New Scout Camping Checklist

Recommended Gear

New Camper’s Info and Tips

Getting started in camping can be somewhat intimidating for those who have not done it, or not done it recently.  There is lots of equipment on the market and there are plenty of opinions as to what is and isn’t necessary.  This guide is a jump off point for new Scouts as to what to buy, and most importantly, what not to buy when you’re first starting out.

·         Personal vs. Troop gear - The troop provides “common” equipment on a campout.  This includes: cooking gear, stoves, first aid kit, dining fly, lanterns, saws & hatchets, water jugs, and miscellaneous tools.  Scouts are not expected to pack this gear wit their own equipment.  And there is not need to buy any of it up front.  Troop 1849 has tents for use by the Scouts and if more is needed, there are enough veterans scouts who have tents to share. Please do not feel one has to rush out and purchase a tent right away.  Should you desire to purchase a tent later, consider the type and style of tent you’d like to invest in by talking with other parents, and /or Scouts.

·         Sleeping Gear

·         Sleeping bags come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges.  For general use, a bag with synthetic fill (such as “Hollofil”) that is rated at 20 degrees will suffice.  Down filled is lighter and, therefore, generally preferable for backpacking (but down is expensive and there are a number of considerations when buying a down filled sleeping bag – all down filled sleeping bags are not created equal).

·         Sleeping pads.  Keep in mind that you need to insulate yourself from the ground – a pad serves that purpose, as well as keeping you comfortable.  There are two basic types (please don’t bother with blow up air mattresses) – foam pads or self-inflating (such as Thermarest).  Wither will suffice.  The self-inflating pads tend to me more comfortable (comfort, however, is very subjective), but are also more expensive.

·         Pillow.  Pillows are a matter of personal preference – There are inflatable pillows, backpacking pillows, or other small pillows.  Some find that a rolled up jacket or sweater works just fine.

Things to Wear:  What to wear is a function of the weather – how hot, how cold, and how wet.  But keep a few things in mind.

·         Rain gear – It will rain – be prepared.  A good quality poncho is probably the best all-around rain gear.  Do not buy a plastic rain suit – they don’t breathe and are miserable to wear.  There are a number of high quality rain suits that do breathe (made out of fabrics such s gore-tex).  These are great but tend to be very expensive and most boys will outgrow them long before they gotten their (or their parent’s) money’s worth from them.  Stick with the poncho.

·         Clothing – The key to comfortable camping is staying dry and warm.  Cotton clothing is not the way to make that happen.  Cotton (such s blue jeans) gets wet and stays wet, and when it’s wet the wearer gets cold and stays cold.  Cotton T shirts may be OK for camping when it‘s warm an dry, but be prepared for other weather.  Synthetics will wick moisture away from the body whether it comes from sweat or rain, and helps maintain a reasonable comfort level.  For cooler weather, layering is the key…layers of clothing that can be put on or taken off as needed.

"Joe, yestiddy ya saved my life an' I swore I'd pay ya back. Here's my last pair of dry socks."

Footwear: Keeping your feet dry and comfortableare absolutemusts when camping.  Hiking boots that are already worn in and not new, are the usual footwear expected. Also, keep in mind that heavy dew can get shoes just as wet as heavy rain.  Use hiking socks that wick moisture away from feet.  For those that plan on a lot of hiking, boots are in order.  Make sure they are high quality, fit well (when wearing thick hiking socks and are broken in before going on a long hike.

 

Toiletries:  Keep it simple.  All the average Scout needs for a weekend campout is a toothbrush, tooth paste, camp soap, and a small towel.  You can pack more, but it won’t get used.  Camping stores sell small camp towels which are lightweight, hold lots of moisture, and dry easily – nice, but certainly not necessary.

Cooking Gear:  As stated above, the troop will provide the cooking gear – the Scout will need his “eating gear,” consisting of a bowl, a cup, and some utensils.  A rinse bag is a nylon mesh bag that comes in handy for rinsing and drying dishes.

Other Gear: 

-Scout knife – for a new Scout this would not be needed until he has received his Tote n Chip badge –which instructs and trains new scouts in how to handle properly and appropriately knives, saws and axes.  But for those who have received this badge, it can be very handy, but no need to buy a Swiss Army Knife with 50 gadgets – a knife with a couple blades is really all the new Scout needs.  Brightly colored is better.  They routinely get dropped and camouflage design on a knife will do precisely what it was designed to do – remain camouflaged.

-Compass – Go for the basics – remember, the basic function of a compass is to point north – until you’re read to do a lot of orienteering, about $10 should buy a basic quality compass.

-Sunglasses – If you get them, make sure they have UV protection – cheap sunglasses without UV protection are worse than no sunglasses at all.

-Emergency whistle – nice to have if there’s any chance of wandering away from group – nothing fancy.

- Rope – A small amount of nylon cord comes in handy for repairs, clotheslines, tent guys, etc.

-Flashlight – small, inexpensive, and brightly colored – and always bring extra batteries. 

Don’t buy the ultra small penlights –don’t last long;

                      huge monsters requiring 10 D-cells – way too big and heavy

EveryReady yellow flashlight requiring two or four “AA” cell batteries do work fine…. and they are inexpensive.

-Personal First Aid Kit – The troop will bring a large first aid kit on any campout – a personal first aid with band aids and moleskin (for preventing blisters) is about all a new Scout will need.               

- Canteen or water bottle – In actuality, the containers that bottle water comes in will be sufficient for a new Scout.  But, if you really want to buy a water bottle, buy a wide mouth one.  They’re easier to clean, easier to fill, and easier for adding ice.  There are containers that will a hold water bottle and attach to belts or backpacks.  Very few people use traditional canteens any more.

-Personal chair – a small personal chair or stool can come in handy on campouts – but keep it small and lightweight.  A fold-up three legged stool usually works fine and won’t require a separate trip to haul it to and from the car.

 Hopefully this will give you and your new Scout a start on what he will need and parents to feel at peace.  As a Scout becomes more adept at camping, he’ll have a better sense for what he needs.  Three closing comments and we’re done!

1) For things that a Scout will not outgrow and is not likely to readily lose, (such as a tent), it generally pays to go with higher quality the first time.

2)  Troop 1849’s equipment room has quite a bit of gear available for checkout.  Feel free to use it while gaining the experience to know what you really need.

3) Label! Label! Label!  Put your name on ALL personal gear with an indelible marker or an engraving pen – despite our best efforts, things do get mixed up and this helps to sort things out.