For anyone who prefers tripping with at least one other person - what are the most important or appealing traits that you look for in a tripping partner(s)? What are the least desirable traits of a tripping partner(s)?

Has the ability to commit to a taking a trip. Most everything else can be worked out.

I know it's a simple answer, but for those of you who have reliable trip partners, you don't know how lucky you are.

Here's my normal group.

Me - I float the idea sometime in late winter / early spring via text. I then book the permit.

Trip Partner A - Always noncommittal. Somewhere around 2-3 weeks out from the departure date, he'll call and ask "Hey, when is the trip? Where are we going?" and at that point he commits to the trip. Once committed, he's not backing out. He's been the most consistent, going on probably 95%+ of the trips we go on.

Trip Partner B - Initial response - 100% of the time is "I don't know if I'll have the vacation" Proding for him to figure it out and request the time off is met with a listing of reasons why he has no vacation. He gets 5 weeks a year, but is one of those guys that uses it as soon as he has it. He's 50/50 on if he's attending or not.

Trip Partner C - He's generally game to go, but is the least outfitted. He will tag along if he fits in boat and tent wise.

Trip Partner D - Known best by Trip Partner A, occasionally joins.

Communication amoung this group is frequent via text, however the usual topics are sports and whiskey or beer. Canoe Trip discussion/planning isn't really talked about. We've gone enough times that there's not much to talk about. A couple days prior to our entry date, we'll work out the logistics of what boats we're bringing, where we're meeting and what time.

Past Trip Partners included;

Trip Partner E - Planned everything to the last detail. If he wasn't in complete control of booking the permit, picking out sites, he was out. He would be instructing everyone on what to bring months in advance. He would be living out of his pack in his basement a solid month before the trip.

Trip Partner F -L - This group of participants were usually newbies and asked varying degrees of questions. Some went on a few trips others just one.

I'm VERY lucky--my tripping partner and I have been paddling together since the late '60s and have been married since the early '70s. I think the most important trait in a paddling partner is a shared image of what a trip should be. For us, that image has evolved into a 10-day trip covering 100+ miles in Quetico or a multi-day trip on a non-whitewater river. We plan our trips together. We plan our gear together. We plan our meals together. We're hitting Florida's Suwannee River in a few weeks and are planning another Quetico trip in late-August. The wonderful aroma in the background of this post is shrimp dehydrating for one of our favorite paddling dinners!

TZ

The single most thing to assure the trip partner is going as committed to is to collect non-refundable money well in advance of the trip. The best is 100% of his portion of all shared expenses. 50% has always worked for me. The balance before you leave if you do not know your partner well.

Very similar to Trailzen, paddling with the same person for over 30 years, married for most of them. We also plan all aspects of the trip together. While we have a general trip plan, we try to stay flexible and adjust to conditions.

When we do go with others, we look for commitment, enthusiasm, positive outlook, flexibility, willingness to pull their weight, and how “laid back” they are. We don’t dawdle when we paddle and portage, but we do like relaxing around camp. We like telling and listening to a good story.

While it may limit the number of people we go with, we try to weed out people who, while we do other things with them in daily life, would probably not do well with our trips. In other words controlling, over scheduling, high maintenance people, negative or complaining attitude.

I am lucky as some of the previous posters but unlike them my tripping partner is not my wife but a buddy of 50 years that has shared hundreds of adventures with me from car camping, BWCA trips, winter camping trips, Quetico trips and backpacking trips. Not to mention a few road trips. We met in 1972 in high school and hit it off pretty good and the rest is history. There are a few stories we could tell:)

Tripped a lot in the 70s and 80s but then both raised families. Picked it up again about 10 years ago and have taken 1-2 BWCA trips a year since then. We have 2 permits booked for this year, LIS 14 in late May and Kawishiwi Lake right after Labor Day.

We have come to an equilibrium on our trips, talk plenty but don't need to talk either. I love to fish, he is pretty casual about it. We both share a passion for photography so that is a big focus. We both share early rising and very good coffee so that's what we do most days. We are both retirement age and planning to retire this year so our trips have evolved to mostly basecamping trips with a day of travel here and there.

We know what we are doing and have all the equipment we need(in spades) but love every trip as if it was a new thing. Hoping to expand on our trips when we retire, both BWCA and around the country to see the sites outside of MN. God wiling we are able to do that.

Wish I had more folks to travel with, love bringing new folks up there(which we have done a few times) but it is usually just Jim and I which works out fine. But I am incredibly lucky to have this partner to share all the adventures we have had over the years, hope we are allowed to continue for awhile.

Having said that, I get along with just about everybody so I would be very open to trips with some of you fellow BWCA.com members, especially in the coming years when I have more time. As long as the trip plans are not too aggressive, don't do that anymore. New friends, new things learned, new perspectives.

Happy paddling

Speckled: "

Trip Partner E - He would be living out of his pack in his basement a solid month before the trip."

Has me laughing!!! Really?!?

I've only done BWCA trips alone or with family - Dad, brother, nephew, wife, and/or daughters. Love these trips together! We plan trips together meaning I do everything I can to engage them with the process to create a trip that they will enjoy. We've done 100+ milers over more than two weeks to as short as 4 nights. Base camp, tripping, fishing, site seeing, photography, wildlife observing. etc. I enjoy being in the wilderness with my family and finding ways for them to enjoy and appreciate it as much as possible.

I've tried to take a friend or two on their first trips but they've backed out so I've gone alone - last year it was a late ice out kept them away and the year before the fires caused air quality worries for my friends. Enjoyed the solo trips though!

For a tripping partner other than family, I guess I wouldn't be too picky. Someone who enjoys being in the wilderness. The rest comes together from there, I would imagine. LindyLair said it well in his response, I think.

Four trips planned for this year...two solo and two with family (daughters on each)...and I am enjoying the anticipation and planning because it'll come and go too quickly.

Have a lot of children. Lifetime supply of great tripping partners. Two sons not enough - so I have to solo sometimes.

I've taken 3 different types of trips in reference to the other people who are along.

First is the extended family group that got me into this whole thing when I was still in high school. While my role in route planning and gear loaning has increased in the last couple years, for the most part I get to shut up and show up. It's great! I am blessed with an amazing extended family that gets along very well. Most of us are there to just soak it in and spend time with each other. Lots of cribbage and singing around the bonfire. Lately I've been the only one aged between 20 and 50. We haven't been putting many miles on the last few years but I don't mind and I'm glad to carry plenty extra... and I try to do so without telling anyone! I managed to carry all 4 of our boats at one portage last year and no one complained! That's what I'm there for, I want to make sure the people that introduced me to this love and taught me the ropes get to enjoy it as long as they can. Plus I don't have to cook very often.

Most of my other trips have been me and one other buddy. I've taken a few out with me in the last decade and the trips have all gone well but none of them have gotten as excited about the BWCA as I am, with only one coming back for a subsequent trip. I normally provide all of the community gear, on a route I picked and we push it pretty hard. They have always been experienced backcountry campers and close friends of mine, close in age (30s) and most often with physical abilities that exceed my own. I haven't ruined any friendships like this, I just haven't lit a fire in any of them where they want to come back every year. They either prefer to take different styles of trips (hiking, horses, motorboats) or they do things like get married and have children and then their PTO days get spent with their families instead of with me. Seeking applicants!

So otherwise it's just me and my dog but he passed last year so now it's really just me. Boomer never complained, carried the cast iron, loved to spend all day in camp but didn't mind spending 8 hours in a canoe either. He wasn't any good at fishing and never did any cooking, but he was pretty good with the dishes.

They just need a sense of adventure. The rest can be taught.

No complaining. Sometimes it rains. Sometimes the wind howls. Sometimes it's cold. I don't want to hear about any of that.

I’m lucky to have had the same bow partner for all of my trips, my son. The great thing about paddling with your kids is once they reach their teens, they usually have unlimited paddling energy. After paddling with the same partner for years, the teamwork makes for more efficient travelling, knowing what each is expecting without discussion.
The most desirable traits, in my opinion, requires good spirits and willingness to get along, as well as sharing camp & cooking chores. Having a strong pack mule is a benefit on the portages as well, and an itch to fish helps.
I have always planned our trips, packing and preparing all food & gear, and choosing the route. My partner is happy with those arrangements and there’s not much detailed talk until about 2 weeks prior. I wish I could be so carefree prior to a trip to see what it would be like, but not my nature.
The least desirable trait that I have any experience with is keeping a clean camp, not just food & cooking items, but keeping gear in proper places, not strewn about the site. I’m sure there are worse traits, but I’ve not had any issues in our trips.

Very simple rule I have, just don't be a whiny *ussy. Anything else is acceptable. A sense of humor is always a plus.

I have had great luck over the years with people I have tripped with.

I have joined a couple of trips with others on this board that I did not know prior to the trip. Both of these experiences were positive. I learned a ton from seeing how others trip.

I have taken many trips where I did the planning and took groups of guys from church. Some guys knew each other, some not. Most everyone was well behaved.

My two worst experiences were 1) a very defiant teen who's Dad was with and they made the trip uncomfortable for the whole group. He will never go on a trip with me again. 2) A guy who was uncomfortable with me heading out solo for the day and wanted me to give him my itinerary before leaving camp. Also will not be on future trips.

You really have to decide what you want out of the trip. If you want a guaranteed peaceful and relaxing trip, go with people you know or get to know them some beforehand so your trip mates do not degrade your experience.

If your goal is to take people and give them an experience, you have to be prepared for some unexpected situations.

I volunteer for an organization that takes kids hunting and fishing and I am taking a group of younger teen boys on a 5 day trip this year. I have hunted and done other activities with all the boys who are coming and I am hand selecting them based on how they have behaved during other activities. I consider each of them to be outstanding young men, but they are 12 - 14 so it may get interesting. My goal is to take them on an adventure and understand that it may be an adventure for me also.

My buddy and I were the best man at each other's weddings and he introduced me to the boundary waters. We usually try to get a second canoe to join us and the most important trait is the willingness to commit to the trip. The canoes we have, and have access to, sit 2 people. If we don't have the second person for that canoe, the other guy isn't going. So that is why the willingness to commit to the trip is the most important.

After that, being willing and (for the most part) able to carry their own weight with camp chores, portaging and paddling are also important.

What we don't want in a trip partner is a complainer or a quitter. Pretty much everything else we can work around and shouldn't make everyone else miserable.

I go with a co-worker who is a friend. He’s completely chill and flexible on what we opt to do day to day. As long as he has coffee in the morning and bourbon at night he’s happy as can be.