Durston X-Mid 1 vs ULA Circuit

100 facts in comparison

These products are from different categories (Camping Gear vs Backpacks), so direct comparison may not be meaningful.

Based on 346 Reddit opinions. Close race—X-Mid 1Durston X-Mid 1 edges ahead.

346 opinions

X-Mid 1 leads by 2pts

Reddit's Pick

82%

B+

Based on

740 Redditors

Winner

Durston X-Mid 1

339 opinions

tldr; The UL tent darling. Trekking pole setup, incredible value. Hard to get.

Check prices

ULA Circuit

80%

B+

Based on

12 Redditors

ULA Circuit

Limited Data

~$19.69

7 opinions

tldr; Ultralight that carries weight. More features than most UL packs. Best of both worlds.

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🔧DUR

⚡EAS

📦POR

⭐WEA

❤️COM

Points

100

Points

Score by Category

Durability

76%—

Ease of Use

61%—

Portability

70%—

Weather Resistance

76%—

Comfort

71%100%

Why is ULA Circuit better than Durston X-Mid 1?

Better comfort (100% vs 71%)
Ultralight capable
Carries load well
Thru-hike proven

Based on 752 Reddit opinions

Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the X-Mid 1Durston X-Mid 1

Winning by 2 points (82% vs 80%)

UL favorite

Trekking pole

Great value

High confidence (752 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 752 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

X-Mid 1

8.2/10

740 mentions

ULA Circuit

8.0/10

12 mentions

VALUE

X-Mid 17.8/10

ULA CircuitN/A

WEATHER RESISTANCE

X-Mid 17.6/10

ULA CircuitN/A

PORTABILITY

X-Mid 17.0/10

ULA CircuitN/A

DURABILITY

X-Mid 17.6/10

ULA CircuitN/A

EASE OF USE

X-Mid 16.1/10

ULA CircuitN/A

COMFORT

X-Mid 17.1/10

ULA Circuit10.0/10

⚔️

Head to Head

Topic	X-Mid 1	ULA Circuit
Value	78%	N/A
Weather Resistance	76%	N/A
Portability	70%	N/A
Durability	76%	N/A
Ease Of Use	61%	N/A
Comfort	71%	100%
Organization	N/A	100%
Build Quality	N/A	100%

Category Wins

X-Mid 1: 5|ULA Circuit: 3

Head to Head

X-Mid 1: 5|ULA Circuit: 3

ValueX-Mid 1

X-Mid 178%

ULA CircuitN/A

Weather ResistanceX-Mid 1

X-Mid 176%

ULA CircuitN/A

PortabilityX-Mid 1

X-Mid 170%

ULA CircuitN/A

DurabilityX-Mid 1

X-Mid 176%

ULA CircuitN/A

Ease Of UseX-Mid 1

X-Mid 161%

ULA CircuitN/A

ComfortULA Circuit

X-Mid 171%

ULA Circuit100%

OrganizationULA Circuit

X-Mid 1N/A

ULA Circuit100%

Build QualityULA Circuit

X-Mid 1N/A

ULA Circuit100%

X-Mid 1

82%

80%

ULA Circuit

X-Mid 182%

ULA Circuit80%

Close race - X-Mid 1 edges ahead by 2 points

Key Specs

Spec	Durston X-Mid 1	ULA Circuit
Capacity	1 person	68 Liters
Type	Double-wall trekking pole tent	—
Floor Length	90 inches	—
Floor Width	28 inches	—
Floor Area	17 square feet	—

Key Highlights

Durston X-Mid 1Winner

🏆 UL favorite

⛺ Trekking pole

💰 Great value

⚠️ Hard to find

ULA Circuit

🪶 Ultralight capable

⚖️ Carries load well

🥾 Thru-hike proven

🔧 More features

Topic Battles

X-Mid 1: 4|Tied: 0|ULA Circuit: 1

🔧Durability

X-Mid 1 wins

X-Mid 1

76%

ULA Circuit

—

⚡Ease of Use

X-Mid 1 wins

X-Mid 1

61%

ULA Circuit

—

📦Portability

X-Mid 1 wins

X-Mid 1

70%

ULA Circuit

—

⭐Weather Resistance

X-Mid 1 wins

X-Mid 1

76%

ULA Circuit

—

❤️Comfort

ULA Circuit wins

X-Mid 1

71%

ULA Circuit

100%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Durston X-Mid 1

Best Praise

+48 pts

“Wow! Thanks so much for the detailed reply Dan, I will try the test you suggested in the morning and let you know the results. My dismissing of condensation as the culprit stems from my experience with the X Mid in other humid/damp cold nights (Scotland in October, for example) with low to the ground pitch, etc. and the tent stayed totally dry inside. I.e. my dismissing of condensation was stemming from how well I felt the tent performed previously from a condensation standpoint. That being said, I understand there can be many factors which could influence the condensation and thus a good chance I’m mistaking condensation for saturation. I’ll be sure to post the results of the test to this thread and DM you if I need anything else. Thanks again!”

r/Ultralight

View

Top Criticism

+111 pts

“Unless you are pitching it without the inner you have zero chance of fitting two people in a xmid 1p.”

r/Ultralight

View

3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for ULA Circuit

Best Praise

+2 pts

“My most recommended brands are none of those mentioned. ULA, Matador, and Goruck.”

r/Backpacks

View

No negative quotes found

1 more quotes available below

Sentiment Over Time

Durston X-Mid 1

ULA Circuit

📈Historical Price Data

Durston X-Mid 1

ULA Circuit

Durston X-Mid 1

ULA Circuit

All-time low: $5.52(2016-02)

Which is Better?

Durston X-Mid 1 Wins

82%

80%

Circuit

Close race, but Durston X-Mid 1 edges ahead by 2 points based on 752 Reddit opinions.

Why X-Mid 1Winner

🏆 UL favorite
⛺ Trekking pole
💰 Great value
More discussed (740 vs 12)

Why ULA Circuit

🪶 Ultralight capable
⚖️ Carries load well

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

38%Positive

Positive

38%

Neutral

54%

Negative

Based on 740 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

58%Positive

Positive

58%

Neutral

42%

Negative

Based on 12 Reddit opinions

Specification Comparison

Spec	Durston X-Mid 1	ULA Circuit
Capacity	1 person	68 Liters
Type	Double-wall trekking pole tent	—
Floor Length	90 inches	—
Floor Width	28 inches	—
Floor Area	17 square feet	—
Packed Size	12 x 5 inches	—
Brand	DROP	EISCO
Manufacturer	DROP	Eisco
Color	Grey/Green	Various
Weight	720g	0.6 Pounds
Height	46 inches (peak height)	3.0 inches
Max Load	—	35 lbs (15.8 kg)
Material	—	400D Robic nylon
Frame System	—	Carbon fiber and Delrin suspension hoop, aluminum stay
Torso Length Range	—	12 inch - 24 inch

Feature Checklist

X-Mid 1: 5|ULA Circuit: 3

Feature	X-Mid 1	ULA Circuit
HANDS ON LEARNING \|\| This hands on learning kit is perfect for introducing students to the basics of electricity. This engaging exercise allows them to explore and understand which configurations result in a successful or unsuccessful current path- all while having fun building their kits!
EXPLORE A VARIETY OF CIRCUIT CONFIGURATIONS \|\| Learners will be able to build a variety of circuit configurations, including basic, series & parallel circuits. The end goal is to successfully create a current path that lights up the miniature light bulb
13 PIECE KIT \|\| Kit is comprised of 13 components - two D-cell batteries, 120" of insulated wire, knife switch, two bulb holders, two battery holders and five miniature light bulbs. *Required but not included: Wire Cutter & Stripper, and Multimeter or Voltmeter & Ammeter (used for measuring current behaviors)
UL favorite
Trekking pole
Hard to find
Patented X-Mid geometry for spacious interior
Dual vestibules for gear storage and protected entry

Features extracted from Reddit highlights and enrichment data

⚔️Head to Head

Metric	Durston X-Mid 1	ULA Circuit
Reddit Score	82%	80%
Mentions	740	12
Sentiment	+ 281- 58	+ 7- 0

Where to Buy

Durston X-Mid 1

Price unavailableCheck prices

ULA Circuit

Price unavailableCheck prices

All-time low was $5.52 on 2016-02

~100 sold/month on Amazon

Prices may vary. We may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Durston X-Mid 1Check prices ULA CircuitCheck prices

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Durston X-Mid 1 or ULA Circuit?

Based on 752 Reddit comments, Durston X-Mid 1 has a slight edge with 82% positive sentiment vs ULA Circuit's 80%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.

Should I buy Durston X-Mid 1 or ULA Circuit?

Both have similar approval ratings (82% vs 80%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.

What do Redditors love about Durston X-Mid 1?

Reddit users highlight: UL favorite. Trekking pole. Great value. With 740 mentions and 82% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.

What do Redditors say about ULA Circuit?

Reddit users highlight: Ultralight capable. Carries load well. Thru-hike proven. With 12 mentions and 80% approval, it remains a popular alternative.

How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?

This comparison analyzed 752 Reddit comments: 740 about Durston X-Mid 1 and 12 about ULA Circuit. Data was sourced from Camping Gear community discussions.

How accurate are these ratings?

Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.

Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?

Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

346 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 5/31/2026

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