How do I keep my gear dry? This is probably the most asked question aside from how to plan a beginner-friendly trip. Doing this step right will save your sanity — and possibly your entire trip.

The strategy you adopt depends partly on your body mechanics, how accessible you need certain items to be, your desired comfort level, and how many times you want to carry your gear across a portage. A single carry with a 120L dry bag will require a very different system than a double carry using a regular hiking backpack and a food barrel.

The best way for me to answer this is to walk you through how I used to pack (budget-friendly but not ideal), compare that to single carrying a massive 120L dry bag, and then explain how I do it now — which I think is ideal for me. It’s a little more costly, but it keeps everything dry and easy to carry.

It’s also worth mentioning that you learn something every time you go. My hope is to get you started on the right path and give you a solid foundation for dialing in your perfect packing system.

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The Regular Backpack Method

Hiking backpacks are not ideal for portaging. You have water everywhere — coming from above, pooling in the bottom of the canoe, and a big lake just waiting to swallow your pack whole. Other than being comfortable to carry, that’s where their advantages end.

However, if you already own one, are transitioning from trekking to portaging, and don’t want to drop hundreds of dollars on a dry bag, let’s make this work. At the very least, use a rain cover. Please.

Not everything has to stay dry, so let’s start with what absolutely does. Remember defensive driving, where you assume everyone else is about to cause an accident? Let’s practice defensive packing — assume your pack will get completely soaked.

Items that must stay dry need their own smaller dry bag. SealLine makes excellent dry bag options for larger items. Ziplock freezer bags are surprisingly sturdy and work well for smaller items.

Items That Must Stay Dry

• Sleeping bag
• Air mattress
• Clothes
• Toilet paper
• Matches and lighter
• Batteries
• Non-waterproof electronics (phone, battery pack, satellite phone)
• Stove

Your sleeping bag should be in a compression sack to reduce bulk, and then inside its own dry bag. I use a down-filled bag because it compresses well, but it absolutely cannot get wet. It will not dry properly and will not keep you warm. This is non-negotiable.

Clothing should also be in its own dry bag. Hopefully you’re not bringing cotton (it doesn’t dry and won’t keep you warm when damp). Stick to polyester, wool, or other quick-dry materials — but still keep them dry.

Your pillow (if you bring one), dry camp shoes, and air mattress should also be dry-bagged.

Fire-starting materials need serious protection. Lighter, matches, and fire starters can go in a small dry bag or freezer bag — and I recommend double bagging them. Your stove should also be in a dry bag, and stash extra matches in there too.

Double bag your toilet paper. If that gets wet, you’ll be carrying soggy dead weight that will never dry — and you’ll be using leaves all week.

Your map should live in a legitimate waterproof map case. It is your lifeline. I bring an extra map stored in a Ziplock with my notebook and pen.

Should Stay Dry

• Tent

If you have a dry bag big enough for your tent, great. If not, tents are designed to get wet and dry fairly well. In a pinch, it’s okay.

Can Get Wet

• Chair
• Pots and pans
• Utensils
• Rope
• Water system
• Tarp
• Food (properly ziplocked or in airtight containers)
• Saw
• Knife
• Whistle
• Any gear that functions fine when wet

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Packing Strategy

Heavy items should go low and close to your back, and some weight can sit high between your shoulders. Lighter items go in the middle and farther from your body.

Every time I’ve packed, I’ve repacked at least once. Practice at home. Load your bag and take it for a walk around the neighbourhood. Adjust until it feels balanced. It’s also great training.

One benefit of hiking backpacks is exterior pockets. Use them creatively. I used to roll up my air mattress inside a dry bag and stuff it into an outer pocket or strap it to the outside.

Make sure anything you’ll need during the day is accessible:

• Compass
• Bug spray
• Snacks
• Sunscreen
• Lip balm
• Sun hat
• Binoculars

Your PFD can double as a day bag — use the pockets for essentials.

If packed well, you can single carry your backpack while portaging the canoe. Some backpacks (and PFDs) have padded shoulders that help cushion the canoe yoke. Your partner can carry paddles and PFDs. Strapping your PFD to your pack also frees up a hand.

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The Massive Single-Carry Dry Bag

After years of wrestling with a hiking pack, I tried a SealLine dry bag recommended by a fellow portager I met on a Killarney trail. He swore I’d never go back.

I bought a massive yellow SealLine 120L dry bag with a frame sized to my body. You can literally throw everything in, roll the top, and carry it. Nothing gets wet. If you are in the market you can use this product link to browse and shop items from Cascade Designs such as SealLine bags and more!

I used stuff sacks to organize gear (kitchen, clothing, utility gear, thermal layers, stove), but otherwise it was the only main bag I needed. Follow the same weight rules — heavy close to your back, low and high — but otherwise it’s “pack it and forget it.”

Since there are no exterior pockets, I added a small 20L backpack and wore it on my front during portages. It holds water, snacks, map, binoculars, lip balm, and other small items.

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Two Smaller Dry Bags (My Current System)

Now I’m a little older, a little wiser, and apparently no longer in a rush. I reached a point where I said no more hero carries (I’ll cover that in another article).

Now I’m a fan of triple carries at the start of a trip and double carries on the way out.

I use:

• One big orange SealLine 70L dry bag (all my gear)
• One SealLine 30L dry bag (all my food — matching orange, obviously)
• One 20L day backpack by REI (not water proof)

I carry the canoe with the 30L food bag and leave the 70L behind for the return walk. I hand carry the small pack, paddle, and PFD.

And guess what? I love it.

I get to stroll back through the portage trail with no bags, birdwatch, and actually enjoy the forest. It’s now my favourite part of the portage.