I remember my trip to Inuvik in 2008. One of the great pleasures was to setup camp in a remote site or a Provincial Park campground and enjoy the simple pleasure of nature, cooking a simple meal and sometimes, listening to a river flow while drinking a good bottle of wine.
The downside of camping is having to carry the extra volume and additional weight for 25,000 km!
It was important for me to prepare my equipment so that it is of the highest quality, comfortable, allowing me to stay dry and warm while being as light as possible. I also intend to go hiking, on walks that which most probably be multi days.
I have 2 challenges. I have to carry a backpack for hiking, so I decided to waterproof things from the inside and protect it with a rain cover. Also note that all the items that will be in motorcycle boxes will also be in sealed bags, because unfortunately, the BMW panniers let water in.
Sleep and Shelter #
First item, the tent. Criteria: light, solid, 2 doors and vestibules, waterproofed. My choice was an Elixir 2 from MSR. Always carry a few lengths of rope, as in high mountain areas it is not always possible to use stakes.
My sleeping bag is a The North Face -9 degrees Celsius (down). It is very comfortable, warm and compact. The sleeping pad is a 3/4 sized model from Thermarest, which is very lightweight for transportation.
I will also keep a Therm-A-Rest Trekker seat in order to sit in the tent during rainy evenings while adding virtually no weight.
Packing and Cooking #
My main backpack is a Deuter 45+. This is a piece of equipment I extensively tested and that I find very reliable, roomy and comfortable.
For cooking, I’ll have an Optimus Terra cook set and a Primus Omnifuel II stove. It works with several types of fuel, including normal gasoline if white gas is unavailable.
Equipment List #
| Item | Model/Comment | Price (CAN$) |
|---|---|---|
| Tent | MSR Elixir 2 | 300.00 |
| Sleeping bag | The North Face (-9C) | 300.00 |
| Sleeping Mat | Thermarest 3/4 | 100.00 |
| Backpacks | Deuter 45+ & 32+ | 350.00 |
| Stove | Primus Omnifuel II | 175.00 |
| Water Filter | Katadyn Hicker Pro | 100.00 |
| UV Purifier | Steripen Classic | 130.00 |
| Messenger bag | Cocotte Equipement | 130.00 |
| Cooking Gear | Optimus Terra Pots | 70.00 |
| Knife | Laguiole / Opinel | 220.00 |
| Misc Camping | Rope, Frontal, Batteries, etc. | 529.00 |
| Total: | 2,404.00 |
The next post will focus on the clothes I’m bringing. I must hurry because I leaving in 2 weeks!