Raingear for Canoe Expeditions

In this video I chatted with Canadian explorer Adam about rain and cold weather gear for expedition canoeing…

Adam normally goes super minimalist, but hypothermia is certainly something to worry about. He had hypothermia a lot while doing shoestring expeditions on a budget in his 20’s and he’s not had hypothermia since then because he has better quality clothing and gear. Something as simple as a merino wool base layer really diminishes the chances you’ll have hypothermia in summer canoeing because it’s so effective by keeping you warm even when you’re wet.

For ascending rapids in the summer Adam usually just wears regular summer wading shoes to protect his feet from sharp rocks, and walks through the water and get wet. He uses movement to stay warm, and feels this approach helps him be more agile through the rapids compared to wearing bulky neoprene or other waterproof systems.

When he’s done wading he just takes off his wading shoes, gets back into his canoe and changes into dry clothing. This works well during the warmer parts of the year; earlier and later in the year the temperatures would be far too cold to do this.

If you enjoyed this snippet then check out the entire interview with Adam in video format on my youtube podcast channel and/or in audio podcast format as episode 374 of The Strenuous Life Podcast. You can also listen to the audio-only format of the episode on your podcast player.

It’s on all major podcast platforms, but here are some of the links to get you started…

• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Spotify Podcasts
• Stitcher,
• And most other podcast players

More Adam Shoalts

Follow Adam at Instagram @adam_shoalts and check out his website at adamshoalts.com.

Also check out the first and the second interviews I did with Adam before this one!

Perseverance, Life and Death in the Subarctic, is the story of my 42-day solo expedition across the Canadian Subarctic after coming back from the brink of death. On this trip, I encountered bears, storms, forest fires, and raging rapids, and had to find new ways to unlock new levels of endurance and tenacity.

I’ve been told it’s a great adventure story, has lots of useful tips and tricks for the outdoors, and is an inspiring read as well. I’d be honoured if you check it out at the bookstore of your choice or at the links below…