In the Dolomites with ZenBivy and Durston
As a photographer, I'm constantly weighing the perfect equipment for the next shoot against the minimum weight I have to carry around on the shooting day. When preparing, it's always easy to say: "Well, maybe I will need the big telephoto lens for a few pictures after all?! Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it." But at the latest when climbing to the next summit, every excess gram takes its revenge. After all, in addition to the camera, I also carry provisions, extra clothing, climbing equipment and my sleeping gear on my back. That quickly adds up. To avoid having to make compromises during my photo shoots, I saved weight in a different area this year: my stomach. No, all kidding aside. I love food too much for that. I invested in the Durston X-Mid Pro 2 ultra-light tent and a new sleeping system from ZenBivy.
Both brands had been on my radar for several years. Unfortunately, Durston is from Canada and Zenbivy from the USA. Until now, both brands incurred high import duties, which made buying them in Europe very expensive. However, Zenbivy has finally had an EU store since mid-2023. To fill the new store with European motifs, the company asked me if I would like to put their system through its paces and take a series of photos of their best products in the Alps. Of course, I was immediately enthusiastic about this project. For Durston, I had to bite the bullet and pay over €150 in customs duties to import the tent from Canada to Germany. You can find out here whether it was worth it.
Peitlerkofel in the evening light - Hasselblad X2D, XCD 38V
Day 1 - With the Durston X-Mid Pro 2 on the Peitlerkofel
Freshly equipped with the new gear, my faithful climbing partner Marcus and I set off for the Dolomites. We started our tour at the Würzjoch mountain hut near Bolzano at the foot of the Peitlerkofel. We had perfect photo conditions on the very first evening. After sunset, the Peitlerkofel glowed in the red light of the indirect sun and the rustic alpine huts made for an atmospheric foreground. We set up the X-Mid Pro 2 for the first time that evening and were thrilled. It only requires six pegs and two trekking poles, which serve as tent poles, to set it up. After we had staked out the tent floor tightly with four pegs, all we had to do was insert and extend the trekking poles. To enlarge the vestibule of the tent, we used two more pegs and that was it. Ready in 3 minutes. Our large hiking backpacks and shoes easily fitted in the spacious vestibule of the tent and the two of us had a high and wide, spacious interior, including storage compartments for cell phones, space in the foot area for camera equipment and attachment options for a tent lamp. So far, it all sounds like a normal tent, right? The highlight of the Durston X-Mid Pro 2, however, is its weight. It weighs just 600g including pegs and still offers all the features! In terms of pack size, the tent is comparable to a 1l water bottle. Durston saves weight here primarily through two aspects: Instead of a tent pole, you use your trekking poles and the entire tent is made of the ultra-light high-tech material Dyneema.
Of course, there is also a disadvantage to an ultra-light, compact and spacious tent. To save weight, the tent is single-walled, which, despite many ventilation options, leads to condensation inside the X-Mid Pro 2. A lot of moisture accumulates in the tent overnight due to breathing, which has to be removed with an absorbent sponge the next morning. If that's not for you, you can also opt for the classic X-Mid with a double-walled interior and a weight of 1005g.
Durston X-Mid Pro 2 at sunrise on the Peitlerkofel - Hasselblad X2D, XCD 21mm
Day 2 - With the Zenbivy Light Quilt on the Seceda
After a wonderful sunrise at the foot of the Peitlerkofel and a hearty breakfast, we set off on our unplanned tour de force on day two. First, we climbed the hiking trail west of the Peitlerkofel up to the Gampenalm for a small snack. Freshly fortified, we continued along the foot of the Putz-Geisler Group. There are some great boulder rocks for unsecured climbing here. As the light was not ideal for photography, we enjoyed climbing extensively before continuing on our way to our destination for the day, the Geisleralm. It is an easy hiking trail through the forest along the Puez-Geisler Group and, accordingly, more and more tourists joined us. This culminated in a veritable mass event at the Geisleralm, which, in addition to a huge restaurant and outdoor seating area, also offers its guests a playground and a large lawn with deck chairs. And all of that was occupied.
Geisler Group with meadows of the Geisleralm in the foreground - Hasselblad X2D, XCD 21mm
Overwhelmed by so many people, we moved a few hundred meters further to the Malga Casnago Gschnagenhardt-Alm, which offered more of the relaxed, rustic character we were looking for. We actually wanted to spend the night here and after a 19km hike, approx. 800m of altitude and with 15kg of luggage, our legs also thought that was a good idea. I knew about the dilemma when planning this tour. We only had one night in this place, but two exciting photo locations: on the one hand, a morning shot with the beautiful meadows of the Geisleralm with the Geisler Group in the background, and on the other hand, the dramatic evening shot 400m higher with a view of the Seceda. The sky was still overcast and my gut feeling told me that we would be better off on the Seceda. So we packed up again at 5:00 p.m. We still had three hours until sunset and a three-hour hike across the Parnachscharte, which was closed due to rockfall, ahead of us. Everything in my body told me that this was not a good idea, but the hope of a good subject prevailed. We forced ourselves forward up the steep scree fields. Initially on two legs, later also with some climbing sections through the Scharte, always with the time pressure of not missing the sunset. At the end of our strength, we reached the ridge of the Geisler Group after two hours and the sky cleared. In front of us lay a valley like something out of a fairy tale with green meadows dotted with small mountain huts. Two months later, I had to laugh when exactly this picture appeared in the release of the iPhone 15. It is a magical place.
Southern slope of the Geisler Group - Hasselblad X2D, XCD 38V
Another 30 minutes of ridge hiking later, we reached our destination, the Seceda. The backpacks fell from our backs and at the same moment I switched on my Hasselblad X2D. An icy wind repeatedly whipped new clouds over the Geisler Group, creating a dramatic atmosphere. Wrapped up in my new Zenbivy Quilt, I waited for a moment when the last rays of sunshine of the day broke through the clouds and then it was off to the tent.
Dolomites in a sea of clouds - Hasselblad X2D, XCD 90V
Zenbivy is a system consisting of an insulating mat, cover, quilt and pillow that together create the absolute best sleeping experience I have ever had when camping. In contrast to a classic sleeping bag, the quilt is a blanket that you connect directly to the insulating mat as required. You can optionally tie up the foot area like a sleeping bag if it gets particularly cold. With this concept, as a side sleeper, I have much more freedom of movement with less weight and a smaller pack size. That night, the temperatures dropped below freezing and the wind swept over our unprotected tent the entire time. However, after a 25km hike and 1200m of altitude, we were no longer interested in that and we slept snugly in our soft quilts, which are designed for temperatures down to -12°C, throughout the night.
Sunrise from the Seceda - Hasselblad X2D, XCD 90V
Pieralongia rock pinnacle - Hasselblad X2D, XCD 38V
Day 3 - The weather sets the tone
The next morning, the sun kissed us awake and we immediately went outside for a sunrise shooting. Then we went along the southern slope of the Geisler Group past the beautiful Pieralongia rock pinnacle in the direction of Col dala Pieres. The sun was shining brutally down on us that day. Without any possibility of shade, we decided against climbing the summit of Col dala Pieres and turned north towards Forcella Roa. On the way, we left our last water to a young mountaineer who was visibly exhausted on her first solo hike. The path stretched along endless scree fields up the Felsscharte Forcella Roa and then down again until we reached the charming Medalges-Alm at 5:00 p.m. The weather forecast predicted a severe storm for the night, so we decided to test the Zenbivy Quilts for their suitability in the dormitory. Thanks to the modular system, we had our own spacious blanket with us and slept like in our bed at home while the world outside seemed to be going under with loud thunder.
Entrance to the Peitlerkofler via ferrata - Hasselblad X2D, XCD 90V
Day 4 - The end is so near
The last day was dedicated to climbing the Peitlerkofel. Low bands of clouds moved through the valleys at our feet throughout the morning, adding variety to the rugged rock landscape. To start the via ferrata, we hid our backpacks behind a rock ledge. Equipped only with a camera and a water bottle, we were 15kg lighter and jumped from rock to rock like young ibexes, enjoying our freedom. Afterwards, we headed east of the Peitlerkofel across another dreamlike alpine meadow with small wooden barns back to the Würzjoch. The next thunderstorm was already on our heels, and we reached the protective car at the last moment. Our backpacks landed hastily on the front seats, and with the rear seats folded down, our two Zenbivy Light Mattresses in size M fit perfectly into the Skoda Kodiaq, providing us with another dry, comfortable night.
Mountain hut on the eastern slope of the Peitlerkofel - Hasselblad X2D, XCD 38V
After my many shoots in the mountains, I know that creativity and the strength to photograph only come when all basic needs are met. Food, warmth, and dryness are a must to stay fit on long tours. The Durston X-Mid Pro 2 tent, the ZenBivy Light Quilt -12°C, and the Zenbivy Light Mattress provided us with exactly that, while also saving weight and space in our backpacks. Sometimes it's not the new lens that leads to better pictures, but a reliable, comfortable home on the go. If this post has made you curious about ZenBivy products, feel free to use the following link to save 5% on your purchases at Zenbivy.eu.
PS: Please always remember the local regulations for camping outdoors and coordinate with the landowners in advance.
