Best tent for Alaska sheep hunt

[USMCret]

Does anyone have any experience with https://durstongear.com/products/x-...6e08cd7450cbbdddc64c6cf2e8891f6d48747c6d56d2c
Or if you are a sheep hunter what do you think about it? Is there something that I’m not thinking about with this?

 

[jpengel]

I own a X-mid2 Solid. Initially considered it for sheep hunting due to weight, two door two vestibules, snow shedding and possible wind shedding design.

Also considered the pro, however at the time I thought the cost, single wall / condensation risk, and potential durability with the DCF were reasons to buy the solid.

I have used the x-mid on scouting trips early season, and a buddy used it this fall as a solo tent on a three day 3 person hunt. But, I have always opted for a different tent when it came to long duration sheep hunts for a few reasons:
- Vestibule - (not an issue for single person, but info may help someone) Typically share a tent on 2 man sheep hunts, and the vestibule space / shape is a little small and crammed for 5-10 days and all the gear for two people.
- Weather unknowns - i've pitched in the yard and left it up in high winds and it does well, but for some reason can't bring myself to trust it on long duration deep backcountry hunts where weather is unpredictable
- Pitching - x-mid is pretty finicky tent to pitch. If the surface is not flat and tent pitched in a true square you can have slack in the tent which can impact wind shedding, and contact with inner and outer tents if not using the pro. Also its a trekking pole tent, so if you are going minimalist and use your poles to pitch, you have to take down the tent every day. Or you bring stand alone poles that add weight and bulk (as opposed to just one for a tipi)

As a single person tent the x-mid is a palace, but the pitch can still be an issue to manage. I will most likely be looking at single pole tipi tent designs in the future if i go away from a freestanding tent.

X-mid2 in sheep country:



As for the thread title, my vote for the 'best tent for Alaska sheep hunt' in the 2 man tent category is the SG Skyscraper 2.

 

[Mark at EXO]

So is the tent in the snow the Allak and is that your current recommendation? When were you sheep hunting with that kind of snow?

The Allak is what we had available after packing off the mountain with the busted Niak. The red label Allak is obviously built stronger than the yellow label Niak, but I continue to use my Niak a lot. (I am taking it on a mtn goat hunt in AK next week.) I still trust the Niak and think it is a great tent — including for sheep hunts. Most tents that hunters take on the mountain would have had problems in the specific spot and storm that we faced.

That snow happened on the night of Sep 1.

 

[USMCret]

So I think that most have got me convinced on the Helle. Just wondering for some of the more experienced guys wondering on your wisdom of the tunnels vs the domes? This looking at weights and the yellow and red is killing me. Niak at 3lbs 15oz vs Soulo at 5.5 Akto at 3.12

 

[schmalzy]

So I think that most have got me convinced on the Helle. Just wondering for some of the more experienced guys wondering on your wisdom of the tunnels vs the domes? This looking at weights and the yellow and red is killing me. Niak at 3lbs 15oz vs Soulo at 5.5 Akto at 3.12

I’ve only had one trip with the akto; if snow not realistically expected it’s a phenomenal choice. The only reason I sold mine was due to snow performance. 3” or so of wet snow really impacted mine. I wanted something that withstood that better. But if snow not a big concern I think it’s an awesome “lightweight” choice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jimss]

I’m also a hilleberg fan. Nice having a large vestibule for gear, drying out, and cooking.

I also use just the fly early season for an ultralight version without the weight of the inner tent.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

I own a X-mid2 Solid. Initially considered it for sheep hunting due to weight, two door two vestibules, snow shedding and possible wind shedding design.

Also considered the pro, however at the time I thought the cost, single wall / condensation risk, and potential durability with the DCF were reasons to buy the solid.

I have used the x-mid on scouting trips early season, and a buddy used it this fall as a solo tent on a three day 3 person hunt. But, I have always opted for a different tent when it came to long duration sheep hunts for a few reasons:
- Vestibule - (not an issue for single person, but info may help someone) Typically share a tent on 2 man sheep hunts, and the vestibule space / shape is a little small and crammed for 5-10 days and all the gear for two people.
- Weather unknowns - i've pitched in the yard and left it up in high winds and it does well, but for some reason can't bring myself to trust it on long duration deep backcountry hunts where weather is unpredictable
- Pitching - x-mid is pretty finicky tent to pitch. If the surface is not flat and tent pitched in a true square you can have slack in the tent which can impact wind shedding, and contact with inner and outer tents if not using the pro. Also its a trekking pole tent, so if you are going minimalist and use your poles to pitch, you have to take down the tent every day. Or you bring stand alone poles that add weight and bulk (as opposed to just one for a tipi)

As a single person tent the x-mid is a palace, but the pitch can still be an issue to manage. I will most likely be looking at single pole tipi tent designs in the future if i go away from a freestanding tent.

X-mid2 in sheep country:

As for the thread title, my vote for the 'best tent for Alaska sheep hunt' in the 2 man tent category is the SG Skyscraper 2.

I’ll second this opinion of the X-Mid. I used the 1p solid in 2022 on a 10 day sheep hunt. The drawbacks Joe highlights are what I also found to be true. I’ve gone back to using either a DCF Duomid, which pitches easier and only uses one pole, or a Hilleberg Niak for all my sheep hunts.