Durston X-Mid 1 Bad Weather Test!

​Ooh, I do love bad-weather testing tents! On this December day, it was the turn of the Durston X-Mid 1 to get a good seeing to. I was pretty sceptical of my flimsy-looking shelter and was fully prepared for a potential surviving-the-night-in a-ruined-tent type of situation.

However, to my surprise, none of that happened.

The afternoon started with standard Welsh weather, nothing fancy.. 21km/hr gusts and rain. The tent went up easily and I settled down for the night, bracing for the coming gales that were forecast for the next day.

The tent took the weather like a champ all night. I found that the magnetic door toggles don't hold the doors open in strong wind, so I needed to use a clip when cooking etc - just a minor issue. And a bit of rain water sprayed in occasionally via one of the vents, but after closing them, I woke in the morning dry and well rested.

The winds continued to increase, and on that rocky outcrop in front of the tent, I measured gale-force 65km/hr gusts. However, the gusts by the tent just a few meters away were not quite as severe, being blocked slightly by the rock. The tent was, however, still taking near-gales (I measured 59km/hr next to it), with no issue whatsoever. I didn't even have to use the Delta pegs or stronger guy lines that I'd bought

Curious, I unpegged the guy lines to see what would happen. This is a tent that doesn’t require guy lines to hold it up – it’s certainly the only trekking pole tent that I’ve tried that calls guys ‘optional’..

Free of the guys, the tent swayed and shook in the high winds, but still did not budge. The poles stayed exactly in place. Nothing broke. Nothing fell down. Nothing happened at all aside from some flapping polyester.
​
​I still have an inconvenient dislike of the non-stealthy colour of this tent. And these wind speeds, in my mind, still do not constitute being able to confirm if it is “stormworthy” or not.. but damn, did this impress me, and it is definitely bad-weather-worthy. Which I did not expect

Gear List

This gear list contains affiliate links. This means that WildBeare makes a small commission from any sales made via these links, at no extra cost to yourself - a great way to support the channel. Thank you

You can also see lots of my gear over in my Amazon Gear Shop :)
 
*I choose not to be sponsored, affiliated with any particular brands, and have not accepted any free gear to try since summer of 2021. Every piece of gear that I’m using is something that I have chosen to buy for myself – my opinions on it and experiences with it are completely impartial
 
TENT
Durston X-Mid 1 + Footprint (for stats & details about this tent, here’s one I made earlier: https://youtu.be/zVpciPkBSgM?si=oDdLVEyK9N8m70yE)
Trekking Poles https://amzn.to/3ggE1Gj
Clips (used on door) https://amzn.to/47IJACR
Grey Microfibre Towel (for condensation, drying up) https://amzn.to/43qSZwh
Extra Pegs https://amzn.to/3hPfVTQ
Extra Guyline https://amzn.to/3hlefRW
 
SLEEP SYSTEM
Sleeping Bag Rab Ascent 1100 https://amzn.to/3ATy3lM
Sleep Mat Neoair Thermarest Xtherm Max https://amzn.to/3uSjiLt
Trekology Aluft Delux Pillow https://amzn.to/3xwuhM1
Light AF Mat https://outdoorgearessentials.co.uk
Alpkit Kloke Bivi Bag https://amzn.to/3rb1nCK (protects sleeping bag from condensation or tent failure)
 
RUCKSACK & PACKING
Deuter Aircontact 60+10L SL Women’s Rucksack https://amzn.to/3MqRvcW
Exped Dry Bags https://amzn.to/33OmrDu
Nylofume Pack Liner - https://outdoorgearessentials.co.uk
DCF Zip Pouches & Dry Bags https://WildSkyGear.co.uk
 
WHAT I’M WEARING
 
Footwear:
High Ankle Boots Haix Nature One GTX https://amzn.to/47fnxmV
Sealskinz Waterproof Knee Length Winter Socks https://amzn.to/3ZCxUgU
Fine Merino Under-Socks https://amzn.to/3F66vvp
Hikenture Gaiters https://amzn.to/49idbo1
 
Waterproofs:
Montane Levity Women’s Gortex Rain Jacket https://amzn.to/3NaZn5l
Rab Downpour Eco Pants https://amzn.to/47laBvg
 
Hiking Clothes:
Rab Women’s Capacitor Hoody https://amzn.to/3oRpJ2Y
Merino Wool Vest https://amzn.to/44R0ZrH
Peter Storm Neck Gaiter https://amzn.to/46iXwSz
Gloves Sealskinz https://amzn.to/3s48ucX
 
Clothes for Camp:
Down Puffy Decathlon
Fleece hat Decathlon
 
SIT MAT
Cheapo one https://amzn.to/3yP22u8
 
FIELD REPAIRS / KNIFE
Tenacious Tape https://amzn.to/2PmjxOq
Duct Tape (I wrap it around my trekking pole) https://amzn.to/3qPKFEF
DD Superlight Guy Rope (spare cordage) https://amzn.to/3hlefRW
Opinel Pocket Knife No.5 https://amzn.to/45P33RH
 
COOKING
Hiking Stove https://amzn.to/3cM173q
Jetboil Gas 230g https://amzn.to/3z5qV5L
Gas Canister Stand https://amzn.to/3GLhHh4
Toaks 900ml Titanium Pot https://amzn.to/3j5Mwot
XBands https://amzn.to/43SVFE8
Tito Titanium Spoon https://amzn.to/3xgwcqi
Bag for rubbish
 
WATER
x2 1L Bottles
LifeStraw 650m Filter Squeeze Bottle https://amzn.to/3TSeDVe
TOILETRIES & PERSONAL CARE
Tissue
Baby wipes
Hand sanitiser
Trowel https://amzn.to/3etBVz9
Palm Hair Brush https://amzn.to/3QIUumd
Hair band
Lip balm
Talc
Toothpaste
Tiny mirror
Mini Tweezers
Tiny Pots https://amzn.to/3aJytgC
Toothbrush https://amzn.to/2LqwgxY
Sleep Mask https://amzn.to/3tD2lUs
Ear Plugs https://amzn.to/40swCVh
 
MED KIT
Pain relief
Antihistamine
Plasters
Blister plasters https://amzn.to/3qvrzHA
Torniquet (only use with knowledge of how to use safely)
Wound Dressing
Small Bandage https://amzn.to/401pHUI
Alcohol Wipes
Med kit pouch https://www.wildskygear.co.uk/
 
TICK PREVENTION
Lifesystems Ex4 (tick treatment for outer clothing coming into contact with long grass etc) https://amzn.to/38XozuB
HEAT
Ocoopa Electronic Hand Warmer https://amzn.to/3BDyels
 
ELECTRONICS
20,100 mAh Anker Power Bank https://amzn.to/3jqTQr2
Headtorch Decathlon Bivouac USB (100 lumen)
Light Goal Zero https://amzn.to/32RI1pR
Anemometer (wind speed meter) https://amzn.to/400wiyF
 
GPS / NAVIGATION / PLB / EMERGENCY
Garmin Inreach Mini https://amzn.to/3sVBi9f
Garmin Backpack Tether https://amzn.to/3sTRibM
Map & Compass
Phone https://amzn.to/3An5PQ7
Whistle https://amzn.to/3uRvwbM
 
FILMING
Camera Sony ZV1 https://amzn.to/3t4VamJ
Ulanzi Wide Angle & Macro Lens https://amzn.to/3CC6Jaq
ZV1 Screen Protectors https://amzn.to/3tYOnPA
Rode Lav Mic https://amzn.to/44Qte8M
Lav Mic Wind Muffs & Clips https://amzn.to/3TkNQUJ
128GB SD Card https://amzn.to/3tckuY8
Light Clip https://amzn.to/2MZjCGK
Tripod https://amzn.to/3nxGg7p
Ball Head https://amzn.to/3G3obrL
Rain Cover https://amzn.to/3VctprU
 
x2 GoPro 10’s https://amzn.to/3T9CDUB
Wind Shields https://amzn.to/3TesuWA
Screen Protectors https://amzn.to/3ww70Lf
Selfie Stick https://amzn.to/3zRjDTh
128GB Micro SD Card https://amzn.to/3p8XQ0v
Gorrillapod Tripod https://amzn.to/3u9Tb3j
Suptig Sml LED Waterproof Light https://amzn.to/3GUwzLL
 
COMPUTER & EDITING
Editing Program – Davinci (Free)
Sony Headphones https://amzn.to/3yds75R
Headphone Stand https://amzn.to/3TSgKfn
Mouse https://amzn.to/3yjY24t
Personalised Mouse Mat https://amzn.to/414UsZ5
Dell PC https://amzn.to/3CAp3mX
Monitor LG Ultrafine 32” https://amzn.to/3H6lXsg
Seagate 10TB External Hard Drive https://amzn.to/3MnK4Vj
XP Pen Graphic Drawing Tablet https://amzn.to/479ghZE

Music in this video

Thank you to these amazing artists for producing such great music..
 
Ardie Son – A Winter Migration
Nick Petrov – Clear Skies
Bonnie Grace – Highland Hymn
Eden Maze – Into the Wild Again
 
All from Bensound, Epidemic Sound & Artlist with license
​

I buy my own gear

I choose not to be sponsored, affiliated with any particular brands, and don't accept free gear to try or gifts. Every piece of gear that I’m using is something that I've chosen to buy for myself – my opinions on it & experiences with it are completely impartial