As an outfitter we often get people going into the Boundary Waters for the first time. We have collected several packing lists over the years and keep whittling them down, but I thought I'd ask the collective mind of veteran paddlers what their favorite 'minimal' list includes. How much first aid equipment do you bring along? What stays behind in the car even though you thought you'd need it?

I found some older posts and here are the links:

2010 bradcrc

ObiWenonahKenobi 2016

Cheyenne 2007

gregoryt88 2013

USFS BWCAW Trip Planning Guide

Thanks for posting. It's always nice to see what others have on their lists. First aid is probably often overlooked.

I don't bring much at all for first aid. Bandaids, 4x4 gauze, roll of cling, Advil, Tylenol, some antibacterial cream, couple antidiahhreals, and some tape. My wife has pretty bad localized reactions to bee stings so we brought some Benadryl, prednisone and Famotidine. Brought some lotion with aloe in case the kids got sunburn, but not sure if that's considered first aid. This all easily fits in a sandwich baggie.

My mind could be changed, but I don't see the value in going with much more than this. I left the hatchet/axe in the car as it was the most likely thing to cause me to need more in my first aid kit. I'm more of a prevention of injury vs fixing them in the backwoods kind of guy.

Northwoodsman: "Thanks for posting. It's always nice to see what others have on their lists. First aid is probably often overlooked."

Hand sanitizer, tp, and electrical tape will cover most wounds :)

For 20 years my first aid kit consisted of duct tape and tylenol.
5 years ago I started bringing my daughter and father-in-law and my wife got involved with packing. I now bring an emergency room in a bag and an emergency locator beacon. I was annoyed at first but now I am a bit hurt...why didn't she make me bring all that stuff when it was just me?

elpirkl: "For 20 years my first aid kit consisted of duct tape and tylenol.
5 years ago I started bringing my daughter and father-in-law and my wife got involved with packing. I now bring an emergency room in a bag and an emergency locator beacon. I was annoyed at first but now I am a bit hurt...why didn't she make me bring all that stuff when it was just me?"

I about peed myself reading this...

elpirkl: "For 20 years my first aid kit consisted of duct tape and tylenol.
5 years ago I started bringing my daughter and father-in-law and my wife got involved with packing. I now bring an emergency room in a bag and an emergency locator beacon. I was annoyed at first but now I am a bit hurt...why didn't she make me bring all that stuff when it was just me?"

Beneficiary of your life insurance?

I’m not at home now, but can give a basic reply now and more detail later. My minimal (solo) list is pretty simple.

Tent, tarp, sleeping pad/bag, JetBoil stove/fuel, spoon, cozy, hand sanitizer (multiple), TP, Swiss Army knife, fire steel, lighter, headlamp, map/compass, food (dehydrated in Ursack), personals (toothbrush/ paste, plackers , nail clippers, meds), repair kit, ditch kit, belt knife, clothes, first aid kit, PFD, paddles, painters, camera, route notes.

NO chair, table, cooking utensils, kitchen sink, scrubber, utensil roll, dish soap, axe, hatchet, saw, lantern, binoculars . . .

boonie: "... ditch kit . . ."

What's in the ditch kit? Is it in the pocket of your life vest?

Basic stuff like fire steel, fire starters, water purification tabs, small platypus, emergency blanket, PLB in my PFD pockets. I have belt knife, compass, etc. in shirt/pants pockets. More complete list when I get home.

Antiseptic of some kind, large clean cloth, duck tape, clotting powder, band-aids, tweezers, athletic tape, gauche, burn kit. Either super glue or stitching kit depends if we have a medical professional along.
Cold and hot packs.
Probably missing something, if I think of something I'll edit the post.

I would not considering a BWCA trip without a cot. I spend at least 1/4th of my time on it. Small rocks, roots, sticks, etc. do not bother me. As a base camper, I would not consider going without my fold up rocking chair and a light weight chair for inside my tent. For the comfort and ease of getting rid of critters in the tent, I take my battery powered bug whacker and a backup in case the first gets wet somehow. It did happen one year. For me, an extra portage and the weight are worth the effort.

Lots of great advice here! A couple of things I would like to add: I bring higher power cheater glasses to better see splinters, etc. and I bring a little thing to fill in a lost dental filling (it's kind of a temporary putty). I'd run downstairs and hunt through my stuff to see what it's called, but I'm just so comfortable right now. I'm sure you can find it.

Dave

BWCA Solo Gear List

Gear Items:
o Canoe
o Paddle plus spare
o Lock/straps for canoe transport
o Life Jacket
o Portage yoke
o Crazy Creek chair (lifts me up off the bottom of canoe)
o Velcro paddle holders
o Canoe painter lines
o Maps, map case
o Portage pack and bag liner,
o Daypack and bag liner
o Waterproof stuff sacks for clothing/sleeping system/gear
o Tent (stakes, poles, fly, footprint)
o Rain tarp
o Bug net for under tarp and stakes
o Compass
o Bear vaults/Ursack
o Fire starter, matches, lighter
o 2 extra lighters shrink wrapped, one in PFD pocket
o Jet Boil stove, fuel for stove
o Food Mug/Coffee Cup/Spoon
o Personal water bottle
o Mora knife/cutting board
o Net bag for wash/dry/storage of dishes, scrubby, biodegradable soap
o Camp saw/hatchet
o Swiss army knife for repairs
o Rope
o Clothes "pins" (I use small metal clips from ID badges)
o Bungee Dealie Bobs
o Carabiners
o Repair kit
o First aid kit
o Sawyer Mini Squeeze water filter/back flush syringe
o Water storage bottles
o Head (bug) net
o Zip lock bags
o Sleeping bag
o Camping pillow
o Sleeping pad
o Camp chair
o Hammock/bug net
o Toilet paper/hand sanitizer
o Picaridin based insect repellent
o Thermacell Backpacker/ extra large fuel canister
o Headlamp (rechargeable)
o Luci lantern
o Small high power flashlight
o BWCA entry permit

Personal Items:
o Rain coat and pants
o Reading glasses/sunglasses
o Zip off pants x 2
o Long-sleeved shirt x 1
o Short-sleeved shirt x 2
o Wool socks x 3 (wet, camp, sleep)
o Sock liners x 1
o Long underwear top and bottom
o Underwear x 2
o Down sweater/pants
o Fleece top
o Fleece/wool hat and light gloves
o Buff/neck warmer
o Camp Shoes
o Canoe Shoes
o Hat-with brim
o Bandana for sweat
o Micro towel/biodegradable soap
o Baby wipes
o Toothpaste, toothbrush
o Lip balm,
o Deodorant
o Sunscreen
o Earplugs
o Money, credit cards, drivers license
o Cell phone in waterproof bag
o Delorme
o Kindle
o Power brick
o Solar charger
o Cords for all electronics
o Clean set of clothing and shoes for car ride

One thing that has made it into my must have list are walkie talkies. Especially when you are with a group. No more waving with paddles or shouting across a lake to communicate. We coordinate checking out campsites so the faster canoe can see if its open or not or we can check multiple sites without all having to go together. Doubles as a weather radio which is also indispensable to me.

Inmyelement: "I don't bring much at all for first aid. Bandaids, 4x4 gauze, roll of cling, Advil, Tylenol, some antibacterial cream, couple antidiahhreals, and some tape. My wife has pretty bad localized reactions to bee stings so we brought some Benadryl, prednisone and Famotidine. Brought some lotion with aloe incase the kids got sunburn, but not sure if that's considered first aid. This all easily fits in a sandwich baggie. My mind could be changed, but I don't see the value in going with much more than this. I left the hatchet/ axe in the car as it was the most likely thing to cause me to need more in my first aid kit. I'm more of a prevention of injury vs fixing them in the backwoods kind of guy.
"

Sorry, friend, but this post made me laugh. "I don't bring much at all.... except for these 12 things." I'm not saying your kit is wrong, but I think you and I have a different idea of what is "not much at all".

Ibuprofen and tape always make my list. Disinfectant and gauze if I'm getting fancy.

I carry 2 first aid kits, one with band aids, tape ,neosporan etc. this goes on top of the pack and another with everything from pain meds, Benadryl, to "poop be gone" and wound care in the bottom of my pack. Not a lot in either kit but enough for peace of mind.
One item if you are a fisher type is a good pair of pliers with a SHARP side cutter, easily reached with either hand. A lesson learned from a small walleye and a large Rapala buried in my finger and my Leatherman on the side of fish and lure. You really can't pull it out with the barb on.

Holy cow, I've never brought even half the stuff on that list on a bwca trip. Course, all the stuff for my wife and I for 3-4 days fits in one 45L backpack that weighs 30 pounds. I carry the canoe, she carries the pack. But we like to travel, not sit at a campsite. No fishing gear. No knife. Never brought an extra paddle.

Our first aid kit is: vaseline, bandaids, small roll of athletic tape, tylenol, moleskin, tweezers. I also have gorilla tape on my water bottle.

Adventure medical kits makes some ultralight kits if you don't feel like compiling your own stuff.

dex8425: "Holy cow, I've never brought even half the stuff on that list on a bwca trip. Course, all the stuff for my wife and I for 3-4 days fits in one 45L backpack that weighs 30 pounds. I carry the canoe, she carries the pack. But we like to travel, not sit at a campsite. No fishing gear. No knife. Never brought an extra paddle.

Our first aid kit is: vaseline, bandaids, small roll of athletic tape, tylenol, moleskin, tweezers. I also have gorilla tape on my water bottle.

Adventure medical kits makes some ultralight kits if you don't feel like compiling your own stuff. "

LOL. I was kind of reticent to post my list especially since I solo so all that gear is just for me :-)

But I will say that all that fits into a CCS Explorer and CCS Rucksack. Rucksack portaged with boat and Explorer goes on second portage.