Ultamid 2 - Why I Choose It & First Impressions

Upgrading any piece of gear is exciting and stressful at the same time! Am I making the right decision? Will this be durable equipment? Will this be too tedious to set up? Plus many more questions will run through your head. As research for the 'perfect' tent continues, things become even more difficult as you add more tents to the possible pile. This year I made a huge upgrade from a Tarptent Stratospire 1 to Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ultamid2.

When making a big upgrade, first you must narrow down to your "wants and needs" then begin finding tents that fit those parameters. For myself, I was looking for:

• DCF for weight and waterproofness

• 2 person capacity

• Protected storage

• Modularity

• Cut weight

• Bug Protection

• Ease of set up

• Support 'cottage companies'/USA made products

• Durability

Even with this selective list, there where multiple great options out there and decision making was tough. In the end, it came down to Zpacks Duplex, Mountain Laurel Designs Duomid XL, and Ultamid2.

The ZPacks was the lightest of the three and easy set up, but being a single wall design and being a North Eastern backpacker, condensation was a great concern of mine. There are also concerns of durability on the lighter DCF and Zpacks craftsmanship. Other concerns is the tent would be tight for 2 people and the rainbow doors allow for easy access by bugs when trying to access gear in vestibules.

MLD Duomid XL was another great contender because of weight and cost savings. My biggest dislike about the design was when combined with a half insert, you were confined to the back of the tent for sleeping. When introducing a second person, you'd be climbing over them. MLD does offer perimeter/door bug netting without a floor which was fantastic but I was not ready to make the full jump to floorless.

Photo courtesy of Hyperlite Mountain Gear website

The final tent I was seriously considering was HMG's Ultamid2 which promised 0.8oz DCF in a bomber pyramid style tarp. With options for bivy, half insert, or full insert there where plenty of options. Inserts converted this tarp to a 2 wall design with plenty of bug protection. In the end, this was the tent I selected for strength of DCF, plenty of ways to modify the tent for specific trip needs, and palace for one & plenty of room for two.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Waiting for delivery day was torture! Once it arrived, I was extremely excited to unbox and get her set up. However I had to wait a few days because I ordered smaller Voile straps in an effort to save weight. Voile straps and stakes are not included with your tent. A minimum of 5 stakes is required but using the full 8 will give you the best pitch. More tie outs are available if expecting intense weather. To set the trekking poles to the recommended 64in you'll need to lash together two trekking poles or invest in a carbon center pole.

When holding the 19oz tent in your hands it is quite hard to believe this will be a full fledged 2 person shelter! The 0.8oz DCF has the classic crinkly feeling to it and is opaque. I've never been one to worry about privacy while inside my tent but others may be turned off by the transparency of any DCF shelter.

First pitch was on a gusty day at the local football field due to COVID restricting our ability to test out on a trip. Even in the wind, the tent was quite easy to stake out and pitch. Albeit, my first pitch wasn't perfect but can easily be perfected on the go as multiple guylines make for easy adjustments. Once fully taunt, the wind poured right off and no flapping or rattling was had. Even with plenty of space between the ground and edge, inside did not feel particularly drafty.

I opted for a Bear Paw Wilderness custom sized DCF half insert over the HMG insert as BPW allowed for more floor space and was overall lighter. John suggested a 10" bathtub which I am glad I went with for extra protection when pitched at full height. Working with John was quick and efficient plus his craftsmanship was impeccable. By choosing a half insert, the tent became a double walled tent with huge vestibule. The BPW design allows for permanent fixture to the top via guylines vs the HMG version needs to be set up inside every time. The overall inside space is HUGE! Plenty of room for sleep system, storing gear, and even relaxing at the entrance while still being protected from the elements. When pitched at the full 64" there is plenty of ventilation when door is shut to stave off condensation.

In conclusion, my unboxing of Hyperlite Mountain Gear's Ultamid2 and Bear Paw Wilderness Designs half insert was better than anticipated! DCF is an absolute must for those with ultralight pursuits. I'm excited about the different modularity options with this tent: half insert, full insert, tarp style w/ bivy, and winter camping. The space is unbeatable but does make camp site selection a bit tougher. This will definitely improve my campsite selection skills! I dropped about 10 oz from my previous set up which my back thanks me. Overall, I am very pleased and cannot wait to give the tent a real test on the trail!