skip the filter
And go with a tablet system like Aquamira. Light, cheap, and doesn’t clog ( go pump a week’s worth of water on the Oswegatchie for a good chance of clogging) . Carry one bottle near you during the day . If on a section with few portages, I like to fill a one gallon bladder and put it up in the bow of my solo canoe for trim in heavy weather.
Pillows - my stuff sack of extra clothes is my pillow.
My guilty pleasure is my ThermaRest deluxe chair kit . Also doubles as a sleeve to keep my sleeping pad cleaner and less prone to puncture.
small hole in the argument for tablets
you can field clean water filters. The Oswegatchie is not a big deal for a week…just clean the filter when it gets tough to pump.
Cant drop a tablet into a bog and get drinking water if you get stuck in an area where the lake used to be.
This happened to me in the boreal forest (700 miles north of the Daks). Thank goodness my MSR could extract water from the bog that could not be walked or paddled on. It turned out to be a 6000 meter portage…eggh.
If you are just dipping in the Daks and sticking to established routes you can also just boil your water and then shake it up to reoxygenate it.
and who of us is 90 lbs?
He HAD to travel light.
Those that didnt and were the same size and squashed flat were called Voyageurs.
Another argument FOR filters
You can add pre-filters (pour water through a bandanna into a folding bucket).
You can clean a filter as needed.
You can obtain water from “cleaner” portions of a lake or river with a folding bucket on a rope.
But if you are looking to reduce weight on portages, why carry a quart or two of water “in treatment”? Thats two pounds per quart folks.
Jim
Filters yes! With a caveat…
Some filters like the PUR and cheaper Katadyns work fine but have a habit of clogging (all filters do really). The problem is that those filters use disposable cartridges you can’t clean in the field. If they clog hard, you’re SOL. Filters like the MSR Miniworks EX have a ceramic filter that can be cleaned many, many times before it’s finally worn out. It filters a little slower than the cartridge filters, but I feel the field maintainability outweighs the slightly slower rate. With any filter system, religiously segregate parts that handle clean water from the dirty water intake. A cheepo automotive fuel line filter works great as a pre-filter. So does a coffee filter wrapped around the intake with a rubber band.
In ALL cases, have an alternate method of purifying your water. If you carry a camp stove, you’re set. Failing that, tablets are a good backup as long as you follow the directions. Turbid (dirty, opaque) water requires more chemicals to kill your chances of getting beaver fever.
Phreon
Filter from a collapsible pail
We put the water in it, let it settle a little, then filter. These soft pails are useful for other things, and they take little space or weight.
I carry the Katadyne purification tablets as backup (so far, have not needed them). They, too, are tiny and light.
If your filter breaks …
… you can use water purifying tablets like the Potable Aqua brand. The water may not taste very good but if your filter’s broken you’ll be glad you had some sort of drinkable water!
good filters should not break
but you should carry a repair kit…I have been carrying one for eighteen years and not had to use it.
for paddling lighter
if food is your thing, then don’t skimp on it. But try the switch from firewood to a camping stove (not the big two burner Coleman type, but a backpacking stove). If you bring an extra 2 days of food for an emergency then make those 2 days of food emergency food. Emergency food - it sill keeps you going, and can be tasty, but it isn’t the gourmet variety you are accustomed to eating.
Certain dried foods are better than others. I am very fond of dehydrated refried beans from the local health food store. You can also get good hummus powder too.
As for water, I would bring a purifier and throw in a bottle of tablets if you want.
Clothing is a tricky one. As you, and other have mentioned, you don’t want to be caught without enough clothes. So here is my system… I have 3 ‘sets’ of clothes - paddling clothes, camp clothes, and tent clothes. Tent clothes are usually just 1 set of long underwear and a hat. They have their own dry bag and are only outside of that dry bag while in the tent. Paddling clothes are pretty obvious. Camp clothes are what you would wear around camp. There is a bit of overlap between camp and paddling clothes.
Adirondak style
I think the region you paddle dictates a lot of what you bring. Many times all the portages are along roads or cart roads. Then you bring a cart and all the gear you want. The coast of Maine is sails, poles, boatcarts, even the occasional cooler. Adirondaks is more like backpacking with a canoe.
I’d love to have someone along who wanted to cook up a storm every evening. But after 12 hours of grunting up a stream and carrying through the puckerbrush, we look at each other and freeze-dried in ten minutes sounds pretty good.
Light weight gear
– Last Updated: Sep-18-08 4:03 PM EST –
I’m a kayaker, not a canoeist, who travels as light as possible in the Tongass Rain Forest of Southeast Alaska. While we try to avoid portages, we do have tidal differences that can be in the range of 20’, causing us to haul gear up and down slick, boulder-strewn beaches. Hauling a lot of gear and the kayaks can be very draining so, over the years, our gear has lightened. Total weight for a 18-20 day trip is around 40 lbs per kayak ( my wife and I) and half of that is food. I package quick cooking high calorie meals from the limited resources we have here in Juneau and augment them with some dehydrated chicken or beef purchased on-line. Take a look at our flickr photo pages for images of shelter http://www.flickr.com/photos/umnak/page13/ and cooking as well as my clothing for 20 days
These pictures are from 2007, this past year we reduced weight significantly with the purchase of lighter weight gear. Our ground weight for hiking was as low s 22 lbs for a five day hike on the Chilkoot Trail http://www.flickr.com/photos/umnak/page6/
and was reduced comparatively for a 14 day trip on the outer coast.
light weight stuff
I’m all about light weight stuff, gotta be, my boat is a mystic (14’) I’ve had to become quite creative on what all I packed for overnight camping trips. But some things that I manage to make sure to pack, a 2 man Marmot tent, exped airmat (summer) exped down mat (winter) and a sling chair. This thing is pretty neat, it folds up really small for something that gives my back something to rest against. As far as food goes, look into www.freezerbagcooking.com There’s a cookbook on that site that I bought. Experiment with the recipies before actually depending on them out in the field. I found some to be way more food than 1 person needed for a meal. I use a katadin water filter and carry tablets too. My stove is from www.antigravitygear.com Caldera (might be spelled wrong) stove. Clothes, make sure you carry something for sleeping that’s only for sleeping. 1 extra set of day clothes. Get some bonners soap and wash your spare clothes. Don’t bring too much food but I still always pack extra, just in case! For the water get some of the flavor packets that flavor about 16oz of water. Or try “true lemon/lime” I like this stuff to get the dirt taste out of filtered water.
I agree Umniak
Funny, I and two palls crossed the Chilkoot in winter (Feb.) 1983! -50F in Skagway when we did (unusually cold). Epic trip. As for paddling done many a long solo paddle up there and in BC. I believe going ligh to be more enjoyable, and even safer. Most sea kayakers carry way to much crap!
The country just north of Chilkoot Pass into Norther BC, Yukon is perhaps my favorite of all the places I’ve been. Does something too me… Huge, powerful, remote. Kluhane Range blows me away.
My List
You can find my old canoe camping list here: http://www.nessmuking.com/35day2.htm
The jist is this: “Go light; the lighter the better, so that you have the simplest material for health, comfort and enjoyment.” -Nessmuk
My pack weight back then was around 14 pounds and fit into a 35HD Boundary Pack dry bag. I’ve reduced that weight down to 12 pounds with a few simple changes and can drop it down to 11 without a water filter (MSR MiniWorks, but the new MSR Hyperflow is the filter to buy now)but with Aquamira. I generally use a ultralight tent now instead of tarp.
I have two things that do push my pack above the weights above: My Marmot Dri-Clime windshirt, which I get by without just fine, but I love it so much. And camera gear. A small tripod and my Canon G9 is the minimum that I go out with, but I generally carry my DSLR plus two to three lenses, a flash and assorted filters, etc… So add 10 or so pounds.
The people that are pushing the edge of the lightweight camping movement are carrying packs weights of under 5 pounds.
Nessmuk’s book “Woodcraft” online
http://www.zianet.com/jgray/nessmuk/woodcraft/title_page.html
I found a 1920 version of George Washington Sears’s book “Woodcraft” (on light camping) online at the above link.
Really interesting reading.
Thanks for all the tips, everyone. I will try my best to lighten the load over the next camping season.
Loved it!
Excellent pictures.
ok
Water filters are easy and not confusing like you say. You really cant go wrong with Katahdyn, MSR or Sweetwater…Just go to any sports/outdoor store and buy one…its that simple.
I never cook meat,and I dont bring wood to burn.
I look at is as since my boat will hold a LOT of gear, sort of like car camping. I dont skimp if i want to bring something I will. Ive brought folding tables, chairs, a grill, huge coolers and even a keg of beer before. Ive also gone bigtime lightweight.