Outside the essentials - Canoe, paddle, PFD, tent, sleeping bag, stove, rain gear, etc., what is the one piece of gear that isn't essential, but you wouldn't ever leave at home?

My Helinox Chair Zero Large, 1#6oz of comfort and rated for 320# and packs tiny.

A Patrick McManus book.

TZ

Without question, my Helinox chair. Comfortable and very packable. Expensive, too, but worth every penny.

I’m assuming some good whiskey is also essential….

That said, +3 to the Helinox chair

CCS Tarp

I consider a chair not "beyond a basic".

A chair. I'm okay with never parking my hind end on a log again.

A camera. I used to just take an old cheapo digital camera for several reasons; not an issue if it breaks or ends up in the water and disconnecting from having a phone present. With the quality of phone images these days, that's what comes along as the camera in a waterproof lanyard and doesn't come off airplane mode or battery saver.

I'm going with Argo's line of thinking. A CCS tarp was my original "must-have" beyond basics, and then it became one of my basics. Same for my Nemo chair - was a must-have and is now in the basic gear category.

As I now basecamp, a bug net around the throne is my new must-have. Game changer being able to do one's business and not fight mosquitos the entire time!

Jefflynn06: "I'm going with Argo's line of thinking. A CCS tarp was my original "must-have" beyond basics, and then it became one of my basics. Same for my Nemo chair - was a must-have and is now in the basic gear category.

As I now basecamp, a bug net around the throne is my new must-have. Game changer being able to do one's business and not fight mosquitos the entire time!

"

Nice. I treat the mosquitoes as incentive to get your business done and get off.

Beyond the chair, it's a deck of cards and cribbage board for me.

I'm going to go a step beyond the CCS tarp and say my CCS Ridgeline stuff sack. Turned my hammock into a convertible.

I like a pee bottle in the tent, for times where the mosquitos are really bad. Or it's pouring rain.

+6 (if I counted correctly) for the Helinox chair. In my younger years, I used to scoff when I'd see people using a chair on a backpacking trip and thought that was such useless weight to add to a pack... No more! My lower back now strongly objects to sitting on a log or a rock with no back support.

My high-back Klymit chair is now a staple and no longer considered a luxury item. Much cheaper that the Helinox Sunset, and not too much heavier. Like others the CCS tarp in also now considered essential. I guess my luxury item is my Alps Mountaineering dash table for cooking. It stands taller than a lot of other lightweight tables, which I really appreciate.

My helinox chair has gone from luxury to necessary (knee issues), ccs tarp same thing (too many rainy days). I would say my husband, but he carries the canoe! So my extra item would be binoculars.

" A fine and pleasant misery" and my chair.

Coffee! Never took a chair, just a butt/knee pad . . .

One more for Helinox chair. Back in the day I'd have scoffed at a chair. Not anymore.

Chair preferably Helinox Zero

Group trip CCS trap hands down

Paper Bible, phone camera, and quick dry pants are a close second, third, and fourth.

Z4K: "I'm going to go a step beyond the CCS tarp and say my CCS Ridgeline stuff sack. Turned my hammock into a convertible."

YES! These are definitely my very close second, continuous ridgeline and prusik knots and you can set up a tarp in under 5 minutes.

mgraber: "

Z4K: "I'm going to go a step beyond the CCS tarp and say my CCS Ridgeline stuff sack. Turned my hammock into a convertible."

YES! These are definitely my very close second, continuous ridgeline and prusik knots and you can set up a tarp in under 5 minutes."

+3

Probably my top 3 are:
1- Yes, a camp chair
2- Canoe Seat with back
3- crocs as my camp shoe

Honorable mention:
Nylon pants
Headlamp
hammock (that I have slept in the last few trips)

Everything needed to catch fish and fry them, even if it’s primarily a traveling/exploring trip.

travel size Gold Bond medicated powder. Cools ya right off.

lundojam: "travel size Gold Bond medicated powder. Cools ya right off."

Gold Bond Medicated Powder falls into the "essential" category for me.

Jefflynn06: "I'm going with Argo's line of thinking. A CCS tarp was my original "must-have" beyond basics, and then it became one of my basics. Same for my Nemo chair - was a must-have and is now in the basic gear category.


As I now basecamp, a bug net around the throne is my new must-have. Game changer being able to do one's business and not fight mosquitos the entire time!


"

I love it!

justpaddlin: " "

Awesome!

Beyond the already listed, add a bug whacker for each tent. Come up from below as they seem to have eyes for everywhere else. No bug juice on tent walls and a high success rate make these essential for me.

My Nemo Fillo pillow...stuff sacks of clothing just don't work for arthritic necks.

straighthairedcurly: "My Nemo Fillo pillow...stuff sacks of clothing just don't work for arthritic necks."

I should’ve put that even more important than my chair. If I don’t have a good pillow, I don’t sleep well and if I don’t sleep well, I don’t portage and camp well.

Chair buddies for my Helinox chair to keep it well grounded in sand or slick rock (not available any more; some people use tennis balls).

FRYBAKE PAN PEOPLE. FRYBAKE PAN.

I used to bring a crazy creek as it was dual purpose for sitting on in canoe, but having some back support is really nice. Does anyone still bring a gas lantern? We were looking at adding a luci for lighting.

This would've been a nice thread as a google form/survey to easily see the data from it. "What pieces of gear are essential for you after the basics" basics defined as Canoe, PFD, Paddles, Tent/Hammock, Sleeping Pad, Sleeping bag, basic clothes, etc.

A lot of people mention chair, as would I. But that's one that (in my opinion) teeters the line between basic & additional item for me. I guess my response would be ear plugs because I share a tent with someone who snores!

bnics: "This would've been a nice thread as a google form/survey to easily see the data from it. "What pieces of gear are essential for you after the basics" basics defined as Canoe, PFD, Paddles, Tent/Hammock, Sleeping Pad, Sleeping bag, basic clothes, etc.


A lot of people mention chair, as would I. But that's one that (in my opinion) teeters the line between basic & additional item for me. I guess my response would be ear plugs because I share a tent with someone who snores! "

I agree with this...however, this is why I tried out a hammock...to get away from the snoring. I need my sleep on this trip. Now I love it. The ear plugs never totally took away the noise. Being 30 feet away does a better job. lol

uglyhat40: "I used to bring a crazy creek as it was dual purpose for sitting on in canoe, but having some back support is really nice. Does anyone still bring a gas lantern? We were looking at adding a luci for lighting. "

I brought this for trips number 3 and 4 (out of 20), thinking it would be great to have. You just screw it onto a green propane tank. I stopped bringing it because I found out that I just NEVER used it. When it gets dark in the summer, it is so late and we are so tired that we just go to bed. We really dont sit by the fire much on this trip. Car camping, sure. Backyard, sure. Not on this trip. Headlamps for putting things away that we forgot to our couldn't while it was light are critical. A lantern, nope. Bugs also keep us from sitting out too much at night.
Just my experience.

I like ear plugs unless I can hear the water. Water sounds are my favorite sound when sleeping.

I'll add other now that uglyhat posted about lantern/lights. I bring two of the Luci original solar lights (about $30 each). Pack up very small and are light weight. Work great to provide light as needed.

TrailZen: "A Patrick McManus book.


TZ"

Oh my gosh! Haven't read one of his books in years! Used to absolutely love them. My wife would get so angry at me because I would stay up late and read them in bed. I'd be chuckling the whole time. Wonder if he is still writing?

uglyhat40: "I used to bring a crazy creek as it was dual purpose for sitting on in canoe, but having some back support is really nice. Does anyone still bring a gas lantern? We were looking at adding a luci for lighting. "

We ditched camping lanterns 20 years ago. We bring Luci lights and string lights (Luci). Each morning sit them in the sun and they are good for all night. No fuel needed, no batteries.

As to our top 3:

Helinox chair (sundowner)
hammock
dutch oven

preacherdave: "

TrailZen: "A Patrick McManus book.



TZ"

Oh my gosh! Haven't read one of his books in years! Used to absolutely love them. My wife would get so angry at me because I would stay up late and read them in bed. I'd be chuckling the whole time. Wonder if he is still writing?"

Sadly, McManus died in 2018. We have several of his books, including a couple signed hardback. Yes, reading his work often induces laughter!

TZ

My CCS Tarp. I have spent many a downpour day under a tarp watching the weather and enjoying it. Before the tarp, it was miserable standing in rain in my rain gear, or stuck in the tent all day. It also makes packing up camp in a downpour a lot more managable.

CCS tarp, but I'm gonna call that an essential.

My one must have is a sun shower. Ifill up bag every morning and, unless it's super sunny all day, really don't get a whole lot of warm water in the evening. But I will shower in the woods every night regardless of the weather. It's just my thing

Mike

MikeinMpls: "CCS tarp, but I'm gonna call that an essential.

My one must have is a sun shower. Ifill up bag every morning and, unless it's super sunny all day, really don't get a whole lot of warm water in the evening. But I will shower in the woods every night regardless of the weather. It's just my thing

Mike "

Let me suggest the Pocket Shower from Sea to Summit. It is basically a dry bag with a nozzle on it. You heat up the water in a jet boil or on the stove, add cold water to get it to the temp you want, hang it and you have a shower that will last 5 minutes. No waiting for the sun shower bag to heat up and the who thing packs down to a bag not much larger then a pack of cigarettes.

SeatoSummit Pocket Shower

Minnesotian: "
My CCS Tarp. I have spent many a downpour day under a tarp watching the weather and enjoying it. Before the tarp, it was miserable standing in rain in my rain gear, or stuck in the tent all day. It also makes packing up camp in a downpour a lot more managable. "

First thing UP when we get to camp.... and last thing DOWN when we leave... always... even on clear blue sky days.

MarshallPrime: "

uglyhat40: "I used to bring a crazy creek as it was dual purpose for sitting on in canoe, but having some back support is really nice. Does anyone still bring a gas lantern? We were looking at adding a luci for lighting. "

I brought this for trips number 3 and 4 (out of 20), thinking it would be great to have. You just screw it onto a green propane tank. I stopped bringing it because I found out that I just NEVER used it. When it gets dark in the summer, it is so late and we are so tired that we just go to bed. We really dont sit by the fire much on this trip. Car camping, sure. Backyard, sure. Not on this trip. Headlamps for putting things away that we forgot to our couldn't while it was light are critical. A lantern, nope. Bugs also keep us from sitting out too much at night.
Just my experience. "

I bring multiple Luci lights. They are great. I just set a couple around camp and we can light up the whole kitchen area. When I'm using 3 at once, it really helps cut down on the shadows. Being solar rechargeable is great for peace of mind, I don't have to manage their use as much and fear them dying in the middle of the trip. I have 4 of them and usually bring 3 on a trip. Definitely a luxury to have the 3rd, but great when we're playing cards in the dark and don't want to blind everyone with a headlamp.

GCI Outdoor SitBacker Adjustable Canoe Seat with Back Support

Not needed so much where there are thunderboxes - but when paddling elsewhere - this has become an absolute necessity!

TrailZen: "A Patrick McManus book.


TZ"

I bought his audio books. We are going to listen to them during the 16 hours going up in the car to get us in the mood!

Whatever heavy item I can sneak into my buddy's pack

Definitely a chair for me. I went so far as to mount boat seats on my alumacrafts for base camping. It's awesome. Never get a sore back anymore. They're a little top heavy, being up a little higher, but my alumacrafts have a 38" beam. You'd have to try to capsize one. We named them the Yorktown, Hornet and Enterprise for a reason.

This category almost needs to have must bring for portage trips and must bring items for base camping.

In general, nylon, polyster and wool clothes has made a world of difference. I'll never wear jeans or cotton tee's in the bwca again. Nylon and Polyster dries so much faster, and doesn't hold the stink like Cotton.

But if you're talking about basecamping, I added a little something the past couple years, that I'm surprised I never did before.... I nice pair of loppers. You know the type that you trim tree branches with. It's basecamping, and I'm not doing much portaging. Long ago we stopped bringing hatchets, because it's the number one reason for med-evacs. Loppers make it so easy to trim dead branches, without making my hands sore, and can cut a fairly sizable part of the main. A decent pair of work gloves, and I don't get sore at all.

But more than anything, as I get older (61), I just like a comfortable place to sit down, and a high quality insulated matt to sleep on (exped). So a chair, and a good pillow are both musts when i'm basecamping. I bring the chair even when we're portaging.

I start my list of things to bring every trip with my fishing rod/reel and build the list from there.