Canoeing and Paddling the Yukon and Teslin Rivers

You want your lifejacket safe so get something that will hold you up, but there is little rough water so you do not need something for class 4 rapids. Comfort is a major concern. You should be wearing it every minute you are in the boat. You will not wear it if it is constantly poking or chafing. Paddles: wood is nice to feel and warm; plastic / aluminum will hold up after it has been used many times as a pole to push yourself along the bottom. 

We have always taken a 12ga. shotgun and bear spray. Being around firearms all of our lives, we feel comfortable with them. Many do not. We both know people attacked by bears and they testify that no firearm is too large. However, wild animal attacks are extremely rare. Bear spray will be sufficient for most paddlers because it will never be used. If you must use it, you will wish you had a firearm to back you up. Calculate the odds and make your choice. It will cost $25 to bring a firearm into Canada and you must have the receipt to get it back out through US customs. Handguns are not allowed.

Boxes protect food and gear from water and animals. Also, they can provide a handy place to sit. Action Packers with bunged latches have worked well for us. They have floated in a turnover and animals have never gotten into them. Outfitters generally provide tall, blue barrel storage containers. These are problematic in that it is difficult to get to things on the bottom but they are animal and waterproof. 

It you want to cut wood, use a saw. The saw pictured is the best  we have found. The triangular type are ok but it is hard to use the full length of the blade. A small axe is also useful for splitting wood and to use as a hammer. Remember, the shorter the handle of the axe, the more likely you are to cut yourself.