Posted: 4/28/2010 12:13:57 AM EDT
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I'll take this over to Survival Gear as well, but wanted to check in with you guys.
I'm looking for a pack to take on a canoeing trip this summer. We'll be gone a week, but we're going with a pretty minimalist load-out. Food will be in a seperate bag, so my main list of things for the pack is as follows (I'm probably forgetting some pretty basic things... I'm tired): -Change of clothes/socks -Raingear -FAK -Sleeping bag/pad -Hatchet -Limited amount of fishing gear -Camera (in a dry sack) -Sunblock/soap/etc. I'd also like to have some way to strap my tent to the pack, if possible. Any suggestions? I don't want something huge, but a point in the right direction would be a lot of help. |
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Cabelas Boundary Waters pack Waterproof, low profile and wide to sit low in the canoe. A pack for a canoe trip is very different then a pack for backpacking. The pack needs to sit in the canoe most of the time and be carried a little bit. having an exterior that is free from a lot of things that get hung up taking it in and out of the canoe is very important. A typical canoe pack is the Canvas Duluth pack. duluth packs You do need some waterproof bags to pack your gear in. There are newer and more modern designs like the Cabelas pack recommended by Lorax. REI has a nylon one with a waist belt. REI Canoe Pack Seeing you are from MN I'm assuming you are going to the Boundary Waters. There should be lots of outfitters and gear stores in MN that are familiar with the Duluth type pack. Enjoy the Boundary Waters, my grandfather wrote the original proposal for the US Forrest Service to designate that area as a wilderness area. |
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Cabelas Boundary Waters pack Waterproof, low profile and wide to sit low in the canoe. A pack for a canoe trip is very different then a pack for backpacking. The pack needs to sit in the canoe most of the time and be carried a little bit. having an exterior that is free from a lot of things that get hung up taking it in and out of the canoe is very important. A typical canoe pack is the Canvas Duluth pack. duluth packs You do need some waterproof bags to pack your gear in. There are newer and more modern designs like the Cabelas pack recommended by Lorax. REI has a nylon one with a waist belt. REI Canoe Pack Seeing you are from MN I'm assuming you are going to the Boundary Waters. There should be lots of outfitters and gear stores in MN that are familiar with the Duluth type pack. Enjoy the Boundary Waters, my grandfather wrote the original proposal for the US Forrest Service to designate that area as a wilderness area. Hey VaFish, if you ever get the chance, head up to Duluth to thier flagship store (in Duluth  ) It's awesome! I go there every time I head up to BWCA and Quetico. Anyone who knows what Duluth Pack Co. is would drool like a drugged monkey in that store. 
VaFish listed two very nice and very pricey packs. Yes they work well but if you don't go a lot, you are wasting your money. The Cabela's is the shape and sizes you would need for a lot less. So are the Eureka's and the Seal line portage packs. They all share the shape for keeping the load low and are wider to accomodate gear and still fit in the canoe. I have the Eureka and the seal line. The Eureka has a nice padded hip belt, the other two....not so much (I put pipe insulation on the one and fixed it for pennies.. If you need to carry your gear or portage far, that is a factor. The traditional Duluth's don't have a hip belt, the Granite gear packs do. The GG's are very comfortable to portage. However, once again...the three I mentioned won't break the bank and are already waterproof. That's important if you have a desire to just store everything in one pack and never worry about getting anything wet. Seal line The 70 liter pack goes for about $70 Cabelas portage pack |
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Last time I went through Duluth was a couple of summers ago when I took 2 crews of scouts to Northern Tier. Didn't have the time to stop and shop.
I don't get up to the boundary waters much anymore, I left MN in 1982. But as a kid and boy scout we went up there every couple of summers. usually went out of Sawbill. If you ever get to the Moose Lake public boat landing my grandfather has a memorial marker there. It's behind a lot of brush now and you kind of have to search for it. |
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Thanks for all the advice so far. Does 60-70 liter seem to be about the right size, then? I'm horseshit at judging size when it comes to packs. Given that you said food/water was seperate, this size should be sufficient as long as you don't pack the kitchen sink. You are talking roughly 4000 cubic inches, give or take, which should be ok for the gear you describe. Take lots of mosquito repellent (I've been to MN several times, especially that area, and the Minnesota state bird –– the mosquito –– is fierce in those parts)... also either a tent with good mesh or a bug bar if you're using a tarp. |
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Thanks for all the advice so far. Does 60-70 liter seem to be about the right size, then? I'm horseshit at judging size when it comes to packs. Given that you said food/water was seperate, this size should be sufficient as long as you don't pack the kitchen sink. You are talking roughly 4000 cubic inches, give or take, which should be ok for the gear you describe. Take lots of mosquito repellent (I've been to MN several times, especially that area, and the Minnesota state bird –– the mosquito –– is fierce in those parts)... also either a tent with good mesh or a bug bar if you're using a tarp. Yep, definitely going on the low equipment side. |
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Thanks for all the advice so far. Does 60-70 liter seem to be about the right size, then? I'm horseshit at judging size when it comes to packs. Given that you said food/water was seperate, this size should be sufficient as long as you don't pack the kitchen sink. You are talking roughly 4000 cubic inches, give or take, which should be ok for the gear you describe. Take lots of mosquito repellent (I've been to MN several times, especially that area, and the Minnesota state bird –– the mosquito –– is fierce in those parts)... also either a tent with good mesh or a bug bar if you're using a tarp. Yep, definitely going on the low equipment side. Like I said, lots of anti bug gear, and some cookware for preparing all the walleye you're going to catch 
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