Xmid vs Duomid XL

[Rickyboyd]

Please talk me out of or in to buying a larger mid such as a Duomid xl or super mid to use for 2 people with my partner. I’d want to only use half insert. I Already own a Xmid 2p which I love but I have a Tent buying problem and I do like the idea of the larger single vestibule space, the better performance in high winds. (Scotland based) but appreciate you’re giving up both having an entrance, head room etc. I wouldn’t be replacing the Xmid I would have as well as. Is it an unnecessary luxury?

[JCH]

<snark>

So…you are asking people who will argue about the best long handled spoon for 8 pages and 187 posts about whether you should buy something you want?  The same people who have likely gone through dozens of shelters in order to find their precious?

Assuming doing so will not deprive you or your family of necessities, just buy the damn thing already :)

</snark>

[Rickyboyd]

To be honest I’m not asking which is better I’d like to consider people’s opinions before buying or perhaps not. If that is 8 pages worth then I’m happy to read it. Hence asking. But thanks for your advice.

[Matthew / BPL]

I had a Duomid XL and I found the footprint to be laaaaarge which is a great thing if you want that and not a good thing I’d you don’t.

[Mole J]

It’s a handsome shelter, but the problem with a Duomid XL (or similar setup) for 2 is that one person is “trapped” at the back? My partner won’t stand for that. And neither will either of our bladders!

And other large footprint mids have space but unless you have 2 doors, for equal access/exit rights you are needing to be square to the door, which loses the porch space, and puts you vulnerable to rain when the door opens.  The Liteway Duo has 2 doors, but you still have the latter problem.

We have used a Tarptent Stratospire 2 extensively in Scotland and find it ideal for 2.  You both have good protected access and a large porch each, and equal real estate in the inner.  ( I have an XMid 1p and am considering trying an Xmid pro2 or SSLi for our summer Pyrenean trips if I can get one next year, but think the SS2 has several advantages over the Xmid2p based on my use of the 1p and a friend’s experience of the 2p).

 

[Jerry Adams]

if the door to a mid is at the center, then one person can be on one side, the other on the other.  The foot half of your sleeping bag is more resistant to a little water splash.

have a tent stake loop on the middle of each of the two panels that make up that side to protect the two sleeping bags

[Rickyboyd]

What would you consider the advantages of the SS2 please?

More wind worthy? If so is this down to guying arrangements or something else do you think?

[Todd T]

Is it an unnecessary luxury?

“Unnecessary luxury” is redundant, so it’s bad grammar.  That means the proper phrase is “necessary luxury.”  Any other questions?

[David Hartley]

My brother has a Duomid XL in DCF. He is a big guy – 6 ft. 4 in. or so tall. We tried to use it for both of us in the Wind River range a few years ago and it was really not big enough. I often get up several times in the night to pee so he took the back position and pretty much every morning his sleeping bag (long size Western Mountaineering Alpinlite on a long size Xtherm pad) was wet from condensation from touching the tent. Ultimately after a stretch of pretty bad weather we ended up cutting our trip short.

I have no experience with the Xmid, but it looks to me from looking at photographs to have much more vertical walls and might be much easier to avoid a wet sleeping bag.

I am a big believer in too much space is just enough if bad weather is expected.

[Zack L]

Would you plan on getting the silny version or DCF? Does needing a large footprint concern you? I imagine in Scotland it’s not as big of a concern as in the eastern U.S. If I wasn’t concerned about footprint I’d look at a Supermid which would be more roomy for two and with a centered pole. If footprint concerns you, another option to look at is the Locus Gear Hapi which puts the zipper at the foot and, although that isn’t as ideal for a half nest setup. Although the nests for the other Locus Gear products come in 2/3 and 3/4 options which are awesome.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

“I have no experience with the Xmid, but it looks to me from looking at photographs to have much more vertical walls and might be much easier to avoid a wet sleeping bag.”
Yes it the walls aren’t nearly so low angled, so you get a lot more useable floor space and volume for the footprint size (and other advantages like no pole in the doorway and better snow shedding off the tent). The main upside to a single pole mid is if you prefer to give up headroom for a lower profile to the wind. Single pole mids have less volume/headroom and thus do benefit in very windy conditions. Another note if you’re concerned about sleeping bags touching is that the silpoly used for the X-Mid is non-sag (unlike nylon) so the fly will stay tighter in wet conditions.

“What would you consider the advantages of the SS2 please?”
I’m hardly neutral but I have an infographic comparing the X-Mid 2P and SS2 shelters here.

They are similar shelters in a lot of ways as they are both trekking pole supported, double wall, and quite spacious for two. The SS2 is a solid shelter. Main perks to the X-Mid are simpler pitch, a lot lighter (about 8oz), higher build quality (e.g. fully double stitched), factory seam taped, less expensive, more useable vestibules (widest area is out of the way of the door ways), non-sag silpoly fabric, and no struts to pack up (can store horizontally). Main perk to the SS2 is that the extra weight does get you more durable 30D fabric. The SS2 originally had an advantage in high winds as it had smaller side panels, but the next batch of the X-Mid 2P adds side panel guyouts that are a big improvement there.

[Rickyboyd]

Thanks for people’s opinions and thanks Todd for correcting my grammar.

[Todd T]

…thanks Todd for correcting my grammar.

Everything’s on the table when rationalizing a fun purchase. :-)

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