Review: Hyperlight Mountain Gear UltaMid 2

One of the most common bits of kit I get asked about is the UltaMid 2. Hopefully I can answer some of those questions here. Since we bought the UltaMid 2, we have used it for three weeks in Swedish winter on snow (outer only), Greenland for four weeks and around 50 nights in the UK in both summer and winter conditions. The inner and outer are bought seperatly and can be used independantly from each other.

Firstly, this is a very light set up, including guy lines the outer weighs in at 500g, the full inner (DCF11 floor and bug mesh) weighs just under 600g. So without pegs and pole, you end up with a very roomy 2 man tent at around 1.1kg. The Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF) claims to be much tougher, abrasion resistant and durable compared to sil nylon, whist being considerably lighter. This does also make your wallet significantly lighter if you consider buying it. Dyneema claim that for its strength performance, it has the lowest carbon footprint of any material.

So, first impressions, the ultaMid 2 is much bulkier than expected, especially considering its weight. The fabric has compressed by around a third in the two and a bit years we have had it though, and now packs smaller than our old Hilleberg nammatja 2.

The outer arrives with perimeter guy lines and extra cord for creating guy lines for the additional eight attachment points. If you want line locks for these you need to buy them separately. In our experience in windy conditions these are fairly essential for stabilization and stopping flapping. Pegs are bought separately as well.

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No pole is provided, the UltaMid 2 is designed to be used with walking poles or a paddle. For the bike packers, we bought an extendable pole from Ruta Locura We are using a 60inch pole with an extension that brings it up another 6 or so inches. In the UK Bear Bones bikepacking also do made to order carbon poles but dont seem to have an option if you want an extendable section.

Whilst pitching the ultamid is simple, pitching it well takes a bit of practice, especially on your own. Once up and correctly tensioned, it is brilliant at shedding wind (we have used it in gust of up to 60mph) and surprisingly non flappy. A huge advantage of the shape, is it is non directional, so there are no nasty surprises if the wind swings in the night. It is also good in the snow, with it just running down the sides rather than weighing on top. The DCF has another advantage over nylon, which is it doesn’t stretch and contract as it wets or drys, meaning once its pitched you shouldn’t have to adjust it if conditions change.

The UltaMid can be pitched at different heights, allowing for more air flow in warm conditions. It has two mesh vents at the top that can be shut with velcro. The large cone allows for a range of width poles to be used, from a fat paddle to skinny walking pole.

The mesh inner has a really deep bathtub floor, perfect for Scottish boggy conditions. It clips into the outer at the four corners and the pole sits inside it. The mesh inner is very airy, it definitely isn’t a cosy tent, so if you prefer to cocoon yourself away from the weather, this might not be perfect for you. However it lets lots of light in and very importantly is midge proof. The inner sits well away from the outer and allows great air flow reducing condensation. The one slight disadvantage is the inner extends almost all the way to the door, leaving very little porch space to cook with the door shut. It is possible to un clip one corner and fold it back if needed though.

The cost of the inner is a bit of a shock, innitially I looked into making one for us, but after costing up the fabric we decided to suck it up and buy it (the fabric for the floor in the same spec dyneema, would alone cost the same as the whole thing from hyperlight) and it has been well worth it for us, in the conditions we have used it in.

We were initially skeptical that such a big, lightweight tent would prove as capable in bad conditions as the Nammatja, and after extended testing, decided we were happy enough with it to sell the nammatja. So, how has it really been to use? Our first Ultamid leaked very badly in heavy rain. We warrantied it through the shop we bought it from. Hyperlight said it was a rare manufacturing error and replaced it right away. The second outer still leaks through a couple of points, although not as much. We contacted Hyperlight and were told to send it back for repair. As we use it so often, and sending it back to America would take time, they have instead sent us some sticky dyneema which should solve the problem. The second downside is the lightweight zip, this is the weakest point of the tent and is starting to show wear. The way the tent tensions, means it is easy to put a bit to much tautness on the zip which can damage it. Unlike most tent zips that have a storm flap, this one has no protection, so, despite being a waterproof zip, in heavy rain moisture does get though. Im not sure why it doesn’t come specced with a heavy duty molded zip that will last the life of the fabric.

Despite all that, this is an amazing tent, is is a delight to live in. Unlike other tents that can feel a bit gloomy and cramped, this creates an enjoyable space to be outdoors in. Being able to fully open the front in good weather but have to bug proofing is fantastic. It is very roomy, plenty of space for two people to relax in, and if you pitch it with the pole offset, can sleep three, even on neo air mats. From using it in a very wide range of conditions i feel confident that it can handle all but the very worst high mountain storm. For us, on long bike packing trips, this has been a bit of a game changer. It is a third of the weight of our old tent, whilst being more spacious and nicer to live in. That weight saving means we can carry more food, and stay out longer so we can have bigger adventures!

Available to buy in the UK from Backcountry.scot