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.
⏱️ Chapters
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/
Jay Nichol
https://www.mindful-reviews.com/
https://www.mindfulhunter.com/
Forged In The Backcountry
https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/
Merch
https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop
Newsletter
https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact
IG
https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/
Podcast
https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast
Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide
https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools
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