Summer Gear List
Northern Tier strives to make canoe camping as easy as possible by providing crews with almost everything they need for their expedition. All food is prepacked by your interpreter, and ready to go on arrival. All cooking gear – stoves, fuel, pots, utensil kit, etc. – await inspection upon arrival. Personal Flotation Devices, Tents and backpacks are provided. Aluminum canoes (75 pounds) come complementary with your trip; Kevlar canoes (~45 pounds) are available for $30 per canoe per day.
What to bring?
Group Gear:
- Required:
-
All crews are required to bring their own First Aid kit (see page __ for a list of what to include it).
- Cord (50' length, 1/8" diameter) for clotheslines, tarps and tents, shoe laces, repairs, canoe lines, etc.
- Map (one set of maps per canoe – may be purchased at base)
- Repair kit (Duct tape, soft wire, sewing kit, leatherman, etc)
- Fishing Rods
- Filet Knife
- Lightweight Fish Stringer
- Sunscreen, enough for crew
- Bug Repellent, enough for crew
- Toothpaste, enough for crew
- Foot powder
- Optional:
- Ground cloths 85" x 110" or 60" x 90" plastic sheeting to place inside tents. Some crews won't travel without them and some crews never use them. During a rainy week they can be very handy.
- Spice kit, personalized to augment the base-issued kit
- Metal mirror, small
- Binoculars
- Water purification filter (Northern Tier purifies water through iodine, bleach, and boiling water – some crews, because of taste preferences, choose to use their own filtering system).
Personal Gear:
- Required:
- Dry clothes (On-trail Camp Clothes):
- Camp shoes (lightweight sneakers or moccasins, not sandals)
- 1 T-shirt, synthetic
- Pants, synthetic (or use rain pants)
- 1-2 pair Socks, wool or synthetic
- Lightweight fleece jacket
- Underwear, synthetic
- Stocking hat
- Long underwear, synthetic (usually not needed from July through mid-August)
- "Wet" Clothes (On-trail Travel Clothes):
- Boots. Boots are required! We recommend U.S.-made jungle boots. Old hiking boots or work boots are also good if instep drainage is added.
- 1 T-shirt, synthetic
- 1 Long-sleeve shirt, synthetic, for sun and bug protection
- 1 pair Socks (wool or neoprene)
- Underwear, synthetic
- Pants, synthetic. Zip-off legs are nice to have.
- Broad-brimmed hat
- Raincoat (good quality – no ponchos allowed)
- Rain pants (can double as second pair of pants)
- Other Gear
- Sleeping Bag (lightweight and compact 30 degree bag adequate – compression sack should be used)
- Stuff sacks for clothing and gear
- Sleeping Pad
- Bandanna or small camp towel
- Belt or suspenders
- Toothbrush
- Bowl, unbreakable plastic or metal
- Spoon, plastic or metal
- Cup, plastic or metal
- Water bottle (high quality, not old beverage bottle)
- Sunglasses and eye glasses
- Lip balm with sun block
- Personal Medications as needed (two supplies carried in two different packs)
- Feminine hygiene items as needed
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Pocketknife, small (should be carried at all times)
- Matches in Waterproof Case (should be carried at all times)
- Whistle (should be carried at all times)
- Small Compass (should be carried at all times)
- Optional
- Fishing tackle (small pocket-sized box)
- Camera
Items for the End of Your Trip
- Clean dry clothes
- Dry shoes
- Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, shaving supplies, deodorant, washcloth, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc.)
- Towel
- Bathing suit for sauna
- Flip-flops for shower