Ridgerunner is a Warbonnet hammock. Made in the US. Hawksnest looks like a variation on a gathered end hammock. The rods at either end of the Hawksnest dont appear to do much toward a flat lie, more to suspend the screen of the capsule, rather than the spreader bars in the Ridgerunner. Functionally, the Hawksnest is like most of the gathered end hammocks on the market. I've slept in asymmetrical gathered end hammocks, which are slightly better than a good backyard hammock. For me nothing comes close to the flat lie of a Ridgerunner though I know there are high tension sleeping pods out there.

X-Dome 1+ spotted in the wild

FredForest wrote:

Ridgerunner is a Warbonnet hammock. Made in the US. Hawksnest looks like a variation on a gathered end hammock. The rods at either end of the Hawksnest dont appear to do much toward a flat lie, more to suspend the screen of the capsule, rather than the spreader bars in the Ridgerunner. Functionally, the Hawksnest is like most of the gathered end hammocks on the market. I've slept in asymmetrical gathered end hammocks, which are slightly better than a good backyard hammock. For me nothing comes close to the flat lie of a Ridgerunner though I know there are high tension sleeping pods out there.

Fred … I did not understand the difference. Thanks for explaining!

 

ShawnD wrote:

Hey Tess

Like Martin I have owned a lot of TarpTents..

6 I think. Hogback, Scarp 1 Ultra, Moment DW, Double Rainbow Ultra, Protrail Li, Rainshadow.

Have bought new and used. They show up on Kijiji occasionally.

They make a great tent. Happy to answer any questions you might have.

As Martin mentioned if you want something ultralight and avoid the US duty unknown, I would look at the Durston X dome. Sold from Canada. They are hard to get. Once released they go quickly. They have a release date timer on the site. They have a larger solo 1+ and a 2 person version. They will come up used as well.

https://durstongear.com/products/x-dome-1-plus-ultralight-backpacking-tent

They are releasing a Dyneema version of the 1+ later this month that I’m strongly considering. It should be the lightest freestanding tent available.

I have now signed up for the release of the Durston x Dome. I also wrote to the company asking if they think I would get it before my August 20 trip.  It is a tight window.
 

tess wrote:

Andy W wrote:

FWIW, after a lot of expense investing in solo  tent alternatives, I've had great success for many years with my TarpTent. Two years ago, i decided to try out what it was like sleeping in the trees and fell in love with the Haven XL. Will never go back again and will never sleep on the ground again. I've never slept this well before and would recommend at least looking into the Haven XL's as consideration.  
https://haventents.com/products/haven-xl 
 

Andy, that Haven XL is a very cool sleep system. Wow… I had no idea such sleep structures exist. The problem for me is it is over 6 pounds. My issue is not sleeping on the ground, but the weight I carry. I want to go as light as I can afford so I can continue to trip as I get older. But, my daughter in law who I backpack with is now really keen on exploring the Haven.

Yup. I completely understand which was what I was struggling with as well. but their weight includes the sleeping pad as well which when I compared the total weight for the entire system. (even knowing it was still a little heavier than options, the comfort far "Outweighed" the additional weight. . . . . And yes that pun was on purpose haha. Good luck in your search. 

Last edited by Andy W (7/19/2026 5:36 pm)

The Haven sleep system looks very cool. There was a time when I thought hammocks, or suspended systems, were gimmicky. I loved my tent(s) and would always sleep in one with a solid sleeping pad. I am a complete convert. While this thread is not about on ground/off ground sleeping, a good night's sleep is worth a bit of extra weight to me if a solid rest is the result.

Would you consider buying or making a canoe cart and then trying to see how far it might get you?  I think you can get all the way to Hogan with a cart from Opeongo, and I did the Rain-McCraney one a few times.  Investing the time/$$$ into a good cart would mean you can wheel everything together, with minimal actual lifting.  A few roots here and there would mean you need to haul laterally, but it wouldn't be as bad on your back I would think.

Obviously I don't think it would be great for a deep-woods excursion, but there's some fun routes still to be had, and you'd be able to bring all the luxuries that would make life a bit more enjoyable (I'm looking at you canoe seats!)

Hang in there Tess! It sounds like you suffer several of the same problems as me, but there are solutions!
Even tripling or quadrupling portages is still better than sitting at home. Think about dividing up your pack into smaller portions- I dug out my old Baja Bag plus another one with straps. both are about 35L and fit easily into my 110L canoe pack. In a pinch I can pull them both out and essentially carry three different bags (four with the food barrel). On a tough slog or when my injuries warrant it, I can carry my bedding and canoe on one trip, my clothes and small ditch/ fishing kit on trip 2, my washup, accessories, and kitchen kit on 3, and if necessary my food and lose gear on 4. My cane goes on every trip but is often folded up, allowing me to use a paddle as a walking stick for 2 of the trips, and the cane for 2, as well as all the trips back to the takeout. It actually seems less intensive this way as I can relax and stretch out the kinks on the return trips. when I'm doing the 4x portage, I'll often stop after the second for a quick snack and brewup, and contemplate being out there as opposed to melting my mind on cable TV pablum or youtube insanity...
Pain can be a considerable challenge, but the proper balance of meds, therapy, and supports like a cane, supporting braces and wraps, chemical or boil-type heat pads or cold packs, and even small, portable tenz units can make a world of difference. to save considerable cash I use those pocket hand and foot warmers and a roll of paper surgical tape to tape them to my clothes over the offending area instead of paying $10-20 a pop on those sports injury pads, I buy the "family" pack size around April or May when they drop to half price, and carry an old chunk of bath-towel in a silicone zip-lock bag that I can soak in any cold water source, bag up and use as a cold pack for about 10 minutes for inflammation.
Like me, you may need to pick shorter portages, do more basecamp- type trips, or even (shudder) car- camp on occasion. Don't forget -mental and emotional health are just as important as the physical part, and it's not so bad slowing down and even stopping when needed- there's just as much beauty and wonder in a 1/2" tree frog or tiny wildflower as there is on the big sweeping vistas and lakeside views. And who cares what others think of your multiple portages or slow, careful pace- they're not you and don't truly understand what it takes for YOU to get out there!!!.
just a couple of quick notes- metal canes don't float so take it apart and stuff it full of styrofoam or use a wood one for tripping, plus they can make an excellent boathook, or to pull down guylines for rigging tarps. One of those little, folding fisherman's stools on  the outside of your pack can gif you a decent place for a quick break, and when combined with a folding chair can be used as a footstool to elevate your legs after making camp, and there's also the use of sherpas to share your load- after all a few lbs of weight is a small price to pay to benefit from your years of experience, anecdotes, and stories...
Of course Norm will want his own Sherpa too...

Last edited by scoutergriz (7/21/2026 6:24 am)

I definitely like the Scoutergriz approach re: adapting. Lighten each load, take more time (bring more stuff ! LOL.) I feel like I am already doing that as a way of minimizing risk exposure. Also, I am a fan of using the water taxi on OP to drop me off somewhere whether it's directly on, or near, a campsite or at a portage that I might spend the day moving across. Such a huge lake, not too hard to use the taxi to get to a feeling of remoteness without leaving the lake. Though there is the expense.
I spent some time putting together options for low/no portage trips which I am sharing below:

Access
3          Hambone
4          Rain
16        Craig
16b      KMOG, N. Tea
29        Kiosk
26        N. River Lake
27        Cedar
25        Wendigo
23        Lake Travers
22        Grand Lake
20        Sec Lake
17        Crotch/Shall
13        Galeairy

I can't say I have any particular attachments to the lakes/routes from my younger days that I feel I must continue to go back to. Ironically, there are plenty of spots on the above list I have never been to because I was always looking for options to get deeper into the backcountry. Turns out I don't need to spend three days getting to a site to read books. They're all pretty good for that lol.