Owning good equipment doesn't guarantee the user a good trip. However, using poor equipment will almost a certain assure you'll problems and adversity while you're out paddling.

There are two things to consider:

• Have I chosen the right type of equipment to bring along on my trip?

• Have I worked from a check list to ensure no important items get left behind?

Equipment selection is to some extent determined by personal preference, but there are still a number of sensible, widely  accepted guidelines that we should follow.
 
We have seen dramatic improvements in the quality of equipment available to wilderness paddlers in the past 30 years.  There is no doubt that it has made our lives easier, and made canoe tripping a more comfortable experience.  

When I began wilderness paddling, I used a canvas tent with no floor ... we would roll out a canvas 'sod cloth' beneath us.  Trust me, an arrangement like that does not keep out either bugs nor water.  Our sleeping bags were waterproofed by rolling them tightly inside our rubberized canvas ground sheets, and these ground sheets were also used to sleep on.  Our packs were canvas, and our canoes were cedar-canvas.  

Everyone should have an opportunity to portage a waterlogged cedar strip canoe over a difficult portage to put the current state of paddling gear into the proper perspective.

Do I miss those days?  Maybe from a nostalgia point of view, but certainly not from a comfort perspective.  Waterproof packs, Kevlar canoes and nylon tents are a luxury that young paddlers expect and take for granted.  Us old-timers appreciate this gear every time we paddle.