Finally, a Great Ultralight Tent for Less Than $400

Disadvantages of the X-Dome 1+

There aren’t a lot of downsides to the X-Dome, but there were a couple of small things I didn’t like. The grommets felt a little tight to me and I definitely grumbled a bit while taking the tent down, but maybe that’s because my non-freestanding tents don’t have grommets.

The main complaint I had is less about the tent and more a failing of Silpoly. Freestanding tents are generally excellent for camping on slickrock or on sandy beaches. But every time I’ve used one made with Silpoly in southern Utah, sand sticks to the tent walls and is very difficult to remove. Because sand can scratch camera lenses and destroy jacket zippers, I’m meticulous about keeping it off my gear.

But there seems to be no way around it with Silpoly. The fact that the material is so good at maintaining tension while wet is much more important, but for desert dwellers and those that hike in AZ, UT, and other sandy zones, the negatives of Silpoly might be too annoying to ignore. I have heard that there might eventually be a Dyneema version of the tent, which wouldn’t have the same problems. Until then, there’s really no solution.

Finally, the X-Dome is definitely a three-season tent, not four. I read a handful of reviews on Durston’s site from people who felt the tent didn’t insulate them enough when they were camping in windy conditions with freezing temps. But honesty, since Durston doesn’t make the claim this is a four season tent, it doesn’t feel like a fair criticism to me. Those who recreate in harsh winters would fare better with something more like the Tarptent ArcDome 2 Ultra, or even a Hilleberg.

Source: https://www.fieldmag.com/articles/durston-x-dome-1-tent-review