kayak camping light pack

WOW, 110L!!!!
At ~6700ci, I do not think you will find a light pack. Let alone a foldable one.

I do some canoe camping, often out for 2 weeks at a time, traveling through the ADK's of NY, and only use about a 35L (~2200ci) or a ~45L (2800ci) pack depending on the conditions. I use a GG Murmur and (older) GG Miniposa.

Here is a heavy one at 115L: http://www.rei.com/product/784169/sealline-black-canyon-boundary-dry-pack-115-liters
Duluth Packs here(about 2/3 your required size, though): http://www.shopcanoeing.com/products/frost-river-old-no-7-pack

Generally, most any backpack can be used for kayaking. As you know, the difference is dry bags for the things that need to be kept dry. I would look for something a lot smaller, maybe a 4000ci pack, but I don't think you will need that much if you are taking light gear.

Yes 110 L (~6500 cu in) is a lot of room. But my intention with this pack is that it has to fit things that are "not very pack-able"

Picture I have a total of 3000-4000 cu in of gear total, but then I have to compartmentalize those into dry bags and smaller kits for ability to pack into the kayak. When I hit the portage point, I remove all my dry bags, and toss them all into my portage pack, sling it onto my back, and pick up the boat and start hiking – typically 1-5km. When the hike is done, everything comes back out of the pack, back into the kayak, the pack gets rolled up and I hit the water again.

Having all my stuff in smaller dry bags allows me to fit it all into the boat through the hatches, but it also makes the packing in a backpack take twice as much room!

…and there you have my long explanation for my 6500 cu in need.

Cheers

Josh, I think you will be miles ahead if you make/buy a cart/dolly for your portages. I have one the folds up very small and when in use, I don't have to carry anything on my back (everything is in the kayak/canoe).

The larger dia. tire ones can go anywhere you can walk.

They cost less then a pack the size you are looking for and probably will weigh less than what packs you will find available.

Yes… but that assumes that the terrain is fairly flat and smooth path. I build a kayak yolk and I can carry my boat very easily for quite some distance…

I often see other people taking 2 trips across a portage while I am merrily along with one. :)

Not really a “yes-but”, If you have large dia. wheels (like bike wheels) no path is necessary. If you have to climb over logs your yoke won’t help much either. With the yoke and backpack you will be carrying close to 100 lbs. I’d much rather pull the weigh than carry it.

Here is one that you can purchase(I”m not endorsing it and I don’t own one, but the video helps explain what I’m trying to say) Kayak Trail Trekker

I put all my lighter puffy stuff in the kayak hatches when I portage.
drysuit, pfd, skirt, clothing, etc, can go in the kayak hatches without making it too much heavier.

I wrap my fleece around my shoulders and rest the cockpit/coaming on it. So no yoke needed.

Put food, water, kitchen, shelter and other stuff in a UL backpack.
Takes two trips for me.

I usually have room to spare in my hatches and backpack.

Well, only you know your tripping style. I often go cross country through some fairly wild country, no resupply stops, for a couple weeks. The only pieces of gear outside of the backpack is my longish 9' touring paddle and the life vest.

I only need 2 drybags, usually. But the 2800ci pack is never full. I could easily put another one in there. On the NFCT, I did carry three, however, that was a much longer trail (Northern Forest Canoe Trail, ~740 miles between Old Forge, NY and Ft. Kent, ME) Of course, I also carried a Stephensons 2r instead of my usual tarp.

Stoves, fuel, water, flash lights, lighters, etc don't need dry bags, generally. They can get wet. Salt water can bother aluminum, though. Avoid that for sea travel. I thing the Stephensons is gold plated to resist corrosion, BUT, not the ferrules. Generally, this is all light or ultra-light gear.

Anyway, there are few options in that size range that can also be folded. You might be able to get a standard pack in front of your feet, though.

What about a decoy bag? It isn't going to be super light but it should do what you want, is inexpensive and will pack down.

https://www.google.com/search?sugexp=chrome,mod%3D0&q=decoy%20bag&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=cUZ_UKyZHtCH0QH75IDwCQ&biw=1024&bih=457&sei=dUZ_ULXtGqup0AHFkIGIBA

Chris is KEEERECT!

I've used a decoy bag for two decades to haul my sea kayak gear to campsites (but not on portages B/C I've never portaged my sea kayak, only my canoe).

Works great, holds everything, dries fast and is cheap.

BTW, what kayak do you own? I have an 18 1/2 ft. Current Designs Sea Star kevlar boat.

Tad,

Yeah, I also use wheels on trails, not all of them. Most portages are fine, more like roadways. But trails to mountain lakes, backcountry ponds, etc, are often little more than a bodies width. The wheels are constantly grabbing brush. Trails along and down to rivers are often shorter portages, but steep banks of roots and rocks can present problems. In the St. Regis area, for example, portages are less than 3 miles, generally far less, I do not use wheels there. On the Raquette River, I do not use wheels. The trails are usually shorter and they are often "improved" with rock lined drainage diverters to help prevent eroding the trail…they swallow wheels forcing a lift over these "obstuctions." Several water falls on a trip means long portages or rough rocky trails around falls, again, not conducive to using wheels in the narrow foot paths.

Of the wheels, tail mounted and center mounted, the tail mounted seem to handle rough trails slightly better, but don't turn as fast, but tag along behind you with no great effort. Center mounted wheels are usually wider, do not handle rough trails as well, but are more maneuverable. For good trails (there are a lot of old logging roads in the ADK's, example Moose River Plains) center mounted wheels handle heavy loads better, because the weight is centered…easy to drop your pack in the boat, too.

While wheels help at portages, they also weigh 2-3 pounds with larger bicycle wheels weighing much more (besides being awkward to stow.) A yoke weighs 10-1loz (wood and pads.) Lifting a boat and wheels over trail obstructions and anti erosion drainage channels can be more difficlt with wheels.

For sea kayaking, it doesn't much matter. These are often just paddles between campsites along a coast. But, landings can be nearly impossible on some. Larger waves and breakers can leave you soaked after hours of dry paddling. Wheels can rarely be any large benefit, but help you get off a beach in short order. But, on a dry day, they can dig into sand.

My boat weighs about 25 pounds including a spray deck, 9' paddle and life jacket. I built it myself for the purpose of exploring the ADK's. My pack weighs about 23# for about a two week trip (Food at 1.2-1.3#/day, base pack at 6-7#, a few comforts.) For 50 pounds it is not bad to carry, weight wise. But, the length can be awkward. In a fairly heavy wind, the boat is work. In gusty weather, it often blows me off the trail into the bushes. Wheels help a lot by lowering your profile.

I dissagree with this: "If you have large dia. wheels (like bike wheels) no path is necessary." Sticks, scrub, grasses can impede progress a lot. Off trail hiking with a set of wheels is impossible through large areas of the ADK's. In a very few spots, sure, it can work. But, generally, you need a good trail. The higher center of gravity imparted by bike tires will also mean the boat will tilt and roll easier, difficult over real obstructions. They need to be wider to allow boat clearence. So, they sort of cancel each other out, but the whipping of the front end if one wheel catches on a snag gets more difficult with increasing width. I have tried it. They actually require a better trail for using them. For general portaging on a scale of no trail to good trail: drag, yoke, tag along wheels, center wheels, and bicyle wheels are about the order of usage. Of course, this depends on a specific area, there *are* exceptions to every rule. In some wilderness areas, a ranger may object to them…you get a ticket. (They may be construed as a "mechanical conveyance" that are outlawed in national wilderness areas. Another ranger ignores them as you sweat pulling them uphill.)

Anyway, this is sort of my overall take on using wheels in the back country. I restrict bike wheels to longer portages over good trails where I can put them in the bushes, to be picked up when I return.