When has X-Mid 2 footprint been a problem?

Why not the X-dome 2p?

The best workaround I found is to first lay down a polycro footprint in the best spot, pitch the fly over it by staking a corner not at the vestibule, then stake the other end of the short side parallel to the footprint.  That way the inner floor will line up with the available best spot.   Carry two guy line extensions to add to any uneven tie outs to even the fly bottom hem.  Drawback is any big dips under the fly hem will let more rain splash back in.  You can skinny pitch it to get around that, with reduced air flow.

Unless a tree is in the way this reduces the problem to finding a suitable spot for the inner, and the xmid2 inner is about average sized.

Its a kludge, but it works OK.  I use it on my 1 and 2.

I’m thinking a little too much for if I ever use it by myself but not a bad idea. I also use poles when I backpack.

I live in WA state and have used our Xmid 2 many times. Never had a problem finding room enough to pitch it.

Awesome. That’s what I need to know.

Obviously I’m hardly neutral, but I when I hiked the PCT it was with a tent that had a larger footprint yet than our X-Mid 2 and I rarely had any inconvenience.

My opinion is that, yes, occasionally you do have to look around more, but you also get the benefit of a more spacious tent every night (compared to choosing a similar type of tent but smaller). I personally don’t find mostly minor hassles with footprint size to be worth switching from a nicely sized 2P tent to a small 2P tent.

It is true though that trekking pole tents in general do have larger footprints than freestanding tents because they can’t curve the walls stepper around the edges. So I wouldn’t switch from a larger 2P trekking pole tent to a smaller 2P trekking pole tent just for a fairly minor difference in footprint size that comes at the expense of space, but freestanding tents do offer a more substantial reduction in footprint size without giving up much (if any) interior space, so that is one of the advantages of freestanding tents. I still wouldn’t switch to freestanding for just this reason, but if you also don’t use hiking poles or value the convenience of a freestanding tent, then the smaller footprint is one more reason on that list.

Good points. Thanks!

I own the single wall version, so I don’t know if the footprint is exactly the same. It’s a great tent in many ways, but sadly mine has been relegated to backup duty for rare occasions because of site selection frustration.

I used it for 35-40 nights in the Colorado alpine environment last year and early this season, and just became too frustrated with site selection. I was often spending far too much time and effort struggling to find an appropriate site and then compromising with non-ideal locations. The latter resulted in repeated damage and repairs to the tent. The skewed parallelogram bathtub exacerbated the problem because it is challenging to see exactly where the floor will wind up within the footprint.

So while I love the tent in many ways, I eventually found myself leaving it behind in favor of older tents like a Nemo Hornet, even at the cost of 12 extra oz. Ultimately I bought another tent as a replacement, which is the same weight, but has a smaller footprint. Live and learn.

Anyway, it is very spacious, so hopefully I will still be able to use it occasionally. Like if I am taking two large dogs with me and I know that I will be able to find large sites in a particular location.

My experience is similar Colorado Dan’s.  A lot of times, there isn’t a flat spot around and a smaller footprint helps avoid a lot of issues.

One big one not mentioned is when pitched on uneven ground, the bigger the fly the more likely that the hem has a longer/deeper gap above ground at the dips and the worse the rain splashback.  I’ve had rain in the tent more than a few times with the 2 because of this.  The alternative is to mess up the pitch and have mesh in your face and/or the mesh touch the fly in many places and let condensation in.

I’m heading out for 10 days, 6 in Banff NP backcountry with tent pads, 4 on GDT E random camping, and even though there are tent pads in Banff, bringing the Xmid1 instead.  Its more than livable and less hassle.

@dan-s check out my footprint trick to get a good inner lay with the xmids.

Good info. Thanks

“The skewed parallelogram bathtub exacerbated the problem because it is challenging to see exactly where the floor will wind up within the footprint.”

Regarding fitting into smaller sites, the usual pitching method is to stake the 4 corners of the FLY which can be harder to see exactly where the floor will line up. In a tight spot though, the easiest way to do it is to start by staking the 4 corners of the FLOOR.

Some other trekking pole tents that ‘feel smaller’ are moreso designs where you usually stake the floor first and then if the vestibules don’t fit you just don’t deploy them. You can do this as well with the X-Mid. I like to stake the rectangular fly because it is a simpler shape to stake, but if you do just take out the floor  instead then it’ll be positioned exactly where you want it, and you can choose to deploy the vestibules or not. If they don’t fit, our ‘skinny pitch’ video shows some alternatives including rolling them back or staking them flat to the tent.

In a tight spot though, the easiest way to do it is to start by staking the 4 corners of the FLOOR.

Thanks for that suggestion, Dan. I’ll give it a try.

My experience was mostly in California sierras, but there have been a number of weeks worth of trips in the PNW in the last few years. Never had trouble with Xmid2pro, nor have people I was with who were using similarly sized shelters.  Practice helps you find good spots and getting a good pitch on uneven ground. The only place that worried me was when we were in the whites and had to use the platforms… it was a tight fit but worked out fine.

Dans comment is key. I use the various “skinny” pitches all the time if space is limited. Good practice to pin the footprint first to get you head angle right if on sloped ground. Skinny pitches are easy. Stake the inner. Fold the unused vestibule inward to remove flapping. Extra set of small magnets are really useful here. I avoid the strong N52 magnets as they are way too strong. I keep 6-8 x N35 10mm x 2mm magnets. I “fold” them into 2 inch strips of red or yellow electrical tap. The tag end makes removal easier and the colors make them hard to lose. I’ve seen some people make their own magnets with DCF tape. Overkill and saves very little weight and I don’t want to lose them. Magnets are also really useful for creating a full awning out of the vestibule doors. I pin my rain skirt with magnets to cover the gap between the door sections and use a stick or a spare hiking pole for the beak. They weigh about 15 grams total.