Re: [Paddlewise] Caribou review

Yes, the Caribou is a bit "space challenged". But through careful packing I
have managed multiweek trips, including a trip in Alaska where we carried all
of our food in bear canisters. I had to fit three 8x12 canisters into my boat,
along with my other gear. BTW, the canisters provided considerable peace of
mind, as we saw a number of brown bears on the beaches, including a big browny
who visited our camp one evening. (Three of us running about in our skivvies,
shouting, blowing compressed air horns, and waving pepper spray canisters in a
menacing fashion proved sufficient to send it running. If the bear had gotten
some food I doubt that these same efforts would have dissuaded the bruin.)

I bring a lot of stuff. For example, on the Alaska trip I  brought three
cameras, half a dozen lenses and about 40 rolls of film. The key to fitting all
of this in a Caribou is to achieve a very high packing density, which requires
a lot of thought and experimentation. My packing spreadsheet now contains
calorie densities (calories per unit volume) for all of the types of food I
carry so that I can plan low-volume, high-calorie meals. The good news is that
peanut butter has a very high calorie density, as it contains very little dead
air space. I also choose highly compressible clothing over clothing that is not
as easily compressed. (Not all synthetics are created equal in this regard.)

Dead air space is the enemy of high packing densities. Cull, compress, plan,
and experiment until most of it fits. Then give the rest of it to your paddling
buddies to carry in their huge boats, while praising them for their infinite
wisdom in choosing boats that are such load monsters. :-)

As was mentioned, the Caribou handles very well with a full load. In spite of
this, I have considered getting a larger volume boat for multiweek trips so as
to simplify planning and packing. But I have also had a problem finding a
larger volume boat that I like as well. Moreover, when I had a larger volume
boat I found that my gear expanded to fill the available space. So for now I
will stick with my space-challenged (but fun) boat, and continue development of
a new vegetable press that will allow me to form high-density cabbage and
broccoli bars. :-)

Dan Hagen

"E. Sullivan" wrote:

> I just got back from a 5-day excursion in my 'bou S. I had
> to remove 3 ibuprofen from my kit to initially secure the
> rear hatch.  I am not among the world's best packers, I like
> to have extra outfits (in case of wetting, unexpected
> parties, etc.), and I insists on having sturdy land shoes
> aboard.
>
> But/and, it handles splendidly loaded to the gunwales.
>
> Thinking I might need a higher capacity boat, I tried out
> many at the Symposium at Port T. last weekend. I couldn't
> find anything I liked as well.
>
> So if you are planning long trips w/o air drops, don't get
> hooked on the Caribou.
>
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