Is there any gear you ever regret not bring on your solo? Something you wish you had? I read an article where a guy went on a few weeks canoe trip in northern Ontario and he regretted not bringing a chair. He said everyday he wished he had a nice chair with a back to it. Just made me wonder if any of you ever are out soloing and regret not bringing something.
Mike

No, not really - maybe a book, but I'm easily amused :)

Mostly I just regretted bringing and carrying stuff I didn't really need or use much.

On my first solo, I regretted carrying out 1/2 of the food I took in. On my second solo, I regretted carrying out 1/4 of the food I took in. Every trip for a while, I left behind something I took in and didn't use. Or got something lighter to replace it.

It would probably be easier to tell you about things I regret bringing than not bringing. Having said that, after years of tripping without a CCS type tarp, I wouldn't want to go without again. Same with a Helinox chair. They just bring so much comfort to a campsite after a long day of butt busting. I would almost be tempted to replace the chair with something like an ENO hammock, not for sleeping overnight in, but for relaxing after a tough morning. I've gone without pillows and won't make that mistake anymore. Now it's the biggest of the Nemo Fillo pillows for me. Oh, and after years of sliding off my mattress, I'll never be without a Big Agnes bag or some other that has a pad sleeve to keep you locked on that baby. One more thing, Crock clogs, with no holes for sticks to poke your feet through, make perfect camp shoes cuz they dry instantly and are pretty darn comfortable. No more tennis shoes for me around camp cuz they stay wet to long when you go out fishing or touring. Add bug headnet and/or bug shirt to the list. Should have used those a long time ago instead of bandanas. And don't forget headlamps and Luci lanterns...man, what a great thing for the canoe tripper. No more holding a flashlight.

The dehydrated beef and sausage I had made, but forgot to pack. Not a fan of vegetarian meals!

butthead

I also regretted not bringing a chair.

Chair - tried no chair for one backpacking trip. Never again.
Sleeping Bag - brought too light of one. Froze my ass in Glacier.
headnet - really needed it one time. Never will camp without it now.

No, like a few of the other guys I am usually more troubled by how much extra stuff I have brought. I am a chronic over-packer.

I regret not bringing the 30 Lb. canoe I didn't buy. :) Just kidding.

I think my solo last fall with my dog I regret not making and dehydrating food patties for her. Loose kibble takes up a lot of volume in the pack with the light density and air gaps. I could have made beef patties and even crushed in vitamins and added eggs and vegetables. I'm definitely looking into a good recipe for this next time.

a chair, my first solo I decided I didn't need one, I use a crazy creek canoe chair in my canoe and thought that should suffice, but then I bought a chair and have NEVER gone without one. Sitting on the edge of a lake, gazing over the scenery in a chair, relaxed is a must for me.

SunCatcher

Only once. I have three tarps in varying sizes. Naturally for a solo trip I brought the 9 foot model, the smallest. Unfortunately, I think it rained nonstop for the first five days and I found myself wishing I had taken a larger tarp along. I simply wanted more dry area to live under.
But this year on my solo I will again bring the small one unless the forecast is for a lot of rain.

quote SunCatcher: "a chair, my first solo I decided I didn't need one, I use a crazy creek canoe chair in my canoe and thought that should suffice, but then I bought a chair and have NEVER gone without one. Sitting on the edge of a lake, gazing over the scenery in a chair, relaxed is a must for me.


SunCatcher"

I've paddled with you... you don't sit much. Haha.
Bring Suncatcher... you can sit in his chair.

Too much stuff is usually more the problem. Whatever you bring, make sure it's sized right. Camera's are a good thing, but some are just too big. I drink a lot of water and use a bit in camp. The Nalgene canteen is very light weight and is handy to hook up to the gravity filter for that extra water. I use the gravity filter as it frees your busy hands a bit and isn't much bigger than a pump.

Need to start bringing the portable battery/charger thingy for my phone. Last trip, I used the Kindle app to save the weight of a book. Then I forgot to put the phone in airplane mode, so ran the battery down after a few days. Limited my ability to get photos later in the trip. Of course, this was as much operator error as it was a gear problem.

Head net, naturally I hit a May with the hatch of the black flies just right.

Multitool, the one year I leave it home I need it to use on a broken portage yoke.

Never regretted not bringing something, I just over come it and adapted and learn on the next trip.

Booz. I never bring it but there are times I sure wish I had brought a toast or two.

quote hobbydog: "Booz. I never bring it but there are times I sure wish I had brought a toast or two."

^^This^^^

I've left the bourbon behind before. The first time on purpose, the second time by accident.

I suppose I have never "regretted" not bringing something, but I have changed what I bring based on other camper's responses. A chair never tripped my trigger until I read of folks really enjoying their chairs...I love mine too. I never regretted not having a pillow until I received one for a gift and now I would hate to be without it. I never considered a small fleece blanket during the shoulder months until I read a suggestion to try one as a "little extra heat". In May and October it is a must for me.

As others have said, and I am getting better, the food I haul out, and gear I used to think indispensable, were my only regrets. Then again they too were part of the learning curve.

Mac

quote hobbydog: "Booz. I never bring it but there are times I sure wish I had brought a toast or two."

I wasn't going to bring it but filled my mini nalgene with high quality JD and ended up packing it at the last minute. It was a good decision.

Chapstick..once. Regret not bringing a book or a radio on a solo trip. Windbound for 3 days with nothing but my food pack and my whiskey. Lesson learned.

I did a two week backpacking trip on Isle Royale and didn't bring camp shoes.......that was sort of a bummer because I spent a lot of time wading in the water fishing. Wet boots, all the time Blah!

And a chair.......gotta have it. I used to be fine with a stool and now I have to have the backrest........ahhhhh, life is good!

quote mr.barley: "Chapstick..once. Regret not bringing a book or a radio on a solo trip. Windbound for 3 days with nothing but my food pack and my whiskey. Lesson learned."

I found boredom to be a "novel" experience ;).

I can not think of anything I regret not taking, like others my task is to decide to leave it behind. This position is based on the idea one cannot regret what one does not know and I did not know about lots of great gear. Before getting on this website I did not know about head lamps, hammocks, carbon fiber and the list outlined by others above will continue as new gear improvements reduce weight and improve the experience. I will not trip without my chair, either.

A thermos. Normally we bring one so that we can have a cold camp on travel days and still have coffee, or brew an extra pot on fishing days to have in the boat. It feels like so much more to do breaking camp solo that the time savings from brewing and one less round of dishes is a bonus. It can also be filled with beer for the first night!

quote hooky: "

quote hobbydog: "Booz. I never bring it but there are times I sure wish I had brought a toast or two."

^^This^^^


I've left the bourbon behind before. The first time on purpose, the second time by accident."

More Booze. I learned the fine art of rationing

I regret not bringing a tarp on a rain and wind blown trip.

On normal trips I use wind and rain days to sleep. On those trips where the wind and rain go on for several days, I regret not having the tarp.

All of that say, this is directly related to all of your alcohol comments. You can plan your rations all you want, but get stuck by wind and rain for three days straight and you'll probably regret your best laid rationing plans! :)

quote Wables: "A thermos.... It can also be filled with beer for the first night!"

This is the most brilliant advice I've seen posted in a while.

quote Duckman: "

quote Wables: "A thermos.... It can also be filled with beer for the first night!"

This is the most brilliant advice I've seen posted in a while."

+2 !

I got some bad burns once not having sunscreen with. Now I always have a little tube with.