Backcountry Sonex?

[SP1]

I was reading the latest edition of Kitplanes, which talked about used Sonexes. There was a mention about Sonexes being used in the backcountry, and not recommending the trigear option for this. I had never thought about landing on anything but bonafide concrete or blacktop runways.

Have people been using their Sonexes on the rough stuff? I can't imagine Trent Palmer like terrain, but that is intriguing. What modifications did you have to make? Bigger tires?

I did find an accident report about one landing on a relatively rough strip in Mercy Hot Springs, and there was another mention elsewhere that grass should be okay with a trigear, but on an infrequent basis.

[GraemeSmith]

I've logged:

2B1 - Cape Cod

Still on 4 in tires in this shot. Check out the competition behind me. Longest runway is 2,700ft grass.....

and 1B2 - Katama

both in MA in my tail wheel Sonex. Both are grass in decent - but not golf fairway - shape.

Wheel pants off.
I've switched the stock 4" tires for 5" x 500 Airhawks - deliberately to help with grass fields. 6" solid tail wheel.

Not sure I would tackle an Alaska gravel sandbar though!

[Sonex1517]

I routinely fly my Sonex taildragger off grass. I did so with the stock tires and now with bigger tires.