A close look at two tents buyers cross-shop. They score within a hair of each other, so it comes down to the details below.
| Durston X-Mid 2 Solid | LightHeart Gear Duo | |
|---|---|---|
| GearScore | 78✓ | 78 |
| Capacity | 2 | 2 |
| Packed weight | 37.5 oz | 36.0 oz✓ |
| Floor area | 33.2 sq ft | 38.2 sq ft✓ |
| Space-to-weight | 14.2 /lb | 17.0 /lb✓ |
| Peak height | 48 in✓ | 45 in |
| Doors | 2 | 2 |
| Vestibules | 2 | 2 |
| Price | $339✓ | $340 |
| Type | Ultralight | Ultralight |
Highlighted cells mark the better spec: X-Mid 2 Solid in blue, Duo in amber. A blank spec is never counted as a win. GearScore is the overall rating (0 to 100); re-weight it on the full tent comparison. Prices are current MSRP.
Put the Durston X-Mid 2 Solid next to the LightHeart Gear Duo and the trade-offs are clear. They are close enough that this really is about which handful of specs you weight most.
The X-Mid 2 Solid is taller (48 vs 45 in peak) and a little cheaper. The Duo is 2 oz lighter, more floor area (38.2 vs 33.2 sq ft), and better space-to-weight. Their GearScores land within a couple of points (78 vs 78), so neither runs away with it.
Pick the X-Mid 2 Solid if you care most about headroom and price, which makes it the better call for comfort and room to move. Pick the Duo if low weight and floor space matter more to you, or you are focused on counting grams on long miles.
The LightHeart Gear Duo. It is 2 oz lighter than the X-Mid 2 Solid.
The LightHeart Gear Duo. It is more floor area (38.2 vs 33.2 sq ft) than the X-Mid 2 Solid.
They are nearly tied at 78 and 78 on the default algorithm, so re-weight the score to your own priorities to break the tie.
It depends on your priorities. Go with the X-Mid 2 Solid for headroom, or the Duo for low weight. The spec table above shows exactly where each wins.