Raingear - This is top quality, lightweight, GoreTex 3 layer raingear from Cabela's. This raingear is Rainy River. It seems to be very lightweight, extremely waterproof, and seems to work very good. I have not used it in the BWCA or Quetico yet, but plan on using it during my 2002 trip. This raingear replaces Cabela's DryPlus raingear that I had been wearing.
Raingear - This raingear set is from Stearns. I used this type of gear in 1999. It too was pretty good, but did not keep me completely dry. If you are in a rainstorm, and it has been raining for a very long time, rainwater eventually seeps into the seams. Also, sitting on a wet canoe seat forces water through the bottom of the rainsuit, causing you to always have a wet butt. This gear has been replaced with the above gear.
Raingear - This is also Stearns raingear. This stuff is the PVC coated nylon type raingear. Many companies make it, but this is the stuff I chose. I used this gear for 3-4 years, and decided it was adequate to take the the BWCA on my first trip. This raingear did keep me mostly dry, but it had the same problems as the above raingear, in that rain would eventually seep through the seams. It was also like sitting in a sauna when the sun came back out. Definitely not breathable.
Shirts - This shirt is from Patagonia......I know, I'm not advocating looking like an LLBean commercial, but this stuff really does work. This shirt is from their silkweight collection. Made with Capilene to absolutely fight moisture. Similar to Goretex, this stuff hates water, and actually drives moisture away from your body. I used the silkweight as a base layer to what ever else I was wearing.
Long Underwear - Once again, this stuff is from Patagonia, and is made with Capilene. As I said earlier, this stuff really works. In the past years, I have used normal cotton/poly long underwear. Capilene outperforms cotton......period. If you get this stuff wet while paddling, after a few minutes, you don't feel wet. It is extremely light weight, and will also keep you warm when necessary.
Pants - I have been using some type of zip off pants for the last 2 years. The first year that I went to the BWCA and Quetico, I wore blue jeans.......never again. Blue jeans are hot, terrible when wet, and extremely heavy, especially when wet. On the other hand these zipoff pants work great. I can usually get away with 2 pairs for 10 days. If I get cold, because these pants are rather lightweight, I simply use a pair of long underwear such as the pair below.
Coolmax Boxers - Similar to Capilene, Coolmax is also a breathable fabric that works wonders at moving moisture away from the body. These boxers worked wonders on fixing problems with chafing, if you you know what I mean. These are Dufold Hybrid Coolmax Ultralight boxers.
Shirts - Normally I would not purchase Orvis shirts, but these were caught on sale. Normally over $70.00, these were purchased for just under $20.00. These shirts are made of Supplex. Supplex is still another of the super poly fibers used to make clothing more breathable, and able to wick moisture away from the body. I generally take 2 of these shirts, and use either a short sleeve shirt, or long underwear as a base layer. These shirts are rather thin, but are extremely durable and lightweight.
Coolmax Socks - Socks are probably the single most important piece of gear to take to the BWCA. If your feet are not comfortable, you cannot not be comfortable. In the past, I have taken cotton, cotton/poly blend, and wool socks. As I stated above.....never again. These Coolmax socks simply outperforms the other stuff, and are much better and more comfortable to wear while in the outdoors. These socks wick moisture away from the skin, and include some additional padding and reinforcements to make them very durable.
Goretex boots - This pair of boots are Rocky Pro Hunters. They are 12" tall, and are great performers in the BWCA. I thought they would be too heavy and warm for canoeing, but actually, they work pretty good. I usually visit the BWCA in early June, so the extra warmth of these boots are a bonus. These may change if I find they are too hot in 70-80 degree weather.
