How to Pack For Your Next Canoe Trip - Kevin Callan

Rating: ***

In this article by, Kevin Callan, Callan tells us the various ways to pack for a next canoe trip. The article tells us various methods of packing, what we should pack stuff in, and how to avoid bulk when packing.

The article as mentioned before goes into three sections in packing for a canoe trip, the first being different methods used to load gear, the next what to pack stuff inside, and finally Callan tells us ways to prevent bulk in our packs. To elaborate a bit more, for the first point, Callan tells us the various backpacks one could use, and how distribute weight amongst them. Such as, external backpacks where weight is kept low to help keep balance, or the more traditional canoe bag, where weight is kept middle to the top. For his second point of packing, Callan makes it very clear that one should always use waterproof materials, sealed container, and compression sacs, to stay both organized, and if one was to fall in the water, your equipment wouldn’t get soaked too. Finally Callan suggests to avoid bulk in your bag, to bring a smaller tent, and rely on the safety of a rain tarp rather than your tent, buy down-filled bags, rather than synthetic bags, as down-filled can be easily compressed, and he tells us to bring clothes appropriate to the season, and ones that we as an individual will wear.

This article I found was both interesting and informative. Since we are canoeing in class, I find that this article even holds more prevalence to myself. There were something’s that I did learn from this article, like to bring sealed containers, and relying on the rain tarp rather than a larger tent. This article will make me pack more efficiently and be aware of the things I am packing, it will also help me avoid such things as bulk, not getting soaked, and bringing clothes appropriate for the season.

Packing for something like a canoe trip for most usually gets under looked, and because of that these people are unprepared and pay for it. But, in an article like Callan’s, he shows how to pack efficiently, and safely. All in all, I found this article a little bit too short, but it was concise in saying that, and let me know a lot a things about packing.

How to Pack For Your Next Canoe Trip. Kevin Callan. Explore-Mag.
July 2010. Web. 05 June 2011.