words :: Mountain Life Editorial Team // photos :: Glen Harris.

2020 was an odd year, to put it mildly. So when our Ontario team set up a paddle trip to Georgian Bay‘s Mink and McCoy islands last summer it was no surprise that, from the beginning, things didn’t go exactly as planned.

Paddlers know the “Minks and McCoys,” two island chains off the wild, exposed eastern shore of the Bay, as a reliable haven from bad weather and high winds. When French explorer Samuel de Champlain first laid eyes on the Bay in the early 1600s, he called it La Mer Douce. This could be translated as either “the gentle sea” or “the sweet sea.” One theory is that he meant “sweet” as in “not salty,” since he was expecting to find an ocean. We doubt he meant “gentle” since on a windy day, the Bay is anything but.

On the first day, our group of paddlers (SUP and canoe) met those winds head-on. There is an open water crossing of more than two kilometres from the mainland to the first of the Mink Islands. And this is where the headwind caught us out. The people on SUPs were OK (though moving slowly). The canoeists struggled, sideswiped by waves.

Their only option was to turn off-course and paddle into the waves. We all took a desperate detour to an islet just west of Franklin Island. And here we stayed until the wind calmed down. Luckily, our trove of MEC gear kept us ready for the unexpected.

Tried, Tested and…

MEC Deluxe Pillow

As people used to big puffy (but not too puffy) down pillows for their everyday sleeping, we used to struggle with camping pillows. No longer. The Deluxe Pillow inflates to your liking with just a few breaths of air. And the foam topper is made of open-cell foam scraps left over from MEC sleeping pad construction. Hit the button below for more details.

MEC AMP 2-Person Tent

This spacious little number is for those who won’t compromise on liveability in the backcountry. Building on MEC’s well-loved Volt series, they’ve amped up the interior volume with vertical walls and a living space that can accommodate wide sleeping pads. It weighs just 2.17 kg, and boasts a DriBase™ waterproof floor for durable water protection throughout the lifetime of the tent.

MEC Double Hammock with Tree Straps

This very portable double-capacity hammock is made using a nearly zero waste production pattern, sized to reduce fabric waste while still allowing room for two (friendly) people. DWR treatment sheds dew, condensation and light rain. Integrated stuff sack doubles as a pocket that fits your tall cans or paperback.

MEC Synergy HD Gore-Tex Jacket

The waterproof/breathable shell is an imperative piece of kit for your trip. If you don’t have it when you need it, you miss it a lot. Not in the same way you’ll miss food or your tent, but close. The Synergy HD is a shell to outperform in all kinds of conditions. And it boasts handy features including pockets designed to function when you’re wearing a harness or backpack. Hit the button to learn more.

MEC Draco -9°C Down Sleeping Bag 

When you go on a SUP trip, one of the first things that you notice is that different boards do different things. You can’t SUP-surf on a touring board. And you can’t fall asleep on a warm night in a bag rated to -30°C. Where we were camping, central-northern Ontario, in summer, the Draco -9°C Down Sleeping Bag hits the sweet spot. The climate can go pretty cold some nights, especially in late summer, and you will sleep better knowing you’re protected if the mercury plunges. And you’re not sweating in a too-hot bag, either. Plus, the -9°C rating means you can use the Draco for fall or spring trips as well.

MEC Travel Light Packing Cube 

If you haven’t tried packing cubes on a trip yet, you need to. These things made it easy to sift through four days of gear dry bags and pull out exactly what we were looking for each and every time. The large blue one had shorts and pants in it. Medium blue: tops. The small lava cube held electronics. The large grey cube: kids’ swim gear. And so on. Every time we reached into our dry bags, we just grabbed what we were after without disrupting the entire contents. It’s easy to feel organized with MEC packing cubes!

Check out all the latest MEC camping gear here.

MOUNTAIN LIFE BEHIND THE GEAR

The Designers: For MEC’s Mark Knight, Lightweight Tent Design is all about Balance.

Minks and Mcoys Trip Gear List

Sleeping

MEC Spark 2.0 2-Person Tent
MEC AMP 2-Person Tent
MEC Centaurus -9C Sleeping Bag – Unisex
MEC Draco -9C Down Sleeping Bag – Men’s
MEC VectAir Insulated LT Sleeping Pad – Unisex
MEC VectAir Insulated Sleeping Pad – Unisex
MEC Deluxe Pillow

Hanging Out

MEC Ultra Lite Chair
MEC Silicone Scout Tarp
MEC Double Hammock with Tree Straps

Packs & Bags

MEC Travel Light Packing Cube
MEC First Aid Bag
MEC Outpost 120L Duffle

Apparel

MEC Synergy HD Gore-Tex Jacket
MEC Mochilero Shorts
MEC Mica 2 Shorts
MEC Overland Stretch Shirt
MEC Rockwall Midlayer

SUP

MEC One Buoyant Heaving Line

Check out MEC’s paddleboarding and canoeing gear.