Durston X-Dome

[Mike]

I was checking to see what sneaky Dan has been working on and found that the X-Dome was added to the site! I snagged a permit for the JMT this July and I’m kinda bummed that it won’t be out in time. I guess I’ll try to do a NOBO next year with it. X-Mid inner and freestanding outer sounds great. Fingers crossed for a DCF floor and rain fly.

https://durstongear.com/products/x-dome-2-ultralight-tent

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

It’s going to be a neat tent. The design turned out really nice. I am hard at work at getting these ready but it will be in the second half of 2024. There is a notification list on that page if you want to be notified when it’s released.

If it is well received then I hope to release it in a few versions. The initial version will use woven fabrics (similar to the regular X-Mids) and then hopefully there is enough interest to add a Pro version (DCF fabrics) and maybe a 4-season version.

[Dan]

The diagonal domes will be nice for people who don’t use trekking poles. Probably very easy to pitch.

[Philip Tschersich]

That would be nice for sea kayakers or folks who are likely to camp on sand/gravel (e.g., beaches) where regular stake holding is lacking.

[Mike]

I don’t think there is any doubt that it will sell well. The one thing I’m gonna ask for up front (besides the dcf floor Dan addressed already) is a hook to hang a light or something, and pockets of course. Maybe something like the gear loft large pocket that Big Agnes uses, if it didn’t compromise structure of course.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Thanks for the requests Mike. I do appreciate the involvement/feedback and it is very likely to have these.

[Charlie Brenneman]

I’m wondering if their other 2024 product will be a ALUULA Graflyte sleep pad. Have no clue if the material is light enough or how comfortable it is though.

[Mike]

It would be interesting to see a pad marketed as “the toughest inflatable pad on the market”.

[jscott]

Dan, don’t forget to design a solo version for us lonely–wait, happy!–solo hikers. With half solid inner, s.v.p.

[David D]

Another vote for half solid inner.

If there is one thing I would change on my xmid, it’s a higher bathtub.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Thanks guys. I am considering more solid fabric and also hoping to do a solo version.

A sleeping pad would be nice to do and probably will happen eventually but is a really hard thing to pull off so it’s not going to be in 2024. We might start tinkering with one in 2024.

[Charlie Brenneman]

thanks Dan! (as I add the nemo tensor all season to my shopping cart)

[Robert Spencer]

Dan, any estimate on a target weight for the X-Dome?

Also, what is your take on intersecting poles — will this tent have a hub that connects 4 separate poles, or one of th0se swivel things, or the old-school, but reliable crisscrossing poles?

Regardless, looks promising. Thank you!

[Mike]

Robert, I’m not sure of the facts of the matter, but I know Tarptent does free moving poles like on my Double Rainbow Li because it allows force to move on another axis. I’m sure Dan has a much more educated view though.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

“Dan, any estimate on a target weight for the X-Dome?”
The goal with the regular version is to be competitive with lightweight freestanding tents like the Big Agnes Copper Spur and Nemo Dragonfly while offering improved space, stormworthiness, and user friendliness.  There are lighter mainstream tents (e.g. MSR FreeLite, Nemo Hornet) but to hit those weights there are major compromises in space (they’re tiny) and stormworthiness (e.g. cutting away large sections of the fly) and they’re only semi-freestanding. There’s a place for that, but I don’t think that severe of a compromise is ideal as it makes more of a ‘fair weather shelter” than a good all around tent. Later on I might potentially do a “Pro” version that takes ultralight to the limit and is competing with those weights, but even then I’d be saving weight with things like efficient design and superlight materials (e.g. DCF) instead of making it tiny and trimming away useful functions.

“what is your take on intersecting poles — will this tent have a hub that connects 4 separate poles, or one of th0se swivel things, or the old-school, but reliable crisscrossing poles?”
I’ve prototyped crossing poles almost every possible way and learned a lot. Generally, the more you can lock the poles into position the more sturdy it will be. A swivel hub doesn’t do much if anything to lock the poles in position (compared to two separate arcs) so it’s structurally pretty irrelevant and the main benefit over separate poles is that the poles are connected so it can be simpler to pitch (e.g. one arch isn’t trying to tip over while you add the other). Conversely, a “sunflower hub” that actually defines the angles is somewhat of a structural benefit because it eliminates one way for the poles to deflect. But it does add weight since it is about 2x as heavy as swivel hub. A sunflower hub also reduces or eliminates the ability to use sleeves, which are another tool for locking the poles into position. Sleeves work well to increase ridgidity, but usually require independent poles so you probably have to choose between a sunflower hub or sleeves since it’s hard to have both. I don’t want to disclose where I ended up, but I’m quite happy with the result.

[Chris K]

Dan – you mentioned a 4-season version. Would the initial version not be considered winter-worthy due to ventilation, fabrics, additional structure, solid inner, or some combo of those?

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

The regular version will be quite capable in terms of the structure. The inner may have partial solid fabric but will be mostly mesh. So it would work fine for winter camping but not quite as cozy as a full solid interior. Later I would like to add a full solid interior and might just let that be paired with the regular fly and poles as an ‘all season’ tent (e.g. capable of use year round but not intended for severe mountaineering conditions) and/or I might offer a true 4 season fly that uses more durable fabrics and poles. Really the path would be regular fly and regular inner at first, then a solid inner, then maybe later an upgraded 4-season fly and poles, and at some point a superlight Pro version.

[bradmacmt]

Dan, going back to the 1970’s I’ve always loved the simplicty of an “X” design, and yours takes it to a higher level.

Question: will you be able to show a cutaway with a human facsimile to give an idea of interior wall space? Ie, how vertical (or not) the side and end walls are relative to someone sitting in the tent.

I love your designs, and your website is very good. My only small critique is it’s difficult to gauge the interior spaces from just the pics alone on your site, without some sort of interior cutaway w/ model.

Keep up the remarkable work!

[David D]

Hey Dan, you’ll probably get a million different opinions, but I’ll make a case for the higher bathtub on freestanding tents like my MEC spark 2.

It allows the fly to be pitched much higher off the ground in the rain than my trekking pole tent which significantly reduces condensation without being too drafty, and still does a much better job of keeping hard rain splashback from entering the tent.  It also provides a bit of privacy with the fly open but isn’t at all hot like a full solid.

I’ve noticed a big difference camping in 30-40 degree overnights in hard rain.

I think its the perfect trade off and I still take the MEC on kayak backcountry or car camping trips when I don’t have to lug it on my back.

The higher bathtub barely adds any weight, so the tradeoffs are in functionality.

 

[Abraham Schlossberg]

I suppose pole clips intead of sleeves would be much less robust or possibly heavier than sleeves?  Would be faster to set up than threading poles through sleeves though.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Thanks for the request Dave. Noted.

Abraham: Clips are probably lighter if you just have a few of them, but at some point would grow heavier and more of a hassle as you add more clips. If you’re trying to maximally stabilize the pole then sleeves do make sense, but clips can do pretty well too if they are enough of them. Probably a designer would prefer sleeves unless that limits the design in other areas. For example, with Hilleberg you see a lot of sleeves but also a variety of instances where they use clips, so it depends on the pros and cons for the specific application.

“it’s difficult to gauge the interior spaces from just the pics alone on your site, without some sort of interior cutaway”
Thanks for this feedback. Due to the unconventional angles it is hard to show a single view that fully represents the tent. I do have a top view and side view sketch for our tents now that is too scale but still doesn’t show the full picture. A 3D model would be great but right now the best perspective is likely our product videos where I try to pan around inside the tent and often have a person or at least pads in there. I would like to keep improving, so I’ll see how I can improve these resources.

[Paul S]

Does this tent pitch inner and outer at the same time (like the X-mids), or is it inner-first, then rain fly?

We’ll keep our eyes on the lookout for this tent when it becomes available!

[Sam Farrington]

“That would be nice for sea kayakers or folks who are likely to camp on sand/gravel (e.g., beaches) where regular stake holding is lacking.”

Dome tents, even if completely freestanding, still need to be anchored in place by stakes lest they blow away, sometimes even with the occupant still inside.  Many domes use the vestibule door or doors to anchor the tent; but keep half the vestibule closed and staked on one side, losing a full wide entry.

The trick is to design the door staking so that both of the vestibule doors can be fully opened when there is little or no wind, allowing entry and exit with out any obstruction.  But a front guy line and an extended cover is needed if a full front porch is desired to for meals.

One of my favorite tents provided just enough cover for cooking and meals; but it required a top strut, so just used my one trek pole to guy out the front cover, and ran a guy from the front peak, around the pole, yet added still another stake.

There was just enough cover in the rain to cook and eat while sitting on a low canoe style chair inside the tent.  Enjoyed this tent more than any other, but it was too heavy.  In working on a lighter tent, am trying to come up with one that provides more coverage without adding obstructions; and can be quickly zipped up if the wind picks up.  One thought is to have just one peg permanently staked while the tent is up, with attachments from the vestibule halves, or ‘beaks’, that connect with the permanent stake.

[jscott]

“still need to be anchored in place by stakes lest they blow away, sometimes even with the occupant still inside.”

Whoa!! I’ve been in some high winds in a Fly Creek solo and even earlier BA dome tents. And yes I did stake down the tent!!! You’ve clearly been in higher winds still. I weighed 140 lbs. in those days…a ‘bit’ more today. How strong of a wind would it take to move my body weight, plus my bag and assorted items, into an uncontrolled catapult into the environment?  I might think that such force winds would snap the lines holding my tent to its stakes, and so make the issue moot. But honestly, I’m not sure! I always stake securely and use rocks to ensure solid placement if needed.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Paul: I think a fly first pitch is very important, so yes that is something you can expect to see enabled here.

[Author]

Posts