Why a trailer?

[blw2]

I'm not intimately familiar with everything in our trailer

but based on what I have seen, the things that are in there that could likely be left behind include

 

• several large LP tanks with trees and lanterns (my personal opinion these are not necessary)
• large inventory of extra sleeping bags and I think tents. ( a spare or maybe two would be following the motto, more than that are not likely needed.)
• a stock of tarps i bought last summer camp since the wall tents were riddled with holes and lots of rain was forecast (one or two might be a good idea, but no need to bring them all every trip out)
• dutch ovens (when they aren't planning to be used)
• huge camp kitchen table set-ups (my personal opinion these are not necessary)
• large dinning canopy ez-up tents (maybe only when rain is forecast?)

 

Some of this stuff, like tarps for instance, I can see coming into unplanned use just for instructional purposes..... a tarp perhaps when teaching a scout rope work, might be useful to show practical applications

.... so I can see where although not necessary, it's nice to be able to have them along.

and a trailer allows options for things like that....

 

and the trailer is useful for having a spare sleeping bag or two on hand

and supplies such as trash bags and wood tools

without having to load before a trip and unload and store after it....

[Scoutmaster Teddy]

We usually stay within 50 ft. of the trailer. Adults eat what the scouts cook. Trailer is for storing things we might need, so bring everything.

[Snow Owl]

We have a trailer for the Cubs - more of a closet on wheels for when the cubs go camping.  Pop up tents, large stove, coffee pots, chairs, games, etc.  all the stuff for family style cub scout camping.  That said, we will not get a trailer for the Scouts.  We are staying compact - if each Scout has their pack/roll - only one pack/ bag for their gear and sleeping bag and LS.  Then every other scout can carry a tent, those without the tent have a food pack, troop pack or if needed a stove.  Basically packing like a canoe trip minus the canoe, each person can make one trip from unload to campsite.  Last month we had 12 scouts & 3 adults.  All of the gear fit in the bed of an F150.

 

It makes the trips an adventure and forces everyone to be resourceful.

 

Just my 2 cents

Edited October 26, 2016 by Snow Owl

[blw2]

my 2 cents worth is that this is a great idea, @@snowowl.

I have been saying for a  long time that I think troops should think like "backpacking" (or canoeing), even when plop camping.  Almost anyone can plop camp, but it takes a little more consideration, and gear to camp light(ish), and it seems that your practice will prepare your scouts for a lifelong ability to camp, plopping or otherwise...... where as scouts that spend their entire scout career plopping behind a well equipped trailer may never really be able to camp out of a canoe or tackle the AT....without going further with more self education anyway....

 

Just found out last night that our SM is planning to replace our damaged trailer with one equal as big.  I'm a bit disappointed, but I get it.  I wonder though, if some time in the future the troop may not be able to use the trailer if no scouters have a big truck to tow it.  (as it is now we don't have many that can tow it....)

[JasonG172]

I have a funny feeling that even that set-up is lighter than our trailer fully over-loaded!

 

Then there are TRAILERS:  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llq3y-FwyBo

 

 

SSScout, this is on my list of Must Haves!  I saw this video sometime last year.

[DuctTape]

We usually stay within 50 ft. of the trailer. Adults eat what the scouts cook. Trailer is for storing things we might need, so bring everything.

This is exactly what we try to avoid. Having everything there just in case promotes lack of planning. Experiences which involve not having something due to error in planning is a learning experience. Boys learn to plan better and/or improvise. Adults should be far away from the boys for meals imho.

[Scoutmaster Teddy]

This is exactly what we try to avoid. Having everything there just in case promotes lack of planning. Experiences which involve not having something due to error in planning is a learning experience. Boys learn to plan better and/or improvise. Adults should be far away from the boys for meals imho.

 

 

I'm trying to change the culture. It's hard to do. i'm a finalist for Scoutmaster. If I'm appointed changes will come. If not, who knows? I'll might get vetoed as usual.

Edited October 27, 2016 by deanofmac

[DuctTape]

I'm trying to change the culture. It's hard to do. i'm a finalist for Scoutmaster. If I'm appointed changes will come. If not, who knows? I'll might get vetoed as usual.

Good luck to you. Change is difficult, especially for a group. Having only one person as a change agent is almost impossible, a second person increases the success rate immensely. I cannot recall the exact statistic, but it was something like 60%.

[njdrt-rdr]

Curious all you folks that don't have trailers where do you store all the equipment that that belongs to the troop. Dutch ovens, stoves, fresh water jugs, dining fly, tarps, tents, rope, lashing poles, axe, saw, shovel, etc? What do you do for washing dishes, do you not wash dishes, do you set up a wash station, if you set up a wash station, where's the tubs, the stove to boil the water, etc?

 

For our troop it's all in the trailer and I personally don't have room to store all that stuff at my house, nor would I want to store it all. If I did then I know it would be me loading it and unloading it on every trip. While it sounds all nice to say have the scouts do it. It's isn't a logical reality in our troop.

 

Backpacking is a totally different story.

[DuctTape]

Two troops I was involved with had dedicated storage rooms at the CO. One other, the SM had a barn which stored everything. The one with a trailer used it for storage, but not transport. The trailer was parked behind the SM garage.

 

A trailer for storage is different than a trailer for transport. I do not see any reasonable scouting purpose to transport the entirety of the storage room regardless if it is on wheels.

[Stosh]

Our CO provides us with storage.  It is in the basement and anytime there is need for equipment, it has to be dragged the full length of the building and up stairs and then halfway back and out to the curb.  It is remarkable how much we can get by with when the boys make due rather than drag a trailer equivalent of gear from the storage every time they want to go camping. 

 

I know I dumped the term plop camping on the forum many moons ago, but in recent years I have had to modify that to the more 21st century term "glamping". 

 

How many scouters set the example out there for their boys and have a camp chair rather than sitting on a log around the campfire?  I have a camp chair, but I have never been able to justify dragging it out into the woods.

[DuctTape]

Stosh,

 

I have had a camp chair. I pulled out a few hanks of rope, cut a few poles and lashed together a quick seat. Within 10 minutes boys were using their skills (or quickly learning them) and improvising their own seats. Four boys actually worked together to make a 4-man bench.

[Stosh]

Dragging a log over to the fire is a lot easier..... and if four boys wanted to do it for me, even better. 

[DuctTape]

True. But the back rest was way comfortable.

[Stosh]

Naw, when your back gets tired, it's time to lay out on the cot that has 4" foam pad and sheets and a nice wool blanket.  if you put the second pillow under your knees, it relaxes the back quite well.