So many ultralight tents save weight by cutting out living space, but that’s not Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s style. The Ultamid 2 Pyramid Tent and Full Mesh Insert come together to make an absolutely ginormous ultralight castle that comfortably shelters two people and their gear.
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Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2 Tent Review
Published:
September 23, 2020
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Published – 9/23/20
Quick Specs
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ultamid 2
Price: $735
Dimensions (LxWxH): 8′ 11″ x 6′ 11″ x 5′ 4″
Weight: 18.85 oz.
Other Sizes: Ultamid 4
Pros
- Ultralight
- Spacious
- Waterproof
- Versatile
- Durable
- Good ventilation
Cons
- Very expensive
- Good pitch takes practice
- Bulky if you bring both parts
- Need trekking poles to set up
- Guy-lines aren't reflective
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ultamid 2 Insert w/ DCF11 Floor
Price: $405
Dimensions (LxWxH): 8′ x 6′ 4″ x 5′ 4″
Weight: 22.08 oz.
Other Options: Half insert, Mesh insert no floor
Pros
- Ultralight
- Spacious
- Waterproof
- Versatile
- Durable
- Good ventilation
Cons
- Very expensive
- Good pitch takes practice
- Bulky if you bring both parts
- Need trekking poles to set up
- Guy-lines aren't reflective
Pros
ULTRALIGHT
Weighing in at just over a pound for the tent, and just over two and a half pounds for the tent and insert combo, the Ultamid is unbelievably light for its size. Especially when split between two hikers, the Ultamid will keep your base weight nice and low. See how it compares to other ultralight tents on our Best Ultralight Tarps & Tents list.
SPACIOUS
The peak height of the Ultamid is over five feet, which we can all agree is very generous. Granted, you can’t count all of that as headroom because of the pyramid shape. But there’s still plenty of head space for two people to sit up comfortably.
The floor can accommodate two wide sleeping pads and two backpacks, and then there’s still room to spare for sprawling out or playing cards.
WATERPROOF
Dyneema Composite Fabrics (DCF) are, by nature, waterproof (and resistant to UV light!). Combine that with the fact that it comes fully seam-sealed (an all-too-rare feature for ultralight tents) and this puppy is ready for rain.
DOES WELL IN HIGH WIND
The pyramid shape of the Ultamid provides a very solid structure when properly guyed out. If you know you’ll be camping in high winds, make sure to use all of the perimeter guyouts and get the center pole as taut as possible. Thanks to the built-in guyline tensioners and the fact that Dyneema doesn’t stretch, getting a tight pitch is pretty easy. It also helps to set rocks on top of your tent stakes for added security.
VERSATILE
The Ultamid can be set up in a variety of configurations depending on conditions. Need to set up quickly because a storm is coming? Throw the tent up without the insert and you’ll have a quick shelter to ride it out. Is there a meteor shower? Just set up the insert and enjoy the show! Are you a solo bikepacker who wants to keep their bike covered at night? Use the tent and the Half Insert to have a bug free space for you and a covered space for your steed.
DURABLE
We’re loving our Ultamid, and we’ve used it around Oregon and for a JMT thru-hike. Save for a few dirt smudges here and there, it looks just as trail ready as the day we got it. We’ve even met some fellow pyramid tent enthusiasts who’ve been backpacking in style with their Ultamids for over two years!
GOOD VENTILATION
The Ultamid has two large vents at the peak that help regulate temperature and condensation effectively. We’ve used it on super hot days and very rainy nights, and we managed to stay comfy and drip free through it all.
Cons
EXPENSIVE
So let’s talk about this for a second… This is an very expensive shelter. We get that. But if you backpack often and are in the market for an ultralight tent that will last you for years and provide you with enough space to have a party, we say it’s worth it.
A GOOD PITCH TAKES SOME PRACTICE
There’s a definite learning curve to getting the perfect pitch on the Ultamid. It took us quite some time to figure out the best system when we set it up for the first time. But every time we pitched it, it looked better and better. Now, we’re able to set the whole thing up in a matter of minutes.
A LITTLE BULKY IF YOU BRING BOTH PARTS
The biggest downside to Dyneema fabric is that it doesn’t compress. On their own, the Tent and Insert don’t take too much space. But if you’re bringing along both pieces, it’s pretty bulky.
NEED TO USE TREKKING POLES TO SET UP
Hyperlite Mountain Gear doesn’t offer any sort of center pole for the Ultamid, but you can get one from third party sellers. We like to bring trekking poles along anyway (check out our Pros and Cons of Hiking with Trekking Poles post to see why), so this hasn’t been an issue for us. If you don’t already own a pair of poles, head on over to our Best Trekking Poles list to see our favorites. You will need to get the trekking pole coupler to make a long enough center pole.
GUYLINES AREN’T REFLECTIVE
The Copper Spur comes with eight aluminum, Dirt Dagger Stakes. That’s enough stakes for a standard pitch (one for each corner and four for the rainfly), but you’ll need four additional stakes to fully guy out the Copper Spur in stormy conditions.
The stakes included with this tent are okay and will get the job done under most conditions, but they’re not super sturdy and they could have better holding power. If you’re looking to upgrade or add extra stakes to your backpacking kit, check out our list of the Best Tent Stakes.
Bottom Line
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ultamid 2 and Mesh Insert w/ DCF11 Floor make for a very luxurious backcountry tent. It performs wonderfully in bad weather, is super durable, and is supremely light for its size. While the price tag is sizable, this tent has many advantages that make the hefty cost worth it in our opinion.
