Chupacabra Canoe

Have you ever walked out of the house with your pockets full (keys, wallet, phone), arms full (coffee cup and Lunch bag), and toting a computer bag or European man bag (otherwise known as a purse)? That’s a lot of stuff; you haul it out to the car, you get to where you are going, you haul it out again. What a pain!

What about your essential gear as you load out your canoe on the latest canoe adventure? When I am packing up the Paluski Passage (16’ 4” of yellow polyethylene perfection) for the long haul on a 5–7-day trip down one of America’s great rivers, I want some essentials at the ready while I paddle.  I know the Paluski isn’t as well-known as the Old Town, but I’m telling you, the canoe is awesome. But that’s a review for another post; today I want to talk about the YETI Load Out GoBox. Check it out here at  YETI LoadOut GoBox 30 Gear Case | Cabela’s

As I mentioned, I have some gear that I like to keep near me as I flawlessly navigate the river in the stern of my Paluski. My handling of a canoe hasn’t always been flawless, but one of the benefits of Chupacabra Canoe is being in the presence of such self-proclaimed experts like MilkMan. He has more self-awarded canoe accomplishments than anyone I have ever met. If you can’t learn by just being in the presence of that guy, you are hopeless. Anyway, some of the essential gear I like to keep near me: river map, compass, sunscreen, sunflower seeds, cigar and supplies, a flask of my favorite river bourbon. Until recently, I had to store this stuff in various combinations of backpacks, five-gallon buckets, and ammo boxes. Not only essential on the water, but most of these items are also essential at the campfire as well (add in a headlamp, multi-tool, and pocket-knife). I didn’t think there was a solution. Then came Father’s Day 2025 when I was awarded The Yeti Load Out GoBox for being the best Dad in the world, obviously.

The box is a game changer. It fits all the essentials, plus more. The Box is IP65 and IP67 waterproof.  I didn’t know what that meant but I do now. This box is rated to not allow dust to get it in (the “6”) and as for water, it can be immersed up to one meter for about 30 minutes (the “7”) and be sprayed by water from all angles and not allowing water in (the “5”). Perfect for the river! I felt confident putting the essentials of essentials in the box, car keys, wallet, and cell phone. Not that I need these at the ready, but with the box being so roomy and watertight, I felt confident that this would work. Now, Rockhound has shown me alternative ideas on where to store the essentials, but I find the back pocket of my pants isn’t as watertight as the Load Out GoBox. And while a metal ammo-box may work for some, I prefer the watertight GoBox because it floats. I didn’t test it against the feed sack closed with a nice overhand knot; maybe someday.

So, this is what I like about LoadOut Go Box. It’s waterproof as I mentioned above. This is necessary on the river and for rain while camping. Two strong latches close the lid against the gasket. The latches are simple to use and quick to open and close. The latches don’t require a lot of free space to operate either. Also, the box is roomy, totaling 3,412 cubic inches, it is spacious. With all that space, some organization is needed. Within is a modular system that allows for separation of items to keep your gear organized. A thin plastic board can separate the main compartment. I used this as a cutting board at the fire, so it is multi-purpose. Additionally, there is a tray that sits on half the compartment resting on the lip. This does a respectable job holding some of the smaller items, so they don’t get lost or settle to the bottom. Finally, the lid has additional compartments to hold paper or other thin items. I used it to hold the river map and itinerary for the latest trip. Overall, the interior is well thought out. Nice job, YETI!

In the canoe, I thought the box may be too big to stow in front of me, but it really surprised me. There was still space between the box and the gunwales and there was still room for my legs directly in front. The flat top of the box was a perfect flat-top to put the map on and stage a snack and a drink on the river.

 

Even with all that I don’t think I used it to its greatest potential, but this thing will be around for a while.

The box is constructed of heavy-duty plastic with tie downs on the side if you need it. It comes with built in handles on the lip and a carry strap for moving this thing around. I can tell this thing is well thought out.

Not everything is perfect. I mean YETI did a great job on this, but I have a few suggestions. OK, really there is one thing, the strap. It’s too short to throw over your shoulder. And I did put too much in it but, gal dang, I was so excited I put more than necessary, and made it heavy. But that’s my downfall. Maybe an adjustable strap?

I hope you get my excitement around the LoadOut Go Box. While I did work hard to earn a major award, I am humbled in two ways…1) that I was recognized as being the #1 Dad (Sorry Mr. Mandelbaum), and 2) that this was the award. As I mentioned, so many good things, I can’t wait pack it up again get back to the river!

Paddles up!

JStroke

 

The Chupacabra have explored the Allegheny, Clarion, Muskingum, Cumberland, Susquehanna, Elk, Greenbrier, Mohican, Hocking, and Maumee rivers since the founding of the Xtreme Canoeists in 2012. Check out our blogs on some of the trips hereChupacabra Canoe Blogs – Reflecting on the River