Well, I’ve read the superlights
are not for everybody but those who really need long portages. In my case, the dolly helps me carry the canoe and all the gear inside through back streets to the launching place.
The main reason I want to switch from Discovery 169 to M-II is performance.
single vs Dbl carries
The thing that my cart has let me do is to go from double carries to single carries. there are lots of carries up here that are on roads or well used trails and I have found that wheels are very efficient. If I was on a day trip with minimal gear than I would probably forgo the cart but if I am carrying camping gear the cart goes with me.
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not sure about the difference b/
single and double carries.
single vs Double Carries
– Last Updated: Feb-11-09 11:43 AM EST –
A single carry is when you carry all your stuff in one trip from the start on the portage to the end.
A double carry is when you do two trip to get all the stuff across the portage.
For example: Trip one may include the boat, paddles, vests and a daypack with some of the gear. After you get to the put in on the opposite end you leave that stuff and return to the start and bring the drybag, camera, and whatever else is left.
If you have a cart you attach the canoe to the cart and pile all your stuff in and roll the whole load to the other end. This method is great if you have a portage route where wheels are possible. Sometimes the trail are rough enough so that using a cart is pretty much impossible.
There are lots of variables. Are you solo with gear for several days of paddling tandem and going light? Are the carries short or long? I have done lots of pond hopping where the carries are short enough so that I wouldn't consider using a cart.
I have found that in the northeast it is often very useful to have a cart with you. In the Adirondacks on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail you can travel from Old Forge to Saranac and make the trip much less difficult using a cart. At a reasonable pace this is maybe a 5 or 6 day trip with lots of carries almost all of them are perfect for a cart. The carries are up to 1.25 miles long. By using a cart you walk 1.25 miles, if you have to double carry you walk 3.75 miles. This all adds up. I don't have maps in front of me but I will guess that there are about 6.5 miles of portages on that trip, by using a cart I only have to walk 6.5 miles. I would have to double carry and would therfore have to walk 19.5 miles
On the 9 Carries Route, also in the Adirondacs, there are lots of carries none of which are very cart friendly. I would probably not bring the cart on that trip and suck it up and do it the traditional way.