X-Dome - Durston
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TIP: The online Bushwalk Inventory System can help bushwalkers with a variety of bushwalk planning tasks, including: Manage which items they take bushwalking so that they do not forget anything they might need, plan meals for their walks, and automatically compile food/fuel shopping lists (lists of consumables) required to make and cook the meals for each walk. It is particularly useful for planning for groups who share food or other items, but is also useful for individual walkers.
TIP: The online Bushwalk Inventory System can help bushwalkers with a variety of bushwalk planning tasks, including: Manage which items they take bushwalking so that they do not forget anything they might need, plan meals for their walks, and automatically compile food/fuel shopping lists (lists of consumables) required to make and cook the meals for each walk. It is particularly useful for planning for groups who share food or other items, but is also useful for individual walkers.
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X-Dome - Durston
by Kott » Mon 10 Mar, 2025 12:58 pm
Has anyone got the new X-Dome. Keen to hear your thoughts and experiences using it here and else where?
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Re: X-Dome - Durston
by Martin » Thu 27 Mar, 2025 5:54 pm
I bought an X-Dome 1+ from the first batch. Received it in mid-December, just in time for a 9-day trip through the central mountains of Taiwan. First impressions were great. It was easy to pitch, had some nice little features (like magnetised door clasps), and seemed pretty sturdy. I really enjoyed it for the first night of the trip... and then the poles failed.
It happened in two places initially - the spine and the crossbar - then later on a corner pole. The aluminium connectors retreat inside the pole and get stuck, preventing the pole set from being assembled properly. There is probably some force required for this to occur, like putting your pack down hard or slipping on to your butt. I had the tent and fly wrapped around the poles, packed inside of my pack, on top of my sleeping bag, yet the poles still failed. Clearly there was a manufacturing issue that left the pole set rather fragile.
I was able to fashion a moderately-suitable pitch using as many guy outs as I could, which did allow me to continue the trip. But that was only possible due to being lucky with the weather. If it had been any windier I would have been in trouble. On the final night of the trip, when the corner pole connector also failed, the tent essentially became little more than a bivy.
When I returned to civilisation there was an email from Durston in my inbox explaining that they were aware of a small number of pole sets not having the aluminium inserts glued in properly. I guess I was one of the unlucky ones. Currently, in March 2025, they're in the process of sending out replacement pole sets to all X-Dome 1+ owners.
So, my X-Dome has been tucked away in the gear room for the last three months, unable to be used, giving me bad vibes whenever I think about it. Which is a shame, because I do think the design, features, and build (of the tent, not the poles!) are really quite good. My only advice would be to wait a little bit and see whether the new poles are more robust than the originals. Yes, I'm sure Durston will say they are. But it would be worth waiting to hear some reports from the field, especially if you plan on using the tent in wild, remote areas and/or challenging conditions.
Martin
It happened in two places initially - the spine and the crossbar - then later on a corner pole. The aluminium connectors retreat inside the pole and get stuck, preventing the pole set from being assembled properly. There is probably some force required for this to occur, like putting your pack down hard or slipping on to your butt. I had the tent and fly wrapped around the poles, packed inside of my pack, on top of my sleeping bag, yet the poles still failed. Clearly there was a manufacturing issue that left the pole set rather fragile.
I was able to fashion a moderately-suitable pitch using as many guy outs as I could, which did allow me to continue the trip. But that was only possible due to being lucky with the weather. If it had been any windier I would have been in trouble. On the final night of the trip, when the corner pole connector also failed, the tent essentially became little more than a bivy.
When I returned to civilisation there was an email from Durston in my inbox explaining that they were aware of a small number of pole sets not having the aluminium inserts glued in properly. I guess I was one of the unlucky ones. Currently, in March 2025, they're in the process of sending out replacement pole sets to all X-Dome 1+ owners.
So, my X-Dome has been tucked away in the gear room for the last three months, unable to be used, giving me bad vibes whenever I think about it. Which is a shame, because I do think the design, features, and build (of the tent, not the poles!) are really quite good. My only advice would be to wait a little bit and see whether the new poles are more robust than the originals. Yes, I'm sure Durston will say they are. But it would be worth waiting to hear some reports from the field, especially if you plan on using the tent in wild, remote areas and/or challenging conditions.
Martin
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Re: X-Dome - Durston
by dandurston » Wed 30 Apr, 2025 5:55 am
The issue was a glue issue from the manufacturer Easton, which has affected many tent brands. We have taken it very seriously and now worked with Easton to improve their gluing process, and then we sent out improved poles to 100% of first batch customers. So it was an unfortunate issue, but we are glad to have been able to provide a fix that will benefit our tents and tents from many other brands, and glad to support all of our customers by sending out everyone improved poles - even the many customers without issue.
You can read more about how we improved the process here:
https://durstongear.com/pages/easton-te ... lue-insert
You can read more about how we improved the process here:
https://durstongear.com/pages/easton-te ... lue-insert
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