On Canadian canoe routes, you will see them on every portage: plastic barrels, usually blue, carried in padded harnesses. Barrels are waterproof, crush-proof, critter-resistant and float if the canoe tips. For food, they are hard to beat. But a badly packed barrel is heavy at the wrong end, impossible to search and annoying to carry. Here is a system that works.
Why use a barrel?
- Waterproof: a good lid with an intact gasket keeps food dry even if the canoe swamps.
- Crush-proof: crackers, tortillas and eggs survive the trip.
- Small-critter resistant: mice, squirrels and jays cannot chew through it.
- Odour control: a sealed barrel reduces food smells around camp.
- Doubles as a seat or table at camp.
A standard barrel is not automatically bear-proof. Unless your barrel is certified bear-resistant, store it as you would any food — in a locker, hung, or well away from your tent according to park rules. See our bear safety guide.
Choosing a barrel and harness
Size
Common sizes are about 30 litres and 60 litres. A 60-litre barrel usually holds food for two people for roughly a week, depending on how bulky your menu is. Smaller barrels are useful for short trips, solo trips or as a "kitchen barrel" for fragile items.
Harness
The harness makes or breaks the barrel. Look for padded shoulder straps, a hip belt and a sternum strap. A good harness lets you carry a full barrel comfortably on long portages. Rent before you buy if you are unsure; many outfitters offer barrels and harnesses.
Open and close the lid at home and inspect the rubber seal for cracks or debris. A dry test — closing the barrel with a paper towel inside and rolling it in a tub of water — gives you peace of mind before you trust it with a week of food.
The day-by-day packing system
The key idea is simple: pack in reverse order, so the food you need first is at the top.
- Plan and portion at home. Write out your menu and portion each meal into labelled bags. Our camp meal planning guide covers how.
- Group meals by day. Put breakfast, lunch and dinner for each day into one larger, labelled bag — "Day 1", "Day 2", and so on.
- Last day goes in first. The bag for your final day goes at the bottom, Day 1 at the top.
- Add a "kitchen kit" bag at the very top with spices, oil, coffee, tea and sweeteners you use every day.
- Fill gaps with soft items like tortillas, bags of trail mix or a tea towel to stop things shifting.
Weight distribution
Barrels carry best when the heaviest items are near your back and near the middle of the barrel. Avoid putting all the dense food (pasta, rice, canned items where permitted) at the bottom. Distribute heavier meals evenly through the stack so the barrel does not pull you backward.
Repackaging food
Commercial packaging wastes space and adds garbage you must pack out. Remove cardboard boxes, transfer food into reusable or resealable bags, and cut cooking instructions from the box to tape on the bag. Some parks, including several Ontario backcountry areas, ban cans and glass bottles; repackaging solves that too.
- Use double bags for powders and anything that could leak.
- Store oils and liquids in leak-proof, squeezable bottles, inside another bag.
- Pack eggs in a hard-sided egg carrier or crack them into a sealed bottle for the first morning.
- Bring a sturdy garbage bag to pack out all waste.
Fresh food in the first days
A barrel stays cooler than you might expect when kept in the shade or in the bottom of the canoe. Many trippers bring fresh food for the first day or two: frozen steaks or sausages that thaw by dinner, hard cheeses, firm vegetables like carrots, peppers and onions, and apples. Freeze day-one dinner solid at home; it acts as an ice pack for the rest.
Pack it like a bookshelf: the next chapter always on top, the last one at the bottom.
Barrel care on the trip
- Close the lid fully every time, even for a quick snack.
- Keep the barrel out of direct sun during the day.
- Never put the barrel in your tent.
- Wipe up spills immediately so smells do not linger on the outside.
- After the trip, wash it with warm soapy water, rinse and dry with the lid off.
What does not go in the barrel?
Keep the barrel for food. Your stove, fuel and pots go in a separate pack. Fuel in particular should never be stored with food. Some people keep toiletries in the barrel or a separate scented-items bag; either way, store scented items with your food at night.
Sample barrel layout for a four-day trip
Here is how a 60-litre barrel might look for two people on a four-day, three-night trip, from top to bottom:
- Top: kitchen kit (spices, oil, coffee, tea, sugar) and the day's snack bag.
- Day 1 bag: lunch wraps and the frozen dinner, wrapped in a towel.
- Day 2 bag: pancake mix and syrup, lunch and a pasta dinner.
- Day 3 bag: oatmeal, lunch and a dehydrated curry with rice.
- Day 4 bag: breakfast and the final lunch.
- Bottom: the emergency meal and spare snacks, which you hope never to reach.
Each morning, take out the day's bag and tuck it near the top or into a daypack, so lunch and snacks are easy to reach without unpacking everything on a windy shoreline.
Key takeaways
- Barrels are waterproof and crush-proof, but most are not bear-proof — store them properly.
- Portion and label meals at home, grouped by day.
- Pack in reverse order: last day at the bottom, first day on top.
- Distribute weight evenly and keep the harness well adjusted.
Barrel FAQ
Can I use a barrel for clothing?
Yes, some trippers use a barrel for gear, especially cameras and electronics, because it is waterproof and crush-proof. Just do not mix food and non-food in the same barrel.
How do I carry a barrel on a portage?
Adjust the harness so the barrel sits high and snug against your back, tighten the hip belt and use the sternum strap. See Portaging 101 for packing and carrying tips.