10 essentials plus....BE PREPARED

[flowerchild]

I agree with COMMON SENSE. If we tell the boys what to pack, what are they learning. They need to think about where they are going and what they will need to survive. They need to be taught to check the weather, think about the activities, prepare for any situation.

 

We have had boys show up for a weekend campout in shorts and a tee shirt with a light jacket and it went down to 30 degrees at night. Luckily some of the other boys were more prepared and there were enough warm clothing to go around.

 

One comment that bothered me was - a boy can always share a tent with another boy. What if more than half the boys think that way? They need to plan these things out. Some of you are probably thinking - well that's obvious - but not for some boys.

[SR540Beaver]

Good comments flowerchild. Our troop does not provide tents. Many of the boys have their own tents and occasionally will bunk together. We had one boy show up for a campout and found out after we got to camp that he did not bring a tent and just assumed someone would let him bunk with them. He is one of those boys that the rest kind of tolerate and don't really want to bunk with. Someone let him and it worked out OK. We explained to him later that he needs to make those arrangements BEFORE going to camp.

 

I'm sure others do what we do. Especially since we are a new and young troop. This weekend we will be day hiking. But for the "older" boys (been in a year) we expect them to carry a full backpack. We will cook lunch on the trail. Even though it isn't a true backpacking trip, it is an introduction to backpacking. What we are doing is having the boys bring their backpacks packed to tonight's troop meeting. That way, we can see what they plan on bringing and make suggestions of what they really need and what they can cut out. This lessens the problem of someone coming to camp unprepared and allows them to learn what to do in somewhat of a classroom environment. Now, if they show up to the meeting without raingear and are told they need to pack some and then show up at camp without it, they will probably be allowed to get wet for a while until someone bails them out.

 

Our other purpose behind this is that our boys are bringing far too much to camp. We had one boy show up with a cabin tent big enough for 6 people, an air bed on a metal frame and two huge plastic containers on wheels.......for an overnighter. For this campout, they are limited to their backpack and a tent that doesn't have to fit in the pack. They really can get along without the kitchen sink, they just don't know it yet.

[schleining]

We are fortunate in that our CO bought the Troop tents this year. Now that we are entering our 2nd yr. as a Troop.

So tentage is not an issue.

 

We do a shake down, lead by the SPL before EVERY Campout to ensure that the boys bring what is on the packing list. The shake down is on at the Troop meeting prior to the campout, in our case that is Monday nights.

It is up to the PL to make sure it gets brought to camp. It is amazing what gets unpacked between Monday and Friday night.

 

Anyway, we find that the Shake down really helped up in getting the right gear to camp and weeded out the un needed gear, it's equally amazing how much stuff they want to bring vs. what is needed.

 

Jerry

 

[Hunt]

I think one also needs:

 

a card with key telephone numbers

a little money

 

Plus, there is certain knowledge that every boy (and adult) should have before going on an outing:

Who to call in case of an emergency, and how to call them

How to get back into his house if nobody is home (or where to go)

Whether he has allergies to foods or medicines, or other medical concerns

 

You may think this is silly, but I've encountered some kids who didn't have a clear understanding of where they lived.

[AK-Eagle]

My list for spring summer day hikes around Juneau

The "Ten" Essentials

 

Extra pair of socks, not cotton

Space blanket

Rain gear

Energy food (candy bars, GORP, etc.)

Map and compass and know how to use them

Flashlight with spare batteries and bulb

Fleece jacket- Brightly colored if possible

First Aid kit w/ moleskin, and personal medications

Pocket Knife and/or multi tool

2 ea 32oz wide mouth nalgene water bottles

filled with potable water, wrap about 4 yards of duct tape around one or both

 

And if I still have room for stuff and I'm g

 

100 feet of nylon cord

Water purification tablets (know how to use them)

One dozen waterproof matches in match safe

Fire starter blocks or candle stub

Roll of orange engineer tape

 

Most important. A buddy

 

[resqman]

Wow! I am surprised at Dan. Living the Be Prepared motto with comments like "but I bet every scout will have one, so I do not need one."

 

Looking at most any list of 10 most essential items for a surival kit you find will Fire and Knife. While you will be carrying matches, you decided against a knife. I find it hard to imagine life without a knife. I carry a pen knife with me daily and load up with a couple of spare knifes when going camping.

 

I realize times have changed but when I went to Philmont in '75 all of us carried 50' x 1/8" of braided nylon rope. It seems we were pulling it out at every camp site. One length would not have been adequate.

 

You will be on the trail 10 days so are you only going to bring 10 matches to save weight? We made a fire each morning to have at least something warm in our belly. We made a fire each evening to cook the evening meal. Lunch was usually cold food. Fires are no more but even so you will still have to light the stove. It seems to me that a single disposable lighter would be a definite item I would carry, particularly as an adult responsible for a group of boys in the wilderness.

 

The one thing I wish I had brought more of but is never mentioned is trade items. There were several times that we wanted to leave a gift for the camp staff as a token of appreication. There were times we wanted to trade items of rememberance with those we met along the trail. I would say pack a few extra troop or council patches as barter and gift items.

[red feather]

Very good listing of Be Prepared equipment. Thanks

Just a few additions:

 

Paperback book

 

Deck of cards

 

Extra cotter pins or equivalent ( I like the metal shower hooks, they have many uses) for the backpack if you have an external frame

 

Breakaway compass/whistle lanyard (sometime back took a tumble and the lanyard I had on did not breakaway and by the time it did break...ouch!!

 

yis

 

[schleining]

A compass... great piece of equipment...

but you need to know how to use it.

 

Saw a Troop at Camporee... everyone had neat compasses... no one knew which way was North.

 

Map and Compass/ GPS are skills that need to be practiced over and over.

 

Jerry

[gavvin]

"Map and Compass/ GPS are skills that need to be practiced over and over. "

 

How long do you think it will be before GPS becomes a "standard" scouting skill?

 

I am a great believer in GPS and have used it to play geocaching ( http://www.geocaching.com/ ) as well as a navigational aid. I am considering having our cub pack stash a cache just for fun.

 

I asked this question at Outdoor leadership Skills and was informed that GPS, while fun, had no purpose in scouting and would NEVER be a "scouting" skill. What is the feeling here?

 

NOTE: Reply to new thread in this forum(This message has been edited by gavvin)

[dan]

Okay I guess I should have said. Every scout will bring a lighter, but I will also make sure they are carrying hurricane matches also.

The hurricane matches will be for emergency only. Each member of the crew will carry waterproof matches to light the stoves. We have 11 people in the crew, 11 knives is overkill. Being prepared does not mean to over pack.

I will also be carrying my little ELP camera and 7 rolls of film.

The crew will have 2 sets of maps, the scouts not the scouter's will be carrying these.