What to bring for your ultimate Canoe-Trip

One of these days about three hours north of Gotheburg a bunch of people (and one dog) set out to discover the vast lakes and rivers around Årjäng via Canoe. Of course there is lots to tell about my first outdoor trip to Sweden, but most importantly, I realized that I can improve my ultimate packing list for your next canoe trip! How to prepare, what to bring? And now: Was it worth to bring all that stuff? How and what to pack for your ultimate Canoe trip!

My ultimate packing list four your next Canoe Adventure

Transport

– the obvious: Canoe, aluminum lightweight (share with your paddle partner)
– paddles
– life vest
– 1 Barrel with watertight lid for water-sensitive equipment including food (share with your paddle partner)
– 1 Dry Bag 109l, for tent and sleeping utensils
– 1 Dry Bag 40l, for Clothing
– 1 Dry Rucksack 20-30l for more robust equipment
– small bags for organization

Sleeping

– Tent (share with your paddle partner)
– Sleeping Pad: got my eyes on the Therm-A-Rest ProLite Plus Regular
– Sleeping Bag: First mission for my new Macro Polo Lite Pak
– Pillow: my luxury is a Cocoon Memory Foam Pillow
– Tarp: as sunscreen and rain shelter
– straps/rope to set up tarp
– lightweight spare poles

Clothing

– microfiber underwear
– sleeveless Shirts/T-Shirts (cotton/microfiber)
– at least 2 outdoor sweaters (in case one gets wet or you need extra warmth)
– at least 2 zip-off pants
– rain jacket long
– down vest
– proper boots (maybe rubber boots on top)
– light trainers
– flip-flops
– hat/buff/scarf (against sun or maybe rain, too)
– mosquito net for the head
– sunglasses
– swimsuit or bikini
– towel

Gear and Gimmicks

Basics

– Swiss army knife
– axe for firewood and kindling, setting poles
– lighter, waterproof matches, flint stone
– mirror
– 2 chem lites (for emergency use or location in the dark)
– Where necessary: bear spray (e.g. U.S., Canada)
– first-aid-kit (for Geman speakers also see: My travel First-Aid-Kit Series)
– instant magnesia
– sunscreen
– mosquito ointment
– mosquito repellent coils (highly effective!)
– ecologic soap for skin and laundry
– clothesline and utility clips
– Allround-Repair-Kit: Tape, Thread-and-Needle, SeamGrip and Repair-Kit for Sleeping Pad and Dry Bags, Dental Floss, Epoxy Repair Paste for worst case repairs
– notebook and pen

Navigation

– map
– waterproof sleeve for map
– compass
– GPS-Outdoor-App (in case you think it works where you are headed)

Electronics

– flashlight and batteries:time for the good-old Maglite!
– LED-Outdoor Lamp: also serves as a usb-powerbank to charge phone or camera (solar and crank handle)
– smartphone/camera

Luxuries (most of it only for a canoe-trip)

– foldable chair/tripod
– french press (fresh coffee, yay!)
– candles
– musical instrument: harmonica, uculele
– speakers for music
– extra powerbank for speakers and/or phone
– card game, frisbee, other fun stuff

Cooking and Food

– Coleman Unleaded Feather Stove 442-700E and about 1l of fuel (runs with unleaded gas)
– Set of cookware: army-Aluminum set of one pot and a small bowl
– aluminum cup
– Set of cutlery (plastic)
– foldable bucket
– foldable water canister
– camel bag or Aluminum bottle (2 x 1 l)
– water purifying system/ water sterilization (liquid or tablets)
– ecologic dish-soap and dishcloth
– zip-lock bags to pack and re-pack food

– instant coffee and tea
– salt, pepper and instant broth
– instant porridge
– milk powder
– instant soups – all-time favorite: Chinese Noodle Soups
– rice and pasta with instant sauces
– tomato paste
– preserved bread
– 2 kg flour for flatbread
– hard cheese (eg. Parmesan)
– hard sausage (eg. Salami)
– hard boiled eggs
– dried fruits (e.g. self-dried apples, cranberries for porridge and snack)
– nuts
– dried meat
– for canoeing only: preserved meals in glass jars for the most awesome camp food ever (stew, cooked ground meat, even roast and rouladen can be on your menu! I’ll post my recipes for you soon.)
– hip flask with some kind of strong liquor for cold nights

 

What have I missed? Share your packing list and must-haves for your canoe-trip with us!

 

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