I'm new to this forum and can't get enough of the useful advice and stories.

Last year my buddy and I stopped using our 37 year old Wenonah Odyssey and switched to solo boats. He's a fly fisherman and wants the freedom to paddle where the fish are. I could care less, except for eating the catch. I bought a Wenonah Prism and he bought a Slipstream Impulse 13 (large pack boat). Anyway, our old 5500 cu.in. portage packs don't fit very well. I read through a lot of posts here about packs and I'm thinking of these:

1. CCS Hybrid Explorer with CCS Rucksack
2. CCS Hybrid Pioneer with CCS Wanderer

We bring a lot of stuff and always double portage. These days most of our trips are 6-8 days with a few layover days combined with side trips (lunch and rain gear). I want the packs to fit between the gunnels, stay as low as possible, and be flexible enough in size for optimizing balance. Comments and suggestions welcome!

Impulse Slipstream 13

Both will work fine in a solo canoe.

I cannot comment on those packs, but on strategy.

Your boats have basically fixed seat location in the center. You need to have two almost equal weight packs for front and back. For my typical 10 day trip a medium sized envelope or box pack with straps and an equal volume duffel works good. I carry an old # 2 Duluth Pack and rest the duffel on top of it to portage. It really balances just fine and rests against the back of my neck and head. I need no hands to keep it there. The duffel is nice and narrow and can be moved way up into the end of a canoe to adjust balance. I use the duffel for food, so it moves closer to the end of the boat as the weight diminishes. I carry a day pack when I portage the canoe. I has anything I want access to during the travel day. Water, lunch, rain gear, maps, binoculars first aid kit. I also put some heavier items like in there as I have a real light canoe and it helps divide the weight for double portaging..

I am not suggesting canvas gear, but CCS surely has something of similar dimensions.

I use a CCS Pioneer and a rucksack on my solo trips; perfect.

Check out the Kondos Outfitter Special. It's narrower than most canoe packs and works great for solo canoes. I've used mine in a Canak and Northwind Solo. High quality , Ely made.

sedges: "I cannot comment on those packs, but on strategy.


Your boats have basically fixed seat location in the center. You need to have two almost equal weight packs for front and back. "

Prism usually has an adjustable seat and prefers to be loaded stern heavy in most conditions. I've tripped with just one pack often and between the sliding seat and sliding the pack have not had any trouble.

The Kondos Outfitter special can easily be accommodated aft of the seat in the Prism, as can nearly all of the CCS Hybrid packs - though the Guide might require a bit of force.

For double portage trips (I almost always trip in my Advantage, it's lower and skinnier than the Prism) I usually take the Kondos Outfitter and a CCS Rucksack. Sometimes the CCS Guide and Rucksack. I like that the Guide has grab handles at the top and base of the pack, but if I pack it wrong it's a tight fit. Last fall I had Kondos install a grab handle at the base of the pack as well.

The Pioneer will hold a lot; I could put everything I take for a 12-day trip in there, but I use the 2-pack strategy as well. A smaller pack (~15 lbs.) gets carried with the canoe. The Pioneer will fit in a Prism, but I don't know about the smaller Slipstream.

Thanks to all for the insightful suggestions and advice. I hadn't considered the Kondos Outfitter Special due to the large volume, but the 16.5 in. width is a good feature for a narrow solo boat. I wish I could see the CCS and Kondos packs, but in PA I can only see the Granite Gear at REI. Of course, the GG Quetico is also narrow at about 16 in.

I'm very close to PA, but you may be far from WV . . .

boonie: "I'm very close to PA, but you may be far from WV . . . "

Pretty far from WV, I'm near the Lehigh Valley. Local outfitters don't carry much touring gear since it's mostly day trippers in this part of the country. I called some outfitters in the Adirondacks and they mostly carry GG. These must be good packs since that's what they rent.

Depending on your gear weight and bulk and needs for tall and skinny, some of the drybag type waterproof packs are tall and skinny by comparison.