Clothing suggestions

[Scouter&mom]

in a few weeks, our troop will be doing their first camping trip since it began to get colder. We have a number of new boys that have NO real outdoor appropriate clothes. Temps will be lows in mid-30's highs mid-60's. We will be car camping (primitive site with water and privies) in state park, We will be doing some hiking on established trail (with some elevation change - but only minimal). I am working to put together a bare minimun clothing list. Most of the boys only own jeans and cotton, here in S GA. We only have WalMart and a couple of locally owned (and expensive) hunting stores.

 

I need suggestions on bare minimums that won't tax parents budgets too much.. Oh yeah, since we are so far south, you don't find good outdoor clothing in thrift stores either. Only "serious" outdoorsmen have cold weather gear, and go elsewhere to get them.

 

 

[Ohio_Scouter]

Scouter&mom,

 

If you're interested, send me a PM and I can forward a copy of the Backpacking merit badge pamphlet that has a lot of good information on hiking and backpacking clothing and other stuff, too. In the meantime, here's a link to the complete backpacking gear list from Philmont's web page for hikers.

 

http://www.scouting.org/philmont/

[Eagle69]

For the situation you describe I think you manage ok with Wal-Mart sporting goods stuff. Number one item would be a stocking cap and make sure they wear it to be, gloves, possibly long underwear (synthetic over cotton if you can find it), hopefully they are wearing something other than tennis shoes for footwear because they will be colder than a leather shoe or boot, a coat or jacket to put on. The main thing to remember is you want layers so you can peel off as the day gets warmer and you warm up doing activities. You want to make sure that they don't wear all the same clothes to be that they have been wearing all day. The ones they have been wearing will have moisture in them and it will make the night colder.

[raisinemright]

We just took a bunch of scouts backpacking and faced similar issues.

 

Here are some of the tricks we came up with.

 

Needs: Acrylic, wool or polypropylene socks. I bought some for myself at Walmart 2 for $6.00

Stocking cap.

2-3 pairs of gloves (in case it rains)

Long underwear (polypropylene is best but is expensive. You should be able to find that at thrift shops)

 

Nylon camp pants are great. The new switchback pants are perfect for camping. If they don't have them, go to the thrift store and get a couple pair of warm up pants. They are usually acrylic and wick moisture fairly well.

 

A swim suit with a liner is great instead of cotton underwear.

 

Wal-mart has polypropylene shirts for about $9.00 ea.

 

Teach them to dress in layers with a light shell on top.

 

Boots would be recommended but they can get away with tennis shoes. They might want to bring a spare pair.

 

Of all these, the most critical is the socks. Teach them to protect their feet above all else. I tell my scouts the story of an American pilot shot down in Bosnia in 1995. He said that removed food form his survival kit to put extra socks in it. He changed out his wet socks several times a day while he was evading capture for six days. He'd dry his spare socks so they'd be ready to use.

 

If your feet are cold, you body will be miserable.

[ScoutNut]

OK, we are talking 65-35 degrees, not sub zero. This is actually rather balmy. These are new scouts, doing car camping & some moderate hiking. No need to break the bank buying high tech gear for this.

 

Jeans and cotton will be fine for what you are doing. Stress layers so they can put on and take off as it gets cooler/warmer. I think that long underwear is overkill for these temperatures. Wal-Mart is fine for the little they will need.

 

A knit hat for sleeping and another for outdoors.

A couple pairs of those cheap, stretchy, one size, knit gloves will be fine.

A couple pairs of good socks for hiking. They can use an old pair for sleeping.

Decent Hiking Boots or sturdy athletic shoes if they can't afford the boots. Not wimpy canvas tennies.

Sweats for sleeping in

Short sleeved t-shirts

Long sleeved t-shirts

Fleece top and/or sweatshirt (hooded is good)

Lighter weight jacket that can cut the wind.

Rain gear

 

When the boys are up and active the lowest temps will probably be in the low 50-40's range and that will be in the early morning and late evening. The lowest temps will be while they are in bed and first thing in the morning.

 

As long as they layer, bring extra socks, and put on all completely clean, dry stuff (including underwear) to sleep in, they should be fine. Even with cotton.

 

 

 

[Gold Winger]

CostCo has four packs of nice woolen socks for about $10 a pack. I like wool much more than acrylic for socks. Acrylic never did much to keep me warm and when I wore them back in the 70s I wound up with the worst case of athletes foot that you've ever seen.

 

One of the most important things that is hard to beat into the heads of youngsters is that they need to change into dry clothing before going to bed. They just don't understand that their clothing is damp from being worn all day and they don't want to change in the cold.

 

Wal-Mart also has some half-decent waterproof hiking boots. I wouldn't wear them on the AT or any seriously rocky trail but they should work find on an improved trail and might even work fine on rocks for a youngster (old feet are tender feet).

 

Dry socks are a must on a hike. Wet wool socks will keep your feet warm but wet socks and wet feet promote blisters.

 

Something else that helps prevent blisters are "knee high" nylons. They cost about 50 cents a pair at wal-mart. Wear them under your socks. One pair lasts me about 20 miles. You can buy fancy sock liners but knee highs work just as well and cost much less.

 

They'll remove layers about 20 minutes after starting to hike. Have them put a dry layer on whenever you stop for a break. Carrying a pack, I've gone down to just a t-shirt when hiking with a heavy pack but as soon as I stop, the wool sweater goes on.

 

[kraut-60]

They should be ok in the jeans and cotton..so long as the weathers dry. Cotton is the poorest choice to depend on if the weather turns cold and wet. Hopefully you get good weather.

 

Do encourage the Scouts to get some switchbacks...they work. I wore a pair today here in SE WI to ride 16.5 miles on a bike in 40 degree weather...wore light polypro longies as a 1st layer...stayed real warm, even perspired a little...didnt get chilled.

 

Buy the right stuff and be comfortable...enjoy the outdoors, dont just survive it.

 

Cotton kills...not right away,or the first time...but eventually you'll be sorry you wore it.