3M®:
- Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty Scour Pad
ACCO Brands:
- Hilroy Blue Exercise Book Interlined, 23.1cm x 18cm, 72 Pages (used as journal books)
AccuTemp®:
- AccuTemp® mechanical timer (available at Canadian Tire Corporation)(was used when baking cinnamon bannock in Dutch oven, no longer done after 2021)
Airdrie Canvas:
- Custom made canvas gun case, sturdy protective material, water-resistant but breathes so no condensation.
- Supplier of Inland Plastics™ tarpaulins (below).
Apex Tool Group:
- Crescent Nicholson® General Purpose Axe File 8"
Aqua-Bound®:
- Edge Paddle (abX carbon/nylon blade, carbon fibre shaft, T-grip, one-piece)
Babybel®:
- Mini Babybel® Original Cheese (stores well if the wax-coated cheese is protected by wrapping in cloth in Ziploc® bag)
Beltek (Huizhou) Foods (imported by Anderson Watts Limited, Canada):
- Mr. Noodles Instant Noodles 85g oriental noodles
Bambaw:
- Stainless Steel Water Bottles with secure screw-on cap, compact, leakproof, lightweight stainless steel.
BIC®:
- BIC® Classic Lighter
- BIC® Ultra Round Stic Grip Ballpoint Pen, Medium 1.2mm, Blue
Blistex®:
- DCT® SPF 20 Lip Balm
Bob's Red Mill®:
- Potato Flakes Instant Mashed Potatoes
Book:
- Plants of the Western Boreal Forest & Aspen Parkland. Johnson D, Kershaw L, MacKinnon A, Popar J. Lone Pine Publishing, 1995.
Brownline®:
- Weekly Planner
Brunswick®:
- Sardines (I prefer sardines in soy oil (plain label, NOT gold can.) (I use those with the highest level of nutrition based on their content labels: sardines in olive oil, or in lemon sauce, or in soy oil (plain label, NOT gold can), or with hot peppers.)
Buck® Knives:
- Buck® Nobleman™ Stainless Steel Folding Pocket Knife 327SS
Bulk Barn®:
- bulgur, chia seeds, chicken soup base, chickpea flour, cornmeal, ground flax seed, hulled hemp seeds (hemp hearts), hulled salted roasted pumpkin seeds, lemon pepper, nutritional yeast, white wheat bran, whole toasted kasha buckwheat, whole wheat couscous.
Calgary Tent & Awning:
- custom-made canvas wall tent, 8'x10'x8'h
Canadian Technical Tape:
- Cantech® Duct Tape Production Grade Poly Coated 48mm x 55m
Canon:
- Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH compact camera
My first camera, purchased in 2007, has served well despite getting dunked at least once when I fell into a lake plus being exposed to my sweat-soaked pocket where I carry it. Still carry as backup starting 2020 and to take video (uses less battery power for video). Replaced by Fujifilm FinePix XP140 compact digital waterproof camera.
Cascade Designs®:
- Platypus® GravityWorks™ 2.0L Water Filter System
- SealLine® Baja™ Dry Bag (5L for Repair Kit; 10L for Fishing Rod, Reel, Lures)
- Therm-a-Rest® Mattress Ultralite 3/4 Length (replaced by other models)
Chiappa® Firearms:
- Chiappa® Firearms Double Badger gun, over/under .22LR rifle/20ga shotgun
The original Williams peep sight was set too low; had to replace at my expense with a Williams open sight "WDOS, Ruger American 22 magnum, rear firesight, product number 071012. This sight had to have the dovetail base tightened by a gunsmith to stay in place. The real problem is that the front sight is too high and non-adjustable.
Church & Dwight™ Company:
- Arm & Hammer™ Baking Soda 500g
- Arm & Hammer™ Wipes, 53.4x28cm (reusable cloth wipes to wrap meat cans and cheese, and on which to drain fried fish)
Clif® Bar and Company:
- Clif® Builders® protein bars 68g (20g protein) (Crunchy Peanut Butter, Vanilla Almond)
- Clif® Whey Protein Salted Caramel Cashew 56g (14g protein) bar
(difficult to source in large quantities in Canada)(replaced with Daryl's Bars in 2023)
Coleman® (discontinued items):
- 7L Stainless Steel Pot (excellent pot with flat lid; 3L and 1.5L pots nest inside)
- 1.5L Stainless Steel Pot (excellent pot with flat lid; utensils and cup nest inside)
Costco Wholesale® Kirkland Signature™:
- Almonds Dry Roasted Salted 1.13kg
- Bacon Crumbles 567g
- Chia Seeds 1.36kg
- Cinnamon Ground Saigon 303g
- Hemp Hearts 0.907kg
- Basse Pumpkin Seeds Shelled Salted Roasted 1.25kg (Basse through Costco, not Kirkland)
Crocs Inc:
- Crocs™ foam clogs (excellent for bathing in lake or under outdoor shower bag)
Dare Foods:
- Dare RealMint™ scotch mints (no longer used after 2020 due to high sugar content bad for teeth)
Daryl's Bars:
- Cinnamon Honey protein bar 58g (22g protein) (a Canadian product which also ships to the USA)(Unlike many competitor products in the 20g protein range contain no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners and have a healthy low sodium content.)(Started to use in 2023 replacing all other protein bars.)
Eclectic Products:
- Amazing GOOP® Marine (excellent waterproof patching compound)
Energizer® Holdings:
- Energizer® Ultimate Lithium™ Battery AAA and AA (last much longer than alkaline batteries)
Estwing®:
- Camper's Axe Long Handle (all steel axe)
Eugene Cloutier:
- Laurentian Chief Canada Padded Sole Leather Moccasins
Eureka®:
- TL Kananaskis Outfitter 4XT Tent (A-frame with two vestibules, excellent rain shedder)
Felco®:
- 13RH Pruning Shear (great for cutting branches, brush and trees up to 2cm in diameter)
Fisher Space Pen®:
- PR4 Ballpoint Refill, Parker Style with Adapter (stopped using in 2024 because of ink flow problems)
Fishing Lures:
- EGB, EGB Canada "blinker" spoon model #213 size #4, 1/2oz
- Thompson-Pallister Bait Company, Len Thompson™ "Original" Red & White spoon and Yellow & Black spoon #2, 28g/1oz
- Rapala® Rippin' Rap® RPR06 Firetiger 6cm/2-1/2" 14g/1/2oz
- Mepps Syclops 2 UV Spoon Firetiger and 10 Surfaces blue/silver spoon 17g/5/8oz
- Cotton Cordell Wally Diver Deep Diver Chartreuse/Red-eye CD6106 lure and Chrome/Black CD604 3-1/8",1/2oz
Fujifilm Holdings Corporation:
- Fujifilm FinePix XP140 compact digital waterproof camera
Garmin®:
- eTrex® 10 GPS
Genji Sports™:
- Self Expanded Outdoor Screen Tent (a godsend as a bug tent)
Gold Bond®:
- Medicated Extra Strength Body Powder (excellent foot and bum powder)
Great-West Metal(out of business):
- Air Tight Heater 18" (wood stove) (Sadly this Canadian company closed in 2024 because of material sourcing problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)
Grohmann Knives®:
- Hunting knife stainless steel with overlap belt sheath (R1SA1, DHRussell design, Canadian design, Canadian made)
GSI Outdoors®:
- 10" Cast Aluminum Dutch Oven with Lid (unbeatable for frying and baking)
- 296mL Glacier Stainless Steel Double Wall Cup
Harmony® Gear:
- Folding Cane Canoe Chair (used as camp chair)(replaced in 2022 by lighter more compact Helinox Incline Festival Chair)
- Harmony Waterproof Barrel 60L
Helinox:
Helinox Incline Festival Chair
Hereford:
- Hereford Canned Corned Beef (no longer used after 2019, switched to just sardines, more nutritious)
The Hershey Company:
- SKOR Toffee Bar (no longer used after 2018 due to chocolate intolerance)
Himalayan (out of business):
- Aqua Pak (excellent canoe pack for food in MEC® Brooks 55L Dry Bag)
Home Hardware:
- Benchmark 24" Bow Saw (all metal)(replaced in 2022 by Silky Big Boy 2000 Professional saw, lighter, more compact, sharper)
Hooligan Gear (out of business):
- Deluxe 110L Canoe Pack (lots of room for clothes and sleep gear) (replaced with waterproof large Bill's Bag)
Idahoan® Foods:
- Idahoan® Original Mashed Potatoes flakes (hard to source 2024, replaced with Bob's Red Mill® potato flakes)
Igloo® coolers:
- Little Playmate® 6qt (discontinued but best style)(or Playmate® Pal 7qt new style) (both with locking handles)
Ikea®:
- JUBLA Stearin Candle 22 mm x 19 cm (to provide lighting in canvas tent; CAREFULLY due to fire hazard in nylon tent)
Inland Plastics™:
- reinforced heavy duty polyethylene tarpaulins (6'x8' for emergency use backpacking, 8'x10' for gear cover and level tent bed, 10'x14' for Tarp shelter and canoe cover)
- lightweight polyethylene clear tarpaulin (for canvas Tent roof cover)
Iridium® (used with Canadian provider Roadpost):
- 9555 Satellite Phone (with headset and spare battery)
JM Smucker:
- Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
- Purity® Cornmeal (difficult to source 2023, replaced with finer grind Bulk Barn product which I now prefer)
Johnson & Johnson:
- BAND-AID® Brand SKIN-FLEX™ Finger Adhesive Bandages (great for fingertip skin breaks)
- Polysporin® Triple Ointment antibiotic
Julbo®:
- Sherpa Sunglasses with Leather Side-Shields
Klondike Sterling Glove:
- Men's Unlined Pullover Leather Mitt "Klondike, CA 05444, RN 125609" (discontinued?)
Kontoor™ Brands Inc:
- Wrangler® Rustler® jeans 100% cotton
Kraft Heinz:
- Kraft Deluxe Original Cheddar Pasta & Sauce 400g
- Kraft StoveTop Stuffing Mix Turkey 120g
- Magic Baking Powder 500g
- Kraft Parmesan Grated Cheese 680g
Lakefish Net & Twine:
- Blue Multi-Braided Polypropylene Sideline Twine 3.1mm
Lansky Sharpeners:
- Lansky Tactical Blademedic® Sharpener (excellent sharpener, especially for filleting knives)
Leatherman®:
- Super Tool® 300 (multitool including pliers, knife, sawblade)
Level Six:
-Helium Canoe Yoke Pad
LifeStraw®:
- LifeStraw® Original (water filtration) (Use 600mL Rubbermaid plastic bottle 7F74 to drink from and to store LifeStraw®.)
Lush:
- Shampoo Bar (used for all-over-body soap)(Use "Honey" bar which has minimal scent and no chunky ingredients.)
Luxspire:
- Luxspire Bike Casual Crossbody Messenger Bag (used as a writing bag to hold journal, calendar and associated gear)
Maple Leaf®:
- Holiday® Luncheon Canned Meat, 340g (no longer used after 2019, switched to just sardines, more nutritious)
Mark's:
- Denver Hayes shirt, long-sleeved, button-up, point collar, light cotton/polyester, size XL
- WindRiver T-Max® HEAT™ Socks
- WindRiver shirt, long-sleeved, button-up, point collar, heavy cotton, size XL
- WindRiver fleece black mitt with Thinsulate™ insulation
Mars Wrigley:
- Excel® (Eclipse® in USA) sugar-free gum Spearmint flavour
MAYZERO™:
- MAYZERO™ Water Shoes Fluorescent Green (I use as wading shoes. Soles and insoles have drainage holes that hasten drying. Wear neoprene socks inside shoe to help protect feet and insulate against cold.) (The shoes are low top but would prefer high top to help protect ankles and to help keep them more secure on my foot; so far I have not found good high top wading shoes.)
McCormick Canada, Club House®:
- Club House® La Grille® Montreal Steak™ Spice (used to season fish fillets and meat)
- Club House® Lemon & Pepper Seasoning (used to season sauteed fried fish and pine mushrooms)
MEC®:
- Brooks Dry Bag, 55L
- Pack Rat Mesh Stuff Sacks 15L and 25L
- 100L Odyssey Duffle Bag with Pack Straps (discontinued)(excellent pack for gear such as Canvas Tent, nylon tent, tools, fishing gear, etc)
- clothing: nylon anorak windbreaker, light polyester balaclava, heavy polyester balaclava, neoprene face mask/nose cover, polyester neck gaiter, polyester fleece gloves, heavy polyester fleece pants, wool scarf, heavy polyester fleece sweater, two acrylic toques (one for sleepwear), light weight polyester long underwear top and bottoms, heavy weight polyester fleece long underwear top and bottoms, neoprene socks (for wading).
- 40L Day Pack
- Aquanator XL rain jacket
- Marmot Men's PreCip Eco Full Zip Pants XL
- Trail HT Waist Pack
- MEC Deluxe Pillow 5046-842 (inflatable to any degree preferred, Large 300x485x120mm 168g, compresses to 7”x4” diameter).
Mondelez® International:
- Cadbury® Dairy Milk™ Chocolate Bar (no longer used after 2018 due to chocolate intolerance)
Natural Resources Canada:
- National Topographic System Maps 1:50,000 and 1:250,000 (free online)(See my "Some Favourite Websites" for instructions on accessing the Natural Resources Canada website.)
North Water:
- North Water Quick Haul Harness (to pack barrels)
Novaflex® Group, Z-Flex® Venting Systems:
Z-Vent Special Gas Vent Single Wall 3" stainless pipe (for stove, 19" cut to 17" to fit 3 pipes inside stove)
NRS:
- NRS 65L Bills Bag Dry Bag Blue (used as Personal Gear pack)
- NRS 110L Heavy-Duty Bills Bag Red (used as Clothes Gear pack)
O'Keeffe's®:
- Working Hands Hand Cream (light daily application around fingernails to help prevent split skin)
The Old Boathouse YYC (canoe and kayak repair and restoration):
(Jeff McDougall does excellent work, repairing my canoe purchased new in 2007.)
Onsight Equipment™:
- Onsight™ Bug Headnet (worn over top of wide brim Tilley hat; indispensable; I carry three to have backup.)
Outbound (out of business):
- 90L Dry Bag (excellent for clothes and sleep gear storage inside large canoe pack)
Pedifix® Medical Footcare:
- Pedifix® Visco-GEL® Toe Spacers
Petzl®:
- Headlamp (I carry two to have backup.)
Pilot Corporation:
- Pilot Mechanical Pencil
Pflueger:
- Pflueger President Spinning Reel PRESSP35X
PlumbShop®:
- PS6161 Toilet Plunger (plastic, removable handle)(used as clothes wash plunger)
Premium Nutrition®:
- Premium Protein Bar Variety Pack (72g, 30g protein) (no longer available in Canada, not recommended - not tasty)
Primus®:
- Primus® 3L Campfire Pot Stainless Steel
Proctor & Gamble™:
- Tide® Powder Laundry Detergent for Coldwater (used for laundry and dishes)
Pure Protein®:
- Pure Protein® Protein Bars (50g, 20g protein) (difficult to source in quantity for the flavours wanted, replaced with Daryl's Bars in 2023)
Raber Glove:
- Men's Unlined Pullover Chopper Mitt Genuine Cowhide 342 (excellent for hand protection for rough use and hot ware)
Rapala VMC Corporation®:
- Rapala® Fish Pro Fillet Knife
- Rapala® Magnum Spinning Rod 4 piece 7' MG20SP70M4 (The top section of rod broke in the first year 2020 and the warranty-replaced section broke on the first fish in 2021. No longer use or recommend this rod. Use Shakespeare® Ugly Stik® GX2™ Pack Rod.)
Reader's Digest:
- Reader's Digest Magazine
Recreational Barrel Works:
- 60 L Recreational Barrel Works Barrel
Savage® Arms:
- Savage over/under .22LR rifle/20ga shotgun (Purchased used in 1973 and in-use until 2019, damaged iron sights from too many rough portages. Replaced with a Chiappa gun.)
SC Johnson:
- Pledge® MultiSurface Every Day Cleaner Wipes (for glasses, camera, binoculars)
- Ziploc® bags (sandwich, medium freezer, large freezer)
Sabre® Frontiersman:
- Bear spray canister 225g (If no retainer for the trigger guard loosely tie to the handle with a piece of Kevlar® cord or fine wire so it will not be lost when unclipped. I would only press the trigger in bursts rather than release the entire contents at once so as to have some backup.)
- Sabre® Frontiersman bear spray holster has no retaining flap so is not safe to use. (Use the Seattle Sports holster instead which has flap and is of superior heavier material.)
Seattle Sports:
- Solar Camp Shower 2.5 gal (works best to add heated water)
- Outfitter Class Pack Sink (foldable square plastic basin)
- Bear spray holster for 225g canister Velcro strap closure
Shakespeare®:
- Ugly Stik® GX2™ Pack Rod (very sturdy, almost unbreakable tip)
Silky:
Silky Big Boy 2000 Professional saw
SmartforLife®:
- SmartforLife® Low Sugar Protein Bars (50g, 20g protein) (difficult to source in quantity in Canada)(replaced with superior Daryl's Bars in 2023)
SPOT™:
- SPOT™ Personal Tracker/Satellite GPS Messenger (I still use the first generation device; there are also second, third and fourth generation devices.)
Stanfield's®:
- Cotton Long Underwear, Top and Bottom (for sleep wear) (replaced with MEC® polyester/polypropylene long underwear which do not retain moisture)
Starfrit:
- Lock & Lock Classic Containers (waterproof for electronic equipment storage)
Stewart Manufacturing:
- The Speedy Stitcher® Sewing Awl (indispensable for repairing heavy material)
Studio Ray, Gerry brand (out of business):
- Gerry Down Sleeping Bag (Mine was purchased in 1970 and although patched still very functional.)
- Gerry Down Jacket (stuffed into a flannel pillowcase as camp pillow)
Suunto®:
- MC-2/G/6400 Compass
Swix:
- Swix Snow Thermometer -30C to +50C
Tilley® Endurables:
- T4 Cotton Duck Hat (discontinued)
- TO54 Organic Cotton/Hemp Hat) (similar to above but discontinued)
- T4MO-1 Hiker's Hat (similar to above) (I carry two Tilley® hats to have backup.)
- TW2 Wool Winter Hat (discontinued; new similar TWF1 Montana Fedora)
Timex:
- Ironman Essential watch (one in Writing Bag, one in Utility Belt Bag)
Vaseline®:
- Petroleum Jelly 50g Tube (for lips at night, zippers)
- Petroleum Jelly 375g Tub (for fire starter cotton balls)
Vasque® (2025, now owned by Red Wing Shoe® Company):
- St Elias Full-Grain Leather Gore-Tex Hiking Boot with Velcro sole (Possibly the best boots I have ever used, not too heavy yet sturdy. Thank goodness Vasque® has survived under Red Wing Shoe® Company!)
The Vitec Group Plc:
- Lowepro® Tahoe CS20 camera case (perfect size for digital compact cameras)
Western Canoeing Manufacturing, Clipper Canoes:
- Clipper Prospector 17' Kevlar®/Duraflex® Canoe (with built-in contoured yoke)(The two longer thwarts became unriveted and had to be fastened with stainless steel bolts/locking nuts. The rear aluminum thwart bent so much from simply leaning against it to solo paddle that it has been replaced with an ash thwart.)
World Kitchen:
- Snapware® Containers (waterproof for electronic equipment storage)