Durston X-Mid 2 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 402 Reddit opinions. X-Mid 2 leads by 12 points.

402 opinions
X-Mid 2 leads by 12pts
Reddit's Pick
Durston X-Mid 2
92%
A
Based on
727 Redditors
Winner

Durston X-Mid 2

395 opinions

tldr; X-Mid 1 but bigger. Same great design, more room. Duo favorite.

Check prices
VS
UC
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.

Check prices
DurabilityEase of UsePortabilityWeather ResistanceComfort
🔧DUR
EAS
📦POR
WEA
❤️COM
83
Points
100
Points

Score by Category

Durability
85%
Ease of Use
80%
Portability
70%
Weather Resistance
85%
Comfort
88%100%

Why is ULA Circuit better than Durston X-Mid 2?

  • Better comfort (100% vs 88%)
  • Ultralight capable
  • Carries load well
  • Thru-hike proven
Based on 739 Reddit opinions
Clear Winner

Reddit prefers the X-Mid 2

Winning by 12 points (92% vs 80%)

Room for two
Trekking pole
Great value
High confidence (739 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 739 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

X-Mid 2
9.2/10
727 mentions
ULA Circuit
8.0/10
12 mentions
VALUE
X-Mid 28.8/10
ULA CircuitN/A
WEATHER RESISTANCE
X-Mid 28.5/10
ULA CircuitN/A
DURABILITY
X-Mid 28.5/10
ULA CircuitN/A
PORTABILITY
X-Mid 27.0/10
ULA CircuitN/A
EASE OF USE
X-Mid 28.0/10
ULA CircuitN/A
COMFORT
X-Mid 28.8/10
ULA Circuit10.0/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

X-Mid 2: 5|ULA Circuit: 3
ValueX-Mid 2
X-Mid 288%
ULA CircuitN/A
Weather ResistanceX-Mid 2
X-Mid 285%
ULA CircuitN/A
DurabilityX-Mid 2
X-Mid 285%
ULA CircuitN/A
PortabilityX-Mid 2
X-Mid 270%
ULA CircuitN/A
Ease Of UseX-Mid 2
X-Mid 280%
ULA CircuitN/A
ComfortULA Circuit
X-Mid 288%
ULA Circuit100%
OrganizationULA Circuit
X-Mid 2N/A
ULA Circuit100%
Build QualityULA Circuit
X-Mid 2N/A
ULA Circuit100%
X-Mid 292%
ULA Circuit80%
X-Mid 2 wins by 12 points

Key Specs

SpecDurston X-Mid 2ULA Circuit
Capacity
2 person
68 Liters
Type
Double-wall trekking pole tent
Floor Length
90 inches
Floor Width
52 inches
Floor Area
32 square feet

Key Highlights

Durston X-Mid 2Winner
🏠 Room for two
⛺ Trekking pole
💰 Great value
⚠️ Hard to find
ULA Circuit
🪶 Ultralight capable
⚖️ Carries load well
🥾 Thru-hike proven
🔧 More features

Topic Battles

X-Mid 2: 4|Tied: 0|ULA Circuit: 1
🔧Durability
X-Mid 2 wins
X-Mid 2
85%
ULA Circuit
Ease of Use
X-Mid 2 wins
X-Mid 2
80%
ULA Circuit
📦Portability
X-Mid 2 wins
X-Mid 2
70%
ULA Circuit
Weather Resistance
X-Mid 2 wins
X-Mid 2
85%
ULA Circuit
❤️Comfort
ULA Circuit wins
X-Mid 2
88%
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 2

Best Praise
+65 pts
Gotta post the obvious. Durston xmid2 1.9lbs for the silpoly version. $289
r/Ultralight
View
Top Criticism
+7 pts
I have an x mid 2. It’s a fine tent. Not great, not even close. Just…ok/fine and here’s why. There are quality issues with Durston products. The linelocks on my tent don’t stay taught in even the lightest breeze - they snap and ruin the pitch. I had to stack a ton of rocks on it to keep them from snapping and releasing tension. Doing so caused core shots in the line after night 3 of using the tent. I find the x mid to be a pain to pitch in anything but perfect conditions because of this. People say it’s faster, but in anything but perfect conditions I disagree. I will agree that it’s faster to take down though.  Durston was responsive which is great - but so are a lot of other companies (big angnes comes to mind). They refunded my iron wire purchase and had me replace the stake out points myself. And it works better, but I still have the same problem from time to time.  The Xmid has cool features and in perfect conditions is great, but rarely are conditions perfect. Overall I’m mildly disappointed - based on hype, reputation, and following I expected a product that didn’t break immediately.  Otherwise the tradeoffs in features (not including weight) were minimal for me (my other tent is a copper spur). A little less headroom/storage but that doesn’t really bother me cuz there are other features I like about the Xmid (magnets, zippers).  Not disappointed there, for me it was all about lack of quality.  With that being said, I’ll still use the tent when every ounce counts, but it definitely isn’t close to being my favorite piece of gear. My copper spur is a workhorse and I like it better because it’s reliable and able to be pitched wherever however. But I don’t always want/need to haul the weight around. FWIW I take the tent for the conditions I’m in and the trip I’m having.
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

📈Historical Price Data

Durston X-Mid 2
ULA Circuit
$16$18$20Sep '22Sep '25Oct '25Oct '25Nov '25Nov '25Mar '26Low: $17.49Current: $17.49
Durston X-Mid 2
All-time low: $650(2022-08)
ULA Circuit
All-time low: $5.52(2016-02)

Which is Better?

Durston X-Mid 2 Wins
92%
2
vs
80%
Circuit

Durston X-Mid 2 leads by 12 points based on 739 Reddit opinions.

Why X-Mid 2Winner
  • 🏠 Room for two
  • ⛺ Trekking pole
  • 💰 Great value
  • More discussed (727 vs 12)
Why ULA Circuit
  • 🪶 Ultralight capable
  • ⚖️ Carries load well

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

51%Positive
Positive
51%
Neutral
45%
Negative
4%
Based on 727 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

58%Positive
Positive
58%
Neutral
42%
Negative
0%
Based on 12 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Durston X-Mid 2 or ULA Circuit?
Based on 739 Reddit comments, Durston X-Mid 2 is the preferred choice with 92% positive sentiment vs ULA Circuit's 80%. Durston X-Mid 2 leads by 12 percentage points.
Should I buy Durston X-Mid 2 or ULA Circuit?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, Durston X-Mid 2 has stronger approval ratings (92% vs 80%). However, ULA Circuit may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
What do Redditors love about Durston X-Mid 2?
Reddit users highlight: Room for two. Trekking pole. Great value. With 727 mentions and 92% 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 739 Reddit comments: 727 about Durston X-Mid 2 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.

402 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 7/27/2026