Ultralight + Ultra-tough = The “Ultamid” Pyramid Tent
For the past three years, our Ultamid 2 and 4-person ultralight pyramid shelters have been quietly winning hearts and minds out in the field. 2016 was no exception–the ‘Mid movement is gaining steam.
In additions to endorsements from some of the most hardcore, mile-bagging, wilderness-dwelling customers out there, the Ultamid got some outstanding official recognition from a few exceptional media outlets as well.
Just in case you’re on the fence about joining the club, we thought we’d see if maybe this little nudge would help. We get it: our pyramid tents are a major investment. But without getting all sales-y, we wouldn’t make them if they didn’t represent the best damn balance of lightweight performance with exceptional durability out there. “Set it (up) and forget it” applies to things in the backcountry, too–and in the case of an Ultamid, you’ll be doing exactly that for years and years to come.
BikePacking.com // by Cass Gilbert
“The UltaMid 2 is hands down the best tent I’ve tried. Not only is it a refreshingly fun shelter to camp in, it’s both versatile ridiculously light – especially given its generous headroom, cavernous living space, and the fact that it’s hardy enough for genuine 4 season use. The latter is something that can’t be said of all ultralight shelters. Also worth noting is that at the lightweight end of the market, more conventional tent manufacturers often look at ways at saving grams, often to the detriment of regular, long-term use. ‘Mid designs are inherently extremely simple. This allows them to be very light, without compromising on longevity.”
Alpinist Magazine // by Drew Thayer
“The Ultamid 4 shelter proved to be a crucial piece of gear during a four-week climbing and pack-rafting expedition in Alaska’s Aleutian Range. The Ultamid 4 provided a spacious shelter where we could stand up and cook during the storm, and the pyramid-style tent is light enough that we carried it with us on multiday climbs.”
Gizmodo // by Chris Brinlee Jr.
“The Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2 has triumphantly battled every condition we’ve been able to throw at it, all over the world, and it’s still going strong. I have so much faith in the UltaMid, that I’ve chosen to live out of it for the next several months while I adventure all over the world: from the cold, rainy, and windy southeast coast of Iceland to the snowy, high altitude Himalayas in Nepal, to the hot and humid tropics of Southeast Asia. It’s equally at home in the desert as it is in the mountains, and it’s one shelter that can be used year-round. Perhaps best-of-all, it barely weighs more than a pound. Adventure ready? Hell yeah it is.”
GearJunkie.com // by Chelsea Magness
“If you purchase this shelter for your ultra-light trips, it should last decades. After a tough season of use this year, including massive storms and much abuse, it shows no sign of wear.”
BlisterGearReview.com // by Paul Forward
“When comparing it to the whole spectrum of shelters I’ve used, the UltaMid 2 can handle as much wind and rain as any other shelter I’ve used. This is kind of incredible given that it weighs 602 g (without the insert) which is half as heavy as the lightest two-person shelter, and around ⅕ as heavy as the lightest truly four-season tent I’ve used (Black Diamond I-tent or Tempest) and provides more space than either… With confidence, I can say that no shelter I have ever used has anywhere close to the ratio of strength and weather protection to weight of the UltaMid 2.”
“In the category of floorless tents, the Ultamid 4 is the best floorless tent I’ve used — it’s also the lightest (the one I’ve been testing weighs 22.5 ounces with the staking cords but not the stakes).
This tent will sleep four people (tight), but is light enough to use as a palatial solo tent.
Other benefits:
- The tent has no weave to collect water or condensation — shake it vigorously after a wet night and it stuffs away without packing around water weight.
- All staking points and corners are reinforced and stronger than the base fabric.
- There are seven additional tie-down loops around the middle latitudes to stabilize the tent in strong winds.
- The white color is boring for pictures but keeps the inside cheery in dreary weather.
- The many little touches (waterproof zipper, hooded vents for cross ventilation, center pole reinforcement, taped seams, tie-back loops for the front door) are all really well thought-out.
- You pay for it, but everything about the Ultamid is a Mercedes.”
“After testing close to 70 tents of all types for outdoorgearlab.com, I kept only four. Of those, I use the Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 4 most frequently. I think it’s the best all-purpose ultralight tent on the planet. Since their release in summer 2013, I’ve used it, and the UltaMid 2, close to 100 days. If I were to have one tent for everything, I’d choose the UltaMid 4. It’s very expensive, but the low weight, tremendous versatility, unmatched comfort, and long-term durability make the cost worthwhile. I’ve used both the two and four person sizes and think it’s worth the extra $155 and four ounces for the UltaMid 4.”
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