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| Bowman Gear Nomad Pack |
After many an uncomfortable night camping, I decided I needed a new sleeping pad, one that was wider than what I had been using and didn’t crinkle every time I moved on it. After much research and feedback from folks at Canadian Outdoor Equipment, I settled on an EXPED Dura 5R LW (Long, Wide). It gives me lots of room to stretch out, is nice and thick with a solid 5R rating, and fits perfectly in my MSR Hubba NX tent . I’d be lying to say I sleep as well as my bed at home, but I’ve never been more comfortable in my tent! A great add to my kit!
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| EXPED 5R LW From Canadian Outdoor Equipment |
After hearing that Eureka! was closing down in Canada, I decided to pull the trigger on something I had considered an unnecessary luxury for years: a NoBugZone mesh tent/tarp. Let me tell you, this was a game changer for my May and June trips! Sure, I was able to do without one for most of my life, but I was often miserably itchy for weeks with Black Fly bites into July. There’s nothing like having a bug free place to cook and eat early in the season. I am so happy I bought one of these before they were all gone forever. If you can, find one!
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| Eureka! NoBugZone |
As a Badger Paddle Ambassador, I have a fantastic set of paddles to choose from for my trips. This year Badger sent me a “La Bonga” paddle, a lightweight, teardrop beavertail style paddle that has a normal length shaft but a shorter, wider blade than all my other paddles. This paddle has become my “go to” choice as a second paddle on most of my trips, especially the longer ones, when I want to minimize portage weight. It’s also super handy in shallow areas full of rocks; places my long Sliver paddle has trouble with. I highly recommend you check one out if you haven’t already.
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| Badger Paddles "La Bonga" Paddle |
It will come as no surprise to anyone that I take quite a bit of photography gear with me on trips. Sometimes more than one camera body, and often with three or more lenses. My biggest challenge to date has been finding a way to protect all this gear from rain and mishaps, while still being easily accessible for taking shots from my canoe. I finally decided to buy myself one of the well known, almost indestructible Pelican cases. These things fit a lot of gear, open like a briefcase, and are completely waterproof. Sadly, they’re also pretty heavy, but I decided this was the one piece of gear where durability and gear protection were more important than weight. No regrets all at! I love not worrying about rain, rapids, or bumps of any kind!
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| Pelican Products 1450 Hard Case |
Lastly, my first purchase of the year: a CRKT “Minimalist” neck knife. This small, fixed blade knife fits in a tight thermoplastic sheath that hangs from your neck. While you can attach it to your belt, I find it much more readily accessible around your neck when camping in cold weather & wearing multiple layers. The sharp, high carbon stainless steel is short enough not to get in your way, but long enough for most of your frequent cutting needs. I find it super handy & well worth the ~$60 I paid for it.
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| CRTK Minimalist Black Drop Point Knife |
That’s it for this year, I hope you found this useful. Drop me a comment if you did!
Links:
Bowman Gear, https://Instagram.com/bowman_gear
EXPED 5R LW, https://www.canadianoutdoorequipment.com/
Eureka! Canada, https://eurekatentscanada.com/
Badger Paddles, https://badgerpaddles.com/
Pelican, https://www.pelican.com/
CRTK Knives, https://www.crkt.com/