For a 5 day late May solo, focused on fishing, what gear would folks recommend to have back ups of outside of a back up pole, back up food, back up blade, and wool socks?

because I use a Gaz stove I take a extra burner,the orange box cheap one is a good back up.

An extra set of maps.

An extra water filtration system

An extra reel and or spool of line

quote ThreeRivers: "For a 5 day late May solo, focused on fishing, what gear would folks recommend to have back ups of outside of a back up pole, back up food, back up blade, and wool socks?"

That should cover it.

Alan

A second flask of Scotch! And spare paperback book.

butthead

Yeah, not much to add. I carry a belt knife and Swiss Army pocket knife, water purification tablets in the ditch kit anyway, extra map (maybe), extra burner (maybe), have dry socks for camp and sleep socks, have several ways to make fire anyway (I wouldn't rely on 1 BIC), I usually end up with a little extra trail mix, so no other additional food (hunger takes quite a while to kill you anyway). Spare paddle. Extra TP and an extra pair of underwear. Otherwise, when I'm solo, I'm usually trying to figure out what not to take because I'm the only one carrying stuff.

As someone else has said, don't forget spare maps.

So, I have both McKenzie maps and Fisher maps and plan to keep them separate. I have a gps, but feel that isn't needed as it wont show camp sites or lake depth. As far as a second flask...I though you need one per night! But really, I am wondering about a spare paddle. Do most folks on solos bring one? I understand one would be really up a creek without one if something happened to it but really needed?

Yes, most people bring one.
I take a 280 Yak and a strait for fishing or narrow shallow creeks.

quote brotherbob1958: "An extra water filtration system "

I would never bring 2 filtration systems on a may solo

I have thought about going sans a extra paddle but, not sure its really advisable so we're taking one. Extra water filtration seems excessive. I do take a GPS that is great for navigation and campsites. Just get the Ontario topo chip and load campsites, fishing spots, portage landings, etc.... on Basecamp. PS there is an entire BWCA.com forum on GPS and those people really know their stuff. I always say the all knowing eye in the sky knows exactly where we are. (As your paddling across a large lake have you ever wondered which island you are looking at? Not anymore.)

I have thought about going sans a extra paddle but, not sure its really advisable so we're taking one. Extra water filtration seems excessive. I do take a GPS that is great for navigation and campsites. Just get the Ontario topo chip and load campsites, fishing spots, portage landings, etc.... on Basecamp. PS there is an entire BWCA.com forum on GPS and those people really know their stuff. I always say the all knowing eye in the sky knows exactly where we are. (As your paddling across a large lake have you ever wondered which island you are looking at? Not anymore.)

Paddle.

An extra paddle is not redundancy it's a necessity in a solo. In the unlikely event you and your paddle part ways, then what? It can, and has happened to someone?

Rapalas, maps, whiskey, cigars, paracord, water filters, cameras, knives.

Extra water filtration might be excessive, but a secondary water purification method isn't. Tablets or a Steripen don't take up a lot of weight or space, and will possibly save your guts if your filter goes kaput. Boundary Waters water is cleaner than most, but you can't be too safe where that's concerned. I'm probably overly cautious when it comes to water, though. I use a First Needs purifier instead of a regular filter. It's more expensive, bulkier, and harder to pump, but that peace of mind makes my proverbial load much lighter. Most filters don't catch the really nasty gutbugs.

I usually bring extra food, at least 1 full day's worth of meals and about 25% more snacks than I think I will need, just in case, and one more pair of socks and boxers than I need, so I can sleep dry. Otherwise, I don't carry a lot of redundant gear.

quote BnD: "I have thought about going sans a extra paddle but, not sure its really advisable so we're taking one. Extra water filtration seems excessive. I do take a GPS that is great for navigation and campsites. Just get the Ontario topo chip and load campsites, fishing spots, portage landings, etc.... on Basecamp. PS there is an entire BWCA.com forum on GPS and those people really know their stuff. I always say the all knowing eye in the sky knows exactly where we are. (As your paddling across a large lake have you ever wondered which island you are looking at? Not anymore.)"

Don't take the an extra"water filtration system" just the extra filter itself - small and easy to pack.

yes!yes!! on the spare paddle.i once came off a portage at the foot of some nasty rapids and when I used my paddle to push off it got between some rocks and pulled right out
of my hand.with the spare I could retrieve it, without the spare I would had gone down river in the swift current.
my spare is a bit longer and I use it as a push pole around rocks or creeks.

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Careful- Packing redundant gear tends to make the pack really heavy/bulky really fast. When I pack for solo, the focus is more on eliminating redundant gear. There are some safety/practical backups to have, but also some that might not be completely necessary.

I find it a good exercise to imagine what would happen if the primary gear was lost/broke, and what it would mean for the trip? If it would leave you stuck or ruin the trip for you, then bring a backup. Broken paddle? If you can't fix it you're hosed so it deserves a backup. Broken stove? Cook over the fire grate- its more difficult and messy, but would work fine in a pinch and wouldn't end the trip early. Broken water filter? treatment tablets are a small, lightweight backup- or just dip in a clean lake and chance it. Loose your knife? I'm guessing you already have a filet knife with and that would work fine as a backup for essential knife-tasks. Loose your map? might be able to find your way out or find someone who can help, but this would probably end your trip- a map copy in the bottom of the pack is a good idea. Since you're focused on fishing; a broken pole might be a real bummer for you, so a spare is warranted. Backup food? you won't starve in 5 days- at the worst you'd have to ration a bit and be left insatiated. Food is heavy. If a bear gets your food then more food won't help cause it would be in the same place.

After the trip, inventory everything you didn't use and if it would be worth it to carry it again.

An option for a back up map would be having a map file on your phone. You can easily access it, it doesn't take up any more space in your pack, and one file covers a very large area. Paper maps usually only cover a couple lakes, whereas the file will cover 1/3 of the whole BWCA, and is only about 25 MB.

If you want one or all of these files, contact me through my email.

RW

Paddle. Knife. Lighter. TP. Cordage.

quote pswith5: "

quote brotherbob1958: "An extra water filtration system "

I would never bring 2 filtration systems on a may solo"

I know, right... No less than three... haha.


If you bring a GPS... make sure it has games on it. Haha..

In May your looking at the whole gammot of possibilities for weather and bugs. Otherwise, a five day trip is a good opportunity to see what you can do without.

An extra Chapstick.

quote RackWrangler: "An option for a back up map would be having a map file on your phone. You can easily access it, it doesn't take up any more space in your pack, and one file covers a very large area. Paper maps usually only cover a couple lakes, whereas the file will cover 1/3 of the whole BWCA, and is only about 25 MB.


If you want one or all of these files, contact me through my email.


RW"

I take pictures of my maps, fishing license, RABC, and passport before the trip so they are on my phone.

A back-up head lamp w/ fresh batteries.

For a summer, fair weather trip to the BW, I pretty much bring two knifes of some sort, several ways to light fires, and maybe extra set of batteries for my flashlight. I usually plan 1-2 extra days food too in case I get trapped by weather. Thats about it.

When I first got a pump filter I would bring purification tablets as back up, but don't bother now. I trust my gravity filter, and can always boil water (or drink straight out of lake). Its never occurred to me to bring extra maps and I'm sure I never will. I also don't use a GPS and leave my phone in my car.

The many folks who tend to bring an extra paddle tend to feel very strongly that it is important, but I am not sure most do or not. I may bring two this year just to try some different designs out, but I've gone with one paddle most of my last 15 trips. If I were going way up in Woodland Caribou PP for a few weeks no doubt I would bring one, but for a 5 day trip at the end of May your aren't running that big of a risk.

In the end, we all bring backups of the things we are most worried about having to suffer without, and everyone's list is going to be a bit different.

quote dpreiner21: "A back-up head lamp w/ fresh batteries. "

Better yet, fresh batteries in a ziplock. I've had several times that I've found my spare glowing at the bottom of my pack!

I wouldn't go without a spare paddle on a solo. One for a whole group is fine.

A story about spare maps...I took a rookie father and son to Knife last year. I told him which maps to buy, but he opted to bring his gps with a base map instead, without consulting with me of course. No portage or campsite info. So, I navigated with my McKenzies and lent him my Fishers for the trip. I had photo copied and laminated copies for the kids, so we had lots of maps! Fast forward to this winter, I'm planning a Falls Chain to Kawnipi trip, and can't find my Fisher Cache/Sagagonagons map. I've got a McKenzie, with no markings, but I know I had a Fisher with lots of notes. Couldn't find it anywhere. I even stumbled onto a picture of it on my phone, so I knew I hadn't lost my mind. Spent hours cleaning and looking. Then, planning a Man Chain trip with the same group, I had McKenzies from BWJ, but not my Fisher. I decided to lay out my Fisher and McKenzie maps on the floor to figure out which ones I needed to buy, and voila, The missing Fishers all had Knife Lake on them. Hmmmm. Texted the other guy from last year's trip, and sure enough he still had them. Moral of the story, if you have any spare items, don't lend them out if your memory sucks.

quote dpreiner21: "A back-up head lamp w/ fresh batteries. "

Same. It's an essential piece of gear. Sometime I'll count my LuminAid lantern as my backup light source, but most of the time I bring a backup headlamp.

quote BigCurrent: "

quote dpreiner21: "A back-up head lamp w/ fresh batteries. "

Same. It's an essential piece of gear. Sometime I'll count my LuminAid lantern as my backup light source, but most of the time I bring a backup headlamp. "

I feel just the opposite, but I rarely use mine on a trip anyway. I like to keep my night vision. I've even had mine quit on the first night of a week-long trip around the new moon.

Interesting thread...It's fun seeing what other people think is so important that it warrants a back up. Personally, I'd never consider bringing a spare headlamp, but I'd not leave home without a spare map, something many people don't bring. Different strokes for different folks. :)

I had been on many, many trips over the years without a spare paddle. Last year on Lake Agnes in the Q, lazily paddling towards the falls after completing the Meadows Portages, my nearly brand new Bending Branches Expedition Plus paddle snapped clean in half. We were paddling slower than normal, giving Arctic and his son a bit of room to get to the portage before we landed there for a trip up the falls. I have *no* idea why the paddle snapped, but thanks to some Californians with some Gorilla Tape, that paddle lasted the rest of the trip. Suffice it to say, next year there'll be a spare in the boat--and all years after that. I do bring a spare paddle on solos, though, which I guess was the original import of the thread.

I bring a old pair of eyeglasses whenever I travel. It is not exclusive to the BWCA. Sometimes we have a spare paddle, sometimes we don't. Foe other gear I guess we figure we could MacGyver something or do without.

Bring an extra person to carry all the extra crap.

This is all good advice, I think I will go with an extra paddle this go. As a former Army Ranger back-up gear I am all about, but as I plan on lots of portages, I was trying to pair down the gear.I am trying to do one pack, but looks like with a late May trip, I need to plan for weather so sadly I think it will likely have 2.

I know this sounds crazy, but when talking about the quality of a trip, (primarily a long trip), if an essential piece of gear suffers some sort of catastrophic failure, such as my upcoming nine night trip in May, I'm thinking seriously of bringing a backup Exped Synmat 7 air mattress.

Relatively speaking, they're not that heavy nor take up a prohibitive amount of space to consider bringing one backup for a party size of solo up to four paddlers. When I was in my twenties, I might be able to sleep on hard ground, rock, or tree roots, but not in my late 40's...at least not without a substantial blow to my trip enjoyment.

TP in a pelican case

I think instead of bringing the entire item. Bring the necessary repair items. Duct tape, mattress patches,multi tool, and knowledge will take you a long way. If your water filter craps out, go 50 yards out into the lake and get your water. The chances of getting a bug are very slim. I don't think I take any redundant items. I guess my National Geographic map of the East or West side of the BW could be considered redundant. It will work in a pinch

Duct tape was my original plan for an emergency paddle fix with maybe some sort of field expedient "splint".

Yes, I would bring a patch kit for the air mattress rather than another mattress.

quote ThreeRivers: "Duct tape was my original plan for an emergency paddle fix with maybe some sort of field expedient "splint". "

One thing I have gleaned from the accounts of some who have had to use a spare paddle is that it's not just a problem of fixing it, but of recovering it before it gets away, especially when solo. The same is true of having your canoe drift or blow away.

quote boonie: "Yes, I would bring a patch kit for the air mattress rather than another mattress. "

What if the leak is somewhere that can't be effectively patched, or if you get a leaky valve or something?

quote thinblueline: "

quote boonie: "Yes, I would bring a patch kit for the air mattress rather than another mattress. "

What if the leak is somewhere that can't be effectively patched, or if you get a leaky valve or something? "

Then you are screwed, but the same is true of anything else you take - tent, sleeping bag, canoe, food . . . or even the duplicate, although the odds would have to be getting pretty long there :).

It may be a duplicate you'll want to take that you're willing to carry that most people aren't due to your own particular circumstances. You're not the first that I remember saying he took a duplicate pad though, and he carried an extra tent too.

Everyone has to draw the line somewhere before duplicating every single thing . . . but everyone draws his own line.

I am hanging so I wont have a mattress

maps
stove and fuel
lighters
headlamps and batteries
sunglasses
reading glasses
fishing gear (rods, reels, line)
water filter
bdb's
tp

I take pictures of my maps, fishing license, RABC, and passport before the trip so they are on my phone. "

Great tip.

Alternate fire-starting methods are good... we usually bring a lighter and weatherproof matches. I've been interested in more manual fire-starting methods lately after watching Survivorman and Dual Survival. I think a flint/striker is going to go in my kit from now on.

I had a good laugh at "bring an extra person to carry all the crap."

My very first canoe trip on the San Marcos river in Central Texas when I was a teenager had a disastrous first day when my partner lost his paddle in some rapids and despite it being a populated route with our entire church youth group on the trip, nobody ever found our paddle, so I resorted to paddling with the cut-in-half bleach bottle that was tied to the thwart in our rental canoe to feel like I was contributing when it was my turn to ride in the bow seat. I've never taken a trip since then without a spare paddle. I think I'll take my yak paddle as a spare from now on... as it will actually be either two single spares or one double bladed spare. I bet I could rig up some improvised handle to put on the ends. Or maybe someone has already invented those.

quote Wables: "

quote dpreiner21: "A back-up head lamp w/ fresh batteries. "

Better yet, fresh batteries in a ziplock. I've had several times that I've found my spare glowing at the bottom of my pack!"

Take one battery out and put it back In backwards. It won't accidentally turn on. If needed, just flip the battery around the correct way.

This is a great thread. I have never done a solo trip and plan careful redundancy by training my boys to be responsible for their own cooking/water filtering, fire starting, etc. With that said, I am only a few years from an empty nest so this has been an excellent read. I ALWAYS have an extra paddle in each boat but I never really considered the question just something the outfitter provided and we took with us.

quote boonie: "

quote ThreeRivers: "Duct tape was my original plan for an emergency paddle fix with maybe some sort of field expedient "splint". "

One thing I have gleaned from the accounts of some who have had to use a spare paddle is that it's not just a problem of fixing it, but of recovering it before it gets away, especially when solo. The same is true of having your canoe drift or blow away. "

So don't forget to take a spare canoe!!

Sorry couldn't resist the last post
Glasses, had a lens pop out one time, was able to recover it luckily
Paddle, lost a paddle more then once
One day of extra food in case you get wind bound
Extra toilet paper in case of the trots
Extra reel & rod. 1st year had one rod & reel per person and 2 reels broke
set of warm clothes in case you get wet,
batteries
purifying tablets

Toilet paper.

quote Bannock: "

quote Wables: "

quote dpreiner21: "A back-up head lamp w/ fresh batteries. "

Better yet, fresh batteries in a ziplock. I've had several times that I've found my spare glowing at the bottom of my pack!"

Take one battery out and put it back In backwards. It won't accidentally turn on. If needed, just flip the battery around the correct way.
"

I use a small piece of tape on one of the ends of the battery, that way you don't have to turn it backwards and deal with the spring.

The only extra gear I take is:
a couple of extra meals ( in case of being wind bound and being out longer than
expected)
extra maps and compass
3 different ways to start fires ( matches, fire steel and Bic lighter)
extra paddle (in case one gets broken)
some extra cord for tarps or tents
extra water filter (Sawyer Mini)

quote Captn Tony: "

quote boonie: "

quote ThreeRivers: "Duct tape was my original plan for an emergency paddle fix with maybe some sort of field expedient "splint". "

One thing I have gleaned from the accounts of some who have had to use a spare paddle is that it's not just a problem of fixing it, but of recovering it before it gets away, especially when solo. The same is true of having your canoe drift or blow away. "

So don't forget to take a spare canoe!!"

Well, I guess maybe I could take one of those pack rafts :).

I wasn't very clear there - thinking about guys who didn't tie up their canoe and it blew away, especially the guy who had to use his SPOT to get rescued from an island when his blew away. It was very early, water too cold to swim, and he was remote with no one around.

I take very few extra's and I'm solo paddling a lot in Alaska.
Granted I have yet to go over a week solo in AK, so the list might grow if I went longer.

Here is what comes to mind.
Extra paddle
Extra food
Couple extra battery's
Two cans of Bear Spray

Water purification tablets and extra ways to start fires.
IE: These are in my emergency gear (Ditch Kit) so I do not really count them as extra.