Is the Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 4 the best all-purpose tent?

[Max Neale]

I’ve used around 70 tents and have found the UltaMid 4 to be the best all-purpose ultralight tent. After three years of use, I shared some thoughts in this review. Bottom line: If you do a variety of backcountry activities year-round, I think it’s worth investing in.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="514"] UltaMid 4 on quiet night in the Arctic.[/caption]

 

[Brian B]

How close can these be pitched to the ground? Early fall or late spring without enough snow on the ground to seal the edges, if a few inches + wind comes down, can you stop/mitigate spindrift?

[Andy Berner]

Id agree.  I loved my duomid XL( just a little smaller).  Would love that just a little more space on the ultamid 4 though.  I just can’t have one shelter….

[James L]

I would like to see a detailed list of those 70 tents you compared the HMG to and under what conditions..

The UltaMid is a good shelter..but at $800+ I can think of at least a dozen tents shelters that are lighter cheaper easier to set up and just as storm proof if properly staked out..

As a matter of fact, Big Agnes alone makes at least a dozen models that are better for all around  1 or 2  person use.

BTW…Read through your blog..long on opinion and light on facts..You seem to have a thing about floor space at the expense of ease of setup, actual useable space, cost and weight..

Long term investment? Abrasion DOES matter with cuben as some .74 Cuben shelters have shown to be basically worn out in terms of watershedding ability in about a year’s worth of use cycles(ask Jen Mitol here about her worn out DuoMid).So Cuben is not exactly the gold standard for durabilty you make it out to be..

Your disclaimer at the very bottom of your blog says it all for me-

Disclaimer

“I received this tent for free as a media test unit in 2013. This post contains affiliate links that help to support this website.”

[Max Neale]

@brianb – all mids can be pitched within a few inches of the ground, but not perfectly tight to the ground. Without a proper seal, there’s no way to prevent spindrift. In those situations I try to find a protected site or use a groundcloth to block an inside wall.

[Ian]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Max.  This is a tough website to sell the “best” anything to.  The members are mostly seasoned hikers who’ve been around the block with different shelters and fabrics, and as a result, have already formed some strong opinions based on their experiences.

I have a few shelters.  While it’s not the one I use the most, if I could only keep one, I’d keep my Black Diamond Megalight for many of the characteristics you mentioned in your article about the HMD mid.  I find a 9′ x 9′ mid has been for me the most versitile design that’s works well in the wind and is a true four season shelter.

From my limited experience, cuben fiber does not shed snow as well as silnylon does, so in my book, that’s a minor ding against your shelter, but certainly not a deal breaker for going with that shelter.

Also, a 9′ x 9′ shelter is a pretty big footprint.  When hiking with this shelter, I’ve struggled at times to find a suitable spot that can accommodate a shelter of that size.  It’s much easier to deploy a flat tarp.

I can pitch my mid pretty close to the ground, but not all the way and I do get more condensation when I do.  If I’m worried about wind or precipitation getting in, I’ll stack rocks and deadfall around edges of the shelter (not on the fabric) that will be hit by the wind.  On a snowfield, I too would just shovel snow around it.

[James holden]

A big tent is great until youre trying to fit it on a ledge on a hill or between trees in the forest

;)

 

[James L]

Max,
Thanks for posting the list..
Now some facts-

First fact- this is the first passage from your blog entry-

“A super light, bombproof palace, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 4 is the best ultralight shelter on the planet. I’ve used it, and the UltaMid 2, close to 100 days since their release in summer 2013. ”

Best on the planet? REALLY?
And you have used it about 1/3 the time required to see wear on the canopy(100 days)..so much for your take on Cuben as a investment..
Also, for those of us who actually have to PAY for it, the Ultamid tarp is $850 in white and $925 in spruce green cuben.
The inner with floor(the only valid comparison to make with other tent systems that slso have floors) is $475.
So, for only $1,325 to $1,400 USD ( not including stakes,shipping or tax) we can own the “ultimate shelter” too..Such a bargain..
Why doesnt EVERBODY own one?
:)

Its also a total of 3.5 lbs plus when one adds the inner,pole and stakes which, leads to my assertion that unless you are doing winter alpine accents or need room for more than 2 people there are a lot of tents that will actually better the ultamid in several performance criteria and cost 1/4 the money in the bargain.

Also, I dont even think the Ultamid 4 tarp is as well designed as the MLD Cuben Supermid ,either.
Heck, my 2015 sylnylon OWARE (ever heard of them?) 8×8 mid weighs spot on 24oz in its stuff sack and costs $200.
Its a “palace” too..:)
It has a better designed zipper/flap system than even the MLD mids IMHO and will pretty much do everything the HMG Ultamid will do EXCEPT cost $850 clams..

[Paul Magnanti]

“Honey, let’s use a  floor-less shelter that slopes with no vestibule”

Mrs. Mags takes one look at me, again asks why the hell she married me…

“The best” gear of anything is fallacy.

All depends on the conditions, your intent and a person’s own hiking, camping and backpacking style.

 

[Philip Tschersich]

Uh, Max is no backcountry slouch. In fact, he might be one of the most accomplished wilderness athletes to bother posting here. If he wants to make a case for his favorite shelter, I’m willing to listen. He has my respect in any case.

You go, AK brother.

[Ken Thompson]

nm doesn’t matter. Especially since my previous comments have been deleted. Max is getting the hits he want by posting his “review” on his site and not here in gear. On the Web is still where he should have posted his own surf slop.

“Post your surf slop here – personal websites or other Web resources that will be informative to lightweight backpackers.”

And that’s a fact. Geez.

[James L]

Well said Ken ,:)…

but some are better compensated for their opinions than others..:)

[Philip Tschersich]

but some are better compensated for their opinions than others..:)

This is true of some.

While others have arguably logged more truly remote wilderness miles, pioneered more routes, endured more privation and accomplished more laudable, novel, daring, and creative trips than some.

I’m pretty sure which category I would put Max in.

[Serge Giachetti]

What Phillip said. Check out Max’s trips. Few reviewers are taking those sorts of trips, and he has a thorough analytical take on gear. That said, I don’t think the ‘best on the planet’ designation is very useful, without many layers of qualification. It sounds like internet speak to get people’s attention. Most versaitile? Best quiver of one? Great review anyway. I think the no stretch qualities of cuben give it a significant edge over silnylon. I also have had far less condensation issues in cuben shelters, but I don’t know what to chock that up to.

[Ian]

I don’t think the quality of Max’s adventures are being challenged here.  Unfortunately he choose to use “best” to describe this shelter which is destined to only serve as a distraction from an otherwise fine review.

I skimmed through his report the first time and then went back to re read it.  Megalight does ok in the wind but I’m intrigued with how much better the HMD mid reportedly did.  I’m not sure I’m ready to pay over $800 for one but still.

And of course someone had to report this thread even though he disclosed he received it for free.  Lighten up Francis…

[James L]

For the record, I certainly was NOT the individual who reported the content here as “inappropriate”..

And I DO hope whoever did it accidentally hit that button..

I have no problem with the thread,just the opinion posted.

His opinions on gear are no more or less valid than ours, but they have a right to be posted here.

[Ian]

“His opinions on gear are no more or less valid than ours, but they have a right to be posted here.”

Although that would simplify things if the world worked that way.

Person A: This cook pot rocks!
Person B: Nay!  That cook pot sucks!
A: How many miles you logged this year?  I’m at 1487.
B: DRAT!  Only 486 for me!  COOK POT ROCKS!  ALL HAIL COOK POT!

[James L]

Ya’ know Ian, although you are not that type of guy to blow your own horn..(guess you’d have to have your own blog to do that) YOUR traveling resume evaluating various shelters around the world might put an AK “athelete”s to shame..
Or at least equal it..

Just one example of the fact that some of Max’s friends may not really know the breadth of backpacking experience by other posters on this thread and site.
But I will say this, at least Max’s peeps are loyal..I admire loyalty:)

[jimmy b]

Had the OP made the statement  ‘The HMG UM 4 is the best all purpose tent for me’  IMO it would have gone over much better. Having just spent my first few nights in my new duplex, for my purposes I would strongly disagree. For starters that HMG shelter may have been hard pressed to fit in the spots we had to pitch in. It most definitely would not have fit our hiking partners second pitch. Although the shelter comes in about an oz. lighter than our duplex, that is without consideration of bug protection. That’s a deal breaker alone in the summer months here. Also price should never be underestimated for those with less expendable income. The ‘best’ options are not always attainable so they cannot even be considered by some.

So I do respect the OP’s opinions and his POV for his purposes as well as his review but in the end, as I said would have been better served shying away from ‘absolute’ type statements.

[Nick Gatel]

I’ve been using mids for over 30 years. Still have, and occasionally use, my Chounaird Pyramid, which is the predecessor to the BD Megalight. Yes, like the HMG, they have a large footprint. In winter condensation can be an issue. These issues aside, a large mid works well in severe winter weather, especially if you need to spend a few days in it and you can actually pitch it properly. A Cuben mid will hold its tension much better than nylon or other materials I have used. My preference in shelters is a mid, although I do use a Scarp 1 for most snow trips these days and a TrailStar when I expect severe desert winds.

If I could only have one shelter for backpacking, car camping, and general all around use, I would keep my Chounaird Pyramid or buy a large Cuben mid like the HMG. A BD Megalight costs $300, so a comparable sized Cuben mid at $800 sounds reasonable, but $600 would be more palatable for me.

Had the OP said he “thinks” the shelter is the best on the planet instead of stating it is, there would be little controversy.

I don’t think anyone on BPL has been more critical of gear reviews in the media, websites, on blogs, Gear Ambasadors, sponsored hikers, or affiliate programs as me and as I documented in The Business of Backpacking.

I am not familiar with who Max is. I don’t remember him posting here before. But I read his review in detail and some other stuff he posted on his blog. He appears to be an experienced and skilled outdoorsman whose opinion should be considered when it comes to the things he writes about. But as always, take into consideration any relationship with a manufacturer when researching gear.

The criticism and negativity have been a little more aggressive than warranted, although there is nothing wrong with questioning any gear review. Sounds like Max would be a great hiking partner, although his skills and abilities are way beyond what I can do or would be willing to endure.

Anyway, I enjoyed the review and it is one that is an exception to my mantra that gear discussions are boring.

Thanks, Max. Good job!

[Jim C]

I probably will regret chiming in, but when an author—be it in a newspaper, magazine, blog, or comments in a forum—expresses an opinion, you can rest assured it’s his or her opinion. It needed be expressed with wishy-washy statements like “in my opinion”, “IMHO”, “I think”, or “for me”.

Max, I’m sure, assumes his readers are intelligent enough to know, without being told, that the opinions that he expresses on his blog are his opinions, and that the readers are free to form their own opinions, again without being explicitly told.

Of course, this is just my opinion. Your results may vary. Offer not valid in Alaska and Hawaii. Void where prohibited by law.

[Paul Magnanti]

In fact, he might be one of the most accomplished wilderness athletes to bother posting here.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

When talking about a tent for car camping, I am more likely to listen to a trail maintainer who spends weeks in basecamp than a wilderness athlete who is on the move.

Or better yet, someone who has a very particular Central European born-wife if I am looking for myself. ;)

Since I am not a wilderness athlete, it would be like me basing a car purchase on what a NASCAR racer drives. I

In any case, it is just a review. The tone was just a bit jarring.

EDIT: Looks like the review edited and toned down a bit?  Disregard everything I said. Probably a good idea with me anyway…or so the Central European born wife says…

So it goes.

 

[Dean F.]

Yes, that review engages in a bit of hyperbole, but that’s sort of the trend on the interwebs today.  And I’m a pyramid fanboi, so I rather agree that mids are the ultimate UL shelter.  Obviously, that’s opinion, yes, and I prefer 2P mids for solo use, not 4P.

But, James, I’ll just say that if you dispute the ease of setup for a ‘mid, then I already doubt your judgement.  The ease of setup is one of the best things about them.  Stake out all four corners in a nice even square, then insert the center pole for a perfect tight pitch every time.  What could be simpler?

I will say that I disagree that the poor abrasion resistance of cuben is immaterial.  I, at least, often find myself in less-than-ideal campsites where shrubs and brush must be left to contact the edges of the mid.  I’m not sold on cuben just yet, though admittedly I’ve never used a cuben shelter.

I will also say that the proposition that all opinions are equally valid is farcical.  Saying “well, that’s my opinion” does not get you off the hook from criticism when your opinion is, in fact, hogwash.  Preferences are equally valid, as in “Apple pie is awesome!”, and that’s what most people actually mean.  But not opinions, as in “The moon landings were faked!”  Some opinions are better informed than others, at the very least.

Of course, in such gear discussions both opinion and preference come into play…

[James L]

I think it bears mentioning that MLD now makes a silnylon 10×10 “Mondo Mid” @$535 at 32 oz..Combined with the 90 x90 inch Supermid inner @ 26 ounces and $235 in silnylon.
Thats $870 for BOTH the tarp and inner with a floor.
About the same space for a half pound more in weight at 2/3 the cost of the HMG..

Along with Silnylon’s other advantages in terms of snow shedding, floor durability, and packed size..
That option should be mentioned in Max’s review as well..
Just a thought..:)

[Bob Moulder]

Well at least the title is written in the form of a question.

Gotta be careful throwing around the “best” adjective, however. That there’s a fightin’ word. (lol, in case there’s any question)

But I agree with Dean about pitching a mid. First time I pitched my Duomid in earnest was right on the cusp of an impending deluge and I got that sucker up in about a minute.

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