Paddle Faster

Everyone has their own favorite things they like to take camping, here’s a sampling of some of the things I like to have along….

• The fleet, ‘nuf said. =)
• Hammocks when allowable. Most campsites have a place you can hang from if you’re good at searching around. My main hammock is a bridge hammock that I made from a kit I purchased online from Ripstop by the Roll along with a bug net I made from my own plans. I also have out an ENO Technest gathered end hammock.
• Clean water for eating, drinking, and sanitation is important – even when in the pristine waters of the Quetico Superior. I have relied upon a Platypus GravityWorks 4L setup for nearly a decade and it still works great!
• Insulation is so important when out camping. If I am in a hammock, unless its the dead of summer hanging underneath I’m probably rocking a UGQ Zeppelin 20F underquilt. If it’s super hot out then my choice underquilt is a REI Quarter Dome Air UQ which fits my bridge quite well. On top, again for most seasons I have a 20F Revelation from Enlightened Equipment. This top quilt was the first “serious” and definitely first niche piece of camping gear in my arsenal when I got it. It’s so light and awesome for anything except the hottest of nights. It took another 5 years before I would actually use it with a hammock! I also have a collection of DIY quilts and sleeping bags which occasionally get used.
• Protection from the elements is especially important when you’re sky sleeping. My go to tarp for my hammock is a UGQ Winter Dream 13 shelter with interior pole mods to help keep the bridge from making too much contact. On canoe trips or other situations where a group tarp or shelter is called for, Cooke Custom Sewing in Minnesota makes an absolute bomb proof trail shelter with their Tundra Tarps. They have tie out loops along the exterior perimeter of the tarp, as well as across the top in a grid pattern. There are so many different ways to set one of these up! In 2022, it would have been impossible to use the firegrate due to the winds, but the shelter kept the wind and rain at bay.
• If I am in a tent, then I will most definitely be sleeping on my trusty Exped Synmat 9LW. Much like the ‘Rev for a sleeping bag, this pad was a game changer when it came to comfort when camping.  Its so luxe, and compacts down to the size of a family-sized soup can. The best part is it’s insulated and rated down to below 0 degrees! My personal best was -12F on this pad, one cold winter weekend at Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan Scout Reservation!