Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 Tent Review

Call me old school, but when asked to picture a one-person tent, my mind floods with images of coffin-like, cramped vestibules that feed my worst claustrophobic terrors. Dramatic much? Perhaps. That said, I was over the moon to discover that Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s (HMG) Mid 1 tent is anything but the nightmare fuel I’ve envisioned.

Made from durable, waterproof DCF, this single-wall ultralight tent requires just one trekking pole and zero gymnastics to set up. The pyramid-shaped Mid 1 boasts 54 inches of head room and 21 square feet of floor space — enough to sleep starfish-style, plus plenty of additional room to stow all your gear inside with you.

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 Tent At a Glance

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 in all its glory

MSRP: $599
Weight: 16.8 oz (not including stakes)
Materials: Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF5 and DCF10), No-See-Um Mesh
Peak Height: 54 inches
Area: 21 square feet

Circumstance of Review

I put the Mid 1 through its paces across the diverse terrain of Colorado, from the dry desert to the formidable alpine tundra. Most frequently, this tent weathered daily afternoon thunderstorms during early monsoon season, withstanding high winds, moderate rain, and occasional hail.

I also tested the tent in varying landscapes, camping near condensation-causing lakes, in wooded areas, on grassy knolls,  and even in rocky, stake-less terrain.

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 Features

Adjustable Bathtub Floor

The interior of the Mid 1 is quite spacious, especially for one hiker plus a backpack full of gear, measuring 32 by 96 inches. HMG thoughtfully designed this tent to feature a specialty bathtub floor that’s adjustable via shock cord to either increase airflow on good nights or keep moisture out on stormy ones. With six inches of depth coverage, I felt protected from the elements when it precipitated. 

A closer look at the adjustable shock cord points on the bathtub floor for more ventilation or protection against the elements.

Single Pole Frame

The Mid 1 stands effortlessly with one trekking pole set to 135 centimeters, plus or minus 5 centimeters to give you some set-up wiggle room. If you’re a thru-hiker with a passion for carrying just one walking stick, the Mid 1 will support that lifestyle. Plus, HMG massively won me over with a super nifty pole jack. Made from carbon fiber, this ingenious solution attaches to the bottom of any trekking pole to give it an extra six inches of height, ensuring you aren’t left short of any headspace.

Pyramid Style Shelter

The Mid 1 is a pyramid-style tent with two peak vents to reduce condensation on the inside. At 54 inches maximum height, most hikers should be able to comfortably sit inside the tent, with additional breathing room for some R&R after a long day of hiking.

Convenient Doorway

Crafted from No-See-Um mesh, the single crescent inner door is made to easily enter and exit the tent around the trekking pole frame. On the exterior, the DCF cover can seamlessly be opened or closed with one hand, and stored tucked away for a more open environment by a magnetic hold. 

Easy, Breezy Set Up

This tent features multiple tie-outs to cater to your preferences or requirements due to weather. At a minimum, it requires six perimeter tie-outs, all easily set up in a matter of a few minutes. This shelter also features multiple guylines on the tent’s body to provide a more taut exterior, for a grand total of 11 possible tie-outs.

What’s the 411 on Trekking Pole Tents?

The Mid 1 conveniently only requires one trekking pole to set up: ideal for thru-hikers who carry one stick or find themselves with a broken pole mid thru-hike.

Single-wall trekking pole tents seem like they’re here to stay. Lighter and more packable, thru-hikers often opt for these non-freestanding shelters over traditional tents. Rather than bringing the extra weight of dedicated poles, which can only be used to set up a tent, hikers are now making double use of an item most already carry: trekking poles.

The Mid 1 is a non-freestanding shelter that only requires one trekking pole to pitch, offering opportunities for massive weight savings. Not only are hikers able to shed ounces, but the body of the tent becomes more packable as well without tall, rigid poles crammed inside the pack. 

Non-Freestanding Tent Pros and Cons

So what’s the skinny on trekking pole tents? Nobody’s perfect, and single-wall tents are not without issues. A big consideration for many is the learning curve that can come with setup. Nonfreestanding tents require precise stake placement and tightening of guylines. Though they do come with how-to manuals, I’ve often found I need a few nights in the backcountry to play around with angles before I get it right.

Also, unlike with freestanding options, trekking pole tents require the use of stakes to hold their shape. This may limit your camping locations. If camping on rocky surfaces that tent stakes can’t sink into, however, there are alternatives. Wrapping the tie-out points around heavy rocks or trees can work in a pinch. Still, campsite selection undoubtedly requires more thought with a trekking pole tent.

Furthermore, many of these shelters are also single-walled, which means proper ventilation is key to avoiding condensation on the interior of your tent. Fortunately, the Mid 1 offers plentiful resolutions to avoid waking up in a clammy mess, with multiple peak ventilation points and a mesh bathtub floor for further breathability. 

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 Pros

Lofty Ceiling and Spacious Interior

As an average-height 5’5″ female, I can confirm my head was nowhere near the impressively tall ceiling of the Mid 1. Though I recognize many hikers are likely far taller, I estimate that even people with many inches on my height would still enjoy adequate headroom.

The luxurious amount of livable space boosted this tent in my rankings tenfold. On rainy afternoons, I could easily change into dry clothes while crouched comfortably or sit upright while eating meals from the comfort of my shelter without feeling cramped. 

Furthermore, I was impressed with the square footage. At 32 by 96 inches, I could comfortably fit a sleeping bag and pad, myself, and all my gear splayed out on the tent floor with additional room to spare. If I were living on the trail for months at a time, I’d feel quite spoiled to spend many hours in a tent as spacious as this.

All smiles here! At 5’5″, I’m sittin’ pretty with plenty of vertical headspace to spare.

Short Trekking Poles? No Problem

Truth be told, I was woefully unprepared when this tent arrived on my doorstep — I currently hike with the women’s Leki Cressida FX Carbon trekking poles, which max out at a stubby 120 centimeters and are often far short of the required height for a trekking pole tent.

Fortunately, HMG preemptively anticipated my needs (and likely the needs of many of you, too). The Mid 1 comes with an ingenious trekking pole jack that instantly adds height to your pole, ensuring nearly all poles are compatible with the tent so that you’re not left high and dry. 

Made from carbon fiber, you simply slide the bottom of your trekking pole into this 0.6-ounce, 6-inch jack, and voila — your pole is instantly compatible with the tent’s required height. Sure, it’s an extra piece of equipment, and yes, if you own a 130+ centimeter trekking pole, this pro becomes a moot point. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say a good chunk of my energy for this rave review comes from this thoughtful, nifty feature. 

Maxed Out on Ventilation

As previously mentioned, I’ve encountered the condensation issue plenty of times while pitching a trekking pole tent along a beautiful (but damp) alpine lake. However, Hyperlite Mountain Gear does its best to combat condensation with breathability-enhancing features added carefully throughout the Mid 1. In addition to the dual peak ventilation at the tent’s cone-shaped top, the Mid 1 also features an adjustable bathtub floor with six inches of depth. 

Not only was the bathtub adjustability ideal for days where I needed a bit more storm proofing, but the mesh panels attached to the DCF floor provided even more opportunities to let air out at both the top and bottom of the tent.

Yet the mesh never compromised overall durability or weatherproofing. I still woke up with some condensation on the walls, mainly when camping near water sources, but it was often less than I’ve faced in competitors’ single-wall tents. 

Easy Setup … Once You Learn

I’m no stranger to non-freestanding tents, but I do feel like there’s always a learning curve. On top of that, it takes time to dial in your personal preferences when setting up stakes and guylines on a tent like the Mid 1. However, I added ease of setup to the Pros section because after only two setup opportunities, pitching this shelter became a breeze.

Only six tie-outs are required for a strong structure, and I was relieved to find that setting up the tent alone was easier than expected. I’ve sometimes struggled to keep the trekking pole upright while initially adjusting tie-outs, but the Mid 1 gave me no trouble as a single lady setting up camp.

The Trifecta of Check-Boxes

At the end of the day, a tent’s reliability as a thru-hiking shelter boils down to just three things for me: durability, weight, and waterproofness. You’d be surprised at how many tents fail in all three of these categories. In contrast, the Mid 1 checks all three boxes.

It’s crafted from USA-made Dyneema Composite Fabrics, which tells me everything I need to know about its integrity. DCF is stronger than Kevlar, and the construction of this tent is of highest quality. Although I only used it on shorter stints in the mountains, it still had to contend with the Colorado Rockies’ infamous terrain.

Furthermore, the Mid 1 weathered multiple storms on my testing journey. Its waterproof, wind-shedding walls made it a reliable companion.

Finally, at 16.8 ounces it’s not the lightest trekking pole tent on the market, but it can certainly go head to head with its noteworthy competitors. 

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 Tent Cons

Dramatic Back Wall Slant

My main source of confusion with this tent came down to the geometric shape of it, specifically with the back wall opposite the doorway. While the doorway side was a regular, vertical wall, the back wall felt just a smidge too angular, impeding on my sitting and sleeping space the further back in the tent I moved.

This was a strange juxtaposition to me: the peak height was generous, but I often felt closed in by that back wall. Even when staking it out with extra tie-outs, it didn’t do all that much, space-wise. Though the actual dimensions of the floor space were also plenty roomy, the aggressive slanted back wall felt as though it cut the space in half, both vertically and horizontally. It was never uncomfortable, just a tad annoying.

Though the actual square footage and height of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 were plenty spacious, the slanted back wall cut into much of that space.

One Person, One Door 

I love the convenience of a double-door tent; you can watch the sun rise and set from your same perch, set up whichever direction you please, and keep both doors open for maximum ventilation. Unfortunately, those aren’t perks you can enjoy with the Mid 1.

While it was only slightly inconvenient, I was annoyed at the single-door situation HMG incorporated in this tent. When camping with a group, I often wanted two escape hatches so as not to impinge on others’ space. Or sometimes I had to make the impossible decision of pitching my doorway toward my beautiful camping partner’s face or the morning sunrise. Thru-hiker problems, I know…

That said, the Mid 1 does only require one trekking pole to set up, so for those who prefer to only carry one stick, or have a pole break on them mid thru-hike, this certainly offered peace of mind. 

Large Exterior Footprint

As with many similar tents, the HMG Mid 1 had a decently large footprint when staking out the exterior fly. Though I loved how roomy the vestibules and interior space were, the sheer size of the tent made it a bit more challenging to set up on rocky terrain or in small camping areas where I couldn’t use stakes. However, you can remedy this situation by tying down the tie-outs with heavy rocks. 

Minimalist in Nature

Again, like most tents in this category, an ultralight shelter like the Mid 1 doesn’t leave much to the imagination. It’s great for sheltering you and your gear from the elements, period. The tent only has one mesh pocket directly at the entrance.

I typically opted against using this pocket because it sagged flat on the ground and was often in the way when I was entering and exiting the tent, so I had to be extra careful not to crush my glasses or any valuables I initially stored here. Instead, seeing as how there was plenty of floor space at the head and bottom of the tent for storing gear, I found it easy enough to organize my items elsewhere.

Overall Value

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 may seem like a mid-market contender when comparing stats — it’s light, but not the lightest; it’s pricey, but not the most expensive; it’s roomy, but not the largest single-person tent.

However, in a market saturated with single-wall trekking pole tents, HMG shines through in the small details. These include thoughtful features like the unique pyramid construction, clever trekking pole jack for shorter hikers, and adjustable bathtub floor. For me, it certainly gives its competitors a run for their money, likely offering the most value to thru-hikers who would appreciate these smaller details.

Shop the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1

Comparable Tents

Durston X-Mid Pro 1

• MSRP: $654
• Weight: 15.5 oz (without stakes)

Zpacks Plex Solo Lițe 

• MSRP: $599
• Weight: 11.8 oz (without stakes)

Tarptent Aeon Li

• MSRP: $569
• Weight: 17.4oz (without stakes)

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 Tent was donated for the purposes of review.