Equipment List

We provide all the group and technical gear. That includes tarps, tents and stoves, climbing protection, ropes and anchor material, boats, spray decks and PFDs. You need to bring all your personal gear.

We recommend splurging on a couple items: anything you put on your feet and rain gear. You will spend a lot of time in your boots and shoes. Put in extra time and effort to get a perfect fit and then invest even more in working them in before you come to COLT. You and your feet will appreciate it. As for the rain gear, Vancouver Island is a temperature rainforest. We time COLT to avoid the wettest time of the year, but you can still expect to spend some time in the rain. Excellent quality rain gear and rain boots will keep you drier for longer which translates into warmth and comfort.

Download the equipment list PDF which includes everything you need to stay warm and comfortable on land and water trips and during your time at the lodge. Most gear can be purchased at specialized gear stores such as Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) and Atmosphere, but we do encourage buying gear from your local gear store. Some cities have very good used gear stores or gear swaps. Call us if you have any questions.

In addition to the outdoor gear, please bring some comfortable clothes for your days at Strathcona Park Lodge to wear in your accommodation and any other street clothes you may want for town days. We also recommend you to bring a laptop, or at least your smart phone to do your first aid homework on. We will provide basic towels and bedding.