Backpacker Radio

In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Demetri Coupounas, aka Coup, the founder of GoLite and MyTrail Company. Coup might just be the most interesting man in the world. This conversation takes us through his incredible journey, from his work balancing the federal budget in the '80s and '90s to becoming the first person to complete unsupported hikes of the Colorado Trail and the Long Trail, and how he stumbled upon the once underground world of ultralight backpacking.  We also dive into the history of GoLite, from its role in popularizing Ray Jardine’s ultralight designs to its meteoric rise with more than 20 retail stores nationwide—without taking any investor money—and its eventual downfall, leading to bankruptcy just a few years later. Coup shares the story of MyTrail Co, his follow-up venture, and how he applied the lessons learned from GoLite while stripping away what didn’t work, and how that eventually failed to achieve launch.  This episod