I’ve run the XTM room a few seasons; fine for carpark basecamps in mild weather, but in real wind I switch to a freestanding 3P under a big tarp. Freestanding hack does work: two extra telescopic poles plus a spreader bar to “crown” the roof, four corner stakes and two long diagonals; trekking poles in an inverted V with a short ridge line also works in a pinch. To stop pooling/flap, add a second spreader across the leading edge, pitch 50-80 mm lower on the leeward side, and put shock-cord “springers” on the main guys. Stock floor rarely seals-Tyvek or polycro bathtub (100-150 mm walls) with stick-on Velcro around the base, and magnetic bug skirt against the car door fixes the gaps. Swap pegs: screw-ins (GroundGrabba or similar) for sand, long V/Delta stakes for hard dirt, and 3 mm low-stretch glow line with LineLocs for fast tensioning. Packability is the real tax: the room and poles eat more space than the spec; split poles from fabric and compress the fabric with two cam straps or a vac bag. Compatibility is hit-or-miss-measure your sail track (most are 6 mm) and zipper size (#10 coil common); a 6-to-8 mm keder adapter strip and a universal zip panel can save you. Leave-behind security: two buried deadmen on the windward side plus a cable lock through the poles and spreaders; drop the windward wall to half-height if a front is coming. Heat/cold: 70% shade cloth over the awning with a 100 mm air gap helps massively; in cold, add a draft skirt along the vehicle side and foam tiles under the bed. If you tire of the faff, a 3×3 tarp over a proper tent (or a light gazebo with an inner) is tougher in weather and packs smaller for the same money.