I was wondering about the Old Town Pack canoe. At only twelve feet is it a decent recreational paddle? It would never be used as a tripping boat, just for some local lake paddling.

I think it would be alright for a fun boat, definitely something to fish out of on a small lake around home.

I owned one for a while, and by way of reference a guy spent the summer paddling the entire BWCA in one a few years back.

The sheer beam of the Pack means that it rides up waves vs cutting thru them - so in rough water making headway against the wind is difficult.

This also make the Pack a nice canoe for paddling local lakes and streams - I used a rather long Kayak paddle with drip guards and had fun.

I've got the 'Kaynoe' which is basically the same thing, only heavier (43 lbs.) It doesn't track well at all, IDK about using it in the BW. I'll tell ya about it after I use it up there. It tracks OK with a kayak paddle, but who wants to get all wet?

But.... I heard that the Old Town Pack used to be used by all the rangers in the parks. I'm not certain that's true, tho.

Check out paddling.net's reviews on it. I think they are up to almost forty.

I have one and have used it on solo trips. It a gear hauling wonder for it's size with a large capacity. The problem is that it waddles through the water, is best used with a "double bladed canoe paddle" and would benefit from a set of adjustable foot pegs (I'll get around to it). It's a great play boat and wonderful for fishing out of. At 33lbs it portages over a shoulder and being royalex, is durable enough to take some abuse.

Like everything else, it has it's place but doesn't do all things well.

Great local lake canoe. I would not trip in one. Very hard to travel straight and fast. I had one and used it for ozark float streams. Fine for that but not a lake tripper.

Oh, and I love fishing out of it. But that's because I like to fish :)

I love mine. I just got back from British Columbia where I used it for fishing. I would not hesitate to use it in small lake situations in the BW. For what you intend, local recreational paddling, it should work great. It's easy to carry around, both on your shoulders and on your car.

The short length of the Pack has it's advantages. On our recent trip up north, we only unhooked from our tent trailer twice. One time was at Mt. St. Helens where we stayed two nights and wanted to be able to drive around free of the trailer. The other time was at our main destination in British Columbia, where we stayed a week. All of the other times we stayed hooked up, opening only the rear extension fully. The canoe stayed on the car and we opened the front extension partially which still allowed a person to sleep there with some storage. Staying hooked up, with the canoe still mounted on the car roof, allowed us to move on after a night's stay rather quickly and easily.
I wish I had taken a picture of the tent trailer in the configuration we used for one night stays.

Here's a link to those reviews somebody mentioned earlier: Old Town Pack reviews.

And don't get me wrong, I love my boat (in case there was any doubt about my previous replies).

Found an article/review for ya: another review that's more like an article.

I've used the Pack on three BW trips now and it has performed very well, even in gale force winds in open water. I was able to use a Wenonah solitude for a few days on this year's trip and as nice as that was I still preferred the Pack. Portaging is a breeze and with a yak paddle (240-270 cm) the boat's waddle isn't an issue. the Pack will motor through most anything like a little tugboat, but will not glide for long. I still make great time with it. I gave the boat to my trip partner this year as he was not all that familiar with a solo canoe and it made a world of difference to him. Foot braces are definitely in the picture for next season's trip.

The boat fits in my apartment and I use it constantly on local lakes and rivers. Had absolutely no problems car topping it from Chicago to the BW. I still drool over the better solo boats, but so far the Pack is my main ride.

Thanks for all the replies. A friend of mine is selling his pack. Asking 375, sounds like a good deal.

great deal if it isnt beat to hell.

It has been in the water once. He got in, flipped, got PO'd, and put it in the garage.

LOL! Buy it!!!!!!! That's the kind of deal I was looking for last fall when I settled on my Kaynoe (same thing, but 43 lbs. Diff material. Polylink?? Sold at Dick's sporting goods here in MN)

I was BillTea's partner on the trip, The pack is a wonderful boat, ultra maneuverable, doesn't glide like a kevlar but with some muscles you can paddle rings around a kevlar. Great a tad slow but makes it up in the turns.

quote Bill Tea: "I gave the boat to my trip partner this year as he was not all that familiar with a solo canoe and it made a world of difference to him. Foot braces are definitely in the picture for next season's trip."

Pack