Three buddy's and I are taking the 20 mile 3day 2night trip down the brazos next weekend (22-24) and it will be the first time for all of us and I want to go as light as possible but I also want to have enough stuff to get through the trip. I was hoping maybe a few of you guys have taken the same trip or one similar to it and could give me a few tips. I plan on taking 2cases of water, jerky, protien bars, a few gatorades, and was just planing in taking cans of soup to eat just because of the ease if them, sunscreen, bugspray, a small shovel, a hatchet, and ofcourse BEER!!!! lol thanks in advance guys.

IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR STUFF COLD USE DRY ICE WATCH FOR COPPERHEADS

Traveling light is a good idea. Keep it to about fifty pounds.
Gallon of water per day per person on the river, or an effective filtration system is essential. You will burn about 3-4000 calories per 7-10 miles of paddling(assuming you are paddling). So, I wouldn't scrimp on the groceries. Beer requires cooling so a cooler will be needed, and I prefer to carry fresh fruit for quick carbohydrate energy. There is a burn ban so a small backpacking stove and self standing grill would be nice to heat coffee with. This heat will necessetate a light weight screen in tent of some sort(Hoolagan at Academy). A battey powered fan, cell phone, and of course USGS topo 1:24000 map and compass or GPS is nice to determine where you are. Safety equipment for paddle boat (PFD, whistle, extra flotation device) extra paddle, fishing gear. Sunscreen is your friend, lipbalm, wide brimmed hat, polarized sunglasses, nylon outerwear, river sandals are a must(I prefer Teva). Heat may preclude a sleeping bag but that is a personal choice. I prefer a thermarest pad and a full sized sheet. Take a first aid kit for those unexpected litle dings and cuts.(and asprin for the hangover!)

This is in no way an all encompassing list but a few of the essentials I bring. Hope others will add to the mix. Have a safe and memorable trip. I wish I could join you but the wife has a long list of honey-do's for me to catch up on!

Tight lines,

M.saxatilis

Thanks guys. What do y'all do to keep ice ice? I was planing on freezeing milk jugs of water but that's ALOT of room. I also thought about 20oz water bottles or freezing sandwich bags of water with a little salt in them to keep the beer and what food needs to be cold cold.

wear something on your feet that can keep out small rocks. I like to eat mountain house meals on trips. And its going to be very hard to keep beer cold for that long.

Beef jerky is a great idea.

Trail mix and peanut butter sandwiches are good too.

Hydration can be deceptive, so make sure you drink water even if you aren't thirsty (particularly if you are drinking beer). It's pretty brutal out there right now, so just make sure that you and your friends don't underestimate it.

I freeze one liter bottles of water and use the bottled ice as coolant. It serves as convienient small block ice, and as I remove each one it melts rendering a cool drink throughout the trip. I also use a 28 qt cooler that fits snuggly in the tank well of my OKPBG. This system has worked well for me in the past, and allowed me to bring real food to prepare for meals as well as sparkling clear water to dink.

What dinkslayer817 said.... Use dry ice. Get it at kroger and it will freeze what's in your cooler for at least 2 days.

Pre-cool your ice chest the day before you leave.

It helps.

I use liter and 20 oz frozen bottles. I would plan a minimum of 1 1/2 gallons water or gator aide per person per day and go light on the beer.

I like 3 and 5 day coolers depending on the size. Precool the night before leaving and repack just before you go heavy on the ice and light on the rest.

If you want to carry a lot cooled then get a canoe.

listen to this man ! I I got pretty dehydrated and by the time I realized it I was pretty weak and dizzy the day before yall go drink nothing but water and gatoraid ...Beer will make dehydration happen faster save it for after you make camp

Thanks for all the input guys! I work outdoors all day long and take dehydration very seriously!!! I've seen some of the toughest men I know fall due to the heat. And luckily I know my body well enough to know when I am flurting with dehydration. Another thing one of the guys is stone cold set on taking his son with him and while I understand why he would want to I have tried like he'll to talk him out of it. His boy is nine and I just don't think it is a good idea to take him in this heat on out first trip. Our original plan was for all of the dads to go to get a feel of the river and see if we thought the boys would even like to do it, than when the weather cooled take a father son one night trip to introduce the boys to it. Maybe Iam wrong for thinking the way I do, would you take your boy?

I always try to have super glue on river trips.

A pillow case is nice. Then just shove some clothes inside of it to make a pillow.

Just bring water. If you want gatorade, bring some of the powder to mix in. Also, bring something to hold your trash.

I would not take a 9 year old but 2 days and only 20 miles should not really be a problem as long as he is in a canoe with an adult. Ditch the beer it is way to hot for that.