High Route 1 FL

I’m 5’10” and wasn’t bothered by the interior space, so YMMV. I tend to use the HR because it’s easier to find a space that it fits in than the XMid, although the new tarptent seems intriguing. EDIT: The protrek is the tarptent i was referring to https://www.tarptent.com/product/protrek/

One conversation is about "tent vs tent vs tent" and another conversation is about you- your body size (especially height), your intended frequency of use, and whether you are replacing a tent you already have or what? I own the last gen of Sierra Design High Route 1P and a Durston tent (or two) and have used Zpacks tents (duplex, hex) and HMG "mids". To me it seems the more expensive options here have steeper slopes, roomier designs and Durston's sil-poly material does hold more taut in inclement weather than sil-nylon. There is a saying in sales "cost is only a factor in the absence of value" well....okay.... but IMHO the Durston is a great value at $269 based on combination of factors: design, materials, craftsmanship, service, warranty, and even usability. One of the things I like about Durston's geometry is 1) I can move around in the tent without getting my head brushing the sides of the tent; and 2) the poles are not totally in the way of entering and exiting the tent. As far as pitching goes, on level ground you really can pitch the Durston with four stakes. I always stake down the "Ridgeline" for extra stability and use more stakes if conditions are really wet. Finally, is this for a long trail thru-hike? Or playing camping with the kiddies in the back yard? Or where is it actually on that spectrum - for you? Good luck with your decision. Hope this helps.

I've used earlier versions of both. The High Route is incredibly easy to pitch due to the symmetrical rectangular shape. It's probably the fastest pitching two pole modified mid design around. The X-Mid takes more care to pitch for a number of reasons (diagonal floor, larger footprint) and is somewhat harder to pitch on uneven ground. Of course, with practice, pitching the X-Mid becomes second nature. Other than that, the X-Mid wins in every other category. Better fabrics, better wind resistance (the High Route does fine, though), much larger vestibule space, lighter weight, more low key color, better after sales service, free admission to the "cult," better resale value, etc. $100 is a lot of money but over the long run you'll appreciate the X-Mid more. That said, the High Route is a perfectly viable choice. Neither of these choices is really ultralight. Check out this video from Extra Ultralight for US-oriented UL gear ideas on a budget: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmCPlxI33ds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmCPlxI33ds) . The sidebar here also contains a $750 7lbs gear list.

How tall are you? I have the high route and the x mid pro 1. While completely doable, I was annoyed by how close the mesh of the high route was always to my head/face. I’m 5’10. X mid pro has much more livable space inside. Not sure of the interior dimensions of standard X mid. I also very rarely used the gear locker for the high route because I found the little window kinda annoying and as an ULer, I don’t have all that much stuff once my tent is unpacked anyway. I much prefer the versatility of two doors. The HRs greatest features tho were quick and easy setup and squeezing into tight sites, the latter being quite useful.

Great rundown from Tofu. Personally, I greatly prefer the geometry of the High Route to the X-mid. You do get some extra width inside the net, but the double vestibule means the X-mid is a whopping 23" wider overall than the HR - a huge footprint. And I basically never use vestibules for more than my shoes anyway, so all that space is just wasted imo. Also, I think the wind issues with the HR are much overblown (get it?). That being said, the HR color is pretty bad, the fabric is worse (it's fine enough, but the X-mid is stellar), and it's 3oz heavier. Also Durston has great customer service. Whether those are worth $100 is up to you. If SD or someone else made a HR in a natural-color silpoly, I'd be all over it so damn fast.