the better performer because of its lighter weight and clever design. Both are fine 2 person tents with excellent materials and well performing layouts; although both are cramped for two people.

If you live somewhere damp, you can’t go wrong with the X-Mid.  If you live somewhere dry, consider the single-wall The Two from Gossamer. It’s a tad harder to set up but quite a lot lighter. 

So if you would after all be open to the idea of a trekking pole tent i would definitely get the X-Mid, ordered one to finland and even with all duties and customs it was still around 400€ and i’m not going to find anything better at that price point. They have the X-Dome now, which is a freestanding version, slightly pricier but it could still fit in your budget. I’d check it out. Ships from Canada though. Alternatives you should check out: Tarp tent Scarp 2 (this is quite wind resistant too especially if you get the extra crossover poles) Marmot superalloy 2p Hope this helps!

There are some pretty good clearance deals right now as the big brands are changing their lines over for spring. Big Agnes and Nemo have a few left on Amazon and REI still, I think. I snagged a ba fly Creek ul 2 for 200ish on Amazon that's going to serve as a backup/summer tent, and a 3p nemo tent (that isn't ultralight) for family trips with 2 people and dogs. If you can't find an amenable deal on sale, get an x-mid. It's the best value overall.

I’ll second the lanshan. Surprisingly good build quality for the price. I like that the 1p only requires one trekking pole to set up. I have the pro version and it’s like 650g or something… Otherwise I’d also absolutely recommend the X-Mid. Probably the best overall tent on the market and reasonably priced

bug mesh is annoying and unnecessary in the snow. xmid is fine but a true mid will offer more protection and stability

works just fine. pitch is similar to a mid, other than one more pole.

I had one and didn't like it either, struggled with it for a couple years. Hard to get it pitched just right, it seemed to need endless adjustments to get it somewhat taught and even then mine flapped a lot in the breeze. The geometry of mine looked slightly off, I think it wasn't quite sewn correctly. I had a similar issue with condensation. I much prefer the steeper walls of the x-mid. I can also pitch it i much quicker.

That's a great idea.  I've used the x-mid a few times without the inner in the snow and in low-bug situations and really liked it.  I also contemplated buying the deschutes + with the bug netting some years ago.   An x-mid with a bug skirt sounds brilliant. 

I have a Durston Xmid and love it - I also considered Six Moons Lunar Solo and Tarptent Stratospire and rainbow. They have some other tents in your budget too. Gossamer Gear has affordable single wall tents.

Durston Gear X-Mid all the way, baby!

"Camping gear" is so broad as to be almost meaningless.... I love camping, I've camped all my life, but it's impossible to reccomend anything with such a wide remit. My lightest backpacking tent (Xmid) weighs less than 700g and is fabulous for what it does. My heaviest 'tent' is our family folding camper (a Pennine Pathfinder) at 1000kg. That's also fabulous, but completely incomparable. Then there's a whole range of tents in between. The same applies to all my other camping gear, from pans and stoves to sleeping solutions and chairs... it's such a massive case of fitting the item to the purpose. And some certainly is BIFL worthy, while other stuff may compromise durability for lightness or some other priority. Tell us a little more about what you want to do? - car camping, backpacking, trailer camping - and in what terrain/environment and you might get something more useful.

Look at the X-Mids. Superb value, superb tents.

I've never heard of them but products from their parent company, DAC are ubiquitous in high end backpacking gear. I'd give a design like the sololite a try. The vestibule comes separately adding a lot of cost. I see two big problems with this tent; * Shipping stuff overseas to Canada can be a big PITA. I'm not sure where you are purchasing it but but "Bigtent Explore" option may largely avoid shipping being a PITA and that store seems to be the main place to buy them. * If you decide to sell this tent it will be difficult due to the lack of name recognition. Durston's a Canadian company that manufacturers extremely popular tents and if you want a high end option they are worth a look. I'd recommend starting with a freestanding tent like the X-Mid. I primarily use a different tent but I've been extremely impressed by one of their trekking pole tents I own. Another option is more budget oriented tents. NatureHike makes a bunch of fairly light tents (CloudUP, Mongar) and imho they are more durable than the extreme ultralight tents. If you do get serious about backpacking, you can later upgrade from a budget tent. Personally I use less expensive tents when camping close to vehicles as weight isn't a major concern and I'm less worried about damaging them. If you later decide to get a ultralight 1 person tent, the extra space of a two person will be greatly appreciated when weight isn't a concern. Go to MEC or another outdoor store (Not Atmosphere / Sportchek) and start trying on packs and find one that fits well. Keep a few in mind and purchase one that will fit the rest of your great and aim for a 60L or smaller pack. As long as you have a sleeping bag designed for backpacking that uses down and / or synthetic materials and has an appropriate comfort temperature rating its hard to go wrong.

From north of Europe here. After getting winds through an MSR tent once I woved to stay with local brands, of whom you have several.  Hilleberg, Fjellreven, Helsport and Barents Outdoor are all made for rough conditions. But not ultralight, even if lighter versions.  A few years ago we went above the arctic cirkle with a local brand dome tent, and a Durston Mid trekking tent. We got really strong gusts that hit the camp, and the local brand poles snapped straight off, while the Durston stood firm. I was really impressed.   Personally I prefer dome tents, as they are easy to move about, and can stand without any plugs if fair weather. Also can pitch anywhere, unlike those that rely on plugs.  If I was in the market I would try the Durston Dome now. The lay out off outer vs inner tent gives the greatest length and height on the market, by far. Get the 2p and you can lie even more diagonally inside. 

In addition to the durston tents as already suggested (I have the x mid and while its very light because it’s a trekking pole tent, the fabric feels quite durable), I want to suggest the marmot tungsten 1 person tent. Less than 4lbs, durable, comfortable, less than $300. It’s the first backpacking tent I bought and it’s still the one I reach for on shorter trips where I’m not worried about weight. It’s so easy to set up, stays stable in wind and rain, and fits it pretty small spots without feeling claustrophobic inside. Others have suggested big Agnes — while I love the big Agnes fly creek 1p I have I would not describe it as very durable. I do a lot more patching of holes on that tent than the other two I mentioned. Still a great tent and I’m not getting rid of it anytime soon, but I don’t think it’s what you are looking for.

Lots of X-Mids cope fine in NZ condition. Love mine, and its held up great.

I think it's part of the appeal of the X-Mid series, only 4 stakes really needed is kind of nice. But realistically I often pitch the two vestibules too because why not, so... There's also the Ounce Designs Bunny and Abodi V2, both requiring only 4 stakes and very light (less than 200g). And then the classic mids which need 4-5 stakes.

The main tent that comes to mind as stronger, cheaper, and lighter that doesn't make large compromises to usability is the durston x-mid. And it still makes some compromises in that it isn't freestanding. For 3 season backpacking in Colorado/rocky mountain US the copper.spur is solid.

Nice, great you have an open mind to it! A lot of us will never go back. Durston Xmid is a great tent, and it would serve you well. But it's also pretty hyped, and there are comparable tents that go more under the radar. If you're trying to avoid DCF (which is expensive), then some other options that weigh no more than the xmid are - Gossamer Gear The Two (single wall) - Tarptent Preamble (single wall, floorless, bring your own groundsheet) - Six Moon Designs Heaven UL (double wall, full-enclosed) - Six Moon Designs Owyhee (single wall, technically a tarp, with a bathtubfloor and perimeter bug netting, so basically fully-enclosed) - Outdoor Vitals Fortius (double wall, fully enclosed) If you were only considering the fully enclosed, double-wall options, probably the xmid is the way to go. But the other options here are cool too

Durston X-Mid. The 2 person felt like a personal palace and I’m 6’5”. $240 for 2.5 pounds is also a great price point relative to weight, only “downside” is that you need to carry trekking poles

Well directly below your question was the right answer in another post. 😁 A Durston X-mid. Unfortunately a bit out of your price range,. Though cheaper/lighter and better designed compared to its competitors. https://preview.redd.it/04q8n421bgue1.png?width=2204&format=png&auto=webp&s=f97bf5397b034706d0032fc991044a0aa840af21

We downsized the tent we take on kayak trips to save on space and a bit of weight. Our 3 person marmot is almost 8 lbs vs my Durston XMid but if I didn't also want something for backpacking a Naturehike Mongar 2 would be a good balance between size, weight and costs.

Those Stormbreaker tents are solid choices....for car camping. You don't want to carry that much weight on your back though. Durston X-Mids are excellent value. Look up the Youtube videos on how to set them up...they're not difficult so don't let the trekking pole issue scare you. Also trekking poles can be purchased for reasonable prices as well...Costco for example. Freestanding tent options are plentiful. There's a couple of things to consider, namely weight and entry style. Personally I vastly prefer dual side entry vs just a single head end door but that's a personal preference. The Naturehike Mongar 2P is well under $200, about 4lbs trail weight and is a big 2P. If you're willing to spend more you can lower the weight with similar models from MSR, Big Agnes, Nemo etc

Just buy the Mongar. It's a much better tent if you're looking at the lower price points. If you can stretch budget then the Durston XMid's better suited to backpacking given the weight savings but that doesn't sound like the issue for you in which case the 20D Mongar's a great choice.

The Durston comes in two flavors the mesh inner, would definitely let spindrift and snow into the tent, and the solid inner would prevent a lot of that. The other thing about the Durston X mid is it’s a pyramid-esc tent, which would not have to carry a snow load. The weather on Shasta is pretty fickle, but for most cases the Durston would probably be fine. What I’d do is bring extra guy lines in case the wind is really bad. My climbing partner is pretty set on renting a 4 season tent/mountaineering tent from the local university outdoor program when we do Rainer this year, I’m a bit skeptical of that, but I’ll go with it. The problem as I see it, is even the Hilleberg “ultralight” four season tents are 5 to 6 pounds, and that’s more to carry up the mountain. But I suppose with two people that could be divided up.

I second the Durston. If you’re hesitant to get a non-freestanding tent, don’t be. I had mine staked down in packed sand during a rainstorm that dropped 1.5”-2” per hour for 3 hours according to a ranger station nearby and it took it like a champ.

You can find big brands on sale generally between $200 and $350 depending on the tent. For cottage brands you're generally going to pay MSRP with maybe the occasional 10% discount, and they range from $250-$700 depending on materials. I kinda gauge tents by the Durston Xmid for non-free standing and use the Big Agnes Tiger Wall or similar tent for free standing. The Xmid is under $300 and the Tiger Wall is about $400 (but you can find discounts) iirc.

I know I’ll get downvoted but I tend to agree with this. I own an x-mid so don’t at me universe. But I think durston is a bit over-hyped. There are lots of quality issues - especially with the x dome series - just peep the gear heads sub.  Durston makes good tents imo, not great ones. They seem to do a lot of r&d with paying customers which I’m not a huge fan of - especially if you’re paying tariffs.  My x mid is fine - suitable for certain trips, while my freestanding tent (big Agnes) is great. Both have great customer service imo. But I’ll take the Xmid when I really have to count ounces and I’ll take my big Agnes into the desert where a trekking pole tent would just be a nightmare to fiddle with - weight penalty be damned. 

I really like the Durston mid

100% agree with this. I went with a Durston X-Mid tent. At the time, there was only the 1-person, non-freestanding version, but there are other configurations now. All of them are excellent. My guess is that they'll be more challenging to acquire in Europe, but I think for the money they're the best tents around right now.

Set up on the X-Mid is by far the easiest of the tracking pole tents, but in reality it’s only slightly lighter than a Big Agnes Copper Spur. I know trekking pole tents are the big rage, but if you’ve never used one, there are conditions where it’s more difficult. Rocky or sandy conditions make it difficult at times.

Check out the X-mid by Durston. Two doors on it, loaded with features, ready to go out of the box. My list looked almost identical to yours and then I looked at backpackers subs and the x-mid kept popping up. It’s 30$ more than the Lanshan 1 but man is it worth every penny. You can swap out inners for winter or summer, pitch it without the inner or with the kit you can pitch the mesh inner without the fly.

I have a 6.5lb two person free standing tent but I only paid 130 for it. Free standing tents are heavier and 2 person also adds weight. Umder 200 there are options for tents but most are going to be over 4lbs for a two person and over 2lbs for a 1 person. If you bump up to 250 the durston xmid is a great tent but it uses trekking poles. You can really dive into the weeds when it comes to backpacking tents. When it comes to tarp camping remember you are sleeping on the ground with nothing between you and the bugs unless you get a screen tent but the why not just buy an actual tent.

You might want to check out the Big Agnes Copper Spur in either 2xl or 3 person versions. Will likely go on sale on Black Friday. If you buy the groundsheet, you can set the tent up fly first if it’s raining. If you want light and already use trekking poles, check out the Durston Xmids. It’s sort of a tight squeeze for two if you have wide sleeping pads, but my wife and I just did 23 nights in the xmid two and were totally fine. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions.

Yep x-dome is an option too, would be a bit lighter (half a pound I’m guessing) than the Copper Spur 3 but a lot less roomy. Haven’t been in one personally but I have a couple clients who have told me that it’s a tight squeeze for two 25inch pads. The 1+ really interests me but I typically stick with trekking pole shelters to save weight and bulk. But there are definitely times when freestanding shelters are nice to have.

TNF Stormbreak 2P is a good tent. It's heavy at 5.5lbs /2.6kilos range. It's quick to set up. Utilizes clips instead of sleeves. Water-resistant bathtub floor with taped seams. It's a decent mesh-to-solid ratio, though I'm not sure why the top of the dome is solid. It's not the best design for stargazing / big open sky. You may want to expand your search and look into trekking pole tents. Trekking pole tents will offer you the most weight savings. There's a bit of a learning curve to trekking pole tents, so you will need to do practice pitches. The Lanshan Pro 2 (3 season) is affordable. You'll have to seam-seal-it yourself, but that's cheap and easy to do. Durston X-mid is a lot nicer than the Lanshan. But it's also more expensive. Alternatively, you could go straight up bushcraft with a tarp and bug net combo. Mountain Laurel Designs' Cricket Pyramid tarp is pretty neat. Though you'll definitely get rained out without a bathtub.

You should consider asking this on /r/ultralight. It depends on your budget, but I really like the Durston X-mid tents if you always have trekking poles anyway. 

I've used the X-Mid 1 for 4 years, 2000+ miles. It would be a good, light weight choice for under $300.

Of the two you've linked the Indie is the better tent - has more space and headroom. The Ranger is a coffin - might as well get a bivybag. Some other options: [Macpac Sololight](https://www.macpac.co.nz/macpac-sololight-1-person-tent-v3/121720.html?dwvar_121720_color=Citronelle%2FWoodbine&dwvar_121720_clearance=no) [Macpac Microlight](https://www.macpac.co.nz/macpac-microlight-1-person-tent/114084.html?dwvar_114084_color=Kiwi&dwvar_114084_clearance=no) [Macpac Duolight](https://www.macpac.co.nz/macpac-duolight-2-person-tent-v3/121721.html?dwvar_121721_color=Citronelle%2FWoodbine&dwvar_121721_clearance=no) On Aliexpress, search for 3F UL gear lanshan 1 pro or 2 pro [The Durston X-Mid 1 and 2 ](https://durstongear.com/pages/tents)are great tents but need trekking poles or sticks for for support. A 3mx3m square flat tarp is what I use when the sandflies/mosquitoes aren't bad.

Of the two you've linked the Indie is the better tent - has more space and headroom. The Ranger is a coffin - might as well get a bivybag. Some other options: [Macpac Sololight](https://www.macpac.co.nz/macpac-sololight-1-person-tent-v3/121720.html?dwvar_121720_color=Citronelle%2FWoodbine&dwvar_121720_clearance=no) [Macpac Microlight](https://www.macpac.co.nz/macpac-microlight-1-person-tent/114084.html?dwvar_114084_color=Kiwi&dwvar_114084_clearance=no) [Macpac Duolight](https://www.macpac.co.nz/macpac-duolight-2-person-tent-v3/121721.html?dwvar_121721_color=Citronelle%2FWoodbine&dwvar_121721_clearance=no) On Aliexpress, search for 3F UL gear lanshan 1 pro or 2 pro [The Durston X-Mid 1 and 2 ](https://durstongear.com/pages/tents)are great tents but need trekking poles or sticks for for support. A 3mx3m square flat tarp is what I use when the sandflies/mosquitoes aren't bad.

Thanks to everybody for all the suggestions , much appreciated ! I’ll be going with the Durston X-Mid as I already own a pair of trekking poles and I believe it best suits what I’m aiming for

Thanks for the variety , the durston and lunar solo really look like what I’m looking for in a tent I’ll look into them more