HMG CrossPeak 2 Freestanding Single-Wall Tent Review

The newly released Hyperlite Mountain Gear CrossPeak 2 tent enters the ultralight arena with the promise to maximize weight savings without compromising functionality. It’s the first semi-freestanding offering from HMG, a company better known for minimalist, trekking pole shelter designs.

I tested the CrossPeak 2 in diverse conditions to see if this single-wall, two-person shelter truly lives up to its ultralight hype and whether its innovative features — and some peculiar design choices — make it stand out above the competition.

Hyperlight Mountain Gear CrossPeak 2 At a Glance

Capacity: 1-2 Person
Weight: 34 oz total: 12.8 oz poles, 21.2 oz tent
Material:DCF5, DCF10, No-See-Um Mesh
Dimensions: 48″ (at head) / 45″ (at feet) x 88″
Price: $950

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Intended Use

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear CrossPeak 2 Tent is a single-wall, semi-freestanding designed for everyone from the committed ultralight backpacker to the overnight weekend warrior looking to reduce pack weight. Its robust Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF) construction offers excellent weather protection for its weight, making it suitable for three-season conditions.

It’s built for those who understand the nuances of single-wall shelters and are willing to embrace a more compact living space for the ultimate benefit of a lighter pack. 

Circumstances of Review

I put the HMG CrossPeak 2 through its paces on two very different multi-day backpacking trips: one weekend in the early spring rain of New Hampshire’s White Mountains and one weekend in the summer heat and humidity of the Hawaiian jungle.

In the White Mountains, I was able to fully test the tent’s waterproofness and condensation management in a cool and damp environment. In Hawaii, the focus shifted to ventilation, temperature control, and how the single-wall design handled extreme humidity in warmer temperatures.

HMG CrossPeak 2 Features

Single-Wall Construction: This design minimizes fabric layers, significantly reducing the tent’s weight and packed volume. It relies on the inherent waterproofness of DCF for protection, providing a truly minimalist, freestanding shelter solution.

Dual Bottom-Zipping Doors: Both side doors zip from the bottom upwards. This design ensures that when the doors are opened, they hang down, preventing the fabric from dragging on the ground and collecting dirt, mud, or debris. This helps keep the tent’s interior cleaner and prolongs the fabric’s life.

Magnetic Door Holders: The integrated magnetic closures for holding the doors open are easy and incredibly convenient. They offer a hassle-free alternative to traditional toggles and loops, something that I am happy to see becoming more of the norm in tent design.

Intentional Material Placement: HMG utilizes different weights of DCF for various parts of the tent (e.g., 0.55 oz/sqyd for the canopy, 1 oz/sqyd for the floor), leveraging the material’s exceptional strength-to-weight ratio while working to maximize durability.

Internal Gear Pockets: Small mesh pockets are included on each side to help organize essentials and keep them off the floor.

Minimalist Pole Structure: The tent relies on three detached aluminum poles for its semi-freestanding (you need to stake out the vestibules if you want to use them) structure, contributing to its low weight.

Usage

At a glance, this all sounds great, but lets get into how easy the tent was to use, carry, and store.

Packability

The CrossPeak 2 excels in packability. It compresses down to an incredibly small volume and fits easily at the base of my pack. Its low weight was noticeable during my hikes — and by that I mean I hardly noticed the tent at all.

The design of the stuff sack is almost equally wide as it is tall, so this tent will not fit in the side pockets of some packs that have a dedicated tent pocket. However, it will easily fit in the main pocket of even a 15L daypack.

Setup

This is where the CrossPeak 2 presents a notable learning curve and some frustration. Unlike most tents that use clips to attach the tent body to the poles, the HMG CrossPeak 2 requires you to slide the poles through continuous fabric sheaths.

This process feels surprisingly delicate; the fabric of the sheath, while advertised as durable, feels very thin and susceptible to damage if not handled with extreme care. Maybe this is a misconception, but it does make the process a bit nerve-wracking and slow.

The biggest challenge comes during takedown: when attempting to pull the pole out of the sheath, the individual pole sections easily disconnect, getting stuck inside the fabric sleeve. Multiple times, I had to fumble with the tent to push the sections back together or fish them out, making both setup and takedown more time-consuming and tedious than they should be.

A standard clip system, where the tent body clips onto the exterior of the poles, would really improve the user experience, in my opinion.

That said, I have set up and taken down this tent a grand total of four times. For all I know, I’m doing something wrong or am simply too early in the learning curve process to fully appreciate HMG’s innovation.

Liveability

HMG advertises the CrossPeak 2 as a 1-2 person tent, and I would say that’s pretty accurate. For overnight trips, my partner and I are able to easily share the space, though the floor does not comfortably fit two wide sleeping pads side-by-side. However, there is a surprising amount of headroom when sitting up, and plenty of space for both our gear if we chose to stake out the vestibules. 

For a solo backpacker, the CrossPeak 2 transforms into a deluxe apartment in the mountains. It’s spacious, has two doors and two vestibules, and is light enough to not be too fussed about your inability to split the weight of the poles and tent body over two people’s packs.

HMG CrossPeak 2 Pros

Extremely Lightweight: This is its primary selling point, offering significant weight savings for those seeking a two-person (or 1-2 person) freestanding tent.

Excellent Packability: Compresses to a very small size, freeing up backpack space.

Durable, Waterproof DCF: Provides reliable protection against rain and wind.

Smart Door Design: Bottom-zipping doors keep fabric clean and out of the dirt with convenient, magnetic door holders.

Good Headroom: Comfortable for sitting up inside, with enough space to move around, stretch, and change clothes.

Good Ventilation: Even in the rain of New Hampshire and the humidity of Hawaii, we noticed no condensation on the tent in the morning. While there is the option to stake out the vestibules, we largely opted to keep both doors open to encourage airflow through the tent. I’m sure this had something to do with the dry interior!

HMG CrossPeak 2 Cons

Very Expensive: This tent is nearly a thousand dollars; there’s no way to write a review without mentioning that. Only you can decide if that is worth the very large price tag. 

Challenging Pole Setup/Takedown: The fabric pole sleeves are fiddly, feel fragile, and frequently cause pole sections to disconnect, making setup and takedown frustrating.

Tight for Two Wide Pads: Does not comfortably accommodate two wide sleeping pads side-by-side, limiting comfort for two people. In fairness, these dimensions are typical for an ultralight tent, but I’ve recently been spoiled by roomier footprints.

Would I Recommend It?

Yes, but with significant caveats. I would recommend the Hyperlite Mountain Gear CrossPeak 2 tent for ultralight solo backpackers who prioritize weight and space savings but still want something freestanding — provided they’re willing to pay a premium for top-tier materials. For one person, it offers a surprisingly spacious and incredibly light shelter perfect for extended trips.

However, for those seeking a true two-person comfort experience, or for backpackers on a budget, it’s a harder sell. The difficult pole setup is a notable drawback that impacts the user experience, and like many UL tents, the internal dimensions are simply too tight for two wide sleeping pads.

Those in search of more living space for two people or a hassle-free pitching experience might consider alternatives. But if cutting every possible ounce while maintaining the comfort of a freestanding tent is your mission and you’re prepared to invest in a minimalist shelter, the CrossPeak 2 is an undeniable contender, especially for solo adventures.

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Comparable Products

Zpacks Free Zip 2

MSRP: $899
Weight: 31.6 oz

Tarptent Double Rainbow Li

MSRP: $799
Weight: 28 oz 

Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 Platinum

MSRP: $649.95
Weight: 36 oz

The HMG CrossPeak 2 was donated for purpose of review