tripping with traditional geal

[Rob Stevens]

Some come late to these realizations/practice;

After using modern materials and equipment, I gradually returned to using equipment from the classic era of wilderness canoe travel, i.e. the period from the first half of the 20th century. By studying how our predecessors used them and the techniques they employed, I have come to find that this equipment is just as functional, often better suited to life in the forest, more robust and aesthetically superior to modern equipment.
My canoe is made of cedar and canvas, my traditionally shaped paddles are made of wood and my equipment is carried in waxed canvas bags.
For our three-week trip to Quetico last summer, we added a wannigan. This wooden box turned out to be our headquarters - the centrepiece of camp life; it stored some of our food supplies and our cooking equipment.
In this video (in French but English subtitles are available) I explain what a wannigan is, what it contains for a canoe trip and how it is carried.

 

[James Carr]

Great video! Is that a Headwaters canoe you are paddling?

 

[MGC]

That's a great adventure. There is nothing better than a good canoe trip.
I enjoyed watching the unpacking of the box. Goodness. So much stuff. My old bones have long since given up on carrying containers, grills, ovens. I repack everything into plastic bags. No foofy teas in my kit. You may have black tea or if it steeps for a really long time, really black tea. Goes great with a cigar or a bit of Wild Turkey. An admitted coffee snob, I even pre-grind my coffee. I would definitely not be carrying a grinder. I'm still at the French press stage but I have been tempted to consider Aero press XL.
I've always carried Bisquick. Bannock is interesting to me. Does your use lard?
I've run into folks carrying wanigans on the trail. I've never been tempted. If I could find someone else to carry it for me, I would reconsider.

 

[Andy Hutyera]

Rob, Great video. Especially liked the tour of the wanigan contents. Still enjoy the one we made at the Assembly.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

For our three-week trip to Quetico last summer, we added a wannigan.

How much portaging did you do?
And how many trips across each portage?

I tended to be a traveler, so 1 night only at most camp sites and ideally single tripping the portages.

We did switch to canvas Duluth packs, the Cruiser size, 1 each and a food barrel.
Dan

 

[Rob Stevens]

I have been on trips up to 11 days long, often with a group. In that case, we used a "Jewelry" wanigan for all the kitchen stuff, and another utility wanigan for bagged dry foods. The tump is traditional leather. Some folks have switched to synthetic straps, as one rodent chewing your leather tump can add additional challenge to a trip.
Like portaging the canoe, some people just like the added challenge and often volunteer to be the wanigan carrier.

 

[patrick corry]

That's a great looking tump. Did you make it?

 

[Rob Stevens]

I gave one of my tumplines to a local leather maker to reproduce. To my surprise, he used latigo leather, which is higher quality "bridle" leather. I used to supply tumps and reflector ovens to several canoe tripping camps in Canada that use traditional gear -thus the "box o tumps"photo above. Tumps are still available from the two guys who made them (one in Canada, one in Maryland).