Other Items

In addition to trail shoes, you should also pack a pair of comfortable, lightweight footwear such as low-cut sneakers to wear while in camp to give your trail shoes time to dry out and allow your feet to have the comfort of dry footwear part of the trip. Wear heavy trail socks with a polypropylene blend (they dry faster) to cushion your feet on portages and provide protection against "ankle biters" (stable flies).Wear a hat for sun, bug and tick protection.

Cotton bandannas are handy; they provide bug and sun protection around the neck, are great for wiping sweat, they can become a cold compress when dipped in the lake and can be even used as a napkin! Swimsuits should be a fast-dry material. Do not pack a bath or beach towel - a hand towel, or even better, a chamois towel is sufficient. Sunglasses are important, especially if they are polarized to reduce water glare.

Finally, for personal items (see equipment list) pack a small (dentist sample size) tube of toothpaste or go without toothpaste, brushing alone is satisfactory for a week trip. Use biodegradable soaps and 30% DEET content bug repellent in non-aerosol containers. Some of the non-DEET repellents marketed recently are rather satisfactory but require more frequent application. Men should not bring razors; grow a beard!

Wear only a waterproof watch, otherwise go without a watch (sun time is fine in the wilderness!). Leave valuables at home (they are unneeded in the woods) and money secured at the trailhead or with your outfitter. Minors should carry proof of citizenship if you will be crossing into Canada. Life vests are required and should be comfortable to encourage use. Avoid bulky, horse-collar type vests. A bottle of Rainex is handy for a whole group to treat eyeglasses in case of rain. Those who wear corrective glasses should always wear eyeglass straps while at least on the trail if not during the entire trip.

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