Question for those of you who have gear lists. How detailed do you get? How do you organize your gear list? How do you break it down (optional/mandatory, type, make/model, weight, color)?

Thanks for any insights, just do not want to recreate the wheel......

I'm a detail oriented person with a terrible memory, so I have a list containing every single item I take. I print it and then check things off by hand as I'm packing them before the trip.

Things get separated into groups - food, clothing, cookware, fishing gear, paddling gear, toiletries, bedding, and miscellaneous. Each group goes into its own dry bag, which is then packed into my main pack, except for the food, paddling gear, and fishing tackle.

I don't separate things into wants or needs, but I do go over the list after every trip to see if there are things I took that I didn't use or need. I've managed to eliminate some stuff that way.

I use lighterpack.com to list my gear and weights. That has helped me trim my gear to a comfortable single portaging on solo trips level. I don't worry too much on group trips because I've learned I have no say in what other people prefer to bring.

It's a free site and allows you to create as many different list as you want and track consumable, wearable, etc. very easily. Lists are shareable if you want.

Lighter Pack

I used to use geargrams back in the day to track the weight of everything (excluding water and food weight), but that was mostly for backpacking, not for canoe tripping. I always looked at canoe tripping as my opportunity to bring some extra luxury items and not worry about the weight.

Truthfully though I don't track weight of individual items anymore for backpacking either. I've done it enough where I already have a pretty good idea of what I'm bringing regardless of weight, and my gear list doesn't change much aside from sleeping and clothing stuff for warmer/colder weather. Sometimes I will weigh my fully loaded pack before a trip for fun, but that's pretty much it nowadays.

straighthairedcurly: " Lighter Pack "

+1

Pretty much the same as NEIAP, but maybe a better memory? I can't remember! Don't bother to weigh/track stuff - I need what I need but do try to trim and go with lighter gear and not bring stuff I 'think' I might use. I fly, so in a way, I do weigh everything, but all at once to make sure I'm not overweight for the airline.

I bring what is necessary for a successful trip for our group size. Some trips its boil and dump, others it is 2 cast iron fry pans. We absolutely do gear lists so we don’t bring 4 saws and 3 axes, 5 water filters.

NEIowapaddler: "I'm a detail oriented person with a terrible memory, so I have a list containing every single item I take. I print it and then check things off by hand as I'm packing them before the trip.


Things get separated into groups - food, clothing, cookware, fishing gear, paddling gear, toiletries, bedding, and miscellaneous. Each group goes into its own dry bag, which is then packed into my main pack, except for the food, paddling gear, and fishing tackle.


I don't separate things into wants or needs, but I do go over the list after every trip to see if there are things I took that I didn't use or need. I've managed to eliminate some stuff that way. "

Thanks for your insight! I think the optional/mandatory may be a little useless.

straighthairedcurly: "I use lighterpack.com to list my gear and weights. That has helped me trim my gear to a comfortable single portaging on solo trips level. I don't worry too much on group trips because I've learned I have no say in what other people prefer to bring.


It's a free site and allows you to create as many different list as you want and track consumable, wearable, etc. very easily. Lists are shareable if you want.


Lighter Pack "

Thank you, I will look at that site! I think your spot on with the control we have over others in the group. Outside of our control..........

keth0601: "I used to use geargrams back in the day to track the weight of everything (excluding water and food weight), but that was mostly for backpacking, not for canoe tripping. I always looked at canoe tripping as my opportunity to bring some extra luxury items and not worry about the weight.


Truthfully though I don't track weight of individual items anymore for backpacking either. I've done it enough where I already have a pretty good idea of what I'm bringing regardless of weight, and my gear list doesn't change much aside from sleeping and clothing stuff for warmer/colder weather. Sometimes I will weigh my fully loaded pack before a trip for fun, but that's pretty much it nowadays."

Thats kind of where i am at. We know what we want to bring, its just a rather large weight so we think this activity may help to shed some light on where we are gaining the weight at and if we can shave some.

Savage Voyageur: "I bring what is necessary for a successful trip for our group size. Some trips its boil and dump, others it is 2 cast iron fry pans. We absolutely do gear lists so we don’t bring 4 saws and 3 axes, 5 water filters. "

A good list can definitely reduce the redundancy... Thanks for your insight!

sns: "

straighthairedcurly: " Lighter Pack "

+1"

+2

I'm like NEIowa. My list evolved into a more detailed one over many years. Each one is now more detailed after reading things about what people have forgotten, i.e. tent = fly, body, poles, stakes, guy lines. The list is comprehensive. There are now weights for everything. And expiration dates where applicable.

I have a main packing list loosely organized by things that go together starting with packs, tents/tarp, sleeping bags/pads, clothes, water filtration/kitchen, navigation, personal items, gear repair, ditch kit, first aid, food, miscellaneous items, canoe/paddle/PFD/etc. Things like personal items, ditch kit, first aid, food, clothes have sub-lists and are organized in stuff sacks. These things are checked off as they go in their stuff sack, then that's checked off as it goes in a pack.

I even have a "process list" of things to do since many can be done ahead of time - entry point/route planning, buy maps, make reservations, test/repair/replace items, food acquisition/prep. Other things range from a couple of months head to a week ahead.

Also reviewing after and making changes, can help to dial things in so weight and bulk can be reduced. Things like knowing how much fuel, food, clothing is enough, miscellaneous items you don't need/use. The more trips I did, the less of that I took.

I don't really need a list as I keep everything in the same packs I use them in and store them in the basement after cleaning things up. I use Sealline and Sea to Summit dry bags. I label each bag as to what is in it. When it is time to get ready for the trip, I just pull out the drybags and load them in the truck!

The only thing that needs planning is food. Even cooking supplies stay in their assigned packs.

I don't keep a physical list but I do sort things mentally on a want/need scale. It helps with deciding what to bring based on the type of trip. For example, if I'm base camping on an EP lake, I'm bringing the chair, table and cooler. If I have to portage at all, we don't bring the cooler. If it's a loop with longer days, I don't bring the table. If we're going down the Frost or Louise river, I'm probably not going to bring the chair.

My example is fairly obvious but it's helped with prioritizing upgrades. When your want is on the chopping block, you find ways to justify bringing it.

I actually have a google sheet doc that I have equipment, clothing, meals, expenses and route on. I move things around as we get new gear or needs change. I just copy the list each year.

I also have a kitchen scale that I weigh some items on, then use a sharpie to write it on the item. I have one coffee pot that is 1lb 11oz then I have one that looks exactly the same that is 2lbs 4oz. I have found that I can cut out several pounds just by weighing each item.

My biggest issue is the "lunch" pack and my tackle that I bring.

I think the single best thing I did to eliminate needless things and to lighten my pack was to make a list and weigh everything that’s on that list.

My life is often so busy that getting to have everything perfectly packed before a trip rarely happens, and there’s a lot of last-minute grabbing this, putting that in just in case, and when I made a list and weighed everything before I put it in my pack, I realized I didn’t need 10 triple AAs or two containers of ibuprofen or 60 Band-Aids, etc.

It also helped me eliminate those things that I have been bringing for years and never once used.

And this doesn’t have to be so that you can become lightweight. I just think it really makes you think through your gear, and you know exactly what you actually have.

On the final note, I would really check out that website that SHC mentioned. Unless you’re someone who loves to create spreadsheets then have it.

ockycamper: "I don't really need a list as I keep everything in the same packs I use them in and store them in the basement after cleaning things up. I use Sealline and Sea to Summit dry bags. I label each bag as to what is in it. When it is time to get ready for the trip, I just pull out the drybags and load them in the truck!


The only thing that needs planning is food. Even cooking supplies stay in their assigned packs."

Wish I could do this, but I take too many different kinds of trips: solo, family, ultramarathons, etc. I'm jealous that it works for you.

I put *everything* on my gear list, and I try to update it frequently.

I do this mainly because I have somehow managed to forget incredibly obvious and necessary things more than once. One time I left the food at home for a ten day trip. Forgot clothes on one trip. Sleeping bag on another. Boots a different trip.

Oh, and I create two lists, one to remember what to pile up at home and another to use when loading the car. Hopefully such measures are not necessary for almost all of you, but I'm not winning at Jeopardy anytime soon.

straighthairedcurly: "

ockycamper: "I don't really need a list as I keep everything in the same packs I use them in and store them in the basement after cleaning things up. I use Sealline and Sea to Summit dry bags. I label each bag as to what is in it. When it is time to get ready for the trip, I just pull out the drybags and load them in the truck!



The only thing that needs planning is food. Even cooking supplies stay in their assigned packs."

Wish I could do this, but I take too many different kinds of trips: solo, family, ultramarathons, etc. I'm jealous that it works for you."

The only other camping trips I take are for bikepacking. The gear for that stays in the panniers.

I don't maintain a weight list but I have replaced older heavier equipment with lighter, updated options.

With respect to packing, I do not rely on a packing list. My tripping "style" has evolved over the years to be fairly minimalist so there is not much to remember when loading for a trip. I also pack for each trip as a unique experience: which stove I choose, will I build fires, what type of meals will I prepare, hammock vs tent etc.

I travel solo or groups that will rely on me for all the gear so there is very little rusk of duplication.