X-Mid 1P vs Silex

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Been debating this one for a while. Which would you choose? Anyone have experience with both?

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Here are the pro's and con's I'm considering:

Silex
+ More height overall and more space in both vestibules
+ Can fit a second person in a pinch
+ Made in the USA
+ Can find used for reasonable discount

- More expensive ($408 for fly and nest)
- Bigger footprint
- Silnylon sags when wet


X-Mid
+ Cheaper ($240 for fly and nest)
+ Smaller footprint
+ Silpoly doesn't sag when wet

- Less interior space and height
- Not made in the USA

 

[jonnyviceroy]

I personally love my silex just due to the room it gives. I struggled with setup the first few times but has gotten a lot easier now. As for the sagging I was in some bad storms with very little issues. I also loved the option for a stove jack. I’ve used it solo late with the stove and it’s been great. I’ve never used nor own the nest. I have also heard great things on the x mid. Unfortunately have no use with it or experience. Maybe some more details on your use case and hunt style depending on seasons and conditions would also help provide better insight to what would be an ideal setup for you personally.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Yeah I have a Cimarron as well, so I've had some experience with the silnylon sag. It's definitely noticeable in that tent but different geometries may change how bad the sag is. I could picture there being a good amount of sag by the head and feet area of the Silex when wet.

This would be more of a warm weather, solo trip, bugs expected, or only small footprint sites available kinda tent. Or when my buddies don't want to deal with me snoring.

 

[GotDraw?]

I have had a X-Mid Solo and Duo since the first production run for each.

Hunt with my brother and mostly use Solo w/o liner as a tarp-tent, we both fit that way. If raining, we'll each use a solo.

Great tents. Both have enough room for what they are- lightweight backpacking.

Would not want to be stuck in 2-4 days of endless rain in them due to the fact you can't stand up.

That said, plenty waterproof for the rain we have been in.

I am not looking to replace them at all. Superb quality.

Buy an X-Mid, save money. Send some of the money you save to a US charity if that makes it better for you.

JL

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

I have had a X-Mid Solo and Duo since the first production run for each.

Hunt with my brother and mostly use Solo w/o liner as a tarp-tent, we both fit that way. If raining, we'll each use a solo.

Great tents. Both have enough room for what they are- lightweight backpacking.

Would not want to be stuck in 2-4 days of endless rain in them due to the fact you can't stand up.

That said, plenty waterproof for the rain we have been in.

I am not looking to replace them at all. Superb quality.

Buy an X-Mid, save money. Send some of the money you save to a US charity if that makes it better for you.

JL

Assuming the solo is similar to the 1P, what are your thoughts on the nest size/height and the amount of room in the vestibules?

Also, have you had any trouble lining up your sleeping spot within the tent on a specific patch of ground? In a lot of the country I hunt, I tend to have to set the tent up over a person-sized flat patch and I'm wondering if the geometry makes that a little hard to judge the first time.

 

[GotDraw?]

Durston's tent is a parallelogram, so takes a couple tries to get used to pitching it, but once you get the hang of it you'll be fine.

Challenge is that small tents (really any tent) have a more difficult time getting the rain fly pitched taught when the ground is uneven. Therefore, if your sleeping pad area is flat but the places where rainfly perimeter will be and where you'll stake your rainfly are all catawampus uneven/lumpy, then it will take a couple tries to get it right. But, that's the case for any tent in difficult terrain.

Vestibules are not huge, but large enough for a backpack and boots. Zippers are AWESOME.

If I know that I'll be below the treeline and continuously moving in steep terrain and sleeping wherever I happen to end up, then I'll pivot to bringing an ultralight hammock, cuben tarp and underquilt. Doing this allows me to pitch wherever I end up w/o wasting time IN THE DARK, hiking all over god's creation looking for a flat spot to pitch a tent when I'm exhausted and just want to eat/sleep. Later, if I end up in flatter terrain, I'll pitch my hammock's tarp as a tarp-tent and sleep on the ground if I feel like it.

Send me PM, I'd consider sending you my Durston 1-man X-mid to pitch in your yard if you want to try it.

Best,

JL

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

I appreciate that offer, I'll let you know if it comes down to needing an in-person look.

 

[wilbur007]

I have had the Silex for a couple of years now and I think it's great. Takes a little practice with the setup to get that ridgeline tight. It's very windproof and storm worthy.

I don't use a nest inside so I can't comment on that.

The Silex is light enough that it's always in my pack as an emergency shelter. I love having no zippers. I feel like this shelter will be with me for years.

 

[sneaky]

Assuming the solo is similar to the 1P, what are your thoughts on the nest size/height and the amount of room in the vestibules?

Also, have you had any trouble lining up your sleeping spot within the tent on a specific patch of ground? In a lot of the country I hunt, I tend to have to set the tent up over a person-sized flat patch and I'm wondering if the geometry makes that a little hard to judge the first time.

You're going to have a tricky time getting a Silex on a "person sized patch" as well. It takes up a pretty good sized space. You aren't pitching it in a deer bed.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[roosiebull]

Here are the pro's and con's I'm considering:

Silex
+ More height overall and more space in both vestibules
+ Can fit a second person in a pinch
+ Made in the USA
+ Can find used for reasonable discount

- More expensive ($408 for fly and nest)
- Bigger footprint
- Silnylon sags when wet


X-Mid
+ Cheaper ($240 for fly and nest)
+ Smaller footprint
+ Silpoly doesn't sag when wet

- Less interior space and height
- Not made in the USA

I have the eolus and didn’t like it in wet weather and got the DCF silex which is excellent… of those 2 options, I would get the x-mid for the one reason of silnylon sagging in wet weather, but wet weather performance is high on my list of priorities due to where I live… luckily, the eolus is a great fair weather shelter since it gets great ventilation, but I will never use it in wet weather again

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

I have the eolus and didn’t like it in wet weather and got the DCF silex which is excellent… of those 2 options, I would get the x-mid for the one reason of silnylon sagging in wet weather, but wet weather performance is high on my list of priorities due to where I live… luckily, the eolus is a great fair weather shelter since it gets great ventilation, but I will never use it in wet weather again

Yeah I think we’re in similar climates here haha.

I found a pretty interesting comment from Dan himself on a Reddit thread about how the Silex copied him and all the negatives about it compared to the x-mid. Having trouble finding it again. It included some of the stuff I listed above and more.

I’m leaning pretty heavy towards the x-mid at this point. Just need to watch one more overly-long review from some dude on a windy mountain in Ireland or Scotland or wherever all those YouTube reviews are coming from…

 

[sneaky]

The X mids haven't been faring well on Scottish and English peaks in those ridiculous winds. Up to about 20-25mph they seem to do alright. Above that...meh. Great tents, just have to know their limitations.

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[Geewhiz]

No experience with the xmid but I’ve been loving my silex. I take 10 stakes with me to really get that thing anchored down and it will withstand lots of wind just fine. Plenty of room for 2 and packs as long as you don’t mind being a little cozy.

 

[Ram94]

The XMid Solid 2P has handled alot more wind than 20-25mph for me without issue. Closer to double that a couple nights.

 

[roosiebull]

Yeah I think we’re in similar climates here haha.

I found a pretty interesting comment from Dan himself on a Reddit thread about how the Silex copied him and all the negatives about it compared to the x-mid. Having trouble finding it again. It included some of the stuff I listed above and more.

I’m leaning pretty heavy towards the x-mid at this point. Just need to watch one more overly-long review from some dude on a windy mountain in Ireland or Scotland or wherever all those YouTube reviews are coming from…

A couple years ago I was spring turkey hunting in the blue mountains, my last day there I woke up to cold water dripping on my face at about 3:30am, tent was sagging really bad, and everything was wet… I wasn’t really cold, but still kind of a rude awakening 1/2 hour before my alarm, it was wet snow/snow rain mix and just above freezing… it wasn’t a crisis situation by any stretch, but my bag was wet, and I had to tighten things up before I left to go hunt because it was sagging bad enough it wasn’t stable any longer, and I had it pitched tight.

As soon as I got home I ordered my DCF silex, because though it wasn’t a problem, it would have been a problem if it was the first day and not the last. I had experienced some sagging in the past with that shelter, but nothing like it was that day, so I decided that since I knew better, I had to resolve that issue before it became an issue in the future, silnylon is not for me.

The x-mid looks like a pretty sweet shelter for the price

 

[Afhunter1]

Sold a silex for a x mid 2. I like the x mid better but it’s not a huge amount of difference. I could use both and be happy. I have 0 exp with either during a storm though.

 

[Jdaley13]

Been debating this one for a while. Which would you choose? Anyone have experience with both?

Been thinking about this same thing. Both seem like solid tents. From what little research I’ve done maybe x mid sets up easier.