Tents on Campouts

[Bob White]

We use a 3-person tent from coleman that we only put two people in. I have also used 4-person tents and only put two people in them.

 

[OldGreyEagle]

Our troop has a few tents for those without. Most scouts bring their own or buddy up with another. Never have had a problem with scouts respecting tents.

 

I agree a campsite with all the same tents looks more organized, but the motley appearance of our eceletic combination of shelter has an appeal of its own as well

 

OGE

Matt 7;1-5(This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

[ASM7]

We use troop tents for a few reasons;

 

1. It fits into the uniforming of the troop. Everybody has the same and nobody can say mine's better than yours.

 

2. To be able to control how the tent has been used. If a boy brings his own tent, we can't guarantee that food hasn't entered the tent somehow. Critters can smell food in a tent months after. Even a candy wrapper.

 

3. Parents have enough to buy as it is.

 

4. Looks better and more organized.

 

 

By the way most of our boys prefer to stretch a tarp between a couple of trees or their ski poles that we use for hiking. It's a lot less weight and they can tie two half hitches and taut-line hitches with their eyes closed.

As far as temperatures go, while using one of those dual thermometers, I measured outside and inside temps one cold night snow camping. While getting into the bags, temps in the tent were warmer, but when I woke in the middle of the night the temps inside and out were the same due to good bags. Now, the leaders always use a tarp. Its easier, lighter and when put up right keeps the rain and the wind out. Anybody else do this?

[hops_scout]

Our troop prefers we use their tents on campouts with other troops such as camporees...

 

At summer camp it is up to us and most prefer to bring our own tents. We are not allowed to have food or cots in troop tents. If we have our own, we can basicly do as we please with them. They are our responsibility, not theirs. I jsut recieved a new tent for Christmas. It is a North Pole 3-4 person tent. I plan to use my cot in it and so will my tent mate most likely. The troop doesnt care if we use our own. They prefr that we use theirs, but they said that they really cant stop us from using them.

[LauraT7]

it is interesting to note that in the year since my last post on this thread, things have turned over almost completely in our troop.

 

the boy who was such a problem with personal equipment has left the troop, and the other boys definately felt his attitude, because they bend over backwards to share with each other now.

 

We DID run into a situtation at summer camp this summer where we did not have enough troop tents for the boys - even with buying two new tents right before camp (we wanted three, but could not get the third in time) and so some of the older boys who DO have their own tents started bringing theirs, as well as stoves. We have plenty of equipment now, but they do have pride in owning their own equipment and enjoy using it. The boys who bring their own tents all have smaller 2-3 man backpacking tents - and we have not had any problems with tentmates.

 

No one wants to bring 'family' tents - they all use the troop tents or personal backpacking tents.

 

We do have one boy who is a total slob - he dumps his pack and spreads it all over - he's the kind of kid who leaves a trail behind hm everywhere he goes. NO ONE wants to tent with him and he prefers to be alone - at least for sleeping. At least, then, everyone knows that all the junk in his tent is all his!

 

I've switched to using a troop tent - as the solid week of rain at summer camp proved to be the last campout for my trusty old tent. It spent the week covered in plastic to keep me and my tentmate dry!

 

We did take some of the boys from the PLC on a comparison shopping trip to the big camping stores (REI, Gander Mountain and Galyans)to look at possibly getting some backpacking tents. We wanted them to be able to see the differences in a quality tent and a cheap tent. And the boys decided they would rather stick with the Timberlines for summer camp and troop outings, and use their personal tents or tarps for backpacking. THEY decided they didn't really want to spend the money on backpacking tents. they realized that backpacking tents would take more care than the tough Timberline Outfitters, and figured that the boys would take better care of their OWN tents, that they would of troop tents.

 

As the boys LEARN on the Timberlines - how to care for them, etc. (they do tend to smell like old gym socks & a little mildewy) They decided that they would keep getting the timberlines for the younger boys who did not have their own tents, but let the older boys bring and maintain their own, if they wished. It seemed like a well thought out decision to me!

 

as an aside, I got to go with the boys on this shoppping trip - it was LOADS of fun! We had a gret time and they learned alot about tents and other equipment. i learned alot, too - and will probably be buying a smaller tent next year!

 

laura

 

 

[Eamonn]

Looking around the district, it seems that the troops that do the most camping use troop camps.

Having been the chair for a fair number of camporees I have seen Scouts arrive with some of the worlds worst equipment.

Back in England we had tents that were big enough for the entire patrol. In fact it was still that way last summer when we camped over there with a troop.

This really does help build up the patrol.

Eamonn

[Region 7 Voyageur]

When I was a scout (early 1970's) my troop would ocassionally allow the use of personal tents on troop campouts. At district or council events we always used troop tents to look uniform as a unit. On some troop campouts personal tents were allowed. Many scouts that had become very interested in camping had purchased their own tents and they were egar to show them off. Although I do not know what BSA policy was at that time, these were never one man tents. At these outings scouts could do a sort of show and tell, and show off their personal tent. We would ocassionally have campouts that involved backpacking and on those outings the use of personal tents was encouraged. (The canvas tents that the troop owned were not well suited to backpacking)

 

If one of our goals is to have scouts gain an interest in camping, one of the results is that scouts will want to obtain camping gear of their own, including tents. They will naturally want to use this gear and show it to other scouts. Allowance should be made in the program to allow for this.

[FloridaScout]

Im surprised on how many troops have troop tents.Most of the scouts in our troop buddy up in a private tent, I personaly have a Kelty Vortex 2 that I use on most campouts, but all scouts and parents are made aware that we have a stock of troop tents. The tents are four person colemans, I belive we got donated from a sporting goods store that was closing in our area.

[saltheart]

We've been pretty fortunate, I guess. Our troop, through hard work and fund raising, has been able to stock the shelves with tents in sufficient numbers that we have enough 2 man Timberline Outfitter tents for backpacking, 4 man Timberline tents and 6 man LLBean tents for other trips for the entire troop...including adults. That being the case, we do not allow for personal tents on troop trips. There seems to be a little more equality in conditions and such when everyone uses the same equipment.

[scoutingagain]

While our troop has about a half dozen Eureka, two man tents, the scouts prefer to bring their own. We discourage the large family style tents and for the most part the scouts bring 2-4 person tents that are low profile(i.e. an adult would not have standing room). We do not allow the scouts to sleep alone, everyone has to buddy up or triple up. It's never been an issue as far as I know. It's kind of understood, if you bring a piece of equipment on a campout, it is used for the benefit of all unless it's clearly a personal use item.

 

Our bigger challenge is getting the adults to leave some of their stuff behind. We always seem to end up with 6 stoves, 12 lanterns, cookits, grills, griddles, coolers, tables, chairs, screen houses, etc. It's the adults that seem to want to show off their latest gadget. To be fair all are very generous with the use of the equipment. But we certainly don't pack light.

 

SA

[Fat Old Guy]

"Im surprised on how many troops have troop tents"

 

When my son joined Boy Scouts, I went out and bought two new tents. A couple months later, the troop bought 15 new tents for the Scouts and leaders to use. :-(

 

[KoreaScouter]

My current Troop doesn't own any tents, on purpose. Every Scout and leader brings his own or buddies up. Quartermaster loves it, and once you get over the "refugee camp" appearance of our Troop campsites, it's not a bad thing...

 

KS

[OldGreyEagle]

KoreaScouter,

 

Please, Please, its not a "refugee camp" appearance, its an ecletic array of the myraid styles of tenting options on display

 

Leastwise, thats what I tell our troop. As I said much earlier on, the troop has some tents but mostly we use personal tents. It been that way since we joined and no one has brought up buying troop tents.

[johnsned]

Here in sunny California we seldom even use tents, sometimes the Camporee is the only time we use them.

 

What is the big difference if the boys use their tent, the troop tent or no tent? Sounds like a power play to me, aren't the boys supposed to lead. To let them lead you need to empower them, let them make decisions and deal with the consequences, then the adults help them understand the consequences, and how making decisions lead to consequences.

 

[KoreaScouter]

OGE;

 

I'll remember that! Thanks for the alternative perspective...

 

KS