Who has the best Scout trailer?

[Trapper259]

If anyone has a great 'Organizied' trailer for hauling gear to camp, I'd like to get a look at it. We're interested in purchasing a trailer and outfitting it with shelving, storage and supplies to help get our troops to camp. I've seen a few around by have no idea what are the essential items or gagets that every Scout trailer needs. Please send pictures if you can.

 

Thank you!

[scottteng]

The best organized trailer I have ever seen belongs to the shooting sports team they use it for hauling guns and supplies to their competitions it has custom made cabinets lockable to hold the various types of firearms along with all the cleaning supplies and safety gear. The troop trailer is another story. The organization does not seem to survive contact with the users thus seems to be an adult exercise in futility. At this point with gas prices being as high as they are the troop trailers main function seems to be luggage compartment for all the boys gear. We are maximizing the seat capacity of every vehicle leaving in most cases very little room for luggage this is all stowed in the trailer upon arrival at the campsite the quartermaster takes it all out including the patrol cooking gear and at the end of the trip they stuff it all back in. There is very little if any organization until the adults choose to meddle. They have learned not to put the bread and chips on the bottom of the pile!

[Gold Winger]

This wasn't ours but it made our equipment guy green with envy.

 

It was big, a tandem axle job. Not only did it have the big back doors but it had a side door near the front for access to stuff stored there. Outside above the hitch there was a metal rack made from angle iron with an expanded metal floor for holding the 20 lb propane tanks.

 

Inside on the front wall were shelves about 18 inches apart and 8 inches deep with a low railing for holding small propane tanks, lanterns, and whate ever. Things were secured with bungee cords.

 

There were racks on the inside of the back doors for holding folded tarps.

 

On the roof were capped 6 in or larger diameter PVC pipes for holding flags, flagpoles, extendable poles for rainflies, poles for lashing together big tripods for the weather rock or the troop sign.

 

That's all I can remember.

 

 

[cubdadinnj]

Let me ask -- how does having a troop trailer reinforce the patrol method?

 

Isn't the patrol method about the boys being self reliant, packing their own stuff, patrol gear, and food -- themselves?

 

When i was a scout some 35+ years ago, I don't ever recall seeing a trailer, unless maybe we all hauled our bikes or canoes someplace.

 

I've seen troops bring their trailers to camporees and council or district events -- some of them have kitchen set-ups that are unbelievable. Or they have cots and chairs for much of the troop.

 

How is this consistent with patrol method?

 

 

 

 

[Gold Winger]

It's about efficiency. All of the patrol boxes and everyone's personal gear goes into the trailer. One big van pulls the trailer which means that fewer cars need to go.

 

 

[Gunny2862]

Several replies, multiple posts.

First, cubdadinnj

Realize that I'm talking about a car camping scenario here...

Unless the boys never travel any distance further than they can go by foot or they contract for their carriage without any parental involvement or funding, then what is convenient for those who are providing the transport comes into play. Troop trailers are very handy to lift the troop to a central point away from the Chartered Partners premises. Especially in a situation where the hoped for parental involvement isn't as large as one might choose it to be . Just because a Troop utilizes a trailer doesn't mean they also don't place the Scouts out in Patrol campsites where the Patrol method is in force. Working with the other Patrols to manage the Trailer and it's contents also reinforces the idea that not only do you work with your patrol but you also need to co-operate with others - i.e two dutch ovens and you want to use both - you need to schedule your usage with the other patrol - they might want to make two different dutch oven recipes for the same meal too.

For the trip to summer camp it's great, one tow vehicle and the trailer then only enough lift for the rest of the Scouts and your set in one trip for the week with more gear than you'd ever take anywhere else, footlockers, cots, full-sized "camping/expedition" chairs with awnings and footrests, the "soda mess" cooler, sports equipment for the campsite, extra books and batteries.

For non-car camping, i.e. backpacking, overnight canoe trip(outfitter canoes) etc. you don't need/want the trailer I agree.

It's also an issue when your Trailer is so large it requires a Suburban or other large gas guzzling prime mover to haul the thing. Especially if the normal driver/vehicle isn't available.

 

 

[Gunny2862]

Trapper259,

GW is right, in one sense it is about efficiency. One trailer for the Troop rather than dedicating a smaller trailer for each patrol - and then having to have two prime movers to drag them, and then needing multiple smaller cars to lift the Scouts. Instead, we as a smaller Troop often use a Suburban to pull the trailer and half of our lift for the Scouts. If someone with a normal minivan comes along we caravan the two vehicles and the trailer.

 

Honestly, I have a love/hate relationship with our trailer. I truly hate the logistics of moving it. I hate when the Scouts feel dependent on having it.

I love the advertising, I love the way we are never more than the trailer away from almost any supply we might "need"/want. I love the lessons we can teach the Scouts with it about organization, cleanliness, sharing, putting things back where they came from - and that the Quartermaster actually does 99% of the teaching/supervision on this stuff.

 

We have a 6,000 lb gross trailer, two rear doors, one passenger side front door, welded "L" steel rack in the front for batteries for the interior lighting system, flammables storage, tent and groundsheet storage, toolbox, "guest" eating utensils(paper-plates etc.)

Continue the rack down the drivers side the entire length, lanterns, water jugs, wood(tools) box, insert Monty Python Holy Grail music and Gregorian chant..."the adult drip coffee maker" and it's "associated carafe to hold batch one while making batch two", clean wash/dry cloths for dishes, storage for dirty dishcloths, "wet goods" - vegetable oil, syrup etc. "dry goods" sugars, flours etc., storage for patrol, troop and National ensigns, Dining fly and frame, First Aid kit always just inside to the left from the rear drivers side door at eye level.

Put two tables in for group dining, if one chooses, on the passenger side and the bulk of the floor space 85% or better is still unused. Throw in Patrol cook boxes, coolers, and backpacks and you are loaded with space to spare.

 

We occasionally leave it behind on purpose, we don't take it backpacking, we definitely take it to the beach for the annual "family" outing.

 

I love it - I hate it. I'd sometimes like to see the days when you loaded a bunch of boys in the station wagon or even with some riding in the back of the truck with the gear but those days are gone. Some people want to act like it's use a trailer and destroy the Patrol method, don't use it and you are really Scouting.

 

Some people are dependent on their trailers because they aren't skilled enough to go further back in the woods(and are Scouting within their limitations, much preferred to getting in trouble) or their Scouts aren't skilled or trusted enough to do so. The truth is we are all represented here and casting aspersions about using the trailers or not doesn't do anything for anyone except maybe inappropriately feeding an ego. And most often misses the truth anyway.

[cubdadinnj]

Thanks for the insights --

 

In terms of efficiency, I get that loading the boys (and adults) gear into a trailer would make travelling easier.

 

I don't get those trailers, which to me, look like a quartermaster's hoard -- tents, tarps, tables, chairs, more dutch ovens than could imaginably used, grills that could roaast a pig. To me, these things are way overkill for a weekend scout camping trip.

 

I happen to like seeing a PL manage the gear his patrol needs -- spread the food out among the scouts, the stove, the tent, etc -- so that the patrol is really self sufficient. Rather than have the gear stowed in a trailer, that's like a storage locker.

 

Efficiency is great -- I bet with gas prices continung to rise, we'll see far fewer SUVs and large vans among troop parents -- maybe more troops (or parents!) will be getting Thul rooftop carriers, or small trailers.

 

Again, thanks all --

[Knot Head]

We use the trailer for most campouts. It holds each scouts gear plus the cooking gear, dutch ovens & food ice chests for each patrol. An expedition can pull the trailer and still cary 8 people. With no trailer the Expedition can only fit 5 plus gear. With all the gear in the trailer the other vehicles can be smaller 5 passenger cars which get better gas mileage than several SUV's with 5 people each. Basically it is a also a LOT more convenient to store the stuff in the trailer between campouts. It isn't very fancy inside.

 

We don't use tables or honda generators (yes, I've seen troops with those) so a small trailer that doubles as a storage locker between campouts works for us.(This message has been edited by knot head)(This message has been edited by knot head)

[ASM857]

Being we are chartered out of a school our trailer is our storage area. We have a tandem trailer 17x10 that has a front door and 2 rear doors. We have shelfs built in the sides for Patrol Boxes, coolers & dry boxes as well as a jerry jug & 5 gal water cooler. Tents & tarps are across the top. with poles underneath the shelfs. We have a flam cabinet for the propane and in the nose the wood yard gear. We use it as the rest with Backpacks & gear down the isle so we can have more scouts in cars. At this time we are a car camping troop but we are changing Scoutmasters so that might change. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

YIS

Doug

[artjrk]

We may not have the biggest, shiniest or flashiest, but we seem to have some cool features that we have added in. On the doors we have added hanging brackets (the ones used in your garage for garden tools) for the propane lantern trees and other such items. On one side we have the inexpensive plastic shelving bracketed on to place smaller items such as lanterns and other gear. Bungie cords are used to stabilize these items on the road. On the otherside a chain is mounted horizontally. This allows us to secure any larger items, 3 burner stove, saw horses and boards for tables using bungie cords. The chain provides multiple attachment points. It works great. All this organization allows us to load a large amount of gear in a smaller trailer at a very minimal cost.

 

I was at camp one year and saw another troops trailer. It was twice as large with just one below the ceiling shelf. All there gear was piled up haphazardly over the floor. It made me appreciate ours all the more.

[Trapper259]

Do you have a recommended trialer size?....6x10,6x12,6x14, double rear doors or drop down?

 

Do you know where to get the Big Round Scout emblem stickers to put on the outside of the trailer?

 

Thanks for all your suggestions!

[Gunny2862]

Not size, but weight.

You should keep it light enough that almost ANY mid-size or larger truck and possibly some cars can pull it.

The weight on the DOT or manufacturer's placard on the trailer sets the legal limit for the smallest vehicle you should use to pull the trailer.

 

This is MY biggest problem with our trailer.

 

That said, I've not seen anyone use the drop down door. The configuration of doors that will work best for you depends heavily on your loading plans. We really enjoy the passenger side front side door and the dual rear doors on ours.

[pinkflame]

All those trailers sound great and efficient and like really god resources for the troops, but the BEST trailer I have ever seen is the one built from a flatbed trailer base by a group of boys from a troop I know on the west side of San Antonio 9not one of your higher income areas). They made, they used it and they were proud of it. It had an open top so they had to learn how to use tarps and tie downs, but learning is part of the deal. Several of them also learned a fiar amount about wiring by working with one of the adults to get the lights working.

[Joni4TA]

In our case the troop's Trailer is also what stores all our gear in between campouts. We just barely got it. The frame was donated by our Committee Chairman. It was the remnants ofa flatbed trailer. Our Scoutmaster had another contact that built the trailer from the frame up (walls, etc) and put the trailer lights on it. And then one of our ASM's cut the plywood to put a floor in. We're still working on the inside. It needs shelves and hooks. And we have yet to get it registered and legal for driving on the roads, too. But it's moving along.

Pictures are here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Troop118LaVernia/TroopLeadershipTraining(This message has been edited by Joni4TA)