The X-Mid 1P is a single-person double-wall trekking pole tent that weighs 27.9 oz. It requires two trekking poles to erect and can be set up in rain without getting the inner tent wet. The inner and outer tents both have two doors and can be rolled up for enhanced ventilation and airflow. The X-Mid 1 setup process is easy, but the tent has a large footprint so considerable space is required to pitch it. The tent comes factory seam-taped and includes ultralight titanium stakes, making it usable out of the box. The X-Mid 1P is available from the Drop (formerly MassDrop) and was developed in cooperation with Dan Durston, an ultralight backpacker. While it has some minor limitations, it’s a great bargain at $200.
Specs at a Glance
- Color: Desert Sage
- People: 1
- Type: Trekking Pole Tent (2 poles required)
- Double-wall: Yes
- Seam-taped: Yes
- Weight: 27.9 oz (18 0z, fly including guylines), (9.9 oz, inner tent)
- Material: 20d 420T 100-percent polyester
- Hydrostatic head: 2000mm sil/PU coating
- Minimum number of stakes to pitch: 4 (8 recommended)
- Stakes: 8, Titanium stakes included
- For complete dimensions and specs, see the Drop X-Mid 1P product listing
The X-Mid 1P is a double-wall trekking pole tent with two offset peaks. The rain fly can be erected before the inner tent, which is attached to connectors in the rainfly corners and in the peaks, or you can keep them attached for faster setup the next time you use them together. Both the inner tent and the rainfly can be used separately in a modular maner , which is an added perk of the design.
The X-Mid 1P has a rectangular footprint with two doors which makes it easy to orient and set up, even if one entryway is blocked by vegetation. Once you’ve staked out the four corners of the rainfly, open the kickstand vents near the peaks and insert your poles though the openings, inserting the tip into the grommet provided in each peak. This makes the X-Mid 1P compatible with all trekking poles, including Pacerpoles which have a unique ergonomic grip. A pole height is 46″ is recommended, although you may want to adjust this for more airflow under the sidewalls or if you have to set up on uneven terrain.
While the X-Mid 1P can be pitched with a minimum of four tent stakes in the corners, I’d recommend that you stake out the peaks to make the ridgeline between the them taut and increase the tent’s wind resistance. All of these guyout points are outfitted with cord and lineloc tensioners when you receive the tent, so you don’t have to add your own, although I’d recommend lengthening the corner guylines so you have more flexibility in where you plant your stakes. If you camp in windy conditions in open country, I’d also suggest adding guylines to the side panels to reduce flapping.
While the X-Mid 1P rain fly requires 100″ x 67″ inches of room to set up, adding the peak guylines increase the tent footprint to about 120″ x 67″ in size (unless you can guy the peaks to nearby trees). This is definitely on the large end and can present a challenge if you plan on camping on unprepared tent sites in densely vegetated areas or along backpacking trails with smaller campsites…like the Appalachian Trail or most anywhere in the Northeast. This isn’t a showstopper, but it means you’ll have to keep your eyes open for good tent sites or spend a little more time scouting around for one.
The X-Mid 1P has two doors, one on each side of the tent. Both doors can be rolled up for increased airflow and to make it easier to get in an and out of the tent. The doors make up about 3/4 of the area of each sidewall, while the remaining 1/4 panel acts as a windbreak and nook where I like to store my backpack. I stake this smaller panel to keep it from flapping and because it adds additional strength to the structure.
The X-Mid 1P’s inner tent is oriented on a diagonal under the rain fly and its corners are attaches to plastic rings in the rainfly corners with tiny mitten hooks. It also has two zippered doors, so you can get in and out of the tent on either side. The diagonal orientation of the inner tent creates large storage areas on either side of the inner tent for gear storage or cooking in inclement weather. It’d also be a good spot for a dog if you bring along insulation for him/her to lie on at night.
The inner tent is sized for one person and has a convenient gear loft sewn in the ceiling for stashing a phone, headlamp, and glasses so they don’t get smashed at night if you roll onto them. The interior is high enough to sit up in (43″) and long (87″) but feels a bit narrow (28″). Still, give nthe amount of covered storage under the rainfly, it’s easy to store all of your extra gear in your pack while still being able to reach it easily when needed.
Packing
One of the strengths of the X-Mid 1P is its packability. Broken down, it’s about the size of a stuffed 20-degree quilt and can be stored into a small stuff sack (12″ x 5″) that will fit horizontally into most backpacks. That’s a big differentiator for me because I prefer to pack my gear horizontally in my backpack and dislike gear that must be oriented vertically in the main compartment.
Comparable Tents
| Make / Model | Weight | Price | Designer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drop X-Mid 1P | 27.9 oz | $200 | Dan Durston |
| Sierra Designs High Route FL 1 | 37 oz | $299 | Andrew Skurka |
| Tarptent Stratospire 1 | 34.5 oz | $325 | Henry Shires |
| Yama Mountain Gear Swiftline 1P | 28 oz | $335 | Gen Shimizu |
Of these tents, the X-Mid is by far the easiest to set up and pack, while the Tarptent Stratospire 1 has the most livable and spacious interior and is the most storm-worthy. All of these tents have a fairly big footprint and require extra room to set up despite the fact that they are 1 person tents.
Recommendation
The Drop X-Mid 1P is great one-person, double-wall, trekking pole tent that’s easy to set up and weighs 27.9 oz. It can be set up fly-first to keep the inner tent dry in the rain, comes seam-taped, and is completely outfitted with guylines and linelocs so you can use it as soon as it arrives. If you’ve been wanting to slash your gear weight or try a trekking pole tent, the X-mid is a great option because it packs small and has plenty of room inside to store gear. The inner tent is comfortable, both doors can be opened for enhanced airflow, and there are kick-stand vents (that work) for extra ventilation in stormy conditions. Priced at $200, the X-Mid 1P is also a real bargain because it’s sold by Drop at a group discount. If you’re more interested in a 2 person version of the X-Mid, Drop will have another batch for sale shortly.
Disclosure: The author purchased this tent
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