Luxury items you take canoe (or winter) camping

[ppine]

In winter darkness is the real enemy. For a Feb trip on the lower Colorado R on the AZ/CA border, I brought lights, lots of lights. Cheap solar lights were good around camp. Everyone had at least one headlamp. A battery operated lantern for task lighting.

In the desert, finding fuel for a fire was a challenge. We had frost every night.

 

[lowangle al]

The biggest luxury item I've taken is my campfire tent at about 30 lbs. When out tandem with my wife it never stays home, but that is going to change for portage trips now that I I got a 3 man MSR at less than 4 pounds. A wood stove is nice during the shoulder season. The roll up table and two burner stove may still go on a no portage trip. I've also taken a five gallon bucket toilet system for my wife during bug season. Folding chairs are a luxury, as are my nice binoculars. I'll take my small binoculars as an essential item, especially when going to a new area to help find portages. Alcohol is a luxury, especially champagne. Fishing gear may or may not be a luxury item. When fishing is the goal I take it, but sometimes I don't bother with it.

I found that because I take some heavy items the rest of my gear is pretty spartan, so with a couple of changes I can pack pretty light.

 

[Seeker]

The older I get, the more I appreciate a chair, soft bed, and flat surfaces at a convenient working height.

My luxury items these days are either a hammock or full-sized and well insulated Thermarest mattress, an air pillow (you can adjust it 'just right' to prevent sleep-induced injuries), a Helinox Chair One, and a cutting board.

I'm getting to be 'on the fence' when it comes to a second pair of shoes (I normally make one pair work the whole trip, changing based on water temp.) It's really nice not to put on wet shoes the next day, or not have to walk around in Muck Boots in camp. On the other hand, if you have 2 pairs, that's one you have to carry.

I've also come back from a folding saw to a bucksaw... a folder is way lighter, but I'm really getting tired of a short blade; it takes too many strokes to get through a simple 3-4" thick branch of hardwood. Jury's still out on hatchet/ax... I have all sorts from 8-32 ounces, but I just can't decide; lighter is easier to carry, but more work in use, and I'm getting to the point, as with the saw, that lighter might be counterproductive.

I've also recently upgraded my frying pan from a tiny 5 or 6" one to an 8-9" Cold Handle clone... we'll see how that works out.

On non-portage/short portage trips, I'll take a wannagen, a Whelen lean-to, and a full-sized folding chair, and maybe a small dutch oven.

 

[lowangle al]

I think I need to correct myself on my above post. My biggest luxury Item isn't the campfire tent. It's actually my wife, and without her I wouldn't need most of those other luxury items either. She does cook and clean, paddle hard, and carry a load. She has also been know to point me in the right direction when I'm not sure which way to go. She's good to have around but not a necessity.

 

[Gamma1214]

...but I'm really getting tired of a short blade; it takes too many strokes to get through a simple 3-4" thick branch of hardwood.

I've had a Silky Katanaboy 650 on my radar for quite a while now; I just can't quite make myself pull the trigger...

(PS: I love that the description says "perfect for the guy that you don't trust with a chainsaw.")