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Sign in to chatWater travel changes every rule about weight and packing. This board is for the tradeoffs that come with it — hull choice, how you rig for a swim, and which portages are worth the shortcut.
Boundary Waters, Quetico, coastal touring, or a local river run: post the route, the boat, and what you'd change.
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9 threads in Canoeing & Kayaking
- EZEZD· 8/9/2026
Wolf River kayaking and rafting in Wisconsin — great whitewater close to home
Ran the Wolf River in Wisconsin for kayaking and rafting and it is a genuinely fun stretch of whitewater without needing a plane ticket. Water levels change the character of it completely — what is a friendly bouncy run at one level is pushy and technical at another. Advice if you are heading there: - Check flow before you commit to a section. - Helmet and PFD every single time, no exceptions, even on the mellow stretches. - Scout anything you have not run. - Cold water early season will hurt you faster than the rapids will. Dress for the swim. Who else paddles the Wolf? Looking for recommendations on which sections are worth repeating.
#whitewater#wisconsin#kayaking#rafting#trip-report0replies - WIWillowWashWade· 7/31/2026
Canoe vs kayak for a week of lake tripping
The canoe carries more, portages worse, and is miserable in wind. The kayak is faster and drier but I cannot fit a week of food in it comfortably. For me the canoe still wins on anything over four days.
#paddling#canoe#kayak1replies - ESEscarpmentEli· 7/30/2026
Boundary Waters route beta: Moose Lake entry in mid-September
Loons everywhere, almost no bugs, and we had four of five campsites to ourselves. The 180-rod portage was worse than the map suggests after rain. Happy to share the day-by-day if anyone is planning it.
#paddling#boundary-waters#trip-report1replies - SPSpruceGooseSteve· 7/25/2026
My dry-bag system after an actual swim
Two layers: everything in individual roll-tops inside a lined pack. The sleeping bag has its own compression dry sack and rides in the middle. I dumped in class II and lost nothing but pride.
#paddling#dry-bags#safety1replies - SPSpruceGooseSteve· 7/20/2026
Coastal touring: reading wind windows on the Great Lakes
Superior will hand you three glass hours and then twenty knots by noon. I now paddle early, camp early, and never fight a headwind on principle. Anyone with a forecasting source they trust up there?
#paddling#sea-kayak#weather1replies - GLGlacierGrant· 7/17/2026
Whitewater self-rescue practice — do it before you need it
Spent a Saturday in moving water practicing wet exits and swims with a group. The first real swim afterward felt routine instead of terrifying. Worth every cold minute.
#paddling#whitewater#safety1replies - CUCutbankChris· 7/14/2026
Solo portaging: yoke pads changed everything
Cheap foam pads on the yoke turned a punishing carry into a normal one. Also switched to a single-trip system with a big pack and no loose gear. What is your carry setup?
#paddling#portage#canoe0replies - NONorthwoodsNina· 4/10/2026
Quetico permits and crossing logistics for first-timers
The remote border crossing permit process is easier than it sounds but you have to sort it well ahead. Once across, the campsites are rougher and quieter than the BWCA side. Ask me anything.
#paddling#quetico#permits0replies - SASagebrushSam· 3/27/2026
Best paddling meal system for a week on the water
Weight is less of a concern so we bring a cooler for the first two nights and go dry after that. Fresh food on night one makes the whole trip feel different. What do you splurge on?
#paddling#food#canoe0replies