Have a XT double chainset. I want to keep both rings and fit a bash. Is there a way to fit a bash guard or is it just tough (and I should have bought the triple and changed the rings).

Would the new Hope integrated bash / ring work?

you need to check the BCD of the chainset* and will need some longer chainring bolts

*everything mtb was based around 4bolt 104BCD for ages, but i think some new double chainsets have a larger BCD ~ your bash needs to match.

I think the hope ring is designed for 1×10/9 only so won’t have shifting ramps, etc. on it?

Pretty sure you can – my mate runs a bash on a new XT double. For XTR they make a race and trail version of the chainset and the bash will onky fit on the trail version.

I’m not so sure. Some of the dedicated 2x cranksets have a contoured / sloping edge on the outside of the middle chainring tabs – I.e. a bashguard wouldn’t sit flush and likely wouldn’t work. Certainly SRAM x9 cranksets are like this, and a bash won’t go on without a lot of filing.

Also the chainrings are offset compared with a standard 3x crank, so the bashguard may be too far out therefore not fit behind the crank arm.

Basically I’m saying I’d double check before I bought anything.

EDIT: I suspect that the Hope ring is designed to sit outboard of the chainring tabs. Might be wrong on this.

You can’t fit a ‘standard’ bash to the new XT doubles as they won’t fit on the crank spider. To my knowledge there is only one bash out there specifically designed to fit the M785, and it aint cheap!
Blackspire Defender

Your only other choice is to buy a triple and replace the big ring with a standard 104 BCD bash, but then you have to change the chainrings too so it won’t end up being much cheaper…