In this episode, I sit down with Dan Durston, founder and lead designer of Durston Gear, to dive deep into the world of ultralight shelters, backcountry design, and the future of small gear companies taking on the giants.

We talk about Dan’s journey from long-distance thru-hikes like the Pacific Crest Trail and Great Divide Trail, to daydreaming gear ideas in the wilderness, to accidentally founding one of the most respected ultralight gear brands today.

This conversation goes beyond shelters—it’s about innovation, passion-driven design, and how democratized manufacturing has opened the door for boutique companies to challenge industry leaders. If you’re into hunting, backpacking, or just geeking out on gear design, this one’s for you.

00:00 – Introduction & guest background

02:00 – Discovering ultralight backpacking

05:00 – Pacific Crest Trail planning, logistics & lessons learned

08:00 – Gear philosophy: weight efficiency vs. pure ultralight

12:00 – “Death of the Giants” & rise of boutique gear brands

16:00 – Daydreaming gear ideas on long hikes

20:00 – The birth of Durston shelters

25:00 – Fly-first pitch design & real-world use

28:00 – Business journey: partnerships, contracts & independence

32:00 – Why SilPoly changed the shelter game

36:00 – Material battles: SilNylon vs. SilPoly

40:00 – The evolution of Dyneema and shelter construction

45:00 – Ultra fabrics, durability, and real-world tradeoffs

50:00 – Lessons from building a grassroots gear company

55:00 – The future of ultralight innovation

Durston Gear

https://www.instagram.com/durstongear/

https://durstongear.com/

Jay Nichol

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://www.mindful-reviews.com/

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Forged In The Backcountry

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