THIS LIST COVERS EXPEDITION-SPECIFIC GEAR. GENERAL PACKRAFT GEAR IS ASSUMED TO ALREADY BE COVERED OFF ON BY DOZENS OF SOURCES – PFD’s, PADDLING GLOVES, CLOTHES etc – HERE IS THE STUFF THAT KEEPS YOU ON THE RIVER DAY AFTER DAY TOWARDS AN OBJECTIVE WHEN RESUPPLY ISN’T AVAILABLE.
.
BEYOND TEMPERATE TERRAIN, THE CHANCE OF FINDING TREES OR CONVENIENT ROCKS TO ERECT A TENT GETS SLIM, AND THOUGH TARPS ETC ARE NICE A FREESTANDING TENT GIVES FAR MORE OPTIONS FOR WHERE YOU CAN CAMP.
2. SOLID APPROACH SHOES
RIVER TRIPS INHERENTLY MEAN STUMBLING OVER ROCKS AND BOULDERS, SCRAMBLING, RAPPELING AND LONG PORTAGES THAT BOTH DESTROY LIGHT SHOES AND DEMAND SOMETHING SOLID ON YOUR FEET TO AVOID TURNED ANKLES, BASHED TOES AND BLISTERS.
3. BOW LINE
BOATS NEED TO BE TIED DOWN AT NIGHT IN CASE OF WIND.
4. REFLECTIVE TAPE ON HELMET
LONG TRIPS ALMOST ALWAYS MEAN PADDLING IN LOW LIGHT DUE TO DARKNESS, MIST, DUST AND EARLY STARTS, AND EVEN IF YOU DON’T PADDLE AT NIGHT THERES A GOOD CHANCE YOU’LL PORTER IN IT. RETRO-REFLECTIVE TAPE ON A HELMET INSTANTLY LOCATES TEAM MEMBERS EVEN IF THEY SWIM.
5. HIGH QUALITY DRY BAGS
THERE’S DRY BAGS AND THERE’S DRY BAGS AND FRANKLY, MOST ARE NO MORE THAN RAIN RESISTANT AND NOT UP TO A RIVER TRIP. REAL DRY BAGS HAVE WELDED SEAMS, WIDE TOPS FOR ROLLING AND DON’T RELY ON SEAM TAPE FOR WATERPROOFING.
6. 2L DISPOSABLE BOTTLES
DESPITE BEING ON WATER YOU CAN’T ALWAYS DRINK IT SO YOU NEED TO CARRY ENOUGH FOR LONG DAYS. 2L SODA BOTTLES ACT AS FLOTATION WHEN THE WATER GOES, STAND UPRIGHT TO FILL, HANDLE BOILED WATER AND CAN BE SOURCED IN-COUNTRY
7. EXPEDITION GRADE CUP WITH AIRTIGHT LID
ASIDE FROM EATING AND DRINKING, AN AIRTIGHT CUP ACTS AS A DRY CASE FOR THINGS LIKE HEADTORCHES AND BATTERIES
8. STOVE PER BOAT
EACH BOAT NEEDS TO BE INDEPENDANT IN THE CASE OF LOSING EVERYTHING IN A FLIP, AND THIS INCLUDES STOVES, WITHOUT WHICH AN EXPEDITION GOES SOUTH FAST. THE ABILITY TO WARM FOOD, BOIL WATER AND CREATE HEAT IS VITAL ON A LONG RIVER TRIP
SERIOUS PACKRAFT EXPEDITION PACKS NEED TO DEAL WITH CONSTANT EXPOSURE TO WATER BY NOT SOAKING IT UP, EITHER DRAINING OR BEING IMMERSION WATERTIGHT, DRYING FAST AND BEING EASY TO STRAP DOWN WITH NO POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS STUFF ON THE OUTSIDE. PACKS NEED TO CARRY EASILY AND BE LARGE ENOUGH TO QUICKLY LOAD GEAR INTO AND OUT OF FOR LONG PORTAGES.
10. WATER STORAGE & FILTER
JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE ON WATER DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN DRINK IT. BECAUSE ACCESSING YOUR PACK CAN BE A HASSLE IT’S BEST TO JUST FILTER EVERYTHING YOU NEED A FEW TIMES A DAY, CARRYING IT ALL SO YOU CAN DRINK WITHOUT STOPPING. WE LIKE 2L MINERAL BOTTLES AND A SAWYER MINI FILTER AS IT’S SIMPLE AND ADAPTABLE. CARRY YOUR FILTER IN A CLEAN BAG WITH IT’S NECESSARY PARTS LIKE FLUSH KIT AND ANY ADAPTERS, PLUS A PACKET OF COFFEE FILTERS TO STRAIN OUT PARTICULATES.
