Durston X-Mid Groundsheet Review

Overview

The Durston X-Mid Groundsheet is a factory-cut, fully stitched floor protector shaped to the parallelogram footprint of the X-Mid 2. It is for hikers who pitch on gravel, slab and thorny duff and would like their tent floor to outlive the trip. The trade-off is plain: 146 g and $59 for a layer the tent doesn’t strictly need on forgiving ground.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	146 g (5.1 oz)
Material	20D polyester
Coatings	Silicone (bottom) / PEU (top)
Waterproofness	3,500 mm
Construction	Fully double-stitched, double-folded edges, bartacked and reinforced connection points
Compatibility	X-Mid 2, X-Mid 2 Solid (all years), X-Mid Pro 2+
Price	$59 USD

Performance

Fit and construction. Most footprints are a rectangle of Tyvek and a hope. Durston’s is cut to the X-Mid 2’s offset floor, so there are no flaps to fold under and no excess fabric to collect water at the edges. Owners consistently praise the fit, and one buyer who paired it with an X-Mid Pro 2 singled out the reinforced corners and the way it follows the tent’s parallelogram shape. The finishing is unusually good for an accessory. Durston describes the sheet as fully double-stitched, with double-folded edges that hide raw fabric and generous bartacking at every attachment point. The sheet clips to the corners of the tent floor, which owners like, since the pair can be pitched as a single unit.

Protection. The tent’s own floor is 20D polyester, heavier than the 7–15D floors found on many ultralight shelters, and Durston says it will last a long time on regular surfaces. Retailers note that the stock floor can handle hundreds of nights without help. The groundsheet earns its weight on harsher ground: rock, gravel, and anywhere a stray thorn could meet an inflatable pad. It also guards the sleeping pad as well as the floor, and it keeps the tent floor cleaner, so there is less grit to shake out of the inner at the end of a trip. A bikepacking reviewer who tested the X-Mid Pro 2 called the floor light but puncture-prone and said the groundsheet doesn’t stay at home. Not everyone agrees on necessity. A Blister reviewer went three years on a Pro 2 floor without a groundsheet and without a patch, though mostly on tundra with little thorny vegetation.

Weight and waterproofing. At 146 g, the sheet adds about 13 percent to the 1,115 g listed weight of an X-Mid 2 with stakes and stuff sack. For comparison, Durston’s own sheets for the X-Mid 1 and X-Mid Pro 2 weigh 105 g and 135 g. The 3,500 mm rating is ample for ground contact. One long-term owner who logged roughly 30 nights reported moisture coming through the sheet despite pitching on soft ground. That is a single report against a pile of five-star ratings, but it is the kind of complaint that tends to follow any thin coated polyester.

Setup. The one recurring gripe concerns pitching with the sheet attached: a reviewer rated it three of five because leaving it clipped on made setup slightly fiddly, though minor modifications sorted it out. Hikers who set up fast in wind may prefer to lay the sheet down first and clip it afterward.

Customer reception. Durston’s own page shows 338 reviews, 85 percent of them at the top rating. Third-party retailers echo that, and several buyers also praise Durston’s customer service, including a quick no-cost replacement when one overseas order arrived with the wrong sheet.

Value. Plenty of X-Mid owners cut a Tyvek sheet for around $22 with grommet tabs, which weighs more and fits less neatly. Used Durston sheets resell for about half the new price, a sign that some owners buy one and then decide they don’t need it.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Cut to the X-Mid 2 floor, with no excess fabric at the edges
• Double-stitched, double-folded edges and reinforced attachment points
• Clips to the tent floor corners
• Protects both the 20D floor and the sleeping pad on rough ground
• 146 g, the weight of a few energy bars
• Compatible with X-Mid 2, 2 Solid (all years) and Pro 2+

Cons

• $59 for a piece of fabric
• Adds about 13 percent to the tent’s weight
• Leaving it attached can slow the pitch
• At least one long-term owner reported moisture getting through after about 30 nights
• Only fits the X-Mid 2 family; other Durston tents need a different sheet

Who Should Buy This

X-Mid 2 and 2 Solid owners, and Pro 2+ owners, who regularly camp on rock, gravel, desert grit or brushy sites, and anyone who wants the tent floor to keep its resale value or its waterproofing across a long trail. It also suits hikers who find a cleaner inner tent worth a few dozen grams. Those who pitch mostly on forest duff, grass and tundra can skip it and carry nothing. Gram-counters who want protection at the lowest price can cut a Tyvek or polycryo sheet and accept the looser fit. Owners of the X-Mid Pro 2 (not the 2+) need Durston’s separate Pro 2 sheet.

Verdict

This is the right groundsheet for an X-Mid 2: it fits properly, is well built, and costs only 146 g. It is a purchase for hikers who camp on rough ground, not a mandatory upgrade, and its price is high for what it is. Buy it if the terrain demands it; otherwise a cheaper footprint or none at all will do.