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Equipment, Clothing, and Food

Outdoor equipment continues to evolve and improve. Manufacturers have improved the technical performance of tents, sleeping bags, stoves, lights, canoe packs, and most of the other pieces of gear you will consider bringing with you. A major trend to reduce weight across these product categories has had a definite impact on the load paddlers have to bear while portaging. Imagine reducing the weight of all your gear by 20 percent without leaving anything at home. And don’t worry that lightweight will be less durable. Most reputable manufacturers market gear that will hold up for many seasons of paddling.

Carry and use a small stove and fuel to cook your meals. Stoves heat more cleanly, quickly, and evenly than campfires. Leave the limited amount of dead wood available for a small after-dinner campfire. Axes and hatchets are not necessary. There is plenty of suitable firewood that can easily be broken or cut with a small camp saw.

At least one person in each canoe should carry a duplicate map and compass and know how to use both. Although most maps are printed on water-resistant, tear-proof materials, a waterproof plastic map holder that can be attached to a canoe seat for quick reference is a good investment.