Okay, so I'm not too concerned about keeping it light for my upcoming trip. There are two easy portages and our schedule is really conservative.

However - I don't want to overpack to the point of hilarity. What doesn't seem like a heavy pack at home can get really heavy after a half hour of walking.

So I put it to you seasoned campers to give your opinion on how much of my "safety first, just in case" packing is overkill.

Here's some items I have doubts about:

I have 3 small fuel canisters for the stove. They say they last about an hour and a half each. I'm packing based on the assumption that we might be completely reliant on the stove to cook meals. Is 3 too much?

Rope: You can never have too much... or can you? I have two 100 ft legnths. Not heavy on their own, but perhaps overkill? Should I cut them into 2 50 ft legnths and bring less?

Sleeping mat - I scored a second hand thermarest - it seems fine, but I was planning on bringing my blue foamie just in case - paranoia?

Any other suggestions about things newbies think they need and don't really need?

Many, many thanks, flyingdogs.

Overpacking could mean many different things - too many luxuries, overestimating how much food you need, heavy gear, etc. With that in mind, I really like your motto of "safety first, just in case". So I'll respond with that motto in mind.

1) Fuel canisters - are they propane or butane? It won't help my answer but it might help for others. How many days and how many meals require cooking? (maybe that's been discussed in another thread?)
- I would say that this fits into your safety first motto and to go ahead and carry the 3rd canister for this trip. All sorts of good reasons for it - 1 canister could be more empty than you thought, weather could be cold and wet so you want a lot more hot drinks than you had planned, etc.

2) Rope - funny thing is you never can have too much, but that sometimes seems to have as much to do with the job expanding to use the rope you have as anything else. So, what are you using the rope for? What diameter? If you're worried about weight, you can always take a smaller diameter rope. Don't worry about cutting it now, that can always be done onsite when you know what lengths you actually need. If you figure 20' for a clothes line because that was where the trees were and another 30' for a ridgeline on a tarp you've already used 50' before tieing anything down. 200' doesn't sound like too much in most cases.
On the other hand, if you don't have enough rope, what is the 'safety first" concern? What is the risk if you are short on rope?

3) Sleeping mat - at this time of year this is a "comfort first". But hey, no need to be uncomfortable and every reason to test the thermarest before you go. Inflate it and leave some books or stuff sitting on it overnight. Then you'll know if it's going to leak or not. So if you are worried about overpacking, the worst case from a leaky themarest is being a little stiffer in the morning.


Hmmmm, what are the heavy things that you're overpacking? A propane canister can be a bit heavy, but the rope and blue foam pad aren't. I bet there's something heavy in your gear that you aren't thinking of as optional that you probably could give up.


___________________________
No your other left!
www.loonislandoutdoors.com

I neglected a few details eh?

We're going for 5 days (4 nights) and they're butane canisters. I was thinking that one of them might turn out to be faulty, or maybe we'd have to rely on them the whole trip. I tested the stove and it boiled a small pot of water in about the same amount of time as my big stove at home. Okay, I'll pack the three.

Other heavy things: Books! The books are coming though - they're wildlife flora / fauna / algonquin park / recipe books and we were wishing we had them with us last time. Travel Scrabble is not too heavy, but again it's one more straw on the camel's back - but it's coming too. We bought it just for the trip. That's it for the non-essentials.

rope - I can't remember the diameter right now, but it's thick enough to tie a canoe, to hang food, a tarp, a clothesline. I woudn't go mountain climbing with it though. Okay, all the rope comes.

Other heavy things would be fresh produce, but we're going to try drying chickpeas this weekend so we don't need to bring cans.

I'll inflate the therma rest tonight and leave the books on it... I'll bet the dog will settle down on it too.

Oh yeah, we're bringing two tarps. We're planning on using one under the tent and one to shelter the kitchen area in case it rains (or possibly the tent if it really pours).

The tarps are pretty heavy, but essential, right? Maybe we can replace one tarp with a proper tent "footprint" later. I'm tempted to bring a third tarp in case we need a windbreak as well as a shelter.

As well, I'm planning on bringing a small pharmacy: pepto tablets, tylenol, codiene, benedryl - anything else?

Oh! I just read yesterday that you should tie your canoe packs into the canoe in case you dump, so you won't lose your packs. This seems counter-intuitive to me, wouldn't that be potentially dangerous? Or sink the canoe? I know you should not tie paddles to the canoe.

Thanks so much.

Why would you have to rely on your stove the whole trip? We've started fires in the rain. 200ft of rope seems like a lot of rope. How big are your tarps? I bring one of the smallest one MEC has and that's it. I have never heard of anyone tying their packs to the canoe.

CANS OF CHICKPEAS,

No bottles or cans allowed in the park anyway.

I'm halfway between the UL crowd and the regular pack weight crowd. For 5 days my pack would weigh ~50#. Personally, I think you're overpacking.

Fresh food? I don't pack any except for the first night, sometimes. I try to stick to 1-1.5 lb of food/day, dry weight. My food is 90% dry weight, cheese, peanut butter, jam just don't do well dehydrated.

100' of rope is a pain to work with. While I hate to cut a good rope, I'd cut at least one of them into 3 ropes. 2X25 & 1X50. Can't have too much rope. Unless you find that some of it just doesn't get used after your longest trip.

Paranoid with the foamy. Testing the thermarest is easy. Squish all the air out of it. Close the valve. Ignore it for a few hours. If it's still empty, it's good.

I don't use a cannister stove. Can't comment. Alcohol stove, 1L should last a week for one person.

200' of rope should do...especially if that's your tarp rope, food rope, etc.

I wouldn't really worry about it as you said it's two short portages. It doesn't matter how much you have even if you have to triple carry over two small portages.

I never skimp on rope and always bring two tarps...one for the fire and one for over the tent with an extra 5' or so overhang over the front of the tent...it helps to make it like a "porch" with a dry area in front of the door for shoes, etc.

Take what you want and you'll figure out next time what you really want!

And, Guncho, you've never heard of packs tied into a canoe??? Either you're completely inattentive, never read any previous threads, forgetful or just wallowing in the bliss of ignorance but it's been mentioned on these boards many times and in many other resources. If your canoe flips and you're not using barrels or drybags your pack sinks and life becomes more challenging. You've had to have seen it here before and just forgotten.

yes, that's why we're drying them

Thanks - I will be sure to tie the packs to the canoe then.

The tarps are huge - far larger than I think we need, but my gf's parents bought them for us. There are political and fiscal reasons we'll be bringing the overkill tarps this trip.

At least we're not bringing camp chairs!

Fuel:
For me, 800 ml of white gas (full fuel tank of 300ml + 500 ml plastic gas container) for one week is sufficient for 2 (stove is used 1.5 hrs/day). Without getting too bogged down in detail as everything is relative (Two easy portages - what is easy to you? Well groomed trail < 2 km? What will u be cooking, etc) I'd take 2 canisters (500 ml?) and supplement your cooking needs with an evening and/or morning fire. That would be ample for me for 5 days with no fires.

Rope:
Take a variety of thicknesses of rope, 100 feet of the thick stuff (10 mm+) should be ample, but take smaller diamter stuff too. You'll likely need to cut that thicker rope into lengths as noted in a previous post. Melt, glue or tape the ends to prevent unravelling (depending on the type of rope u use).

I take 2 lengths x 15 meter 10mm diameter climbing rope for lining the canoe, bow tie down while at camp, as main x-support for tarp and hanging food pack (if required).
2 X ~50 m lenths of parachute chord for clothes line and general purpose (heaveir tarp tie-downs or support)
4 x 3 m lengths of parachute chord for paddle tie-downs on the portages
6 x 4 m lengths of guide-line rope (reflective) for tarp/fly tie downs

Sleeping mat
Test the Thermarest before hand - sleep on it on your regular mattress or better yet on the floor. Fully inflate beforehand, check it for pressure the next. If it leaks, patch it up if possible. If she's firm the morning after, your good to go and leave the blue foamie at home. Take a thermarest patch kit with you in your repair bag during the trip (shoe goop + waterproof rip-stop nylon patches).

Books:
Careful with books - just bring 2-3, and package them in Ziplocks or beefier map cases to prevent moisture. If it's recipees you want then photocopy the appropriate pages and bring those instead of risking the full cookbook.


Pharmacy:
Bring aloe vera for burns (sun/fire), tube of polysporin, alcohol wipes, some anti-itch (Calomine) if you're sensitive to bugs bites, advil or some backpain relief stuff (Robaxoxin - sp?). And a well-stocked small first aid kit (tweezers/various bandaids/H2O proof bandage tape/scissors/gauze/etc)

Pack tie downs:
I do this when white-water canoeing or travelling open water long distances. Your packs should be packed properly and should float, so they will add to the bouyancy of your vessel should it be overturned.

So many more things to suggest - but bring a water filter (Katadyn/MEC/whatever), mask/snorkel, packsaw, good footwear + sandals, bug juice/baby oil, sun hat, quality rain gear, 2 headlamps, suntan lotion, good quality backpack/tripping packs, dry bags, compression sacks, windproof/waterproof matches, torch lighters, SS or Titanium cookware/utensils/plates/mugs/bowls, sponge (for canoe), etc etc.

Because they are light and easy to pack, I always bring lots and lots of rope, plus 3 tarps at least.....1 for shelter, 1 for covering gear, etc. and 1 for over tent in case of heavy rain!


Bo

Fuel - the small canisters to add up to about 800 ml. Good to know I'm on track there. The two easy portages are the Rock lake to Pen lake, and then Pen Lake to Clydegale. We may take a detour through Galeary (via Night L.) on our way back up to Rock lake, and there's a longer portage there, but it'll be the last day and all the heavy fresh food will be gone.

Thermarest - can I just fill it and submerse it in a bathtub to check for leaks? Any reason not to do that, as long as it's dry when I pack it again?

Yes, books will be in ziplocks. Good idea about copying the recipies - will do (and will be in page protectors & another ziplock with the maps)

We do have a good first aid kit (former nurse here) - I was just wondering about any extra pills... yes, back meds are a good idea! TY!

Canoe Packs - I have two canoe packs with many miles on them. The clothes & essentials will be in dry bags, within the canoe packs. However, I don't understand how the canoe packs are going to be buoyant - do the newer canoe packs have a foam layer that encourages them to float? All I see are two large canvas bags with heavy things in them.

I have everything on your last suggestion list - thank you. I started with a great packing list from last year's trip. I didn't think about a sponge for the canoe though - that'd do a much better job than the yoghurt container bailer alone!

Thanks for all your help.

I was thinking about bringing a third smaller tarp for covering wood for the next morning's fire... I'm sure I can make it work with the two giant tarps. Maybe putting it in the sheltered kitchen area will be enough.

50 lbs for 5 days eh? That's a good benchmark.

I'll have to post the weight of our gear so you folks can have a good laugh!

OCD? Everyone has a touch of it, some are just touched harder. I really think you're over-doing it. You don't need a whole other tarp for firewood.

Just as a contrast, I trip from ice-out to ice-up. I bring one tarp (10x12) and no tent (bivy sack). Everything I pack fits into my backpack, so there's plenty of room for it under the tarp with room to spare for sitting out rain and keeping firewood dry. Even two packs would leave plenty of room.

Hey, do what makes you enjoy your trip. If 5 tarps helps, bring 5 tarps. On short trips or trips with few portages I'll usually overpack. Heck, we had 4 tarps just two weeks ago on Daisy. Lots of rigging fun!

Tarp under the tent is risky. The tarp should not be larger than the floor area. If it is, water will pool on top of the tarp. My snobby attitude says a tent needs a waterproof bucket floor. A footprint is to save on wear & tear, not to waterproof. A tent should also have a full fly that is waterproof. Putting a tarp over the tent should never be necessary, it means the tent is broke. Lord knows, well at least Raccoon knows, you can survive with just a tarp draped over the canoe. Tarp under the tent is risky depending on how you set it up.

Thanks - I didn't know about being careful to ensure the tarp under the tent does not stick out from the bottom of the tent - I'll figure something out.

The tent is a good model with a waterproof fly & a waterproof bucket floor, but honestly until it's weathered a terrific storm, I won't feel comfortable trusting it - it's second-hand.

It did seem to me that a tarp over a tent with a waterproof fly was overkill, but it seems like a common thing campers are doing out there. As a green camper, I thought I'd be prepared to follow the examples of others until we work a system out of our own.

OCD? Yeah, I really do have it.

Thermarest - Yes you can inflate it and then soak it in the bathtub to look for leaks. That works really well and is routinely used to find small leaks to patch.

Tarp under the tent - nothing complex, just fold it in so that it doesn't stick out.

Fuel - butane is probably the least heat by volume, when comparing to naptha/coleman fuel/white gas or even to propane the volume won't be directly transferrable and butane will be on the low end. Still, you shouldn't have any trouble with fires so you can offload some of the load from the stoves.

Books - consider copying out the recipes you actually need with you and just taking a few sheets rather than the whole book. After all, if you don't have the ingredients already with you, you aren't going to be able to use all those other recipes.

___________________________
No your other left!
www.loonislandoutdoors.com

One important item: a list of what you brought, how much of it, etc.

And then....put a line through the things that didn't get used. (Except for the first aid stuff....put a star beside that if you didn't use it. )

Make notes: too much of this, too little of that, why did I bother carrying that with me, oh, how I wish we had had more of this other.....

No matter what lengths you cut the rope into, you will always run into a situation where the longest section is 6 inches too short.


OCD...I might have a touch, too. Lists for each pack or barrel, a menu that outlines each meal, and snacks, for each day, all food items and kitchen doodads needed listed down the side....everything single thing that is to go is listed, and checked off when packed, then checked again when loaded into the vehicle.


>>>>A camera....extra batteries....a good-sized memory card.


>>>>A notebook and mechanical pencil. (Trust me...)


It's tough remembering all the details in the correct order when it comes time to post the trip report.



Barbara

For proving a thermarest works or not, I'd suggest squishing all the air out and then see if it re-inflates with the valve closed. That's how I learned mine has holes. I actually learned the hard way, on a trip.

It was a nightmare to find the holes using the bathtub. At least 6 tiny little pin-pricks. No noticable bubbles formed under water. Once the holes came above the water I could hear them.

Your pack floats if it's properly waterproofed. The dry bags keep air in as well as water out and that's what gives it buoyancy.

I like having lots of tarps but mine are light weight, am I correct in assuming your are the Cdn. tire blue (or orange) tarps? If so that will add a lot to your pack weight and size.


Zeb

We come in early spring and this is the first year we brought a tarp, a Canadian Tire blue tarp for $5.99. about 16x10. For covering fire wood bring along some plastic, we use the rolls that they use for a vapor barrier in houses ( very lightweight )and folds up into nothing. As for a list to work off of, we have been doing that for years. Just check off what you have packed, when you get back check off what you really did not use or need and then think about packing it or leaving it at home the next time you go. As for recipes or your map, we have taken the area we go into and have had the map laminated so you do not have to carry a wet map with you,might work for some of your recipes. If it is calling for rain on your trip try and find a campsite with a place to put your tent a little further back into the bush, should keep some of the rain off of it. We take in the propane cylinders and use it for hot chocolate and oatmeal in the morning and shore lunch and all other meals are cooked over a open fire and we have never gone through 2 cylinders ever.

I am really with you on the lists - there's just too many things to keep track of otherwise!

Thank you for your list praise - I'm pointing out this thread to my GF who teases me about my lists! I feel vindicated! ha ha haaa!

Lists are great - they also help ensure everything you brought with you comes back.

I'm in love with the map on canoeguy's website. FAR superior to our store-bought maps. I've laminated those (another thing I've been teased about) and I have page protectors taped shut with packing tape for the other maps.

We did cull the number of books we're bringing - down to three from five.

I finished stitching up my second-hand canoe packs last night and did a test-pack - everything seems to fit in nicely, but I might end up splitting things into three smaller loads so I don't risk hurting my back. I suspect we're destined for the triple-carry this trip.

I'll weigh everything just for fun before we go.

Six days 'till put-in!

Thank you everyone for your feedback - you've been very helpful.

thank you - going to test it tonight.

the tarps are these giant green ones, I suspect they're from Canadian Tire. Not having the budget to purchase exactly everything we want for this trip, my GF's parents chipped in the tarps and a compass.

They're not ideal, but they'll get the job done for this trip.

I have some of that plastic vapour barrier - maybe I'll just cut a sheet of that for under the tent and bring extra for firewood.

dry bags - so I shouldn't make a point of squeezing as much air out of the dry bag as possible?

For packing purposes yes you should bleed the bags as much as possible but I've yet to pack a load that didn't float. I pack tight and that's sometimes included a 20lb radio.

Okay! Thanks for your help!

I'd bring the camp chairs and forget a few tarps. Comfort for the back is great. It might be sunny the whole time. Replace one tarp with booze. We tied the packs to the canoe last year in Quetico in high waves just so they didn't get away from us if we did tip. On short trips you can take whatever you want. you'll soon learn what is easier and worthwhile. Have fun and don't OCD so much.
1 tarp = 2 Litres of wine (tetra packs). You do the math. We go to enjoy ourselves.

Below is a list I give to friends I am introducing to canoe camping in Algonquin Park. I keep adding things I've forgotten, such as a tetanus shot.
“Keep It Light, Keep It Dry”

Recommended Canoe Trip Camping Gear







Clothes: Cotton is nice in summer when it is hot, but hard to dry during a rainy spell. Supplex and other synthetics are light, wind and bug resistant, and dry quickly. We wash clothes as we go and bring a clothesline. Light colors are cooler; dark colors, especially blue, are reputed to attract bugs. However, don’t buy anything new just for this trip unless you hope to use it again. We won’t be out for that long, and we’ve gotten by for years with whatever we’ve had on hand. Canoe camping has been called a fine and pleasant misery. No way around it, the right gear, whether clothes or any of the other gear listed below, minimizes the misery part. If you do wish to buy and at the lowest price, search the web. Campmor, Sierra Trading Post, and REI are sources of good, basic gear at reasonable prices.



* Long sleeved shirt—one; for bugs, cool evenings, too hot sun (uv
resistant if you want to spend the money).
* T-shirts—two. I break the rule and bring one cotton one with a
portage sign on the back. Comfort food.
* Shorts—one sturdy pair. We are often wet to the knees; long
pants are hot and heavy when wet.
* Bathing suit—optional, except at public beaches.
* Long pants—two pairs, supplex nylon works well; one pair for in
camp when it may be cool and buggy and the other pair is wet from wearing during a cold day. This is one place you can save weight by bringing only one pair; use with long underwear for warmth.
* Long underwear (top and bottom)—one pair; synthetic or silk.
Instead of the top, I prefer a poly turtle neck (for warmth and bugs).
* Windbreaker shell—with or without a hood; I prefer without
because I don’t like hoods and to save weight. I also prefer a full length zipper instead of a pullover for putting on easily in a canoe. A windbreaker and life jacket are a quick way to get warm in a cold wind.
* Jacket--something that is light and warm. After adding other
layers, this is your last resort, other than your sleeping bag and tent, your buddy’s body, and a fire.
* Socks and underwear—3 pairs each, synthetic for sure. I wear
blue polypropylene liner socks under a mid-weight pair of socks in my water shoes during the day. A warmer pair of socks are nice for in camp.
* Shoes—a lightweight pair of running shoes for in camp. Some
prefer water sandals, which can be worn with socks. The other pair is important to chose well. They will be wet most of the trip and need to provide good ankle support and traction for portaging over rocks and through mud. Shoreline play shoes are not sturdy enough, although if very lightweight might be good as a third pair of shoes for tender feet when swimming. My ideal portaging shoe is also light, drains well, and has a snug ankle collar to keep out sand and mud. FiveTen had the perfect thing, their “water tennie”, but stopped selling it in 2006. I now use their Canyoneer II, not nearly as nice. A tough assignment.
* Rain gear—very important. A cheap drugstore vinyl poncho will
end up shredded. A rain jacket for sure; rain pants optional.
Certainly GoreTex is the deluxe answer as long as it’s not too heavy. I prefer a knee length raincoat that zips full length: easy to put on quickly in a canoe and covers my knees while paddling, especially if kneeling. However, as I get older and more subject to hyperthermia, lightweight rain pants are appealing during a long rainy spell even in warm weather.
* Skull cap and gloves—optional. Hyperthermia most often occurs
around 50 degrees f. On a cool morning or evening, especially as I get balder, I like a lightweight beanie or cap liner that covers my head and ears. Light synthetic or wool gloves can also be the difference between roughing it and smoothing it. I store them in a small ziplock plastic bag that I can get at quickly, as with the windbreaker, raincoat, and bug repellant.
* Hat—as important as your rain gear; for sun, rain, and bug
protection. 360 degree brim and toggled chin cord (it will blow off).
GoreTex is nice.
* Sunglasses—optional. A lot of reflected light from water.
Polarized glasses allow the bow paddler, especially, to better spot rocks under water. Be sure to wear a floatable head strap. I wear a pair of sunglasses that fit over my prescription spectacles. Have a safe way to store them when not needed.
* Prescription glasses—bring an extra pair in a stiff plastic
case. I have learned the hard way. As with sunglasses, wear a floatable head strap.
* Handkerchief—2 pairs; bandana size. Very versatile item;
headband, hot pad while cooking, bandage, towel, snot rag.
* Travel clothes—for everything from shoes to jacket, I wear a
different set of clothes for traveling to and from the canoe put-in. I bring a change of socks, underpants, and undershirt for the return ride.
These travel clothes are left in the car in a separate bag.



Other Personal Gear: these items vary a lot with personal preference and often have as much to do with their entertainment as with their comfort or survival value. Remember, that in addition to your stuff, your share of the group gear, especially the food, needs to fit into your pack.
One 50 to 60 lb. pack per person is the goal, which allows us to carry only one way across each portage, providing each canoe has at least one person who can carry a pack and canoe. The packs will get lighter as we eat.



* Back pack with rain cover—an internal frame pack of
6,500--7,000 cu. in. volume. External frames can’t be stuffed as well into a canoe and can damage the canoe. If your pack is too small, we have a serious problem. Leftover space is never a problem. I prefer a few external pockets to help organize my gear and to allow me to get at things easily, especially in the canoe, without having to open the main compartments. In the top lid I keep my pack’s rain cover, raincoat, wind breaker, and bug juice. Other things you may want quickly: toilet paper, group water filter, the day’s lunch, map, notebook.
* Sleeping bag and pad—bags usually have a degree rating; 15 to 25
degrees f. is sure to keep you warm in the summer without being too warm. Synthetic bags, we’re told, can keep you warm even when wet, unlike down bags. Down bags are typically lighter and more compact.
However, synthetic bags are getting lighter all the time. North Face makes a 20 deg. Synthetic bag that weighs 2lbs. 20z. If you want a pillow, Thermarest makes a small soft pillow bag that you fill with clothing. Thermarest also makes a very light self inflating sleeping pad, the Prolite 3 in short and full lengths.
* Stuff sacks—two with roll up closures, not drawstrings, one for
your clothes and one for your sleeping bag. Sealline makes a number of good bags, including clear, see-through ones. “Purge” bags are good for compacting by allowing you to easily squeeze out excess air. One kind, sold by Pacific Outdoor, uses a one way valve. There are also various compression strap systems, which may not be worth the extra weight and fussing. The other kind, from Sealline and Cascade Designs, use a manually turned valve. Be sure to get a bag that is big enough but not too big. The 15 and 20 liter sizes are my preference.
* Tent and ground cloth—whatever you get, be sure it is seam
sealed. Single wall tents are the lightest but have condensation problems. Stuck in a tiny tent during a lot of rain is no fun. For one or two persons, I prefer the two or three person size. Most tents offer a custom sized ground cloth, or “footprint.” I prefer to bring a cheap plastic tarp that is stored under the lid of my pack and doubles as rain fly over the gear in the canoe. I wonder if Tyvek house wrap has a place here. I also like a tent with a vestibule big enough to cover pack(s) and wet shoes.
* Towel, wash cloth, and toiletries—a synthetic camping towel; REI
sells a very nice one in different sizes. We cut up an old synthetic towel for a wash cloth, kept in a plastic bag. Concentrated and biodegradable camp soaps are handy. As for toothpaste, vitamins, prescription drugs, etc., bring no more than you’ll need for the length of the trip.
* Flashlight—l.e.d. flashlights are the nuts; they are lightweight
and free up your hands. One with multiple intensities makes it handy for reading in the tent. Bring extra batteries.
* Medications and first aid—bring special needs stuff and a few
bandaids and pain killer; otherwise there is group first aid kit.
* Bear spray—expensive but legal and comforting.
* Sunscreen, chapstick, bug repellent—as much as you’ll need. I
bring a small bottle of 100 percent DEET and use it very sparingly. A lot of bug annoyance is psychosomatic, but until you’ve learned to cope, you might even want a head net. I can’t stand to look out through them, so I don’t bring one, but under the worst conditions a head net is the perfect tool.
* Knife—a folding belt knife or multi tool.
* Map(s)—Algonquin Park canoeing map is sold in Park offices,
where we pay for our camping permit with its per diem fee. Topographic maps and GPS would be useful if you plan some bushwacking.
* Toys—these can include fishing gear (work hard to miniaturize
and minimize) with license, books, notebook, pencil with ballpoint pen cap over the point, pen, recorded music and player (so small these days; loud radios are banned in Algonquin Park), playing cards, snorkel, binoculars, camera.







Group Gear: dining fly with ropes for rain, cook kit including titanium plates and sporks, stove (campfires are forbidden in Algonquin Park when conditions are very dry), small grill and liquid soap for cooking over a wood fire, first aid kit, repair kit, bear ropes for hanging the food at night in one or two of the packs, a couple of bear pepper sprays, a light folding saw, a hatchet, water purifier and water bag, individual half liter Platypus collapsible water bottles (two per person), clothesline, whistle, waterproof match case, and compass ( for the last three, bring your own if you have them). Canoes, paddles, and life jackets can be brought from home and rented. Ontario law calls for each canoe to have a throw rope, baler, whistle, and flashlight. We usually forgo the throw rope and baler unless on really big water.



Some of this gear is expensive. We have some to loan. Borrow what you can.



Crossing the border into Canada requires having a photo ID (e.g., driver’s license) and a birth certificate—or a passport. If you are bringing your vehicle, you need a Canadian insurance card, free for the asking from your insurance agent.





Addendum:

Thank you very much for posting this! Much appreciated!

Ha! I'm more of a Bailey's fan than a wine fan. My gf's a non-drinker so I won't have to share!

Thanks everyone - OCD abbating as it's becoming clear that I do have what I need and I'm not overpacking horribly.

Love the "bear spray - expensive but comforting".

SM wrote: Ontario law calls for each canoe to have a throw rope, baler, whistle, and flashlight. We usually forgo the throw rope and baler unless on really big water.



The personal and navigational requirements are set out by Transport Canada....
http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/debs/obs/menu.htm


http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/debs/obs/equipment/menu.htm

Again, I would suggest that people look these things up for themselves. I feel more comfortable knowing that I have researched laws and regulations for myself, rather than go by "what I read on a message board".

Just like the fishing regulations....it's easy to research on the internet.



Barbara

Barbara, thank you for taking me to task for mouthing Algonquin Outfitters' interpretation of what safety equipent canoeists are required to have. However, when I went to the links you provided I couldn't tease out anything other than having to have a life jacket. What specifically have you found?

FD, I'm glad you found my list useful. Here are a couple of follow-ups.





Ignore my micromanaging if this is old and unwanted information. Because we will be gathering in Rossie with very little time for final packing of food and gear, I just want to share how I organize my pack. First and foremost, the goal is to travel as lightly and compactly as possible, while still providing for the most likely contingencies. Your pack will not be designed exactly the same as mine and you will have your own ideas about what can or should go where.



My first concern is that I can easily and quickly get at some things while in the canoe without ending up in the water. Those things: small tarp (perhaps the same one you use under your tent, or a backpack rain cover), raincoat, bug repellant (avoid big aerosol containers; I use a little bottle of 100% DEET), sunscreen, water (I can loan each of you two ½ liter Platypus collapsible bottles; they pack well and just about disappear when empty), and lunch (a small package that we dole out at breakfast), wind breaker (a good, breathable raincoat can also serve well as a windbreaker). A loud whistle, which I can loan you, hangs from my pack shoulder strap.



Once on land, the next level of accessibility is for the group water purification pump, group first aid kit, and group general repair kit (I can supply all of these things), and toilet paper (we each get two rolls that I will buy). I know that Mark also wants easy access to his camera, which he carries in a waterproof Pelican case in front of him in the canoe and over his shoulder on portages. For those of you who are less passionate about photography, a waterproof recyclable camera may be all you want.



My fishing tackle box is a very small plastic box. The pole is a collapsible one. Most of the fishing opportunities will come after we are in camp. We can buy worms and licenses on the way up.



My sleeping bag goes in its own waterproof, sealable bag; another one for my clothes. The tent and sleeping mat are dropped into draw string sacks. My habit is to roll up my tent and compress it with two inner tube rubber bands and put it into the stuff sack that best fits it (sometimes the bag it came in, sometimes not; sometimes the poles go in the same bag, sometimes not; be inventive to save space and minimize the work of packing up in the mornings).



It generally takes me the first three days of a trip to find where I put everything and to develop a comfortable routine. By the end, I’m ready to stay in the Park until mid-September. Is this useful at all?

No virus found in this incoming message.





Add to camping gear list: tetanus booster if needed; zip-off nylon pants with zippers on the calf and snap closures at the ankles are great. You can easily go back and forth from pants to shorts and theoretically that would be all you need. They dry quickly, but I also bring a very light pair of supplex pants.

Barbara, you have to bear with my brother; when it comes to the internet, he sometimes requires a bit more "teasing" than many of us.

John, if you go to Barbara's first link for "marine safety," and click on the "equipment" link in the sidebar, then click on "required by size and type", you will find that canoes under 19' 8" (or 6 meters for the rest of the world), are required to have personal flotation devices, a boyant heaving line, paddles or an anchor (go figure), a bailer or water pump, and a sound signaling device or navigation lights. Louise and I have been carrying these on Georgian Bay since we first ran across the requirement years ago.

-Mark

I was sticking with my policy of not "answering", but providing links to where the information can be found.

Another way to get there is to click on the first link, then click on "Human powered craft", that takes you to the page where the requirements can be found.

I'm an inveterate link-clicker....always clicking, reading, clicking....

I'm disappointed to hear that AO could give such poor information. It really is an expectation of mine that people who are in the business should have the information at their fingertips...and at the forefront of their brains.

At the very least, the could have the information printed out, laminated and posted somewhere prominent.



Barbara