Roughing It Elegantly: A Practical Guide to Canoe Camping [Paperback]

Patricia J. Bell (Author), Linda O. Isakson (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A sensible, personal discussion of canoe camping, particularly in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, based on Bell and her husband's 15 years of experience. For her, elegance refers to things done simply, efficiently, and with style. She decribes for beginners how to prepare, what to take, and how to enjoy such a trip. This is not a manual of paddling techniques, map reading, or exotic wild food preparation. Instead, it is a pleasant, encouraging, environmentally conscious introductionwith brief lists of equipment sources and suggested readingwritten by a convert who learned much through trial and error and who wants to share the pleasure with others. For public libraries. Roland Person, Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Cat's-Paw Press (MN); 2 edition (March 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0961822708
• ISBN-13: 978-0961822705
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,176,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best how-to guide for canoe camping/tripping, March 15, 2000

By 

G. Harp (New London, Minnesota USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Roughing It Elegantly: A Practical Guide to Canoe Camping (Paperback)

This is the best how-to guide to canoe camping/tripping--period. Ms. Bell covers the gambut of canoe camping, from planning, equipment selection, considerations concerning traveling with children, health & safety issues, and on and on. It exhaustively covers every imaginable topic, and should answer any question any potential canoe tripper might have. We've been canoe tripping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for several years, and Roughing it Elegantly is our how-to guide book. Even veterans will find it useful.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful, December 13, 2006

By 

Pringles (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Roughing It Elegantly: A Practical Guide to Canoe Camping (Paperback)

I have backpacked and camped for years, but when I decided to try canoe camping, I had questions. This book provided guidance. First, we were going to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and that's the focus area of this book. From Roughing It Elegantly, we gained a better idea of how to pack and portage a canoe, and learned about how canoeists pace themselves. I also got some great recipes! This book spends a good deal of time discussing the pleasantries of canoeing to and through a wild area, not just describing how to lug equipment. A pleasant and useful read.

4.0 out of 5 stars kind of dated, still good though..., November 19, 2009

By 

solocanoe (fort smith, ar) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Roughing It Elegantly: A Practical Guide to Canoe Camping (Paperback)

It seems like almost everything could be done with newer stuff, lighter stuff, or even better stuff than in this book...but it does hit the mark - how to live well when you are 'out there'...and it's great to read and incorporate a lot of this into your own trips.