The Happy Camper: Well-Tested Gear In 2025
My paddling season is sadly put to rest for 2025. I put my canoes up on racks, oiled my paddles and hung them in the garage and stuffed my packs and other gear in square storage bins. While I was putting everything away and pulling out my hot tents, wood stoves and winter sleeping bag, I jotted down some pieces of summer gear that I had either used more than I first predicted I would or ended up storing full time in my summer pack. Here my top five gadgets and gizmos that I’d definitely haul out for paddling season 2026.
After Ivy Complete Wipe
Surprisingly, I’ve never been inflicted by poison ivy… knock on wood. I’ve gone off the beaten path enough in my life that I should have had the seven-year-itch most of my life. So, rather than continue to dodge the bullet, I threw a few packets of this new product I discovered—After Ivy Wipes (from the makers of After Bite). The idea behind it is that if you know you’ve brushed your legs against the deadly three leaves, or worse, that you’ve pet your dog who has just run through a patch, then you simply “wipe” away the oil off your skin.
It works at any stage—washing away the oils upon exposure, placing it on the skin prior to prevent development, cleaning up oozing rashes to mitigate spread or relieving itching after discomfort starts.
Adventurer Ready Trowel Toilet Kit
I got this gadget on a whim. I figured if nature called during a day outdoor outing, rather than kick a cat hole in the duff with the heel of my boot, poop and search around for a good-sized leaf to wipe up, it might be better to have something stowed away in my daypack… just in case.
The Trowel Toilet Kit doesn’t take up too much space in your day pack, and it comes complete with a forged aluminium serrated edged trowel, built-in (reloadable) two-ply toilet paper cartridge stored inside the trowel handle and cleaning capsules that, when activated with water, create soap flakes and a compressed fresh towelette to clean up after you do your business. Perfect!
Natrapel Picaridin Tick and Insect Repellent
Tick numbers got insane—once again—this summer season. I’ll never forget the day my dog and I came home from a bushwhack adventure; I had four embedded (one in my crotch) and she had 12. Yikes. Angel also ended up with Lyme Disease and Anaplasmosis. The vet visit cost me $1,400! There are meds Angel can take but she reacts to them. So, my vet suggested I use Natrapel Picaridin Tick and Insect Repellent. The 20 per cent Picaridin mimics the Piperine compound found in pepper plants to keep biting bugs away. It’s not harmful to your dog or you. However, the vet did say not to put it on my dog before she goes for a swim in the lake. The Picaridin can stun fish. Interesting to know. It comes in a one ounce or 3.4-ounce pump spray, compact wipes or a six-ounce spray bottle. I prefer the larger six-ounce container. It lasts up to 12 hours and doesn’t damage plastic or synthetic camp gear.
LuminAID PackLite Survivor 3-in-1 Power Lantern
I did quite a few solo canoe and hiking trips this summer season, and with a fire ban on during most of it due to forest fires, I ended up reading a lot of books in the tent at night. My new PackLite Survivor 3-in-1 Power Lantern from LuminAID really helped out. It’s not just a good lantern (600 lumens with 130 hours of runtime) but it doubled as a phone and camera charger that includes two charging ports, had a solar charger and a built-in flashlight and it had three colour modes (white, red and warm white). Forget all about the fancy facts and figures, though. Simply put, I used this light a lot and loved it!
Counter Assault Bear Deterrent
Remember, bear spray has an expiry date—usually three or four years. I checked mine in early spring and realized it was time to buy a new canister. I used the older can to do target practice with. After all, it’s good to know how to use it prior to using it.
Take note before you get your new canister—bear spray is legal in Canada and is sold in most outdoor stores but there are tougher regulations you have to abide with when buying it. You have to be over 18 years of age. It’s considered a weapon. It’s only sold by authorized vendors and they in turn need to manage the sales records of who has bought it. With that said, I still believe in packing it along on trip. I think the biggest advantage is that it lessens your anxiety over having a bear encounter.
I’ve never had to use my can of bear spray, but it feels darn good to have it ready if I ever need it. It’s been proven time and time again that bear spray is the most effective defensive item against bears. The contents are essentially a potent formula of pepper spray. It’s been verified that bear spray is more effective than a gun, with studies showing it stopping 92 per cent of aggressive bears whereas guns only worked 67 per cent of the time. I prefer a 10.2 ounce can of Counter Assault Bear Deterrent; it come with a holster (you might want to have the bear spray at the ready). It contains capsaicin and related capsaicinoids at the maximum allowed by law. It sprays to up 40 feet and empties in approximately eight seconds. There’s also a glow-in-the-dark safety wedge with tie string. Pretty handy thing to have.
