"Noah's Tarp", by Kelty.
The 12' is spacious and really what you want, but if you really wanted to shave down weight and bulk you could try the 9'. Very well designed and versatile for the minimalist- its almost the only shelter I use in the PNW anymore, but like any tarp, extremely high winds are a challenge to deal with.

I use a Snowpeak stove that I think is smaller and lighter than the jetboil. It works pretty well, and my whole mess kit can pack into a coffe mug sized pot and lid and also include this stove and fuel can, and a lighter. Again it seems to not like extremely windy places/situations.

But ussually here in the PNW there is some shelter from winds.

As long as I know I'm going somewhere I don't need a free-standing tarp, I use a regular tarp found at hardware stores and string/rope... you can get a heavy-duty one that is light weight for about $10. I usually line the bottom of my boat or my seat with it; makes for an effective piece of equipment that's cheap, super easy to store, and I'm not too upset if it gets a hole in it or rips a little. I've gotten the camp tarps before, but when they've ripped, I've been pretty darn upset because they're usually on the expensive side (esp. compared to a regular tarp!). Now if you need a free-standing one, you can always take an old tent's poles and string it up that way, but now we're getting into the convenience vs. price... that one would be your call. I have both regular tarps and camp tarps for convenience sake, but usually find my camp tarps on Amazon or at REI on sale or downstairs. (FYI- I've had my regular tarp for six years, and it's in great shape still!)

As for my preferred gear for cookery-- I've had a jet boil, but for the price and how bulky it was, I didn't think it was the best (though it worked fine). I generally prefer to take my MSR pocket rocket on multidays . The gas canisters are cheap and small, and the actual heating element is compact and very light weight-- love it!! You can get fancy with the pot or pan if you choose, or you can go to the goodwill and find a small, durable pot/pan that will work for just about anything. I have the MSR solo pot/pans and they're great-  the gas canister, pocket rocket, and lighter all fit inside the little pot, plus it's light weight, compact, and durable- but not necessarily any better than any other good old pot/pan, with maybe the exception of weight. I also bring a good sheet or two of heavy aluminum foil for wind protection if/when necessary for my pocket rocket, which has worked fine for me. Jet boils are great, but like I said, I think they're over priced for what they are... boiling water in a minute or not.

Ok, there's my 5 cents worth *HAHA*! I love gear... However, I like things that are durable, decently priced, versatile, and get the job done. WaterWacko, let us know what you end up doing and your opinion of it! I always appreciate other users' reviews-- thanks jP, slickhorn, and smcboating! 

Hmm. Interesting about the titanium vs. Aluminum comparrison.

Yeah, Noah's tarp is $70 for the 12'-- money well spent. Yeah, it finally ripped in West Virginia, but some duct tape fixed that, and its still light and compact.

Remember: talkin multi days out of a Creekboat (creekboat in Wacko's case, and most of ours). Minimalist. Weight matters. Bulk matters.
Bret ain't askin bout no car campin. And the operative word in his post was "quality"...

French Press? For real? I mean, I hate to glome on to lame vernacular like "For real?" Or "really", but....

Really?

Dude, french presses are not at all necessary. I will make my cowboy coffee and go head to head with any paddler at camp with his or her hoity toity french press ANY day. You'll have the same amount of grounds and sediment from a french press than I will from my Gourmet Cowboy Coffee, probably more. This is aMERICA. We're cowboys here. In fact, so adamant am I that I would call my process "Freedom Press", except that my process for making coffe requires no press at all. So its more of a "freedom from press" sort of thing.
    "Freedom of the Press" is a good thing, but all those reporters use Mr. Coffee in the newsroom anyway, so... Not really applicable. Besides, if you like French Presses, you simply ain't patriotic. At least that's what the subliminal background banner says behind guests on the "O'Reily Factor". Then again, if I encountered Bill O'Reilly in the backcountry, lets just say I'd finally have a good use for my river knife. You bringin a shovel, Bret? That's why I'm sayin: ditch the french press, and it frees you up to bring all sorts of other nifty stuff!
   And, further more, any barista will tell ya that cleaning your coffee gear is the key to a good cup of bourgoisie java. The press is just more surface area to collect yesterday's (or, as we cowboys say in the west, "yesteryear's") coffee grounds. Defeats the purpose I would say.

But hey, you wanna go hikin your French Press encumbered creekboat into the backcountry, go right ahead. That's extra weight, pardner.

Edited by jP - 24 Jan 2012 at 7:42pm

What, no Paco pad, food dehydrator and flat screen Kyle? :)

Just kidding - I had no idea you could get that much stuff into a canoe.  I have no idea what a dutch oven is but it can't be what I'm picturing. :)

Aagh!  Thank you James, for that pinnacle of kayaking educational trivia. :)  It's not quite the same, but I think I have two 4-footed dutch ovens walking around my house at any given time.  Way more adorable than the guys who posted in that thread though. :P