What to take on a canoe trip — tips
Regardless of whether you are an experienced canoeist or just starting your adventure with this sport, proper preparation is a key stage of every expedition. It is not only a great opportunity to discover the charms of nature, but above all an adventure, which, however, requires the right equipment, skills and awareness of the conditions on the water. Safety, proper technique and appropriate equipment can determine the comfort and success of the entire expedition.
In the following article, we will discuss how to prepare for a canoe trip and what to take with you to make it completely comfortable and safe. If you are preparing for a canoe trip or considering such a trip, read our article.
Canoeing – what to know before going?
In recent years, canoeing has been gaining more and more fans. It is a great form of active recreation that does not require significant financial resources. Moreover, it is a form of entertainment that can be successfully enjoyed alone, as well as with family, friends or children. Nevertheless, it is necessary to prepare for a canoe trip.
What do you need to know before you go on a canoe trip? Before you start your canoe trip, there are a few things you need to take care of before you even leave home. Here are some tips that are worth familiarizing yourself with when you go on a canoe trip.
- The first step should be to choose a route and determine the length of the canoe trip. A canoe trip on a river has different rules than a canoe trip on a lake. In the context of river rafting, it is also worth paying attention to whether the river has a wide, gentle riverbed or a narrow one with rocks. If you are inexperienced or there is a beginner canoeist in the group, a moderately wide, gentle river will be a better choice - the route should be adapted to the least experienced participant of the trip. At this point, you should also determine whether you are going on a canoe trip of several hours or a longer one - this will determine what to take on the canoe trip (more later in the article).
- It is essential to decide whether to organize a canoe trip. If you are taking part in an organized event, you do not have to worry about many issues (for example, luggage transport is often the responsibility of the organizer). However, in a situation where you are organizing the trip yourself, you have to take care of every stage of the canoe trip.
- When going on a canoe trip, pay attention to the season, because the composition of the equipment will vary depending on the time of year. Variable weather conditions in fall, for example, such as wind and rain can make the trip difficult. It is also worth remembering that in rainy periods the water level on rivers and lakes increases, while in dry periods it decreases.
- Whether you plan to go canoeing domestically or abroad, insurance is useful. In the country, it is worth taking out accident insurance (NNW). Abroad, if you take out travel insurance, you should check whether it includes protection for canoe trips or if you need to buy it additionally.
What to take on a canoe trip - planning the trip
If you have already checked the above items off your list, it is time to start planning your canoe trip in more detail. Many people probably ask themselves “what to take on a canoe trip?”, but the answer depends on many factors.
An inseparable part of a canoe trip is of course a canoe (and paddles). The canoe may be provided by the organizer of the trip. Otherwise, you can rent it at special points or buy a canoe for your own use. Other, definitely necessary, pieces of equipment are a life jacket and a first aid kit. If the trip is organized on a mountain river or in places where there may be low tree branches on the route, it is also worth taking a helmet with you.
Equipment for a canoe trip is a rather subjective choice that each person makes, although you should definitely adjust your equipment to the weather, for example. That is why it is important to check the weather forecast at least a day before departure, whether for the next day or for the next few days (depending on the length of the planned trip).
The length of your canoe trip also determines the planned overnight stay (and this issue can be extended to include an organized or individual trip), the number of provisions and water supplies, as well as the amount of clothing you will take.
A permanent point, however, is determining the exact route of the canoe trip. It is worth getting a map and marking the starting and ending points on it. This will not only help you orient yourself while canoeing but will also be useful in terms of getting to or returning to the starting point by land. You can also specify whether you will pass shops, pharmacies, etc. on the way to the canoeing trip.
You can also mark interesting places on the map that are located along the canoeing route (e.g. unique rock formations).
How to dress for canoeing?
The choice of clothing for canoeing depends on the season, weather, the nature of the trip and your own preferences. Nevertheless, the set of clothing that is worth putting together is quite universal. What's more, even on a trip that lasts a few hours, a change of clothes will be useful.
Regardless of the weather conditions, clothing should, above all, be comfortable, not restrict movement, quickly wick away moisture and protect (whether from cold and rain or from the sun). Therefore, what items of clothing are worth taking?
- Thermoactive underwear – great for canoeing from fall to spring but will be an equally good choice for cool summer days. Thermoactive underwear maintains thermal comfort: it retains heat and wicks away moisture.
- T-shirts and shirts – on warm days, it is worth choosing a light T-shirt or a breathable long-sleeved shirt. A long-sleeved shirt will not only protect your skin from the sun's rays, but also from insects. A shirt is also a good choice on wild canoeing routes with densely vegetated sections – it will prevent scratches from branches or burns from, for example, nettles.
- Stretch pants, 2-in-1 pants – lightweight, stretch pants are worth choosing for canoeing on warm and sunny days. If you are canoeing in colder weather, it is worth choosing warmer waterproof pants. An interesting choice are 2-in-1 pants with detachable legs, the length of which you can adjust to changing conditions.
- Fleece, sweatshirt – the second layer of clothing in the cold season is designed to warm up the body. Sweatshirts and fleeces work very well in this role, and if the second layer is an outer layer, we recommend softshell clothing. Softshells are lightweight, ergonomic, have good breathability and protect against the wind.
- Raincoat – a great choice for warmer, rainy days, as well as for cooler ones (as a third layer). When choosing a raincoat, it is worth paying attention to its compression capabilities – the less space it takes up in the backpack, the better. An interesting alternative to a raincoat is a large poncho or rain cape.
- Headgear – a cap, hat or scarf can be used as headgear. A practical choice is a hat that also protects the neck. Protection from cold and wind is provided by a winter hat. It is also worth paying attention to multifunctional scarves that you can use as a scarf, hat, tube scarf and many others.
- Paddling gloves – this is not an obvious piece of equipment, but it is equally useful. Abrasions, bruises or frozen hands are not pleasant, especially if there are still a few kilometers left to the end of the route. We recommend equipping yourself with gloves: in summer, fingerless gloves are a good choice. On cold days, it is good to choose a warmer set, which will be equipped with rubber pads for a better grip.
- Water shoes – at the beginning and end of the trip, you will usually have to enter the water (plus any accidental immersion during the crossing), so it is also worth taking care of foot protection. In the summer, water shoes are a very good choice, as they will protect your feet from cuts and also provide stability when moving on the bottom of a river or lake. If you are going canoeing on cold days, choose waterproof shoes.
- Sunglasses – these will certainly come in handy for a comfortable canoeing trip, as no one likes to be blinded by the light reflected off the water surface. When choosing sunglasses, remember to make sure they have a UV filter. We also recommend buying a string float that will prevent you from losing or dropping your glasses in the water.
What to take on a one-day canoeing trip?
A one-day canoeing trip is a good choice for novice canoeists. Such a trip can last a few hours or from dawn to dusk. You don't need to take a lot of things for a one-day canoeing trip. If, in addition, the trip is organized by, for example, a company specializing in this field, many elements of preparation are the responsibility of the organizer.
If you are going on an organized trip, you will usually have things such as transportation, food, and equipment already provided. However, if you are the organizer, you have to take care of it yourself. Here you will find a basic set that will be useful on a one-day canoeing trip.
1. Clothing and accessories
As we have already mentioned, even on a several-hour trip, it is worth having a change of clothes, which you can change into, for example, if you fall into the water during the crossing. Remember to adjust your clothing to the weather conditions and choose comfortable clothes made of quick-drying materials. The most universal set will be a thermoactive shirt with long sleeves that can be rolled up, 2-in-1 pants, softshell, raincoat/cape, headgear and water shoes. It is also worth considering taking a swimsuit on hot days.
On sunny days, the previously mentioned sunglasses with UV filter are useful. It is also worth choosing paddling gloves and a multifunctional scarf. If you already have appropriate headgear, wear the scarf on your wrist - it will be great for wiping your face of sweat, for example. Also, remember a solid backpack, for a short canoeing trip a waterproof backpack with a capacity of up to 30 liters will be good. If your backpack is not waterproof, put your things in a waterproof bag.
2. Safety measures
Safety measures include medicines, hygiene products(such as antibacterial wipes and gels), and protective equipment. A first-aid kit with hydrogen peroxide, plasters, painkillers, and antidiarrheal drugs is the minimum you should take. If you take medication on a regular basis, also put it in your travel first-aid kit. We recommend adding a sunscreen, sunburn spray, insect and tick repellents, and an insect bite remedy to the kit.
Even if you are an experienced canoeist and an excellent swimmer, always carry a life jacket or buoyancy aid.
Children, non-swimmers and people who are just starting their canoeing adventure ought to wear a life jacket. This type of vest helps to stay afloat thanks to its special design, materials and buoyancy. A life jacket may slightly restrict freedom of movement, but it is the only model that will keep an unconscious person afloat. A life jacket provides a stable position and allows you to turn your face above the water level, which reduces the risk of suffocation. It is essential to choose the right size!
A buoyancy aid is a good choice for people who can swim and have experience in canoeing. This type of vest is lighter and provides greater freedom of movement, but at the cost of lower buoyancy. A buoyancy aid will not keep an unconscious person afloat, but it will provide support, for example, when getting out from under an overturned canoe.
3. Provisions and water
If the organizer provides a meal before or after the trip, it is worth having a small snack with you. One of the best choices will be high-energy snacks, which will give you an energy boost while paddling. Don't forget to hydrate, especially on warm days. A water bottle or a foldable bottle will be useful for carrying water, which you can even put in your pocket when empty.
4. Additional equipment
A map of the area will come in handy on a canoeing trip, especially if the trip is on a river that has branches. It is best to mark the route of the trip in a clear color on the map. You can also take waterproof binoculars, which will allow you to look at interesting landscapes on calm sections of the canoeing trip. Put the equipment that you always have with you, such as keys, documents, phone in waterproof covers and cases (more on that later).
What to take on a multi-day canoeing trip?
A multi-day canoeing trip requires taking more stuff, although, once again, everything depends on various aspects. For a multi-day canoeing trip, we recommend taking the basic set from earlier in the article, which you will supplement with additional equipment.
1. Overnight stay
If the organizer provides a place to stay, then the matter is much easier. The sleeping equipment will depend on the place where you will sleep (the organizer may provide accommodation in a hostel, at a campsite, etc.). Of course, when you choose a hotel, the matter is quite simple. Another option is to sleep in a hostel, but here you may need to take at least a sleeping bag (not all hostels offer the option of renting bedding). A bigger challenge will be sleeping "in the open air", you have to decide whether you will sleep in a tent, in a hammock, or maybe you prefer a tarp? Regardless of the decision, sleeping accessories take up some space, so the backpack must be larger. The best choice will be a backpack of about 35-45 liters.
2. Change of clothes and hygiene
Sleeping in the field naturally means having more clothes to change into. Check the weather forecast for a few days in advance to pack the right clothes. An extra pair of footwear will be useful (depending on the weather, for example sandals, closed shoes, wellingtons). Also, remember about personal hygiene products, here it is worth choosing small-capacity packages or using airplane containers – after all, you don't need a liter of shower gel for a few days. Quick-drying towels are great in the field, although it is worth having two of them.
3. Food
Another point that depends on the decision made regarding the organization of the trip and overnight stay. When food for a few days is within your scope, we recommend taking food that does not take much time to prepare and does not require many ingredients. The optimal choice is: preserved food, freeze-dried food or food rations. Most often, they do not require any processing or only pouring hot water over them, which makes them great, quick and filling meals in the field. It is also worth taking a camping stove and a small pot in which you can boil water or heat up a meal.
4. Powerbanks
Phone batteries usually go flat after about a day of use. If you want to stay connected to the world, it's worth taking a powerbank (or a few) to charge your phone.
What to take on a canoeing trip – a list of things
There is no single, universal list of things to pack for a canoeing trip. As you already know, the choice of equipment depends on so many factors that it is safe to say that the list of things for each canoeing trip will be different. However, we remind you about the equipment that will be the basis of every canoeing trip:
- quick-drying clothing and a change of clothes,
- raincoat and headgear,
- sunglasses,
- life jacket/buoyancy aid,
- water shoes,
- first aid measures,
- a supply of water and provisions,
- insect repellents,
- sunscreen,
- mobile phone,
- waterproof covers,
- map.
The equipment can be expanded and modified at will. It is also worth equipping yourself, especially on a multi-day trip, with: a flashlight, mess tins and cutlery, a flint, a knife or a shovel.
How to secure things in a canoe?
All the gear you have with you while canoeing is exposed to three dangers: getting wet, sinking and floating away. That is why it is important to properly secure your belongings in the canoe.
Waterproof bags and securing ropes will be useful for this purpose. We either store our equipment in the hatch (not every canoe is equipped with a hatch) or secure it to the canoe. Additionally, we should also secure a phone or a map.
You can pack your gear loosely in waterproof bags or put your entire backpack in it and put it in the hatch. If there is no hatch in the canoe, the luggage secured in this way should be tied to the canoe, which will protect it from all three of the above-mentioned threats.
How to keep your phone safe in a canoe? It is best to put your phone, keys, documents and map in waterproof cases. Personal items should be stored in the inner chest pocket of your jacket, for example. You will be sure that even if they do not sink in the event of the canoe overturning, they will not float away either.
What to take on a canoe trip - MILITARY.EU store offer
After reading the above guide, you already know how to prepare, what to take on a canoe trip and how to secure your equipment in a canoe. If you are interested in the topic of canoe trips and would like to try your hand at it, or you are already experienced and are planning to buy canoe equipment, check out the offer of the MILITARY.EU store! In our assortment you will find everything you will need during a canoe trip: from clothing, accessories and safety measures, food, travel stove accessories, to accommodation accessories and canoes.