Dan Durston X-Mid 1P Tent Fly Accurate Fast Pitch, 1st time every time, no marking or measuring.
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Too windy for dialogue today, sorry.
Closed Captions included, click [CC].
After pegging out the corners of one short edge:
1:28 I have the other two corners held in left hand to form the apex of a triangle.
1:33 As the short edge is doubled, I pinch the center of that edge in my right hand.
1:41 Make both long edges taught so the apex in left hand is on the center line of the tent.
1:42 Align the center of the short edge (right hand) in line with & about 6" beyond the apex.
1:45 Stretch out one of the corners while holding the center of the short edge in place.
1:50 Peg that corner down
2:07 Stretched out and peg down the last corner.
You now have the rectangle pegged out square, time to add the poles.
Note: There is no need for accuracy in that 6", whatever your rough guess is will be just fine.
The correct offset for the 2P is 10" but again, whatever you guess is just fine.
Genius. Every X-Mid owner should watch this
Ta, glad you think so!
Bravo! I was so annoyed I couldn't get the pitch perfect. This method allows for easy perfect pitch every time. So smart to ensure the perfect square.
Thankyou for such an enthusiastic comment. My video just went over 20k views recently, it's certainly been surprisingly popular & well received. I just drew on my Technical drawing background to come up with this method. I think it comes into it's own with an impending rain storm when you want to get under cover fast & as dry as possible.
Thanks. That makes too much sense. For anyone confused, you stake out one end, and then the trick at 1:15 will ensure the other side is staked out perfectly square without any fiddling.
Ta for the Reply Matt. You got it exactly. Concise explanation too.
What trick?!?? I can’t work out what he is doing!
@@bookonomatopoeia pull the loose corners taut . Bring them together to form a triangle (the point you’re holding, and the two staked ends). If everything is taut at the point where your holding it, that’s dead center for your side.
There's a bit more to it than you might think on first glance. I recommend reading the steps in the video description and playing the corresponding part of the video. The step I missed was at 1:42: While holding the taut corners in one hand, and the center of the short edge in the other, you position the center of the short edge in line with the taut corners, but about 10" further away from the other end of the tent.
@@pepstein this is the step I find confusing and can't figure out.
Perfect,. The wind made the demo all the more impressive. Perfect
Thanks for that!
That was a great video with a tip on the other half side to square the fly. Thank you! I'll have to try this soon.
Glad it was helpful! I'm actually amazed how well this simple, & basic video is received. Over 2300 view so far!
@@kenwebster5053 The folks on reddit are recommending your video. It really is a great technique.
@@Kevinschart Thanks, I had no idea anyone was recommending it, except perhaps friends networks. It has over 6.5k views now which blows me away.
Oh man you should get snicker bars for life or UA-cam video of the year. Thanks sir
I'll take those Snickers Bars thanks for offering! Ha ha. Glad you found it helpful.
Thanks Ken! Going to try this in the yard now.
No problem, Dan puts an emphases on taking the time to get the rectangle square. But I figure the challenge may put some off and when it's raining, all you want to do is get the fly up fast and you and your gear under cover. So, I used my manual tech drawing background to come up with a way to get it right first time every time, no extra gear, measuring or marking out required. Seems to work well, fast and efficient. Maybe I can add sound or captions some time.
@@kenwebster5053 Worked like a charm! Yesterday was the third time I pitched the tent and getting the angle correct really does make a difference. Setup was fast and accurate. Thanks again for taking the time to share this. Cheers!
Great looking UL tent. Ordered mine online. Can't wait for it to get here. I do through-hikes and SOTA in the DR. 73 De HI8ESF
I haven't checked comments in a while. Hope my method is working for you and your having a great time out there.
Simply brilliant! 👏👏😃
Thank you! Cheers!
Thanks for this, nice easy technique!
Thanks for the positive comment, I'm glad it worked for you! It amazes me how much interest there is in this simple video.
Great idea! Gotta try it out next weekend
Ta, I hope it worked well for you. I'd like to know either way.
@@kenwebster5053 in the end i haven't yet had a chance to try it... We got to the place where we wanted to camp and there was no firewood around, so we spent some time gathering branches instead of trying things.
We then slept in the laavu in stead of the tent. Next time!
It worked great,thank you very much!
You're welcome!
Thank you! My eyeball geometry isn’t always the best.
Glad you find it useful.
Brilliant, I love it. Well done.
Ta, hope you found it useful.
Absolutely. I just ordered the 2p and Ive got two 1ps. I love this design and this just put the cherry on top to the one bit of guess work. Thanks so much!
Great informative video. When I receive my 2P think I will try it, but it will need to be 8 inches if I follow your logic correctly.
Thanks for the encouraging comment Jott. As the proportions of the rectangle are different between the 1P & 2P, it doesn't just scale. At risk of being a propeller head. An accurate solution for the offset can be derived using Pythagoras's theorem: 102-(102^2 - 44^2)^0.5 = 9.9 inches. Seriously, anything you guess to be 10 inches is not going to make any practical difference. I guess I should add the 2P offset to the video.
Ps, Sorry for the delay getting back to you, I messed up my reply initially and only just now discovered my mistake.
Regards,
Ken
@@kenwebster5053 Ken, your right I'm wrong, wish I'd kept notes to see where I flubbed that. Thanks again! Look forward to giving it a try.
@@jott1883 Oh well, we all do that sometimes. I am sure it wouldn't have made any practical difference to the pitch.
@@jott1883 Hi Jott, I have feedback from a 2P owner who said the method didn't work out for them, but some of their comments lead me to wonder if they have misunderstood the method. Not sure though. So, I'd really appreciate some feedback from you as to how it goes with your 2P. It's bigger and more of a stretch to peg out the 3rd corner after all. Ta in advance, Ken
@@kenwebster5053 @Ken Webster You bet Ken, got it but have not set it up yet, no room here, but I will get back to you once I do. Thanks again.
I just tried this on the 2P today and I think the results are not as good as the 1P. When you grab the mid-point of the second short side, there is so much more extra fabric compared to the 1P. So after you double the corners and find the staking location, you still have to move that point out a long way to pull the side wall tight. At this point, I'm back to guessing again, so I might as well do it the old way. Maybe I'm not doing it right.
Mathematically the offset is 10", but it seems to be much more than that.
@@ZulaBee Thanks for your feedback. I calculated the 2P offset on a viewers request. I don't have a 2 P to test with in practice. Looking at the dimensions though it seems to me (average height) doable though I agree it's more of a stretch. Anyway, I'd like to look into this some more if you are willing. How much would you say the offset is in reality?
@@kenwebster5053 Hi Ken. First of all, I want you to know that your method is genius and I wanted it to work on the 2P. I didn't measure the offset, but I would guess around 14". That's the mid-point of the second side stretched tight beyond where the two corners meet.
@@ZulaBee Thanks Zula, rest assured I am not offended at all. I guess it's my analyst training coming out, to want to thoroughly identify & understand all relevant factors and problem solve.
My calculation was based on the fly's published dimensions 88 x 102 inches. Unlikely but, could the fly be larger than this?
Could the length of the corner peg outs account for the extra 4 inches. Honestly, the 4 inches should only result in 0.2 inches error at the corners. I'd be really surprised if that is even noticeable. This is why I say, whatever you guess is will be fine. Maybe I could advise a 1 foot / 30 cm offset in the video, just so its a familiar length.
Another thought is uneven ground so the corners are not all in the same plane, this will twist the pitch and through things off. In nature, this would be normal to varying degrees. Do you think this might be a significant factor?
Oh, that's probably too many questions sorry.
Ken
After staking the first two corners, you can do the exact same thing more simply. Just ignore the last 2 corners. Simply go directly to the center loop of the second, short side, pull it out straight, test for dead center by holding it at ground level and moving it left to right - peg it. Now peg the last two corners. Done.
Courtesy of Half Vast Flying.
Hi Jack,
Thanks for your interest, in my video. Do you have an X-Mid 1P or 2P? Have you tested both methods to see which of them works best for you?
Interesting idea. I assume this would only work when the inner is attached, as it’s relying on the bathtub floor to constrain movement. Or am I missing something?
Staking the center point is an extra step. In the video, Ken only has to find the center and hold it.
That's an extra step.
Brilliant.
Glad you like it.
I can't wait to give this technique a try. Could you peg the short edge loop first, before pegging out the corners? That might be slightly easier, especially on the 2P and Pro 2 tents, as there would be less reaching.
I am not at all sure if I understand what you mean. I start the method by pegging both corners of one of the shortest edges. This is a minimum requirement for this geometric solution.
Pegging all 3 loops in that whole 1st edge may make nuclear wind gusts more manageable & can be a practical thing to do, but is not necessary for the geometry to work.
The reasons I start with a short edge are:
1. It minimises the reach required to set the 2nd short edge in place.
2. It assists the accuracy by minimising the estimated 6 inch extension of the centreline to locate the centre point of the 2nd short edge.
Anyway, I may have missed your point entirely. All I can say is try it out, try any mods or ideas you think of and let us all know if you find an improvement.
@@kenwebster5053 thanks for taking the time. Let me explain my suggestion more thoroughly:
Once you’ve found the midpoint of the second short edge and positioned it on the ground at the right once, instead of staking out a corner, you could stake out the tie-out that’s nearby on that short edge.
Now you’ve got 3 stakes in and you can stop holding down that edge. Finish with the last two corners and you’re done.
I haven’t tried it yet, so really don’t know if it works.
Very cool!
Thankyou
Why would you place the center of the short edge (right hand) 6 inches being the Apex(left hand) wouldn't it go directly below the point of the triangle?
Hi Ben, It would be easier to show with a diagram but I'll try to explain anyway. Think about the rectangle. Then swing 1 end of both long edges in until they meet at the centre line. This is the apex. Because the long edges are now diagonal, their corners (apex) will fall short of the short edge by about 6 inches. This offset doesn't need to be layed out accurately, whatever you guess will get the rectangle within a few millimeters of square.
Nice video! 👍👍
Thank you! Cheers!
Geometry FTW
Ta
I'm still having a hard time understanding this step, "Align the center of the short edge (right hand) in line with & about 6" beyond the apex." Is the a different way to explain? Thanks
OK, this is a bit more detailed, though I am not sure if detail adds clarity or confusion:
The pegged out short edge & the 2 long edges held taught in my left hand, form an isosceles triangle. The corners held in the left hand are the apex of that triangle.
The centre line of the tent runs from the middle of the pegged out edge, through this apex point.
The right hand is holding the exact centre of the other short edge. You need to place this on the centre line of the tent about 6 inches beyond the apex point.
The 6 inches is an estimation, guided by the very precise apex point. Any reasonable estimation will be well & truly good enough to pitch the tent very accurately.
If you make a thumbs up sign, the distance from the tip of the thumb to the opposite side of the palm is about 6 inches or 150 mm. Don't measure, just guess.
The reason I say this is a fast method is because it gets it right 1st time every time without messing about measuring or or assessing if it looks square or not. This is what you need in a rain storm, get the fly up 1st go, no adjusting anything. Get yourself & your gear under cover while you set up the inner & sort your overnight gear and meal all under cover of the fly.
I hope that helps. The only other way I can think of is with diagrams, drawn, scanned and hosted some place online. I'm reluctant to spend the time needed to do that though.
@@kenwebster5053 I'm sure when I finally figure this out I'll say duh. Yes a diagram world be helpful or another video with someone helping with the camera for a detailed slow view. You can tell by all the questions I'm not the only one confused. Thanks for the concept.
@@kenwebster5053 Ok I think I finally GOT it! You aren't doing anything with the 6" AFTER dropping the center point to the ground. Ah HA!
@@jmkats As the 2 long edges are held together, they also slope inwards falling on the tent's centre line but 6" short of where the centre of the short edge needs to be on the ground. Compensating for this is the only point of the 6" estimate to place the centre of the short edge in the correct spot on the ground.
It wouldn't be a disaster if you didn't do the 6" estimate at all. I worked out the difference at the time. From memory it would still pitch to within 1 cm or so if you neglected that 6" estimate, so just guessing it is good enough.
I suspect, some people would have chipped me for neglecting this though.
Thanks for the demonstration
Sorry, but I couldn't see what you were doing after you brought the 2 corners together, so a bit lost
Hi, Sorry for my delay, I am just catching up on activity after a PC repair. Bringing the corners together, allows 2 things.
1) Finding the middle of the short edge between those corners. 2) With the 2 corners together, & pulling the edges taught, finds the centre line of the tent. Once you have the centre line, you can place the middle of the edges on that centreline, about 6 inches from the 2 corners. The 6 inches is not critical because of the angles involved. The main thing is to get the centre of that edge on the centreline.
Do you think it would be easier to mark the middle on the short side, so you can just bring that out until it's tight on both sides and then stake the corners (saving the step of locating the middle)?
Hi, Thanks for your interest. As it is a fly (with no floor), just bringing out the center of the short edge has nothing to pull against to find the center line until you pull it a very long way past where the short edge will end up. That does not give you a good place from which to find the corner locations. However, Using the 2 corners together to locate center line, gives you an apex location that is only 6 inches or so short of where the center of the short edge will end up.
Using that apex location to set out the corner has an error less than 1 inch. Estimating a point 6 inches beyond the apex to place the center of the short edge vastly improves corner location accuracy.
Having put the corners together, you already have the short edge doubled, so I see not point in marking the center of that edge as locating a mark is about the same effort as just sliding your thumb down to the center of the doubled edge. There have been comments that the method would be difficult in wind, but I don't think that is a real issue in any wind that an UL tent can withstand.
At the end of the day, just do what works for you.
Thanks, you're right. Just got it pitched for the first time today, and your method is spot on.
is it best to stake out with the guy lines fully extended or pulled tight?
Hmm Hi Kevin, nobody asked me that before. I assume you mean the 4 corner stake out adjusters rather than the 2 guys that come from the ridge line. It's possibly one of those things where the answer is, "it depends & it's up to you".
In natural environments, those adjustments are often dictated by where you can fit pegs between rocks. However, given a choice, consider the amount of ventilation you need. Having them extended lifts the fly improving ventilation which is good in warm damp environments but having them tight reduces cold drafts so may be more cosy. You still want enough ventilation to deal with condensation though.
The method works best when the ground a reasonably flat plane (I don't mean level, just not twisted). If the ground has a significant twist, you may still end up with diagonal creases across the fly which IME tends to stretch tents & flys, causing them to sag with use. It may be prudent to stake out with the corner adjustments set half way. That way, you can tweak the pitch to accommodate the terrain afterwards. In worst case terrain, you might need to re-adjust the peg out, but assuming you have chosen a reasonably good site, I am confident the method will work very well straight off.
So I guess, it's up to you to decide what is appropriate in each situation.
I hope that helps.
@@kenwebster5053 Thanks, it does help. Since it's a free standing tent there will always be a little variability from pitch to pitch. Your method drastically reduces a lot of that variability (Genius!)
I've been pitching with the adjusters set at half tension to allow room for error. The issue I run into is that the adjusters will slip while I'm completing my initial rectangle. I probably just need more practice.
Do you use a particular length of pole or adjust them from the length you use while hiking?
Hi Kyle, I bought the tent on "Drop" (formally MassDrop), it came with a good deal on 2 Fizan telescopic hiking poles which I use in the video. I cheated a bit by having them pre-adjusted from a dry run before shooting the video. These are about the lightest alloy poles available.
I haven't tried these alternatives but, if you don't like carrying poles:
- You could just cut 2 bush sticks to length and trim the ends to fit the peak and place something under them if your using a foot print.
- You could use external bush poles with the ridge lines which keeps the interior, pole free.
- You could use the guys as or with a ridge line setup between convenient trees. Note that the edge loops are in line with the poles and therefore should be directly under the ridge line. This may require a but of readjusting but it's not exactly precision engineering.
Added:
I just tried the external pole setup and found that while it can be done, pulling the ridge guy in an upward direction seems to strain the guy attachment stitching. So IMO, supporting the ridge from above may lead to leaks.
I did find that with the internal pole at maximum extension, you can get the ground end of the pole near the short edge loop which keeps the floor clear and is stable with the guy extended with a few extra feet of chord and the ground end of the pole secured from slipping. Maybe dig a little here.
X-mid suggests 46” trekking pole length
Are the tips of the trekking poles meant to point upwards for this tent, I've never seen that before.
You are probably best advised to ask Dan Durston. I believe the Fizan poles are meant to go that way yes. The tent has an eyelet socket to receive the pole tip. Have a look at the official Dan Durston website durstongear.com/product/x-mid-1p The images there clearly show the trekking poles set that way. There are other UA-cam videos you could refer too for confirmation. There may be a size comparability issue with different trekking poles and there is bag product available to go over the pole handle and engage with the eyelet if your poles don't fit. I am not an official representative of the product. This just my understanding of how Dan has designed this to work.
Ken Webster I did see another video with the trekking poles oriented that way for this tent, thank you.
In the videos from Dan Durston himself he puts the poles upside down. This is by design, as the spike on the end of the pole seats in the grommet and won't shift around.
I like it without the dialog!
Ta, I had wondered about the lack of dialogue but it seems well received anyway. Nice to have a positive comment on that aspect of it. Thanks for responding.
I appreciate the video, however, why have captions when you can actually talk while showing the setup.....This will make it easier to just easier, instead of having to read the captions and trying to watch the video at the same time. Make it easier for the UA-camr who wants to appreciate the technique. Thanks
Well, it was windy up in the trees so, noise.
Also, this is the1st & so far only instructional video I have ever done. I only did it because I was asked and encouraged to do so. I wasn't confident about doing a dialogue presentation. It was just easier and less time consuming to do it this way. No scripting, no retakes editing etc.
@@kenwebster5053 understood, great job, cleat video….just missed the voice. I actually tried your technique this afternoon, it definitely helped my setup speed and try again tomorrow…Thanks
@@ciscokid1999 Glad you found it helpful, Thankyou for your comments!
Do you still have the X-Mid tent? If so, would you be interested in selling it to me?
Hi, I do still have the X-mid 1p. Sorry, I'm not willing to part with it, I like it too much. Oh, I see Dan is struggling to keep up with demand. His website indicates you should order ASAP to secure one in January. durstongear.com/product/x-mid-1p
@@kenwebster5053 Yes, I've talked to Dan and he won't actually have tents until February or March. I have a March start date for the PCT.
A big batch of new tents were shipped to those whom ordered in January and arrived mid Feb 2022
Could not really see what you weee doing after folding in half. Camera too far
Hi Carmen, thankyou for the feedback. Unfortunately, I could only use a fixed point of view camera. Were you able to pause & read the captions? I tried to make the (English) captions display by default so it's important for me to know if that isn't working for everyone.