3rd Gen X-Mid 1 – lighter, roomier and stealthier

Thanks for the kind words Monty. Yeah I really like the new color too.

We are seeing excellent results with the new 15D silpoly. In the lab strength tests it is almost identical to the previous 20D while saving about 20% weight. Since we rolled it out with the X-Dome 1+ about 6 months ago we haven’t had a single complaint/issue with it.

Yes, that’s a great looking tent. As an ex- PNW hiker/trail worker, storm worthiness is important to me. Durston’s designs have always emphasized that. Kudos! We’re living in a golden age of tent materials and design. A bit too late for me!

It’s also a bit bigger inside.  I ordered one last week, comes in Wed and will give it its first go a week later.  It was a tough choice between that and the pro but I get a lot of condensation out east and I like that it’s not as transparent or noisy in rain and wind so I accepted the weight penalty

Looking forward to the weight savings and smaller footprint over my xmid 2.     Never an issue with high winds in that so far.  Last night was in it in a nasty surprise sheet lightning storm that lasted hours.  Held up fine as always

I have a question. If the inner tent is larger, but the footprint of the tent is smaller,, then is there less clearance between the inner and outer (rain fly)?

The footprint is the same length but 2″ (5 cm) narrower. On the sides there are vestibules, so the effect of this is a slightly smaller vestibule (hardly noticeable). Technically you might say there is less clearance, but it is vestibule clearance, so either way it is a lot.

I want a x mid or x dome with no vestibule. The inner takes up all the space. This looks closer to that reality.

The vestibules are huge.  Which is nice but on heavily used campsites that look like a moon landing, its hard to find a flat enough spot (with the 2P) that doesn’t call for a lobsided pitch.

The big vestibules create a less steep sides for more wind resistance, but if that benefit can be held as still acceptable while shrinking the vestibule size and growing the floor, its a good trade off.  I’m looking forward to trying the update on the next 3 day trip in a week

I want a x mid…with no vestibule.

Isn’t that a Sierra Designs High Route?

I was thinking the same as William regarding the SD High Route. It has the smallest footprint of any 2 pole tent available, but that means the side walls are essentially vertical and therefore not near as wind worthy as the X-Mid. If someone is considering a High Route the European 3000 version is far better. The name refers to the HH rating which is over 2 times that of the loud colored North American High Route. Has a nice stealthy two tone green color. https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/high-route-3000-1p-tent/

Here’s the new colour, taken under a warm indoor incandescent.  Darker than it looks online but old school cool.  I like it.

The old inner is flatulent with a Tensor pad, but this new material feels a bit slicker.  Will try them together at home once we get a dry spell, to see how slippery or noisy the combo is

Inner+fly+stuff sack came in 14g lighter than spec’ed, @ 716g

Corner guy lines ~ 2.5″ longer than the old tent, maybe just long enough to not need replacing

Thanx for the color comparison : )

personally I think color is too often ignored in the quest for weight savings – I’d like some more choices, or at least accurate information about colors (not just ‘it’s grey what more do you want to know’), which often you can only compare when you see them side-by-side

found this one on Reddit – would be nice to get more such color comparisons out there …

https://www.reddit.com/r/DurstonGearheads/comments/1k0y1oz/i_asked_durston_gear_for_a_sidebyside_comparison/

I test drove the new 2025 Xmid-1 in the backyard. I have a 22/23 XMid1 on hand to compare, and the ’25 model is noticeably more refined.  Some notable improvements:

• when used with a Nemo Tensor pad, the old model inner made a loud squawk when rolling over, enough to wake me up.  With the ’25, it’s GONE!  Now just normal low level creak that isn’t really noticeable.  This is a huge win for the new model.
• The inner mesh walls seem more vertical.  In the old model, shoulders would easily brush up against the mesh.  Not now, it feels much more spacious inside than just the growth in footprint
• the extra 1″ footprint width, 3″ length and much bigger pockets give meaningfully more storage.  No more having to dig through the pack for clothes to go hang a 3am constitutional
• I really hated (sorry Dan) the old inner corner clips.  They were stiff as pig iron and with cold hands were almost impossible to work with gloves.  The new tent has new easy to engage clips all around including the inner corners.  No more cussing in the dark at 20F!

Some watch items (time will tell):

• It’ll take some getting used to the dual zipper doors, adopted to lighten the tent (#3s not available in a curve).  This is a good trade off in my view.
• Splash back TBD.  The inner ends seems closer to the fly now
• The longer guy lines seem long enough. I won’t be swapping them out at the start like I did with the old 2P and 1P.  The 2″ narrower footprint should help

This looks like it gets rid of the workable annoyances I had with the old model and I’m very much looking forward to using it.

Off to cut some polycro…

I have the 1st generation of this tent.   I really do want to like it, but I find the panel to close to my face while laying down.

Has this changed with the 3rd generation?

“It’ll take some getting used to the dual zipper doors, adopted to lighten the tent (#3s not available in a curve).  This is a good trade off in my view.’

Uh-oh. I hate #2 zippers. I’d gladly pay a 2. ounce penalty for #3 zippers.

The interior zippers have always been #3 and that hasn’t changed here. They have changed from a curved corner to a 90 degree corner. There are pros and cons. A curve can work easier, but the sliders are almost more likely to catch going around the bend. The nice things with the 90 degree are longer life (because curves cause a lot of the wear), more reliable one handed operation, and you always know where the sliders are.

“Has this changed with the 3rd generation?”
Yes it has changed a fair bit. The interior is now about 7″ longer and since it is also taller, and panel is quite a bit further from  your face now. The interior was noticeably larger for gen 2, and now gen 3 is noticeably larger again.

I was surprised by the 2 zipper pulls per mesh panel, very pleasantly as it turns out. For me, they have been much less trouble to operate while inside the tent with 1 hand only than working a single pull around a curved corner.

I had an X-mid 1 from the very first batch and ended up using it mostly in fly mode with a Katabatic Bristlecone bivy or a Yama Mt Gear Bug bivy depending on the weather and bug pressure.

I was going to order the new X-Mid 1 fly by itself but after seeing all the updates I just got the complete tent.  It is a very nicely executed progression of refinement and feels much larger in the inner net tent.  I also love the two straight zips, buckles for the inner to fly connection all around, extra pockets, buckle at the bottom of the fly zip to remove tension on the zipper, and longer guy-outs.

In addition, Dan continues very thoughtful features even on the stuff sack.  It now has a grab pocket/handle on the end to aid with removing the tent from the stuff sack as well as a small plastic O ring that is attached via a small piece of grosgrain webbing to relieve stress on the fabric of the stuff sack when cinching it up.

Mine came in under spec slightly as well – 24.8oz in the stuff sack.   Well done!

I was thinking the same as William regarding the SD High Route. It has the smallest footprint of any 2 pole tent available, but that means the side walls are essentially vertical and therefore not near as wind worthy as the X-Mid. If someone is considering a High Route the European 3000 version is far better. The name refers to the HH rating which is over 2 times that of the loud colored North American High Route. Has a nice stealthy two tone green color.

That looks way better than the US version but is still ugly – Why can’t they just do solid colors?

I have a Gen 1 X-Mid 1P and have very tempted by the Gen 2 (and now Gen 3) because I think Dan has incorporated a bunch of worthwhile improvements, but in the end I always come back to the fact that the one I have works fine, and while the improvements are nice, they aren’t earth shattering.  Now when my OG wears out…..

First 3 day trip with it now.

Had no rain but the end walls are close enough to the floor that spashback should be improved.

The more vertical walls make it very roomy. I never once brushed up against the mesh like in the old model.

@cowpie  zero issues with mesh in face.

Tons of storage.  Here’s around a 25″ x96″ long pad.  Enough room for all my stuff including a change of clothes at the side, and the vestibules are still very generous.

The new clips and longer guylines made set up easier.  Loved the dual zippers.

No complaints, win all around.  TBD storm worthiness, more trips ahead.

My 2P will be relegated to 2up use only now.

I wish more tent company’s were as forward thinking and have as much attention to detail as Durston Gear.

After 3 more days and one with 18 hours of solid rain & very high winds (blowing down massive pines), a field report:

– the tent still seems wind sturdy (within reason), which was a question mark given the steeper walls.  I never once worried it was coming down

– no issues with splashback. This was a sore point on the older xmid 2

– I could be imagining it, but the fly fabric doesn’t seem to retain as much water as the previous generation.  Always welcome saving a few more ounces

– the vestibules are now momma bear sized.  The old tent’s vestibules were huge but I wouldn’t want to go any smaller than this.  It’s still generous but all of the space get used while still providing good storm protection

I had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the previous generation Xmid2, but this new gen Xmid 1 is a nice experience all around.  I don’t feel I miss anything with it vs the 2 for solo use, only positives.  Couldn’t say that about the previous generation 1.

Glad it’s working well David. Thanks for sharing your experience.

I was practically locked down in it for 18 hours.  I never once felt claustrophobic, cramped or squirrelly.  Cooked in my vestibule, still lots of room.  Nice job Dan and team.