Massdrop Announces Dan Durston X Mid Tent: 2 People, 2 hiking poles, 28 oz, $199

Hey Dan, I stumbled on your durstongear website today and noticed that the recommended pitch is to stake out the short side and then pull out the long side to 90 degrees.  I find it much easier to judge that critical 90 degree angle if I stake out the long side first.  Is there a downside to doing so?

Hi Boyan,

It works just as well to stake out a long side first. I recommend the short side only because I find it easier to throw out the shelter from the short side (since it is within my “wingspan”) and then I’m at that side anyways so I start there. Either way, judging that 90 degree angle is crucial and be a bit tricky. I find that I do my best estimating after I step back to get a better perspective, so I stake something out quickly while putting the stakes half in, and then step back, and fine tune the stakes.

I finished a new video on pitching the X-Mid yesterday and I’m working on getting it uploaded this weekend, so that should be live soon but it doesn’t contain anything revolutionary.

Here’s that video I was referring to:

Very nice! The one thing I wish had been different is the packing-up at the end — I wish it had been at regular speed, but slowing down the playback helped. I think I’ll go practice right now.

The 1P is a great tent. I used it several times this summer on island trips. I appreciate the easy setup, roomy vestibules, and the fly/inner options for setup and take down. Good quality on the materials and sewing. Pardon my sloppy pitches. Helpful video (gotta like that backdrop). I’ll pay more attention to the 90 degree corners and tight sides. 

Summer is coming and we, along with quite a few other folk, are waiting patiently for or X Mid 2Ps. Not wanting to trivialize the issue but is the Covid-19 outbreak going to affect shipping date?

Just received an email from Drop announcing that my X Mid 2P had shipped.  Oddly, the FedEx tracking number supplied returns “not found”.  Hopefully this is simply a timing issue :)

Thats usually a too early symptom. So its packaged and either hasnt been dropped off picked up yet. Ill be looking early for my own email now.

Yup. Got an email too. I wonder if they read my post ;-)

Ugh!!  My Drop account still shows an estimated ship date of 4/28….

Don’t worry about the FedEx tracking just yet. I’ve done several transactions with Drop.com, and each time it took several days (up to a week) for the FedEx tracking info to show up. I’m just thrilled that the 2P will arrive before the end of April, as they first estimated. Woo-hoo!

FedEx says delivery on Saturday  (giggles like a small child).

Got my email today. Perhaps i will get it in the next few days since it is shipping from a few hours away.

The 2P tent is in stock and selling now.  They probably won’t last very long

Mine’s ordered.  If it ain’t long enough I might scalp it here at a modest 200% premium. :-)

Mine arrived today. Will get some shots and thoughts out this afternoon likely.

Great Job Dan! This thing is palatial! It was a little windy but i got it up quickly and decent but could definitely use some practice. (50lb dog for reference). Everything is so simple and intuitive. Two long and wide pads fit perfectly with room to spare side by side. The vestibule space is considerable. This is truly a bargain for such a well designed tent. I cant wait for my next trip.

As we say down south…DAYUM!!!

FedEx just changed my delivery date from Saturday to Tuesday. #*%$*@#&.  I had a great weekend planned.

Thats a bummer! Im sure its all the online orders for emergency items causing backup.

more good news though. Mine came in at 1090g for inner and fly. Without the stakes. 

“FedEx just changed my delivery date from Saturday to Tuesday. #*%$*@#&.  I had a great weekend planned.”

I had a chat with Fedex. They’re none too happy with you, and they’re hoping this delay teaches you a lesson….

Awesome! I’m cautiously optimistic these are going to come in lighter than spec.

Is that 1090g including the stuff sack(s)?

Spec is 1100g for the fly + inner, with the main stuff sack and stack stuff sack at 11 and 5g respectively (1116g total). If so, the tent itself could be almost 1oz lighter than spec at 1074g vs 1100g.

My 1090 is fly +inner + main stuff sack.

The stakes and stake bag were not included.

Thanks! Glad to hear it’s lighter than spec. There was one other weight reported so far which is similar, so hopefully that’s the norm.

If anyone is interested what an Xmid 2p looks like in 10-15 mph winds without the peak guy lines and just one additional stakeout. i added the peak lines after the video and it was a drastic change. So with all the lines and additional points used it should be quite robust.

https://imgur.com/gallery/KNa9MTO

1154g here.  Fly, inner, stakes, stake bag, and main bag.

Looking forward to setting it up tomorrow..