In that we don’t don our tuxedos aboard, your choice of clothing should scream “I’m ready for adventure!” rather than “I just rolled out of bed!”

That being said, Alaska can throw many weather variations at you in one single day. Think layers! While cotton might have once been KING, pile or Merino wool and synthetic blends like polyester are a much better choice. Cotton has no heat trapping attributes once it is damp or wet. Pile and new synthetics keep you warm and dry. Please pack clothing that will make your trip pleasurable.

Keep in mind if you are flying into the vessel there are weight limits. You have full time use of a washer and dyer. One pair of shoes for the boat is sufficient as off boat we supply footwear. Everything you bring to Katmai is a weight issue for the float plane transfer, when added to your camera gear weight. Pack smart for your trip.

We do supply Gore-Tex Rain Jackets & Bibs, Beach Boots (Prince William Sound), Chest Waders and Boots (Katmai). We have buckets with foam padded lids for sitting while watching bears in Katmai. They can double as gear bags. The buckets work very well on the beach. They tend to provide a solid sitting platform. Stools with legs, on the other hand, sink and topple.

• Packing Suggestions for Onboard
  • Couple of shirts
  • Tennis shoes (or what you flew in wearing)
  • Two pair pants
  • Socks
  • Undergarments
  • Personal Medications
  • Personal items such as toothbrush and such
  • Sweatshirt
  • Just remember you have use of a washer and dyer & weight counts flying in on float planes and they will weight all luggage and clients to insure a safe payload
  • Toiletry Items like as toothbrush, razor, and such, we supply shower soap, we do not supply hair dryers (though we have one onboard you can borrow)

• Packing Suggestions for off vessel
  • Lite Coat such as the Patagonia Nano Puff Insulated Jacket
  • Hooded Sweat shirt
  • Light Weight Undershirt (medium/light weight with wicking properties
  • 1 pair of pants – if possible a light weight quick drying type
  • 1 pair of sweat pants or lightweight pile/synthetic for under chest waders
  • 2 pair socks, Smart Wool or wool calf height medium to heavy weight for wearing with chest waders or beach boots (Prince William Sound)
  • Stocking Cap
  • Pocket Head Net
  • Non-Det Insect Repellent (det on your fingers can damage camera gear) We love the roll on Para Kito which can be purchased on Amazon
  • Light pair of gloves
  • Shirts non cotton if possible
  • Socks for onboard wear
  • Baseball Cap (oiled best for repelling rain/mist)
  • Sunglasses
  • Water Bottle
  • Day Pack (Prince William Sound)
  • Camera Pack (Katmai) and Pack Rain Cover
  • Camera Gear
    • Feel free to bring a tripod, but don’t be surprised when it becomes a fancy clothes holder by mid-week. They often impede capturing great shots due to the bear movement. You will find yourself turning almost 180 degrees very often to follow the bears. It takes too much time and effort to be constantly repositioning a tripod. Once we stake out our land area claim, you cannot move freely. You can only turn on your bucket. Our goal is to never have the bears react to us.
    • Camera gear is like a secret handshake – everyone has their own version! Just remember, while the National Park Service says to keep a 50-yard distance, the bears didn’t get the memo. They’ll waltz right up to you while munching away, sometimes closer than your great-aunt at Thanksgiving dinner! We huddle together like penguins to hold our ground. This is especially important as you ponder which telephoto lens to take. The photos of bears on our website? All thanks to my wife, who snapped them with a Canon 200-400 lens – and let me tell you, there were times she wished she had a zoom function to teleport!