Canoeguys.ca - Canoe Expedition GEAR List

Chris Petrie

BASE LAYERS

• Poly Pro  top (x3)
• Poly Pro bottoms (x3)
• Poly Pro socks (x3)
• Poly Pro gloves
• Underwear (Thats up to your self)
• Toque
• Aside from Poly Pro you should also check out Ice Breaker Marino Wool (it retains far less odours and removes them more easily with a quick wash)

MID LAYERS

• Long Sleeve shirt (x2)- No Cotton!!!
• Shorts (x1)- Qucik dry material
• Pants (x2)- Quick dry material
• Fleece pants- 100 weight (x1)
• Fleece jacket/shirt- 100 weight (x1)
• Insulating synthetic jacket with hood (The Red Point by North Face is good)
• Wool socks (x3)

OUTER LAYERS

• Soft shell coat with hood
• Gortex jacket with hood
• Gortex pants
• Base camp gloves (Don't ware these on the water)
• Dish gloves (for those miserable days in the canoe)
• Foot Ware:
• Salomon XA Pro or XA Comp
• Chaco Sandal (Z1 model)

BOATING EQUIPMENT

• Anything that is over 16Lbs of flotation and is approved by all the major players (i.e. Transport Canada, Canada Coast Guard etc)
• A river knife (Mora is fantastic)
• A PDF (life jacket)
• Must be proper size and if it can hold the river knife that is even better
• Bow and stern lines- 10mm cord, 30 feet on each end)
• 55ft throw bag (x2)- at least 5mm
• Pin Kit:
• Pulley's (x3)
• 3mm Prussic Chord (x3)
• Nylon webbing 1" width x3-6' and 10' x1
• Locking 'D' beaners (x6) Petzl
• Put one beaner on each end of the canoe and tie your bow and stern lines with a bowline Knot to a locked
• beaner.  The other four go to your pin kit.
• Something to bail the canoe with
• Paddles and spares

MUST HAVES

• Hat (wide Brimmed is ideal)
• Polarized sun glasses with huggies
• Sun block 30 spf (make sure you purchase the bio-degrable products)
• Lip Balm
• Lighters (Can't have enough)
• Matches (water proof them your self with some wax)
• Some Zip lock Bags
• Fire Starter
• Large garbage bags (x2 or 3)
• Compass with a mirror (Better read up on Declination or your Compass could become ineffective)
• GPS that you can upload maps too.  The Garmin GPS to the right floats.
• Some areas are not well traveled and you will not be able to find any good digital maps so you will have to resort to the 1:50,000 scale topographical
• Map Town is a great source for these maps and GPS's.
• Map case
• First Aid Kit (Don't cheap out on this one)

THE COOL STUFF

• Spot satellite is great tracking beacon that logs your progress and can send an emergency message
• Stove (x2)
• MSR Dragon fly is a good one
• Brunton also makes a small yet durable stove that works very well
• Large yet manageable sized fuel bottles
• White gas
• Stove repair kit
• MSR dragonfly repair kit
• Pots
• 3L (x2)
• 2L (x2)
• Frying pan (x1)
• Biodegradable soap (any other soap will leave toxins out in the wild)
• Scrubby (x3)
• 1L to 2L water bottles (x2)
• Water Bladder- MSR makes good bladders
• Water filtration
• MSR Sweet water pump or the MSR mini Works pump.  The mini filter breaks more easily but the sweet water use/life is much shorter.
• Knives (more the one is a good idea)
• Durable plastic plate
• Good solid mug
• Utensils (for cooking as well as eating)
• Good three season tent (NOT FROM A DEPARTMENT STORE!!!)
• Therm-a-rest or O.R. Down mat
• Synthetic sleeping bag rated to -7 degrees celsious
• 10x12 still tarp (integral designs makes a good one)
• 3mm cord 60 feet (more is better)
• 7mm cord (30 feet)
• Seal Line dry bags (boundary) :
• 70 Litre for your clothes
• 30 Litre for food and cooking gear (x3)
• 20 Litre (x2)
• Head Lamp (you can get a decent one for $35 that will last for many seasons or you can spend $250 and have one that will last a life time)
• Spice kit (Trust me on this the food can get a little bland out in the wild.  You can purchase great little multi spice kits for the outdoors)
• Tooth Brush (you don't want any issues with your teeth out in the wild)