Recommended Gear

Planning is the key to the perfect adventure, and packing the right gear can make all the difference for an Alaskan expedition. When it comes to clothes, packing versatile layers instead of a lot of single items will provide maximum flexibility. Quality outdoor clothing pieces are essential—especially when considering rain gear. You should bring items that can be mixed and matched, allowing for less clutter and more style options during your trip.

Unless you plan to spend all your time enjoying the comforts of the Glacier Bear, you’ll want to bring quality outdoor clothing and gear appropriate for your Alaska adventure—especially rain gear. While some items in this list are merely suggestions, many are essential for comfort and safety.

Storage is critical. We recommend that your clothing and gear fit into two wheeled duffel bags (70-liter and 100-liter) and a smaller (30-liter) daypack. Packable bags are ideal for storage after you are aboard. Wheeled duffels are easy to travel with. Soft-sided luggage is the next best option if you don’t have wheeled duffel bags.

If you plan to hike or fish, make sure to bring a small daypack with sufficient capacity to hold your camera, binoculars, a water bottle, rain gear, and some personal items.

The quantity and combination of clothes you bring are up to you. Just be sure to include clothes that will be warm in a wet environment. Layers provide maximum flexibility. You should be able to wear every type of layer you bring simultaneously. Don’t worry that you won’t have enough clothes: mix and match.

Most of our clients wear less than half of the clothes they bring.

Essential

• Shoes. The fewer pair of shoes you bring, the lighter and smaller your luggage will need to be. You’ll need hiking shoes, and if these can double your daily boat life shoes, then all the better. We have rubber boots for you.
• Wool socks. The warmth, cushion, and absorbency of merino wool socks (or a wool/silk/polypropylene blend) are essential. There is nothing worse than wet feet. Bring several pairs.
• Underwear. Your regular underwear is fine. But consider an upgrade to merino wool or a synthetic blend. A merino t-shirt or two will add warmth to anything you wear and last all week.
• Pants. Look for synthetic blends that are durable and quick drying. Cotton soaks up water and becomes cold and uncomfortable. You should be able to get by with three pairs of pants.
• Shirts. Look for synthetic blends that are durable and quick drying. Cotton soaks up water and becomes cold and uncomfortable. Athletic-style pullovers work great.
• T-shirts. One or two short-sleeved or long-sleeved cotton shirts.
• Swimsuit. No kidding! You’ll want one for the natural hot springs.
• Merino wool sweater or fleece. This is your primary insulation layer. If you tend to be cold, you should bring additional layers.
• Mid-weight jacket.This is your primary outer layer. Look for water-repellant down, Prima Loft, and Wind Stopper layers.
• Rain jacket or shell. A packable Gore-Tex rain jacket works best. Something that goes over your other jacket/fleece will give you all the layers and warmth you’ll need.Thin, coated-nylon rain gear does not work well in Alaska.
• Gloves. Lightweight gloves with rubber grippers work well for paddling or fishing.
• Warm hat. It should be merino wool or synthetic and cover your ears (not a baseball cap).

Optional

• Ball cap. Essential for some. To help keep the sun out of your eyes.
• Long underwear. You are likely to need these if you get cold quickly. If you do, lightweight merino wool or synthetic will take care of that.
• Shorts. One pair for sunny days.
• Warmer pants. Suppose you tend to get cold. You'll want these.
• Heavy raincoat.We’ll provide a thick raincoat if your Gore-Tex isn’t enough.
• Rain pants. A good pair of packable Gore-Tex rain pants would be helpful. We have heavy-duty rain bibs if needed.
• Rubber boots. We’ll provide a pair of sturdy rubber boots for your use and wear. Let us know what size you wear.

Phone, camera, binoculars

The combination of equipment you bring is up to you. Just be sure to bring your favorite camera, plenty of spare batteries, charging cables, and your phone.

• Smartphone. Newer phones have an excellent camera for photography and video, and anyone can capture high-quality photos and video. Chargers will work off of our standard outlets aboard the Glacier Bear.
• Cellular phone service. We occasionally have cellphone coverage during our trip. AT&T works best. Unfortunately, Verizon/T-Mobile and other data services don’t work well in most areas outside Juneau and Sitka. We have a mobile hotspot if you need data service when we’re within cell coverage.

• Binoculars. We have binoculars on the boat, but you may prefer to bring your own. A great pair of binoculars allows you to experience nature more closely. Look for binoculars that are 7x42 or 8x42, which offer good magnification and a wide field of view,. Your binoculars should also have excellent low-light capability.  
• DSLR cameras. Bring your Canon, Nikon, or Sony DSLR camera, a telephoto lens, a wide-angle lens, many memory cards, and spare batteries. You can rent everything you need (with full-coverage insurance) from www.LensRentals.com. We suggest adding a Canon 100-400mm Telephoto Zoom or a Nikon 80-400mm Telephoto Zoom to your camera bag.