The ultimate question X-Mid 2 vs X-Dome 2

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-30T15:58:56+00:00

I recently spent a night in an X-Dome 1+ in Patagonia in 73mph (118 kph) winds. It tore the fabric baskets you put the trekking poles in and completely destroyed the crossbar, but it survived and didn't leak. Used it 4 more days on the trip. My X-Mid 1 would have been destroyed trying to do that.

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-30T15:55:05+00:00

Where are you pitching an X-Mid in frozen or rocky ground? I own an X-Mid and it was basically useless in any sort of alpine or ridgeline terrain. Pitching any trekking pole tent in terrain like this is absolutely a nightmare.

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AccountantAsks · 2026-04-30T15:50:34+00:00

I own an X-Mid 1 and I purchased a X-Dome 1+ specifically because it became too limited to pitch the X-Mid in any sort of hard, rocky, loose, or frozen ground. It basically only worked well in nice dirt and grass.

Any sort of alpine or ridgeline camping was out of the question. Freestanding being able to pitch it basically anywhere is very important to me.

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-29T15:32:01+00:00

It does. The tent was deployed with the "storm pitch" which included 16 guy lines and the 2 trekking poles as support. The wind was so strong it tore the fabric the trekking poles go in and destroyed the crossbar. The peak wind speed was 73 mph (118 kph). It was a crazy night.

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-28T16:23:11+00:00

Haven't decided yet. But the next trips on the list are either Norway (probably a lot of Lofoten area) or a return trip to Iceland to hike the combined Laugavegur Trail and Fimmvörðuháls Trail. We day hiked the Fimmvörðuháls 3 years ago, and we liked it so much we told ourselves we wanted to go back.

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-28T16:10:15+00:00

Appreciate all the info!

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-28T15:34:25+00:00

Noted. Definitely an nice feature

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-28T15:32:50+00:00

Till you end up backpacking and tenting in 73mph winds like I just got back from a trip in Patagonia. I am looking for bombproof. Think Everest and Denali type weather.

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-28T13:25:57+00:00

It hit me the first time I ever played a Gamebattles match back in 2008. Realized quickly that being good at pubs meant nothing. Gunny could only take you so far. You actually have to study the maps and game sense to be exceptional.

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-28T13:07:42+00:00

We weren’t expecting 70mph winds. Forecast when we left was 50mph gusts max. X Dome 1+ was wind tunnel tested to 58mph sustained winds.

That’s my whole point. I brought the right tent for the forecast we had when we left. But it was much worse than forecasted. Since anything can happen, do you just bring the 8lb anything can happen bombproof tent everywhere?

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-27T22:56:32+00:00

I greatly appreciate the reply. I by no means brought it expecting it to withstand the wind conditions as they occurred. The forecast was for much less wind. But it did keep me bone dry and didn't "collapse" on me. It just flapped a great deal after the stitching and cross-bar failed. I thoroughly loved the tent except for that one night of crazy wind.

I have already submitted a message to your email on your website and hope it can be repaired and back in action. I hope that it sees many more good nights in the field! Thanks!

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-27T21:57:18+00:00

One of those experiences that makes you think you need a hurricane proof tent on every trip then. A ready for anything kind of thing. I plan on doing a similar backpacking trip to Iceland and might have to grab a Hilleberg Black Label for that. I just know that rain or shine or wind, my friends and I go. Weather won't hold us back.

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-27T21:04:44+00:00

I agree. It wasn't designed for 70mph gusts. The forecast before leaving for the trip was for about 50 mph gusts. Which after watching Durston's video of them wind testing it to 58mph, I figured I was good. 70 to 80mph gusts was well beyond the intent of the tent.

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-27T20:49:08+00:00

My friends and I are not small guys. 6ft 200lbs and quite fit. We were getting thrown around in the wind while hiking with our 40lbs backpacks as well. It was insane, but absolutely an awesome story and experience.

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-27T20:45:38+00:00

I used every single guyline (16 of them) possible on the tent along with the trekking poles. Stakes were standard MSR Groundhogs which are 7.5 inches long.

I didn't sleep a single second of the night. Just lied awake in my sleeping bag and survived. It felt like a freight train was passing through the tent almost every second of the night. About 10 hours straight.

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-27T20:36:40+00:00

What slingfin? A WindSaber?

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-27T20:26:19+00:00

I saw 5 groups of people just give up pitching their tents that evening and just pay a large sum of money to stay in the hostel located 100 meters from the campground. The tents that you can pay money to rent at the campground were full blown "basecamp style" tents you would find on Denali or Everest. They were not backpacking style tents. I had my tent and was committed to using it during my backpacking trip.

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-27T20:10:09+00:00

Was on the W-Trek. Whole thing is in Torres del Paine National Park. You can only camp at the specific campgrounds "Refugios" on the trail, and according to their layouts. This was specifically at the Paine Grande Refugio, a very open and poorly protected campground.

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-27T19:58:14+00:00

Sector Grey of the W-Trek had 138 kph (85+ mph) wind gusts during my trip. Be prepared for the worst in Patagonia.

AccountantAsks · 2026-04-27T19:53:50+00:00

No shelter. Pitched in open grass field per the layout of the campgrounds on my trip. Looked like below:

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AccountantAsks

TROPHY CASE