| first aid kit(s) | Important features of a first aid kit include: Gauze, polysporin, instant disinfectant (isopropyl is convenient and cheap), medicine (see medicine), adhesive bandages (butterflies and straight) |
| medicine | I recommend at least ibuprofen, acetaminophen, antihistamines, polysporin, etc. Label multiple bags, and store them together |
| A lot of rope (~200ft per person) | I like polypropylene for general purpose use, it’s cheap, doesn’t hold water, and holds a ton of weight. It also doesn’t grip to bark |
| pulley and/or carabiners | Useful for hoisting food; you can secure a carabiner to a knot and hoist a big set of soft coolers of food |
| dry bags | Some of these things on the list will be important to keep dry |
| pot | Boiling water is something you will want to do frequently |
| cooking utensils | At least a big spoon for your pot |
| stove + fuel | I like pocket rockets - they’re easy to set up and maintain |
| hatchet | Should be sharp |
| saw | I like pocket chain saws. Most wood I handle when camping is medium coniferous deadfall; too small to justify bringing a full-sized axe, and annoying to fight through with a hatchet. Folding saws work quite well too. |
| fire-starters (lighter, flint & steel, fire piston, etc) | Important to have a mix of convenient (lighters) and zero-tech solutions like flint and striker. Stormproof matches are lovely too |
| tarps | Your base camp should have one large sheltered area for cooking and operating in the rain. Ideally you should have tons of clerance over your firepit if you choose to set it up over a firepit. It usually isn’t necessary - you can start a fire in a wet pit as long as the wood is dry |
| sunscreen | Wear sunscreen |
| dish soap | Ideally something safe to use in whatever lake or stream you will be drawing water from |
| insect repellent | Physical barriers are more important (long sleeves, pants, bug netting) but isn’t always the best option. |
| aluminum foil | Useful for cooking over fire |
| speaker (optional) | For music |
| phone battery | Always nice to have a replacement |
| dish towels | The weather will not always cooperate and let you dry your dishes in the open air. Useful for handling hot items |
| shovel | For burying waste or building a shelter |
| tinder, wood and kindling (optional) | In many places it is illegal to burn deadfall |
| life jackets | In many places it is illegal to be in a canoe without one |
| hood tie down straps to tie the canoe with (optional) | If your canoe rental doesn’t have the option to leave them at the beach/launch site |
| duck tape | Useful for too many purposes to not justify packing a roll |
| map | And the knowledge of how to use it |