Floating your camera kit.

[John Kasaian]

I just got the spring 2004 campmor catalog and found that Sevylor makes an inflatable 1 person trailboat. 3-1/2 pounds and rolls up into a small duffel to strap underneath a backpack or to a bike. Model HF160, 220 lb. capacity 68"x42" with two floatation chambers $59.95 in the US. htpp://www.campmor.com for more info. Might be worth looking at. -Cheers

[Graeme Hird]

Assumptions are wonderful things! For some strange reason, I assumed you all knew I'd be hiking between swims. I don't know why I assumed that - I didn't specify it in my question as I should have. The fact that I have to haul whatever I use in and out of the gorges is what dissuades me from getting a pelican case - hiking 15 km with a box and a tripod does not appeal to me. While all the answers (even Bob's) have been useful, QTL, Otzi and John McLaine have been closer to what I envisaged when I asked the question. For those who know the place, I'm heading to Karajini National Park, in northern Western Australia. The gorges there are steeply incised into rich red and grey sediments, and often contain long pools of still water that need to be traversed. Day hikes are the order of the day.

John, your description and photo of your adventures in Tassie is just what I needed to fire the imagination, though I don't think I need to stretch to the paddle, and I doubt I'll need all the wet weather gear (Karajini NP is hot and a swim in my jocks will be welcome!). I use a Benbo tripod which is just about bomb proof. I don't mind it getting a little wet, but I still need to float it with the rest of my gear somehow.

Otzi's suggestion of the two plastic bags reminded me that we have very heavy duty large plastic bags at my work place. I'm an exploration geologist, and we regularly use 900x600mm, 150um thick bags for collecting 50kg drill samples. These things are TOUGH! Seal them up with heavy duty clips and nothing will get in or out. I'll try fitting some dummy gear into one and dropping it in the backyard pool. If the whole lot floats and my gear emerges dry, the problem is solved. It won't cost anything and it will be the lightest solution for hiking with. (Dry bags will be the next step if this doesn't work.)

Thank you all for the answers. I'll post some images of whatever I come up with as my final solution.

Cheers,

Graeme

[Graeme Hird]

The travel boat that John K. was refering to can be found here. It looks just the thing. Thanks for the heads up on it. If the thick green bags don't work, I'll order one.

Cheers,

Graeme

[Bob Finley]

Graeme, I have owned one of those boats (same brand) and they puncture with a sidways glance. It just might let you down so to speak.

The garbage bag idea has been used successfully for many crossings of the Colorado river in the Grand Canyon and elsewhere. Borrow a copy of Colin Fletcher's book "The Man Who Walked Through Time" or "The Complete Walker". He gives a full description of how-to and his experience with fording large rivers with minimal flotation equipment and heavy packs.

[Leonard Metcalf]

Graeme,

A problem I have been wresling with myself. I take my large format kit canyoning in the Blue Mountains, long cold swims (300 meters), lots of walking and rock scrambling, then abseiling. I do mainly day trips, carry ropes, harness, wetsuit, camera, spare clothes, lunch etc. Some of the things I have tried, and what I have ended up with.

Dry bags, scary at first. For your camera always use at least two. Doing them up is a pain. If there is a single crease in the folds, they leak. So practice and test. I have been putting my cloths in ortlib dry bags for years, and I still occassionally get a leak. There are three types on the market. Clear ones (not very waterproof as getting a crease is so easy), light weight ones designed for bushwalking (also not so good for full and regular imersion) and heavy weight ones (designed to be used for rafting) - these are the best - a number of different manufacturs make them in a range of sizes. I used two for the camera (wrapped in the dark cloth), and one very long one for my tripod. The tripod is inside another carry bag so that it doesn't rip or punch a hole in the dry bag and keeps it dry from the drips that come through. Outdoor stores in OZ have them, I can also recommend a specialist canoeing or sea kayaking shops as they know about keeping gear dry. Don't know what you have over your way, heaps here near Sydney.

I have started using pelican cases, and just pop them into the back pack. Never had a problem with them leaking, and I have thrown the pack into the water a few times... Not recommended but when you are scared the pack is the first thing too go. I have three different sizes, depending on what camera I am taking. Sometimes I use one med size one for the camera and dark slides, and a smaller one for the light meter. This was fine when I had a technica III. The lens folded up inside.

Now I have a larger camera, and want to carry more lens. So I went up a size. I can just still get it all in one of the small ones, but with only one lens. I still put it in the pack. Along with my tripod. (sizes - you should work this out for your camera - pelican have a good downloadable size data file - most camera stores could order the one you want - I recommend trying it out first though)

Pack. Buy one to size of the pelican case and all the gear you want to carry. Get a good one. I suggest you modify your pack with drain holes. Large camping eyelets work well. I used a travel pack for a while, as it had a zip opening back, and it made unpacking a fair bit easier. Now I am getting a pack made for the job... very large... lots of drain holes... cordura so that it doesn't soak up the water and get heavier (canvas ones get heavier when wet - but are more waterproof).. My current pack is about 100 litres in size. Quite a heavy load. There is a company in Katoomba (Summit Gear) that make canyoning packs, with specialist drains for this very job, though you might only get a small pelican case in one - they will modify it for you though - they are making mine to order, just so I can carry more... (I feel quite silly writting this - what carry more! I just want to do more overnight trips, as once immersed in the bush photos come easier)

Tips: I have found that the easier it is to get my camera out the more likely I am to use it. Which is why I love the pelican case and the zip opening pack.

Put a small towel in with your tripod. Open it first so you can dry yourself before opening your camera bag. Wipe the excess water off your case, so that it doesn't drip inside, also your hair as it drips too. Carry something extra for drying your camera just in case (it is often dripping in canyons here).

Pack your clothing into a large dry bag, so that you can use it as padding between the case and your back. I also add some closed cell foam to keep my back more comfortable. I find that the whole package is quite boyant, and I use it keep myself afloat (well just my chest and head) and out of the very cold water, this way I can swim quite a long way in security.

Don't be afraid to order from the states and save some money. I even get my film from there and save...

I live in the Blue Mountains and if I can help please just ask. The shops here have dry bags in stock.

Regards,

[otzi]

Graeme, I'll second the tenderness of the plastic boat. Also how do you intend to blow it up after a hard slog in the heat of the day?

The clips mentioned for the bags are they known items from work or just an idea? Tying the bags up like a snake bag is the go. ie a few rounds then folding the neck over with additional rounds finished with a reef knot. Won't fall, slip, puncture and quite operable with tired numb fingers. Oh I don't need to mention of course to keep the bag 3/4 inflated, not tight.

ps. they second as a vermin/ant grub protector over night. If you weren't on the otherside of godzone I'd personally come and float one in said rock pool with you.

[John McLaine]

All these contributions are great Graeme, you are getting a terrific range of suggestions here. I'd just like to add 2 points to my previous notes.

1 I started rafting wild rivers in 1980, and back then there was no such thing as dry-bags, at least in Australia. We used strong garbage bags. We put our gear in a bag, tied a secure knot, another bag and knot, another bag and knot and a final bag and knot. All the knots were an absolute pain, and the system only kept your stuff dry "most" of the time. The bags would get pinholes, tears, and the knots would leak if the bags were under water for any length of time. As Leonard and I have both written, just get a dry-bag or two and be done with it. You will still need these even when you finally bite the bullet and get the Pelican. ; - )

2 That Sevylor boat looks great, but I've seen guys attempt this sort of trip with boats like that, and they are typically about as tough as a balloon. Sharp sticks and rough rock will soon pop anything that's not really abrasion resistant with good cross-woven fabric in it to stop rips from tearing. That's where the old rubberised cotton lilos score points. They are surprisingly tough.

[jantman]

Pelican, Anvil's waterproof line, or another high-quality waterproof case, maybe Lightware or Underwater-Kinetics.

My number one recomendation would be to send an email off to either some nature/extreme sports photographers, or to one of the tech guys someplace like ESPN or a video agency that specializes in exotic locations. They'll be able to recommend what actually works.

[QT Luong]

The Sevylor mentioned by John is what I've been using. Indeed they are a bit fragile, however in my experience, only one out of the two flotation compartments is necessary to keep a small LF kit afloat, so I wouldn't worry too much about a puncture. However, I have never used it in wilderness conditions. They
come with a storage bag that serves as a pump and is quite efficient. That same storage
bag also doubles as a decent drybag.

[Kosta]

When I went through the "Subway" in Zion National Park from the top, I protected my gear with a backpack/drybag from Seattle Sports Co. I was quite happy with it, though in retrospect, would have liked to have had one with waist support. Here's a link: http://www.seattlesportsco.com/consumer_hydroventure.htm. I think I have the "River Pack"

Now it does not appear that they have any retail distributors outside the US, but you may still want to contact them. Good luck!