Reddit reviews Allen Liquid-Filled Ball Compass with Pin

A guided trip would be overkill. There are a few entry points that have outfitters on them, which works out nicely. I rent the canoe, but usually bring everything else. You will want to rent a car, however, as bus routes to those outfitters are going to be difficult at best. I think it is around 30 miles from Ely to Lake One - a long taxi ride even if you got to the town. Reserve your permit early, as they go fast. I'll usually pick up the permit at the outfitter rather than the ranger station.

Big three

Most of the outfitters I've seen tend to charge a fair bit for the sleeping bag and tent, so plan on bringing those.

The larger portage packs sit better in the canoes than the backpacks. Also makes it easier to single portage (canoe and pack), if you can carry everything in one shot. I like having small bags inside my portage pack - clean clothing, dirty, food, cooking equipment. Makes life easier to organize.

Line the inside of your pack with a contractor garbage bag and seal it off. A rubber band or hair band works nicely to tie off the bag. I also bring a couple kitchen sized bags for trash, usually packing my sleeping bag inside one of those to be paranoid.

I don’t like stuff hanging on the outside of my pack. I usually also bring a tiny bag for water, snacks, and fishing tackle.

Normal packs will work fine. Main issue I've seen is folks will rent a portage pack and discover they can't fit all their stuff in it. Consider this if you plan to rent any supplies.

Food and cooking

Cook stoves are something you likely have already, but fuel will be an issue on the airplane. Confirm the outfitter has your fuel style, or plan to swing by REI, etc on the way up. (You drive by one near MSP) There is a fire pit at each camp site. A single walled coffee mug can be set on the fire grate to keep it warm. Mark your cup with a few measurements so you know how much water you are adding to the dehydrated meals. Paper bowls are fantastic for morning oatmeal. Cleanup is easy in the firepit.

There are some formal rules, but food packaging is what trips most people up. Cans and bottles are not allowed. If you want a can of soup, it needs to be repackaged. Same goes for beer or soda.

I pack in a soda bottle rather than the heavy nalgene - which technically might be considered disposable and against the above rules - but I reuse mine. If you pack in a nalgene, make sure it seals up. Every year, good whiskey is lost when someone discovers the container did not keep the precious cargo in the bottle.

Firewood is plentiful, if you are willing to get in your canoe and paddle away from the designated campsite. A bow saw is much more effective than an axe/hatchet. We often collect the dead wood hanging over the shores from the canoe.

The mountain house style freeze dried food is usually a safe bet. One ‘two person’ serving is usually enough for one person. There are cheaper, healthier, and better tasting options - but it is hard to compete with the convenience of adding boiling water and sitting the bag near the fire.

It is worth taking a look at the reviews for the meals. Some are pretty good. Some are terrible. Some require additional steps beyond ‘add water to bag’. Lasagna, chili mac, shepherd's pie, and Mexican rice seem to be winners. Lime Chicken - shudder. If the meal takes one cup of boiling water, have an idea (like a mark on your coffee mug) for what a cup looks like. Less water than what the instructions list seems to work out better. More gets you a bag of soup.

Ramen noodles, Mac & Cheese, and hobo packs, and soup mixes tend to be pretty popular hot foods. Chicken and other meats (including Spam) can be picked up in a foil pack and added to spice up a meal. Tortilla wraps work better than trying to bring in normal bread. I start my morning with a couple packets of instant oatmeal or a pop tart. A paper bowl makes for easy cleanup.

Good Old Peanuts and Raisins (GORP) trail mix type stuff is nice to have along. The candy coating on M&Ms keep them from creating a sticky mess like melted chocolate chip do. Dried fruit, jerky, wasabi peas, and nuts travel well. Small candy bars are a great snack on the portages.

Hard cheeses, sausages, and repackaged peanut butter and crackers also work well. A disposable tupperware container will keep crackers from getting crushed.

With our new water filters, the taste of chemically treated water is no longer an issue. People still like to bring instant tea, poweraid, gatorade, crystal lite, or other mixes. I’m a big fan of hot tea and hot chocolate when I’m out there. Remember - if you are boiling the water, it is OK to not filter it.

Food gets hung in a tree or put in a bear barrel at night a reasonable distance from camp. Same goes for trash, toothpaste, and anything that has a scent. (Another bonus for the aluminum sealed packets) Bears won’t be a problem as long as you use caution. Don’t want them wandering into camp - but if they want your food, they are likely going to get it. I've used a nylon bag, a bear barrel, and ursack. All work just fine and I've never had an issue with bears getting into my food. Rodents will, however, if you ever leave something on the ground. This video is what I'll usually link for any first timers.

A bit of rope is handy to have, even if you do use a bear barrel. You will want a clothesline. Reflective rope is very cool.

Clothing

Shoes are a tricky thing. Portaging, your feet will get wet. I use a pair of rubber sandals with a bit of ankle support - ala chacos or teva style sandals. Water socks turned out to be a bit thin soled for walking on the rocks comfortably. Tennis shoes will not dry out, if you use them for the portaging.

It can get cool at night. I pack a light wool hat for evening and keep it on when I get into my sleeping bag.

Bugs and sun

Early in the spring and late in the fall, the bugs should not be too bad. Best to bring bug protection regardless. Deet based bug repellent goes on the skin. Permethrin based goes on clothing, and will survive a few washes. It also keeps the ticks away. A word of warning - the stuff is toxic to cats while it cures/dries. Same for goldfish. When you spray your stuff, do it outside and hang it someplace to dry out.

Deet will keep the mosquitoes off, but really does not do much for the deer flies mid summer. Every bit helps.

Sunscreen, if you are anything like me, is a must. I tend to sweat off the SPF50 and still come back with a bit of a farmer tan/burn. I add a big floppy hat and long sleeves most trips too.

Water Purification

We’ve tried everything, and by far, the gravity filter ends up working out the best. I’ve got a 10 gallon ‘dirty’ water container that we will fill up in the middle of the lake, well away from shore. Nothing will trash a filter faster than filling the water containers by the shore. It is still worth taking some precautions. Water that gets boiled does not need to be filtered, but pay attention to how water is transferred. Pour dirty water in your cup to measure, then into the pot to boil, and you could find yourself spending some quality time on the throne of power.

It has been years since I’ve packed in a hand pump, but we use to use them. Wrapping a coffee filter around the water intake helps keep the filter from getting clogged up. Just like the dirty water for the gravity filter, pumping is done on the lake, not the shore. These work great if you are looking to get even more exercise.

Lastly, I do bring a small collection of chemical treatment were we not able to boil water. Add a tablet to water, wait 2-4 hours, and you have drinking water. These get used so infrequently that mine tend to expire.

Toiletries

Odds are, your pack is going to be heavier than you thought it would be. Some meds for sore muscles are worth having along.

The kindergarten tissue packets work really well. Each person is responsible to bring their own TP, after that one year where someone dropped the community roll in a puddle. Nothing but TP and human waste goes in the latrine. The Forest Service takes a very dim view (complete with heavy fines) for any trash in there.

I usually pack in some wet wipes and hand sanitizer. Cleaning fish is messy. If you plan to bath in the lake, make sure you pack in biodegradable soap.

Navigation

You will want a paper map. The McKenzie maps, for example, show each of the allowed camping sites as well as each portage. REI and other places have McKenzie, Fisher, and other brand maps. Not uncommon for portages to be measured in rods - 16', or a canoe length. 20-30 rods, no big deal. 50-70 rods feeling it. 100 rods... my god, this is getting long. And then they turn into hikes. Look at the contour lines, as the shortest portage may not be the easiest route.

A GPS is not a necessity (unless you want a track of where you were), but a compass is a great idea. I've got a cheapo ball compass that I clip to my pack. More than enough for the type of navigation needed to be done. There just are not that many places to take a wrong turn on those lakes.

If you are looking to plot routes beforehand, try the online version.

A headlamp is must have equipment, as well as more than one mini-bic lighter. Someone will lose your lighter or get it wet.

Anyhow... running out of space. If you are interested, we do multiple trips over the course of the summer. We got room if you want to tag along on our Memorial Weekend run.

On the cheaper end but still a legit compass: Brunton (not jewlery, just a compass. Also nice and small, about 1.5")

One of these on a ring on a chain would be functional and a bit fun to play with.

That Brunton Gentleman's Compass looks nice.