I'm sure most of us have been there.  The solution I figured out was to pack less (also removed the top pouch of a backpack).

Longer trips, I use a 55L ultralight backpack for food and essential gear and a smaller slogg (35L?) pack for down and clothing.  The slogg fits fine under the yoke for double carries and the bigger pack works as long as it's not too full. For a singkle carry, the slogg is essentially small enough to use as a front pack. Mostly dehydrated food and little room for luxuries though. On more leisurely trips with less portaging, I'm just resigned to multiple carries (mec scully 150 plus a day pack, chair, and maybe a cooler).

It's brilliant if you can figure it out as solos are often balanced enough to do flat portages with no hands.

Last edited by keg (5/20/2026 3:39 pm)

Thanks guys for the responses.  It helps a lot knowing I wasn’t the only one that’s had this issue.  I think for starters I’ll ditch the food barrel  and keep my food in a smaller backpack.  That’ll get me back into double carry mode.

I've also had similar problems when using a backpack, but no issues when using a more traditionally shaped canoe pack - which is not as tall as my backpack, but instead is wider and so holds a similar volume. So, maybe rent a canoe pack from an outfitter and give that a try? It's cheaper than a new canoe!

Curious what canoe you're using. I've never had an issue with my Slogg pack or 70 l barrel  solo or tandem boats. Recently switched to a Recreational Barrel Works Paddler canoe pack as my Slogg packed it in. Canoe specific packs are definitely more hospitable to portaging  than traditional backpacking packs. 

Experienced exact same issue with the big MEC Slogg and a solo canoe. Started carrying less in the Slogg and that worked. Eventually purchased a canvas "canoe pack" that is much wider than the MEC Slogg. Have had no issue portaging with a solo canoe since I started using canvas canoe packs from Duluth and Frost River.

Last edited by Dwight (5/24/2026 8:45 am)

I've had that problem with 60L barrels and stuff on top of them under the straps, and certain configurations of the old Slogg bag.  I've since switched to 115L canoe packs.  I have an old Eureka, and a fairly new RBW Expedition pack.  Been easy carrying the canoe, but my arms go numb after 600-800m and eventually I can't get the boat off my head.

Good excuse to take a break, but I've got to dial in the straps a bit more I guess.

captainchaos2000 wrote:

Thanks for your response, I did have a question for you.  In the picture the Expedition Pack seems to sit higher on your shoulders does that interfere with the Canoe seat or do you not pack into it as much to keep it from being too high up on your shoulders?  I was curious, it's one of the packs I was looking at.  
Thanks
 

I've never really had an issue with it in my packing. 

The pictures on the website don't really show it in a realistic manner.  I think it's filled with towels or packing foam for aesthetics.  In reality, the majority of the stuff I keep in there (fishing gear, maps, camera stuff, etc.) tends to flop more to the back of the bag than going straight up.  I talk about the bag briefly in a video here (should link straight to where I'm talking about it), and you can see a lot of the adjustment points.  The top pouch is really adjustable though, there's nylon webbing easily accessible to move it forwards and backwards on the top of the bag as necessary.  

I really dig RBWs' whole lineup though.  If you can make it to an expo where they're set up, or to Canadian Outdoor Equipment Co in Mississauga it's worth playing around with them in real life to see how it feels.  I was really tempted by their 2-part pack.  Love the idea of having modular packing, especially around camp.  Plus the ability to cram stuff like a coat between the bags...one day.

Last edited by IanTendy (5/28/2026 3:04 pm)