Hey Everyone! I come here seeking shelter advice. When I originally got into backpacking last year, with the intention of hiking the PCT in 2025, I bought a Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 as my tent of choice. When I was making gear choices back then I was obviously less educated and less experienced then I am now, a year into the hobby.

Now, the Copper Spur is a lovely tent, very spacious and comfortable. It has rained almost every night that I have spent in it so far and it has held up to that weather incredibly well. I originally got a 2p tent because I wanted the extra space for gear and to spread things out. I immediately turned away from trekking pole tents when looking for a tent because for whatever reason, the idea of using my trekking poles to set my tent up was a turn off for me. I also have this paranoia of one of my trekking poles snapping while I’m hiking, leaving me shelterless as a result for a few nights (which, knowing my luck, would end up being one of the few rainy nights that I would get on the PCT.) I was not thinking much about weight when I made my initial gear choice purchases last year.

As I am starting to refine my gear list a bit and looking for ways to lighten my pack, I am really struggling with the idea of taking a tent that (with the footprint) weighs 3 lbs. Also, While the Copper Spur is pretty easy and simple to set up, it is a little more time consuming then I would like.

So I find myself in the market for a new tent. Originally I was looking at lighter freestanding tent options, specifically the NEMO Hornet Elite OSMO 2p, but I am starting to become more okay with the idea of a trekking pole tent, and after some initial research, I am really liking the Durston tents. I like that the X-Mid 1 models seem to be pretty spacious for a 1 person tent. And I really love how lightweight, and quick and easy it appears to be to set up, the X-Mid 1 pro is. However, the regular X-Mid 1 has the double walled benefit and seems to be more durable. I am also interested in the new Durston freestanding tent that appears to be launching next month, however the specs haven’t been released yet.

I know the Durston tents seem to have very positive reviews across the backpacking and Ultralight communities. I was wondering if anyone here had some insight on them and can provide any recommendation, especially when it comes specifically to a PCT thru hike, for the regular X-Mid vs the Pro. Any other insight on tents and shelters in general would also be greatly appreciated. Money is not much of a factor for me, I have a decent budget for this hike, and in my eyes, any amount of money spent on a shelter that serves me well for an entire thru hike is money well spent.

As it stands now, I am leaning towards the X-Mid 1 Pro, but again, I want to wait and see what the new X-Dome looks like next month when it goes live for pre-order.

Thank you!

EDIT: I am 5'5", so definitely on the shorter side. Other relevant gear that I am currently carrying: Gossamer Gear Mariposa (the older version, not the newer model that just launched). EE Enigma 20 degree 950FP. NeoAir XLite NXT (I will be switching this out soon to try a Tensor, as I find the NeoAir incredibly uncomfortable and I don't sleep well on it).