Welcome! I like the blue barrels with harnesses for my food. They are waterproof, protect softer items from being crushed, and they are pretty odor-proof, so when they are closed up they help minimize problems with smaller and larger critters in camp. I line mine with a trash bag or trash compactor bag.
I carry most of the rest of my gear in waterproof portage packs. Mine are the ‘Boundary Portage Packs’ sold by Seal Line. The other popular options are the non-waterproof ‘traditional’ designs from places like Duluth Pack, Kondos, and Granite Gear. With those, you want a waterproof liner for the pack. The waterproof bags are better if there is a whitewater component to your trip, and, oddly enough, they are cheaper than the non-waterproof ones.
On a trip last week on the NFCT in Maine I had a blue barrel (my share of a week’s food for four people), a large waterproof portage pack (clothes, sleeping bag, and etc), and a small portage bag (tent, tarp, and a few other things that might be packed away while wet).
Happy paddling! – Kalmia
