• Boat/Paddles/PFD (Personal Floatation Device)
  This may seem obvious, but if you forget any of these you will not get very far! An extra paddle is never a bad idea and you are legally obligated to have a Coast Guard approved PFD for every person in the boat.
• Rescue Bag
  This is a throwable bag full of rope that will allow you to retrieve swimmers, or help recover a pinned boat. Having one of these is not enough; you need to know how to use it BEFORE you get on the water. Trying to learn how to throw a rope in an emergency situation is too late! If you carry rope, you need to carry a good River knife that is immediately accessible in case you have to hack your way out of an entanglement. A good way to handle that is to attach a good River knife to your PFD. Also, a throwable Type IV PFD is a good idea.
• Painters
  A “painter” is simply a length of line attached to each end of your canoe. These can be used to “line” a boat through a tough spot, tie off at the campsite, and tie down to your vehicle. 20’ of line on each end is a good choice! Make sure they are properly stowed, yet easy to get to because a loose painter in a loose boat makes for an entanglement hazard!
• Mesh Trash Bag
  This is required by law in Missouri and Arkansas and a good idea anywhere. If you are caught tossing any of your trash in the River or on the ground by a law enforcement officer, you will go to jail. If you are caught doing it by an OMP member, you will not live to see the Take-Out! Additionally, it is illegal to have ANY kind of glass container on the River in Missouri and Arkansas, and never a good idea to carry glass containers of any kind anywhere on the River. Plus, your cooler MUST latch securely or you must have it lashed shut by law in Missouri and Arkansas. This is so if you dump your boat, you will not litter. Remember, you are biodegradable; most of the things you take are not! And you MUST have a can cooler (koozie) for your individual hand held beverage can by law in Missouri and Arkansas. They are not worried about your beverage getting warm, but if you should happen to drop it, it will float and can be retrieved. These laws are sure to be adopted by most states in the near future if they have not already.
• Sunglasses/Hat/Sunscreen
  You get a lot of sun on the River before you know it. If you are especially susceptible, a lightweight long sleeved shirt and long pants are a good idea as well.
• Snacks/Lunch/Water
  You will be surrounded by water, but bringing your own fresh water supply is essential. Or at least have a good water filter with you.
• Soap/Hand Disinfectant
  Make it a biodegradable, multipurpose type of soap for dishes, hands, and body. “Waterless” hand disinfectant is a good idea, too.
• Toilet Paper/Small Spade
  The toilet paper should be of a biodegradable nature. Find a spot at least 200’ away from any water source, dig a hole, do your thing, and cover it over. Better still, carry a chemical toilet. And don’t forget to use that “waterless” hand disinfectant!
• Lawn Chair
  For kicking back at the lunch spot or at camp! The collapsible variety works well and is easy to stow in your boat.
• Fishing Gear
  If you are going to fish, Missouri law states that everyone in your boat must be in possession of a valid state fishing license. Even if you are the only one fishing. If you do not intend to fish, purchase a license anyway because the proceeds go to the Missouri Department of Conservation!
• Matches/Lighter
  Butane lighters work after they get wet, matches do not, but there are several ways to water proof matches and waterproof matches are sold commercially.
• First Aid Kit/Fire Starter
  Make it a good one, keep it well stocked, and hope you never have to use it! If you boat in the winter, you may want to carry a piece of “fire starter” with you in case of emergency.
• Repair Kit
  Needle, thread, self-adhering nylon patches, duct tape, multi-tool, and glue are a few ideas!
• Cooler
  Never leave home without it!
• Solar Blanket

This will obviously depend on the time of year you will be boating in, but here are a few tips! Since you will be on the water, you should always keep in mind the possibility that a complete immersion scenario exists. Remember, as far as clothing is concerned, it is better to have it than to need it so don’t be afraid to have plenty of warm, dry things available! If you are cold and uncomfortable for very long, you are not going to be having any fun! Steer away from cotton, as it will retain no insulating value when wet and will not dry out fast enough. Stick to synthetics such as polypropylene and fleece.

• Raingear
  A squall can come up on you unexpectedly and after a few of these, good raingear will pay for itself. A poncho may be hazardous if you are wearing it and fall out of your boat and swim. Ponchos are more likely to catch on branches, rocks, etc. and cause an entanglement.
• Dry Clothes
  Always have some spare dry clothing with you even if you are going for just a day. And it can get chilly at night around the water, even in the summer, so have something warm with you. To keep your clothes dry, always use a dry bag or box. Trash bags DO NOT make good dry bags and you don’t want to discover this fact the hard way!
• Dry Shoes/Socks
  Use one pair of river shoes for getting wet, and another pair for dry feet around camp. Keep your dry pair dry in your dry bag or box!
• Towel
  Every good Hitchhiker carries a towel!
• Rubber Boots
  If you are boating in the winter, these come in handy in case you have to get out and drag your boat through a shallow spot. Remember, if you fall in with them, you will weigh a ton so leave your hip waders at home!

If you are going with a group, you may not need to “double up” on some of these items!

• Pots/Pans/Strainer/Mess Kit/Coffee Pot
  Bring what you will need to cook what you are going to eat. Remember, firewood may or may not be available so you might want to bring a small charcoal or gas grill with you. Bring a plate, fork, spoon, knife, and a cup. An insulated coffee cup works well and you can use it for either hot or cold beverages. Toss in a scrub sponge for doing dishes, strain your dishwater and put the solid residue in the trash bag. A small amount of bleach in the dishwater works well to disinfect dishes.
• Stove
  A small propane or white gas stove is a must. And don’t forget the fuel that goes with it!
• Spices
  Make yourself a spice kit to have in your “kitchen”. It is amazing how much this will improve your cooking!
• Paper Towels
  Make sure these are either burned in your campfire, or put in the trash bag!
• Dutch Oven
  You can prepare an entire meal with one of these or wow your friends with a tasty River Dessert!
• Ground Tarp
  Put this under your “kitchen” to catch falling crumbs and then empty it in the trash for “no trace” cooking!
• Table
  Roll up tables come in handy and are easy to carry in your boat!
• Plastic Storage Bags
  “Zip-Lock” type bags come in handy for all kinds of things, and don’t forget to throw in some extra trash bags!
• Coffee Can/Lid
  If you fry bacon, or anything that produces grease, you will need something to put the grease in!

Bear in mind that if you are camping by a River in the rain, the River is subject to rise or even flash flood on you. Even if it is not raining where you are, it may be raining upstream. If you wake up in the middle of the night and your tent is afloat, you will not be a happy camper! Make sure you have your boat secured before you go to bed. It is, after all, your ride home!

• Tent
  A smaller “dome” type tent works well and is easy to carry in your boat. It is best if your tent is self-supporting (meaning it will stand without stakes). Sometimes it is hard to stake down a tent in the sand and gravel! Make sure BEFORE you go that it sheds water!
• Sleeping Bag
  Keep this item dry or you will wish you had! Down bags are nice, but will be useless if you get them wet. Synthetic filled bags work well even if wet!
• Ground Pad
  This will insulate you from the ground in the cold, and cushion your sleep! The self-inflating type that you can roll up works well!
• Tarp
  A small nylon tarp is always handy to have and is easy and lightweight to carry. It can be used for shelter in the rain or any number of things. Remember, if you are going to use it in conjunction with your tent, it goes IN your tent, not under it! If you put it under your tent and it rains, it will pool and hold water under your tent.
• Flashlight/Batteries
  Invariably, it will get dark! Also this is good to have with you even on a day float in case of emergency and you get caught out after dark.
• Lantern
  Always handy to have. Remember, if you use these in the summer, you are going to attract every insect for three counties! And don’t forget the fuel that goes with it! Citronella candles also make for a nice ambiance, but make sure you do not drip wax on the gravel bar!
• Rope
  To hang lanterns, wet clothes, tarps, or your paddling partner! Bring a good knife in case you have to cut lengths or your paddling partner apologizes and you decide to cut him/her down!

It is NOT a good idea to lash everything into your boat. If you should happen to dump or swamp your boat, you will have an incredibly hard time recovering your boat with everything lashed in it, and you will have to take everything out anyway! Lash everything shut, and if you must, lash everything LOOSELY to your boat so in case of a spill, it will float up and out of your boat and still be retrievable. Use dry containers, and dry bags that are waterproof and float even when full (and all of them will unless you are carrying a load of bricks!). It is better if you use several smaller containers rather than one big one because it is easier to get things out that you need, and you can have a more versatile packing arrangement in your boat. Remember, no matter what it is that you need, it will ALWAYS be on the bottom!

• Dry Bags
  These work well, float and come in all kinds of sizes! Trash bags DO NOT make good dry bags!
• Buckets/Barrels/Lids
  These are nice because they float, are waterproof, are more or less crush-proof and you can sit on them! They make nice containers to carry the charcoal in!
• Dry Boxes
  These also come in various sizes and are nice for the “kitchen”. Make sure you don’t get one too big for your boat!

While this list may seem a bit extensive, it is actually not and personal items such as your toothbrush, etc. have not been included. You can minimize and personalize, and if you are going with a group, you can consolidate some of these items into “group items” and spread them around the group for carrying. Things such as cooking equipment, first aid kit, tables, etc., may fall into the “group items” category, but just make sure your consolidated items are appropriate for the size of the group you are with. The important thing is that you have what you need and what makes you comfortable on the River.

Happy Paddling!
Ozark Mountain Paddlers