A new generation of freestanding ultralight tents has been rolling out over the past year or so to make backpacking and other backcountry activities more convenient than ever. Durston Gear's X-Dome 1+ hit what might just be the best ounce-to-dollar value point of the bunch, and now the all-new X-Dome 2 builds on that by adding more spacious two-person sizing at a minimal weight penalty. The X-Dome 2 also packs in the value Durston has come to represent, along with storm-shedding ruggedness ready for everything from short downpours to surprise high-alpine snow squalls.
Based in Golden, British Columbia, Durston has been developing high-end ultralight gear since 2018. After years of producing ultralight shelters pitched with mandatory trekking poles and guy lines, it debuted the X-Dome 1+ freestanding dome tent with independent pole structure last year. It follows that model up rather quickly with a full-blown two-sleeper, the X-Dome 2.
Instead of merely making a tent that's as light as possible at the cost of comfort, Durston understands that backpackers and mountaineers will be living in their tent night after night and might very well be holed up for days on end, waiting out dangerous weather and conditions. So it works to make a comfortable tent that offers unwavering weather protection, then applies strategic use of materials and geometry to keep it as lightweight as possible. It's a strategy it calls weight efficiency, not simply weight savings.
In the case of the X-Dome 2, that efficient weight tallies to 2.75 lb (1.2 kg, fly, inner tent and poles) for a proper two-person tent. Whether you think of that as 22 ounces (612 g) per person or as a 44-oz total, it's a low amount of weight for a freestanding tent that promises 3+ season weather protection, packs enough elbow room to sleep comfortably, and boasts a variety of thoughtful features to make life at backcountry base camp smoother and more convenient.
The X-Dome 2 picks up where the 1+ leaves off by widening out the tapered trapezoidal floor of the latter to the point that the 52-in (132-cm) floor width stretches the entire length of the tent, providing plenty of room for two sleeping pads side by side with space in between. That's nearly a full-size bed's worth of width to go along with an extra-long 88 inches (224 cm) of length that leaves extra space for storing clothes and gear, assuming one or both campers isn't among the tallest people alive.
Durston uses its signature X-Mid diagonal floor, which in this case is a proper parallelogram. As the upper diagrams above show, this shaping works naturally with the fly to efficiently create two spacious vestibules, ensuring that both campers have space to store their backpack and boots. The two individual doors make entry/exit fast and convenient for both campers.
Durston gives the X-Dome steep walls to increase overall volume and adds a peak crossbeam to spread the 43-in (109-cm) maximum interior height over a larger portion of the roof, not simply a single central apex. A full double-wall construction pairing an independent tub-floored mesh inner tent with a waterproof silicone-impregnated polyester (sil-polyester) rainfly promotes superior anti-condensation ventilation, even when the tent is fully closed up and guyed out.
Users can pitch the tent rainfly first to protect the interior from active rain, inner tent first in clear weather, or with both layers pre-connected for the fastest setup time. Carbon fiber poles save weight and deliver better strength-per-ounce than aluminum, according to Durston, and wider tube diameters at critical structural areas ensure the utmost stormproof performance.
For even more strength, such as when facing down the potential of particularly high winds or snow loads, the X-Dome 2 features trekking pole connection points near the ends of the rooftop cross pole, essentially connecting the crossbeam and two trekking poles into a full side-to-side support arch for boosted structural integrity.
The X-Dome 2's sil-polyester construction keeps weight low and dries quickly while avoiding the sag and sticking that can hamper sil-nylon, Durston explains. The fly extends low to the ground to provide more robust protection from drafts and splashing rain, and a pair of roof vents keeps air moving when all zipped and staked.
Other X-Dome 2 features include fast-action magnetic fly door tie-backs, four interior storage pockets, four interior loops for clotheslines and other hanging needs, and fully waterproofed seams. The first production run of the new two-man tent launched last week.
At launch, the X-Dome 2 can be ordered with a "regular" pole set and aforementioned "regular" mesh body for US$469 or with regular poles and a solid body for $489. Designed for colder weather, the solid body does away with much of the mesh in favor of solid poly fabric. It adds 3.5 oz (100 g) to the total weight of the tent.
The regular pole set, meanwhile, offers the lowest weight and packs down to a length of 18 inches (46 cm). A planned "short" pole set packs to 13 inches (33 cm) long for bikepackers and others who want a smaller packed form but adds on an extra 1.3 oz (35 g) due to the added folding hardware.
Durston also plans to add Dyneema variants to its X-Dome series for even lower weight totals (and well higher price tags).
For those interested in hearing it straight from the horse's mouth, Durston founder Dan Durston does a full X-Dome 2 walkthrough in the video below.
Source: Durston Gear
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