Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions
Showing 1 of 675 conversations about:
Drop + Dan Durston X-Mid 1P Tent
AlanK
4
Apr 15, 2019
Dan - I had a chance to setup the tent today and had fun doing it. Like the other users so far, I noticed the weight was an ounce or two above spec and the pole tips pushed up against the fabric. But overall I had an easy time setting it up and enjoyed the views out both sides. I think I’ll take 4 beefier stakes for the corners in case I am in conditions where I need to hammer in the stakes with a rock.
What are your thoughts on the trekking pole tips pushing up against the fabric? Do you angle the poles a bit to get a bit more shoulder room if you move around?
Also, can you post a second video on the additional stake out options? I noticed there were several loops along the bottom of the tent and up on the wall.
Thanks in in advance and I am pumped to take it on its maiden trip to Havasu Falls at the end of May.
dandurston
5116
Dan Durston
Apr 15, 2019
AlanKHi Alan,
Regarding pitching, it would help if you get more tension between the four stakes that form the rectangle, before you insert the poles. If this isn't tight enough, then the corners get lifted up and move closer together when the poles are added so the middle of the sides aren't fully tight. In your pics you can see he left side isn't that tight along the bottom, so it probably needs more tension in the rectangle before you add the poles. The cords at the corners can be longer or shorter, as long as things are tight.
Regarding weight, yeah it does seem like these are average coming in heavier than spec at ~29oz typically. A few folks have reported them right on 28 and one person said 26.5 but most of them seem to around 29oz. I did have one prototype that was heavier and I asked the factory about it and they said that most of the weight variation is because of variation in the thickness of the silicone coating. This supposedly is hard to apply consistently so they start off a roll of fabric with it a bit thicker and then once it's running smoothly they gradually make it a bit thinner. It may be that the heavier tents are earlier in the roll of material and the lighter ones are away from that. The fly has 13 square yards of materials, so if the coating is a bit thicker the material could be 1.3oz/yd instead of 1.2oz/yd and that 0.1oz/yd difference adds 1.3oz on the tent. Sorry to hear yours is on the heavier side.
Regarding the pole tips, I have noticed in testing that some pole tips that are longer do push on the top a bit so you can see a little dimple. Poles tips vary a lot so ones that are slimmer and with a longer tip push more and vice versa. In my testing I had Black Diamond, Fizan, Gossamer Gear and Locus Gear poles, and the Fizan ones poked through the furthest so I used them the most to watch for any damage. I used the tent a lot like this, and also set it up outside in a windy spot for a month to see if there would be any damage. But other than scuffing of the PU coating on the 210D nylon I couldn't manage to cause any damage to the 210D nylon (this PU coating isn't for anything since this is inside the waterproof fly, The 210D nylon just comes with it). I think it seems like the tip is pushing kind hard, but actually virtually all the force is on the grommet and the fabric above the tip just stretches a bit to accommodate the longer tip. Also the tip doesn't slide around when the tent is pitched because the nearby grommet holds it still.
So I'm not sure what poles you're using and it's possible their tips are longer than any I've used, but I expect it's similar to what I've seen when using poles with longer tips where it looks a bit disconcerting but isn't going to cause any damage. The height of the grommets was a fine balance because if they were much lower than it wouldn't have worked as well for folks that prefer handle up pitching, but on hindsight I can see how it would be more comforting if they were a bit lower. Keep in mind that if it did cause damage, it would wear a hole in the top but the tent wouldn't come crashing down because you'd still have the grommet structure in place. So it's not going to fail catastrophically. Worse case is that it wears a hole and then you spring a leak (obviously not what you want, but much better than a tent that collapses in a storm). I suggest it's something you keep an eye on if it worries you and if there is damage accruing to the nylon such that it might wear through someday, then get in touch with me/Massdrop (or find some shorter tips).
Regarding stake out options, for the pitch itself it's best to really focus the four main stakes. Get those in a correct rectangle and nice and tight, so that when you add the poles it looks good. As a check, when you insert the first pole you should get equal tension on the fabric to both far corners like the image below. If you get that, then the pitch will be good.
j24jaded
0
Apr 19, 2019
dandurstonA possible solution to the pole tips going to deep into the grommets, would be to add a short piece of rubber hose to the tips of the poles to act as a depth stop.. if the right hose is sourced it could be left in place through out the day without being lost i would think...nice design, I'm just seeing this for the first time, sorry i missed out on one.
dandurston
5116
Dan Durston
Apr 19, 2019
j24jadedSomeone found some nice rubber grommets on eBay which you can insert into the metal grommets to lower the tips if you have longer/slim ones and you're worried about it. As I've said I don't think it'll be a problem as is because the 210D nylon is quite tough and almost all of the pressure is still on the grommet, but these are only a few cents and can help with peace of mind.
Drop Refurbished
Like-new products you can trustDrop Rewards
Get $5 for every 500 points you earn! Learn more
Drop Keyboard Club
Become a member and expand your keycap collectionCollaborate With Us
For Brands & DesignersFollow Drop