REASONS TO BUY
DCF construction is lightweight and waterproof
Super spacious
Four season use
REASONS TO AVOID
Very expensive
Collapsbile pole not included
No floor or bug protection built in
Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2 Review
A super high-quality and spacious single wall pyramid with a high price tag to match its quality
Credit: Brian Smith
By Andy Wellman ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ November 15, 2025
RELATED: The Best Ultralight Tents
Our Verdict
To reduce weight by a few ounces in their ultralight tents, most manufacturers adopt a smaller, tighter design that eliminates some of the material weight. However, this often means that ultralight tents are shorter, narrower, and smaller than is genuinely comfortable for two people – a bummer of a trade-off! For that reason, we chose to recognize the Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2 as the most spacious ultralight tent in this review. At only 1 pound 7.7 ounces, it is indeed super light, but you won't have to compromise on space with this large Mid. Its rectangular-shaped interior is taller than that of any other tent we tested, and it also encompasses more floor space, providing ample room for two to spread out, sleep, and store their gear, with enough room for the dog as well. If you are looking for a very versatile shelter that won't force you to compromise on space or comfort, we highly recommend taking a look at the UltaMid 2.
Our Analysis and Test Results
While the UltaMid 2 provides great weather protection, it also offers awesome four-season adaptability, which is a considerable advantage over other three-season tents. One of our only complaints was that this tent is so tall that a single adjustable trekking pole is not tall enough to support it, thus requiring you to lash together two poles, hang it from above, or get creative. If you'd rather not get creative, Hyperlite sells a collapsible carbon fiber tent pole.
With plenty of room for two people, we used the UltaMid 2 on a camping trip in the bottom of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
Credit: Andy Wellman
Livability
This tent has a ton of interior space, enough for two people to sleep comfortably, store gear, and for a dog or two to join in the fun. It is also quite tall, with steep walls, offering plenty of room for sitting up inside and moving about, luxuries that are not present in the small dedicated-pole two-person tents.
However, this Mid does not have a floor or built-in bug protection. Hyperlite Mountain Gear offers two different solutions to address this problem in a modular manner: a bug insert without a floor and one with a floor. We tested the bug insert without a floor while working on this review (all scores and data in this review reflect only the mid without insert), and while it worked well to accomplish its purpose, it adds notable weight, expense, and especially bulk when in use, just like most modular inserts.
Lacking a floor, a ground cloth of some sort is key for camping on just about any surface. Obvious in this photo is the incredible amount of interior space the UltaMid 2 affords, plenty of storage on this solo ski adventure.
Credit: Andy Wellman
Having only a single wall made of non-permeable fabric, condensation buildup inside can be a problem. There is a mesh-covered vent at the apex of the pyramid that opens and closes to combat this. Additionally, ventilation can be enhanced by setting it up with a gap above the ground, allowing air to circulate through.
On this mid-summer night, we also tested the UltaMid 2 with the additional floorless netting insert accessory, which weighs 13.4 ounces. It did a great job protecting us from mosquitoes and is nice to have as a modular option for this tent.
Credit: Andy Wellman
Weight
On Hyperlite Mountain Gear's website, this tent is listed as weighing only 17.6 ounces (498.95 grams), with the included guy lines. However, on our independent scale, we weighed it numerous times, and it consistently came out to 23.82 ounces (675.29 grams) with guy lines, a difference of six ounces.
Included with your purchase is the tent itself, cordage for each of the eight staking points along the tent's perimeter, extra cordage for guying out the sides or rigging it from a tree, and the DCF stuff sack. Here's the full breakdown:
- Tent body: 19.3 oz / 547 g
- Stuff sack: 0.5 oz / 14 g
- Extra guy lines: 4.02 oz / 114 g
You will need to purchase your own stakes separately, have two adjustable trekking poles with a means to attach them for added height (or Hyperlite's pre-built tent pole), and some ground cover for sleeping on inside this floorless tent.
The UltaMid 2 comes with precut cordage for staking it out, as well as some extra cord for further guying out or more advanced rigging. You will need to add a minimum of five stakes to set it up.
Weather Resistance
When it comes to weather resistance, there is no doubt that DCF fiber is in a league of its own, offering many advantages over its main rival, SilNylon. DCF is not only lighter than silnylon but also functionally totally waterproof, providing the ultimate protection from rain and snow.
It also doesn't absorb water, meaning it won't stretch and sag when it gets wet, is less prone to ripping, and is very easy to fix in the field. The fact that this Mid used DCF is a major reason why it ranks so high in this metric. Not only do we think this tent is excellent at protecting you from the water, but it is also highly wind-resistant. Set up low to the ground without a gap, it is incredibly wind-resistant and offers an exceptional level of stability.
Here is the HMG UltaMid 2, set up close to the ground with no gap for the best weather protection, taking a heavy wind, although you wouldn't be able to tell by this photo.
Credit: Justin Simoni
Adaptability
This Mid has a fixed design, and essentially can only be set up in one shape. However, it does have the adaptability of using two lashed-together trekking poles for structure, or a stick or paddle; alternatively, it can also be hung from a suitable tree branch. Despite its fixed design, it is one of the most adaptable tents due to its four-season capabilities and its stability in almost any conceivable location.
In the winter, having no floor gives one the option of digging out the ground beneath it if set up on snow or a glacier, making it a suitable base camp tent. Notably, when used in this manner, DCF fabric has a significantly lower tolerance for heat than silnylon, which increases the risk of cooking inside it substantially. The 3' long stake-out cords included with purchase, combined with line locks on eight separate points along the perimeter, make this tent easy to adjust up or down for either more airflow or more wind protection as needed, and are versatile enough to wrap around rocks or bury in the snow if the ground will not take stakes. All of these features work to make it an adaptable option.
The UltaMid 2 makes a great base camp and is adaptable for use on snow. (If you have more snow to work with, try digging down to create a far taller, covered room to hang out in!).
Credit: Brian Smith
Ease of Set-up
In theory, this is an easy shelter to set up, but for one tiny headache — it is too tall for just one adjustable trekking pole. HMG recommends that you buy either their collapsible carbon fiber tent poles or the “ultra mid pole straps” from them, which allow you to easily lash two poles together to provide the needed height (these look exactly like utility ski straps commonly used by backcountry skiers, so you could also use some of those).
Of course, this means if you are base-camping, then two poles are tied up in the tent instead of just one, and it takes more time to do this and adjust them every day than if only one were needed. During our field testing, we discovered tall, flat rocks that we could stack on the ground and balance the pole on top of, which seemed to work just fine when tensioned in place, as long as suitable rocks were available.
Setting up is surprisingly easy for such a large tent. Attaching our two poles together may have been the hardest step.
Credit: Justin Simoni
Setting this tent up is as easy as staking out all four corners, then crawling inside and propping up the center with your already lashed-together trekking poles. Adding stakes to the wall midpoints and door, as well as adjusting the tightness, which is made easy by the line locks in place at the staking points, is the final step. This process is easy for one person, even in a storm, but it takes a little longer due to the need to lash the poles together. Just remember to bring your own stakes, pole straps, and adjustable poles, if you don't want to buy the pre-built tent pole.
You'll need a way to strap two trekking poles together to gain the length needed to set up the UltaMid 2
Should You Buy the Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2?
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2 is a super spacious ultralight option suitable for any four-season adventure. We admit that this tent is quite expensive and a significant investment. For those familiar with DCF, this price tag should come as no surprise. One must pay for the very best materials, and the craftsmanship and design of this tent match the cost. For couples seeking a tent that is lightweight and incredibly weather-resistant, this tent delivers on its value. The Ultamid 2 works great for four-season use, especially when it functions as a base camp or cook tent. Those who appreciate all of these things will find great value in this big investment.
What Other Ultralight Tents Should You Consider?
For maximum space inside, look at the other two-person trekking pole-style tents, like the Zpacks Duplex Classic, Tarptent StratoSpire Ultra, and the 3F UL Gear Lanshan 2 Pro. When going solo, some of the best livable space is found in the Durston X-Mid 1P.
The UltaMid 2 is very adaptable to any season or pitching platform. Here we are in Chicago Basin, home to a whole grip of the San Juan Mountain's highest peaks, hoping for a summit ski descent the next day.
Credit: Andy Wellman
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2 versus top competing products:
—Andy Wellman
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