Glad you're loving the tent! Thanks for the kind words and congrats on your TA hike! Also thanks for the feedback. As you mention I am always trying to improve my tents. We did get some reports of the pole tip connectors tearing off, so we did make those stronger for the 2024 model, and I have also re-designed the stuff sack opening to be stronger. I'm happy to send a replacement stuff sack now, but if you wait about 3 months we can send you one of the stronger design. Cheers, Dan

@freedom_on_the_trail

2 ай бұрын

Wow! Thanks so much. I’m happy to wait for the new stronger one. Do you deliver personally? I’ll give you a tiki tour of NZ.

I used the „normal“ xmid 1 on my TA. Our season was way rainier than yours. Always kept me dry and preformed amazingly well in windy conditions.

I was happy with my Xmid pro2 as so easy to set up after a long day on the trail! No problem with condensation and it survived well in a storm with strong winds (with an extra guy rope) Loved the space also as so roomy.. for one😊

Wow, great review!!

@freedom_on_the_trail

Ай бұрын

Thanks so much. I tried to review it in a way that would have helped me when I was looking for a tent.

Thanks yet again Kurt! The Durston is on my wishlist - none other. This was therefore great informative (and reassuring) watchiing, for me. I had thought 1P, but since there's only a minor weight difference - the 2P must be it!. I'll keep abreast of changes they make to the tents as the year progresses. Thanx again! Hope to see you when I'm out on the trail later in the year. ARE YOU DOING T.A. again sometime ? - NOBO? You should. Cheerz, GH

@freedom_on_the_trail

2 ай бұрын

I’m a bit jealous of you going out this year… but the memory is still too fresh for me to want to endure it again right now. 😂 have an awesome time!!

I had the bath tub loop also tear our, so I replaced it with longer shock cord. I think the floor was ripped due to using baskets on the poles and then setting up the tent on an uneven ground. I have several mods made on my Pro2 listed on my website (including a custom stuff sack).

@freedom_on_the_trail

2 ай бұрын

Yeah, I added some shock cord to the loops on the Durston to accomodate the baskets. Seemed to work pretty well. It was just the mighty wind storm that was too much. And even then, all was good until the wind reversed. I’ll have a look at your mods. Always up for more ideas.

@OddManAndTheSeaUK

2 ай бұрын

@@freedom_on_the_trail Here's my X-mid posts. Hopefully it'll give you some ideas. My next project is to make a DCF groundsheet for my Pro2. I might've suffered from the same issue of condensation pushing through the floor, so have to look into it.

Hey, great video. I am currently thinking about getting an XMid 2 to hike the TA this coming season. I read that condensation is quite common in New Zealand and was wondering how bad it is with the XMid Pro 2. Did you have a lot of problems with that? If condensation is such a big problem I am thinking of just getting the XMid 2 Standard tent, cause it is Double Walled but of course weighs a lot more. What do you think?

@freedom_on_the_trail

2 ай бұрын

Doesn’t matter how many walls, condensation will be an issue on the TA. I liked the Pro2 for 2 reasons: (1) it’s big enough that I didn’t bump up against the walls at night so no condensation on my sleeping gear (2) the dynema walls don’t soak up the water thus easy to wipe off and dry out later in the day. One thing I did find that helped the most with condensation was finding a spot under trees. That really minimised condensation. Of course, you need to make sure the tree is healthy to avoid dropping branches in wind.

Thanks for the informative video Kurt. Just one question though I noticed a couple of times you had to what you described “Cowboy” camp as your tent wasn’t free standing. So you had to battle the mozzies and sandflies. The old Dome valley cafe was one place I seem to recall

@freedom_on_the_trail

2 ай бұрын

Yep, no problems at Dome Cafe with flying critters. But the second time I tried…at the end of the Tararuas…the sandflies drove me inside. This is the one weakness with a trekking pole tent, you can’t set up on hard surfaces.

Thank you for this review. Like many many others, I was an avid follower of you with your thru hike of the Te Araroa trail. I am very impressed with this tent. I have an MSR Hubba Hubba 1p and I'm not happy with interior size, so I want to 'upgrade'. Is your tent a 1p or 2p. After seeing the 2 mattresses side by side in your tent, I wasn't sure whether you have the 1p or 2p.The weight and price difference between the 1p and 2p is minimal, on paper, carrying the extra weight after several months may make a huge difference, so I'm wondering if a 2p would be an advantage or not. I am hoping to start the Te Araroa trail in October this year. Your opinion would be very much appreciated regarding a 1p or 2p.

@freedom_on_the_trail

2 ай бұрын

I have no experience with the Durston 1p but I can say that the extra room in a 2p is worth the extra cost and weight. I've used a Zpacks 1p in the past, and while it was super light, I found it very constricting. In my opinion, the 2p tent has two big positives and 1 big negative. The positives are (1) you don't rub up against the walls nearly as much, and actually hardly at all. This is helpful in keeping the inevitable condensation off your sleeping bag or quilt. (2) the 2p feels so much more comfortable if you're stuck in it for a bit. Retreating to your tent on a rainy day is enjoyable rather than constricting. While I would keep my backpack and food outside of the tent, everything else came inside, and there was plenty of room for it all. In that vein, changing clothes was much easier in a 2p than a 1p. The one negative of the 2p is the footprint size. I sometimes had to look a little longer than 1p users for a good spot to set up the tent. Obviously, with a 2p tent, there will be fewer options for viable spaces. Having said that, I always found a place.

@lynettemorgan4901

2 ай бұрын

@@freedom_on_the_trail Excellent, thank you for your quick response...... I'm sold. I have the Hubba Hubba 1p and I have found it very very constricting and I would always inevitably end up with a damp sleeping bag from the condensation.

@robfirmin8388

2 ай бұрын

Typically informative. I'd like an ensuite in the next upgrade please. 😉👌

@freedom_on_the_trail

2 ай бұрын

Might increase the weight a tad too much 😂

@robfirmin8388

2 ай бұрын

@freedom_on_the_trail haha ... awww yeah bugger ... I forgot the weight! And the condensation. Serious matter 🙂 Second thoughts - use the away convenience. 🚽 🧻

Hi Kurt, great review, that’s the tent I purchased and hopefully I can still attempt TA 2024-2025 🤞. I have been looking into sleep systems, I know you used one where you added stuffing to your quilt and mentioned you would go with Kiwi Ultralight if you ever replaced it. Did you look at Zenbivy and what’s your opinion of that brand. I was thinking a zero Celsius for the cold South Island temperatures assuming I could easily regulate temperature in the warmer North Island as it’s a quilt system. What temperature range was yours and were you ever cold? Has Ritchie started his book?

@freedom_on_the_trail

2 ай бұрын

No, I don’t look at Zenbivy so can’t give any opinion on it. I think 0c would be plenty. I never got cold with mine. I think with the added fill I was about at that level. I’ll check with Richie about that book.

@rayperry1763

2 ай бұрын

@@freedom_on_the_trail thanks for the quick reply, the last two significant gear items I have to get are sleep system and shoes. I think I will try the shoes you used, at this rate I will be a Kurt Clone when I attempt TA 😂.

@freedom_on_the_trail

2 ай бұрын

lol. In that case, you’ll be a clone of a clone of a clone, etc. that’s the beauty of the hiking community: everyone is more than willing to share ideas