If the canoe is not the most important piece of gear on a BWCA trip, your tent is. Anyone who has sat inside a tent during a rainy night understands this completely. Whether you were wet or dry, you understood the value of a quality tent.

Most good quality tents are made of a breathable nylon material, which allows airflow though the tent to prevent condensation on the inside. The downside is that a steady rain can also penetrate this material so you must also use a “rain fly.” This is a secondary piece of waterproof nylon that covers the tent with a few inches of clearance, providing the needed weather protection while protecting the tent’s ability to breathe. Ensure the tent you use comes with a rain fly that reaches low enough to cover any windows, or even all the way to the bottom of the tent.

Other materials include heavier polyester/cotton blends that are typically used in large cabin tents. These tents tend to be less expensive than nylon, but they don’t breathe well, leading to heavy condensation on warm summer nights. Poly/cotton tents are also heavier, and unnecessary weight is an enemy on a BWCA trip.

A two or three person dome tent is perhaps the most versatile tent shape and size. They tend to have ample size and stability while staying small and light enough to not be burdensome. 4-5 person tents mean carrying fewer tents as a group, but they can be tough to find a place to pitch them properly. Larger multiple-room family tents are heavy behemoths that I would not recommend taking.

Another thing to consider when buying a new tent is a “footprint.” This, like the rain fly, is a tough piece of material to put on the ground below the tent. It protects the bottom of the tent from wear, and provides a little extra water resistance to the tent floor. I once woke on a rainy morning to learn that I mistakenly pitched my tent in the path of water running off a nearby hill, directly under my tent. Without the footprint, I may have had a wet night. Not all tents come with footprints, so ask the retailer about the specific tent model. Another option is to simply use a tarp from any local hardware store. Again,  make sure it fits the base of your tent.

Finally, when it comes to tents, you get what you pay for. A $30 tent from a big blue box store may be enticing, but will not be nearly the same quality as a well made $250 tent from a specialty store. Even if it means renting a canoe the first few trips, do not skimp on the tent. Spend the extra dollars to make sure you stay dry and comfortable.

Popular Tent Brands:

• Big Sky Evolution
• Coleman
• Eureka
• Kelty
• MSR Mutha Hubba
• Paha Que Pamo Valley
• REI Half Dome 2 HC

Learn more at: http://www.consumersearch.com/tents#

(Shown left to right) Aluminum, ABS and Kevlar canoes.

Continually renting from an outfitter is like golfing with rental clubs. It’s OK the first few times, but you end up needing your own custom gear selected for your own needs. The first – and arguably most important – piece of equipment is the canoe itself. Let’s discuss some of the materials and lengths to consider, and a few other important features to keep in mind.

Different Types of Canoes

Modern canoes come in many materials with varying strengths and weaknesses. The most common of these materials are aluminum, ABS, and Kevlar. Wooden canoes are still made. They are beautiful, but are too fragile when bumping up on the endless rocks in BWCA, and tend to soak up water making them very heavy on a portage. Carbon fiber hulls are gaining popularity, but are still rare and more expensive.

Aluminum

Aluminum canoes are heavy, making them a beast to portage between waters. They also dent pretty easily when encountering rocks, and are tough to repair if the are punctured. They are fairly inexpensive however, with new 17′ canoes starting around $1,000.

ABS and Rolalex

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, also called ABS and Royalex, is a lightweight and durable plastic material that has become the best selling canoe material. They are lighter than aluminum making them much easier to portage, and are less likely to be damaged on rocks (particularly in whitewater). Good quality ABS canoes start around $1,250.

Kevlar

Kevlar is becoming the material of choice for serious BWCA visitors. Canoes are very lightweight, durable, and can carry more gear than their counterparts. Longer three and four seat Kevlar canoes can be easily portaged with one person. But at $2-3,000, they are the most pricey.

Don’t forget the Rocker

Another thing to consider is “rocker,” the amount of arc that a canoe has from bow to stern. High rocker means more arc and more maneuverability; low rocker means more flat and more speed. High rocker is needed when agility is required, like in a quick river with rapids. This is unneeded in the BWCA, where most paddling is on lakes and slow rivers, and the few rapids should be left to the pros. Most 16′-17′ expedition canoes should have 1” -1.5” of rocker.

Canoe length is the third thing to consider. A 16′-17′ two-seater canoe is a good all-around workhorse. They are seaworthy, maneuverable, and can hold lots of gear without being cramped. I’ve have two kids, age 6 and 8, who sit comfortably on the middle seat of my three-seat, 20′ model. Four-seat canoes are out there for those with bigger kids, like to carry lots of gear, or just like to boat with others. Longer canoes are also faster; three less experienced paddlers can keep up with two veterans in a smaller canoe. Longer boats are more expensive, of course.

No yoke about it…

A portage yoke with shoulder pads is technically unneeded, but I think they are vital. I wouldn’t take a canoe without one to BWCA.

To sum up, there is no perfect canoe for everyone. Cost, construction, and size need to be chosen according to each need. Now go and start creating fun memories!

On this trip — Avid outdoorsman, Erik Paulsen and I, along with our two daughters, planned a three-day weekend on Lake Four within the BWCA. We enjoyed all kinds of weather from 50-mph squalls to sunny 60° blue skies. In the BWCA you have to plan for just about everything. The week before it snowed!

The story behind these pictures…

On this years spring canoe trip to the Upper Iowa river we experienced something called, “Fresh-Air Apnea” a condition sometimes brought on by over-paddling, staying up late and consuming numerous beers by the fire.

What’s the cure? Apparently, a good dose of antiquing, breakfast at the local bakery and an a espresso in the neighboring town of Decorah, Iowa. Everyone recovered and is feeling OK now.

A few summers ago a friend invited me on on a trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area for a six night trip. I had not been camping in twenty years, and never in a wilderness setting like BWCA. Reluctantly, I agreed. Fortunately, I loved it! I’ve been there a few times since and am eagerly awaiting my next trip later this summer.

Having a good plan is paramount to a successful trip.

I’ve learned a lot about what to do (and not to do) while in the BWCA — some thing’s I wish I would have known before heading out. Having a good plan is paramount to a successful trip. In this series of articles I will to share some tips about wilderness camping.

Articles will include how evaluating your group and planning a route. How to choose a canoe — including: materials, types of canoe, sizes, and just enough technical information to understand rocker and weight distribution and even a video about paddling basics and what do if you capsize. We will talk about tents, tarps, and other necessary equipment. I will discuss choosing a good campsite and how to pack enough food without having too much.

With good plans and correct expectations — you can have great trip. A bad plan can ruin a vacation quickly. Fat Man’s Landing wants you to enjoy your wilderness adventure and we are here to help. Check back soon for the next article.

The Upper Iowa River is a tributary of the Mississippi River located in the northeast corner of Iowa. This weekend we canoed the most picturesque portion, bordering rolling hills and shear limestone cliffs, from Bluffton to Decorah, Iowa.

There’s a wonderful campground just outside of Decorah called, Pulpit Rock Campground. We arrived late Thursday night. Once our tents were assembled, we cracked-a-cold-one and proceeded to sit around the fire-pit swapping stories and conversing about the news.

We didn’t have any firewood so, I placed my Coleman LED lantern in the middle of the fire-ring, which gives-off a yellow glow when set to low. As the cold night air began to take over and the conversation grew wearisome, I quickly scooted off to bed.

May 15, 2009

A 50-percent chance of getting wet

It was my turn to cook breakfast. I had Salmon patties with mixed fruit prepared. We used Craig’s old rusty, but trusty, Coleman gas stove to reheat the patties. The smell of white gas on my hands while cooking at the picnic table, brought back nostalgic images of my father.

We eventually got on the river. The landing was washed out from last year’s spring flood. Like a regatta, we pushed-off for Decorah. Well, some of us did! Craig’s canoe sat vicariously on a rock and overturned sending Craig head-first into the water. He quickly changed into dry clothes.

No sooner did we start paddling, our canoe turned sideways against the strong current and pulled us into a tree laying across the river. We took on water but never capsized. Behind us, Tom and Josh did the same thing and found themselves cutting through the middle of the tree. We pulled ashore and emptied our canoes.

Back on the river — the rain did come and so did the wind! We slipped on our rain gear and continued paddling. The rain clouds would break periodically — just in time for a shore lunch. We ate our lunch, as we stood on a recently formed sandbar.

Last spring strong floods created many new obstacles. The shoreline was overturned with sand and small chunks of limestone. I started looking for agates. As I sifted through the quarry of limestone and shale I notice — what looked to be a fossilized sea shell. I found three more fossils consisting of shells and coral.

Shown above: These fossils are reminders of an ancient ocean found along the Upper Iowa River in Decorah, Iowa.

When I got back home I Googled, “Iowa Fossiles” and located a Web site that featured similar images — dating them back 400-million years!

For the experienced canoeist and avid rock collector, I recommend this trip to anyone. I’m sure I’ll be back soon.

It’s sad to think that the wonderful waters of Lake Delton have run dry due to the dam braking last spring. Experience the Wisconsin River as it was, as we paddled the waters of the Wisconsin Dells; one year before the flood.