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Shoho22
5
Jul 28, 2018
Nice tent! It looks very similar to Andrew Skurka’s High Route 1FL for Sierra Designs at $100 less. Can you tell me about any other differences? Thanks.
KatherineK
27
Jul 29, 2018
Shoho22to quickly summarize a handful of what he's answered to similar questions. 1. look at the diagrams and how the inner orients diagonally across the main rectangle defined by the bottom edge of the fly. That part is important and sets this apart. 2. its weighs significantly less than the High Route 3. HR is a lovely, elegant tent. But dang it's got those big flat straight-up doors. I wouldn't want to be in serious wind in that. (Now one of the the great things about the High Route was it reached mass retail. And most folk shopping mainstream brands are just not going to get themselves in those sorts of situations. so it's fine for what it is.)
Shoho22Yeah what Katherine said.
For a longer answer, I've replied in more depth to a similar comment which you can read here: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-dan-durston-x-mid-1p-tent/talk/2131280
But in brief, there are tents with some similarities to the X-Mid such as the TarpTent StratoSpire, Sierra Designs High Route and Yama Mtn Gear Swiftline. Both the StratoSpire and Swiftline have some good things going on, but I view both designs as more complex than necessary, so they end up overly heavy and fiddly to pitch. The High Route avoids a lot of this complexity by using a simpler rectangle shape, but at the cost of several new downsides. In going with the rectangle, the HR loses vestibule space, adds wind catching walls, requires guylines and still isn't that weight efficient because of how the peaks are located away from the sleeping area (adds fabric for little volume gain versus having the peaks at the edge of the inner tent).
The X-Mid uses several new ideas to avoid the complexity and weight of the StratoSpire and Swiftline, without introducing the downsides of the High Route. So if you imagine the High Route, the X-Mid first makes the fly about 18" wider. This extra width allows for the inner tent to be rotated onto a diagonal inside the rectangular fly. This is a key idea because rotating the inner (1) creates vestibules and (2) allows the poles/peaks to be moved inwards, away from the edges of the fly. The latter change is a huge difference because it eliminates the vertical wind catching walls and required guylines of the HR. The X-Mid is way more stormworthy and also has a more weight efficient shape. So in summary, the X-Mid is about 18" wider, has a rotated/diagonal inner and then peaks moved internally. The end result is a simpler pitch (4 stakes vs 6), no required guylines to trip over, way more vestibule area, similarly generous living space and a much lower weight (28 vs 37 oz).
I think the X-Mid layout is the ideal layout for a 1-2 person trekking pole shelter. I arrived at this shape by carefully analyzing the first principles of geometry (e.g. weight efficiency of rectangles versus hexagons) so I'm confident there isn't a better way to layout a 2 trekking pole tent. The X-Mid layout is extremely simple to pitch, very light because of efficient geometry and minimal seams, and just works extremely well - for example the fly overhangs the inner so rain doesn't fall in, the wall angles are ideal for shedding wind and snow, it requires very few stakes, generous vestibule area and headroom etc. It's a delight to live with in every way.
Also unrelated to the geometry, compared to the HR the X-Mid uses lighter fabric (saves weight) and this fabric is polyester so it doesn't sag in the rain like nylon does. Thus the X-Mid still looks as good in the morning as it did when you pitched it - even in all night rain.
So the bottom line is that the X-Mid is lighter, simpler, more spacious vestibules, more storm worthy, no guylines to trip over, lower price and no sag fabric. Despite the lower price, I'd argue the X-Mid is a more premium product. It uses high end hardware throughout (e.g. ITW buckles, uretek zippers) and a very high end new fabric. It's only more affordable because there is no retail middle man adding a 100% retail markup. The only advantage of the HR is that it's very narrow shape will fit in super skinny tent sites.
Shoho22
5
Jul 29, 2018
dandurstonThank you, for the thoughtful and detailed reply. Sounds like a great tent!
Shoho22
5
Jul 29, 2018
KatherineKThank you, KatherineK!