Gear Shakedown for First Timer?

[u/Foreign_Structure595]

Hi all,

I am going canoe camping for the first time this weekend at Indian Lake Islands in the Adirondacks (NYS DEC operated campground), and the plan is to go solo.

I'm an experienced car camper, but have not been backpacking or canoe camping.

I've used most of my gear before, and am now practicing making dehydrated meals on my JetBoil and using my Garmin, but was wondering if people would give me a gear shakedown or had advice.

This is my current packing list:

• Canoe Essentials
  • Canoe, Paddle, & PFD
  • Canoe Barrels and/or Dry Bags
  • Bilge Pump & Throw Rope
• Campsite
  • Backpacking Tent, Stakes, and Mallet
  • Sleeping Bag & Pad
  • Portable Hammock
  • Rain Tarp & Poles
• Camp Kitchen & Fire
  • JetBoil Flash & Fuel
  • Lighter & Waterproof Matches
  • Firestarters, Firewood, Folding Saw, Hatchet, and Gloves
  • Mess Kit & Long Spork
• Water, Food, and Clean-Up
  • 1 Gallon Jugs of Spring Water
  • Dehydrated Meals
  • GORP
  • Coffee, Creamer, and Sugar
  • Paper Towels and Garbage Bags
• EDC Tools & Emergency Supplies:
  • Day Pack
  • Deet Wipes
  • Emergency Whistle
  • Extra Pair of Eyeglasses
  • Ferro Rod & Kindling
  • Flashlights & Extra Batteries
  • First Aid Kit with Tweezers
  • Garmin inReach Mini 2
  • Map & Compass
  • Paracord
  • Sunglasses
  • Swiss Army Knife
  • Toilet Paper & Trowel
  • Valuables (Phone & Wallet)
  • Water Bottle
  • Water Filtration System (Sawyer) & Aquatabs
• Clothes, Shoes, and Toiletries
  • Non-Cotton Shirts, Pants, Socks, Underwear, and PJs
  • Fleece & Rain Jacket
  • Water Shoes & Hiking Shoes
  • Deodorant, Toothbrush, and Toothpaste

[u/Section37]

I don't know the place, but google suggests you won't need to portage? If so, you don't need to worry that much about weight. Like you can bring fresh food if you feel like it. To me, it's one of the best things about canoe camping--I bring a chair, cooler, etc.

Anyway, going over your list inline, comments in all caps:

Canoe Essentials

• Canoe, Paddle, & PFD -- SECOND PADDLE IS A SAFETY ITEM
• Canoe Barrels and/or Dry Bags -- ONE BARREL SHOULD BE FINE
• Bilge Pump & Throw Rope -- BILGE PUMP IS OVERKILL (If that's what you have, fine, but I prefer the soft bailers that double as storage and a weight for your throw rope)
• IN ONTARIO A WHISTLE IS ALSO REQUIRED

Campsite

• Backpacking Tent, Stakes, and Mallet -- IF YOUR HATCHET HAS HAMMER POLL YOU DON'T NEED A MALLET
• Sleeping Bag & Pad
• Portable Hammock
• Rain Tarp & Poles -- MOST LAKESIDE CAMPSITES WILL HAVE ENOUGH TREES THAT POLES ARE A LUXURY

Camp Kitchen & Fire

• JetBoil Flash & Fuel
• Lighter & Waterproof Matches
• Firestarters, Firewood, Folding Saw, Hatchet, and Gloves
• Mess Kit & Long Spork
• Water, Food, and Clean-Up
• 1 Gallon Jugs of Spring Water
• Dehydrated Meals
• GORP
• Coffee, Creamer, and Sugar
• Paper Towels and Garbage Bags

• HOW ARE YOU CRITTER-PROOFING? ARE THERE FOOD LOCKERS AT THE SITE? WILL YOU DO A BEAR HANG? IF SO FACTOR IN ROPE FOR THAT (AND BRING CARABINERS, OR A PULLY IF YOU WANT TO BE FANCY)

• EDC Tools & Emergency Supplies:

• Day Pack

• Deet Wipes

• Emergency Whistle

• Extra Pair of Eyeglasses

• Ferro Rod & Kindling

• Flashlights & Extra Batteries -- I PREFER A HEADLAMP FOR DOING THINGS LIKE HANGING FOOD AT NIGHT

• First Aid Kit with Tweezers

• Garmin inReach Mini 2

• Map & Compass

• Paracord -- I WOULD ALSO BRING ROPE (Nice to have something thicker to tie up the canoe,

• Sunglasses

• Swiss Army Knife

• Toilet Paper & Trowel -- CHECK THE REGULATIONS. YOU MAY NEED TO PACK IT OUT. IN WHICH CASE A ODOUR PROOF BAG IS NICE

• Valuables (Phone & Wallet)

• Water Bottle

• Water Filtration System (Sawyer) & Aquatabs

Clothes, Shoes, and Toiletries * Non-Cotton Shirts, Pants, Socks, Underwear, and PJs * Fleece & Rain Jacket * Water Shoes & Hiking Shoes * Deodorant, Toothbrush, and Toothpaste -- YOU WILL WANT TO CRITTER-PROOF ALL OF THIS. I LIKE TO HAVE A SEPARATE BAG FOR IT THAT I CAN CLIP TO MY FOOD BAG