| Dealing With Challenges » Everything Hurts » 7/19/2026 7:29 pm |
Durston products are not made in Canada. They are made in Asia, maybe Vietnam. It is just a Canadian owned business. It is better than the MEC Spark in just about every dimension. You must be looking at the 2 person Spark. The 1 person is like a coffin. I don't love it. Smedleyco has one. He says it's.. ok.
I'm not going to fanboy on too much about the X-Dome. Google it. It's the best selling backpacking tent in the world and I can't say anything that hasn't been said a hundred times already. Kind of crazy how it and all Durston products have taken off. He is a bit of a backpacking gear savant.
| Dealing With Challenges » Everything Hurts » 7/19/2026 10:29 am |
X-Dome 1+ spotted in the wild
| Dealing With Challenges » Everything Hurts » 7/16/2026 9:30 am |
I've had a Tarptent Moment, Scarp and Stratospire. For me the stand out is the Moment. All of them were bought used through people on AA, Reddit or Facebook Marketplace. Even a new the Moment DW was something like $300 last time I looked.
If you were in the market for much more expensive Dyneema Tents, I wouldn't look at Tarptent. I would look at Durston. There are no duties on Durston tents. They are cheaper and some might argue better than Tarptent. Plus it's a Canadian company.
EDIT: Just noticed Ian's tent review above. Excellent Job Ian! A Moment DW is like a mini Hogback. I do a crappy job reviewing gear but in this video you see a trip where the Moment was really put through it's paces:
| Dealing With Challenges » Everything Hurts » 7/15/2026 5:49 pm |
Good ultra light equipment can be very expensive. For about 15 years I used a TarpTent Moment DW as my go-to tent for paddling and backpacking. Its not the lightest but it's also not the most expensive. I still love that tent and highly recommend it for its ease of setup and simplicity.
A few days ago this crossed my feed. Excellent video on packing
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA 946 » 7/14/2026 9:38 pm |
You got it Barbara! This is the end of the first portage out of North River Lake into the North River.
| Dealing With Challenges » Everything Hurts » 7/12/2026 10:32 am |
Sorry to hear from that Tess. I can empathize with your pain. My hips and knees are starting to fail. Besides strength training (which I need to start doing) and staying active, my answer is ultralight everything. This is especially true for backpacking or trips with a number of portages.
It seems you are on that path but when you mention really good boots and the best sleeping pad ever, I know you are making compromises. I get that too. The other compromise I bet you are making, is you bring dogs. Dogs bring along a lot of extra weight with them. Some things are necessary even with the extra weight.
Everyone I trip with knows I go very light. And I see others try to do it too, but stop with one or two major ultralight pieces of equipment. A canoe or a backpack. Or they pause at the price and feels it's not worth it. If it keeps you out there for a few more years, it's worth the price.
Look at everything! Your bear hang only needs to 2.5 mm rope (Dyneema). You don't need 5 roll top dry bags to compartmentalize your stuff. Put all your dry clothes, sleeping bag, air mattress in a big ultra Sil rolltop bag. You don't need a toiletries bag a zip lock will do, you don't need a filter, use tablets instead. Most people's cook kits are 2 to 3 times bigger than needed. Like wool socks? Use thin lightweight hiking socks. In fact every single piece of clothing you bring can be a third or half the weight if you take the time to layer better or think critically about it.
My biggest advice is to look at everything you bring, make as much as possible do double duty, cut things out, and cut absolutely every last thing down in size. You will be amazed at the difference it makes.
If none of this really works for you, trip with someone younger and get them to carry the big stuff!
| Trip Reports » ML NORTHERN LEGS » 7/08/2026 4:57 pm |
Awesome! I'm planning a solo link and want to do it counter clockwise in May or June. I just really want to go down the 100km of the Big East when there is enough water to cover most of the rocks. Your description of the Nip makes me want not to do it Counter clockwise.
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA 946 » 7/08/2026 4:39 pm |
Nope
| Trip Reports » Solo Hike to North Branch & Loonskin » 7/06/2026 8:35 pm |
Wonderful hike Trail!! Seems like maybe there was less bushwhacking this time. Does the trail go pretty much all the way to the North Branch Portage?
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA 946 » 7/05/2026 3:42 pm |
It is ice out and it is a river, but it is not the Nip.
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA 946 » 7/04/2026 1:08 pm |
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA 945 » 6/27/2026 8:07 am |
Lavieille? Although I can't think of a beach site
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA 944 » 6/16/2026 5:22 pm |
Traverse?
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA 943 » 6/13/2026 8:08 pm |
That's it! You are up John
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA 943 » 6/13/2026 5:25 pm |
This lakes name comes from the guy who added the Galipos to the park.
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA 943 » 6/11/2026 10:19 am |
IanTendy wrote:
Just as an assist for someone else...is this in and around the Galipo lakes?
Mitch Marner with the assist
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA 943 » 6/10/2026 8:01 pm |
Nope. This is also a dead end lake.
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