As we prepare for our first backpacking trip, Michael Quinn found this great blog-post by an Assistant Scoutmaster on what a young Scout needs and a budget-wise way to get it. http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/boy_scout_gear_list.html

It is a great piece, but I would make the following comments in addition to his thoughts either for regional differences or because our Troop may be set up a bit different. Please read his blog first, and then these comments should make more sense.

Clothing:

Most of the clothing advice is right-on and appropriate for our Scouts. I highly recommend thrift-stores as I often find great name-brands and barely used items at significant discounts. Once our guys get a little bigger, selection will improve greatly.

One disagreement is that I don’t know that I’d recommend the bathing-suit/no underwear concept. My experience is that those don’t fit perfectly and might cause more harm. Not that big of a weight savings anyway to justify the potential discomfort.

One thing probably to make sure of is good socks. Cotton, no-show socks are not the best for backpacking for several reasons: easy to get dirt and gravel into socks, cotton is not good for socks, and not much cushion for long hikes. Coolmax/Smartwool/hiking type socks will be worth getting a pair or two. I’ve also used liner socks in the past with good luck if you have wool socks.

Boots:

The writer is right-on that tennis shoes will be fine for what they need. When they go to Philmont in a number of years, some light hiking specific boots might be worth it. For a few weekend overnighters, sneakers should be fine. Not the worn-out, no-support-worn-out-grip ones, but the ones that still fit and are comfortable should be fine.

Biggest thing to remember is they need to be worn in. WORST THING IS BRAND NEW HIKING BOOTS!!! If getting some, I would suggest lighter-weight hiking boots, not full-leather, and be sure to wear them off and on for several weeks before our trip.

Sleeping bags:

I think a good sleeping bag is a good long-term investments. I bought a good one 20 years ago and it still works well. Weight is one part, but stuffing it down is the bigger advantage you get with more expensive bags. The more you spend, the lighter and smaller-stuffed you can get. I wouldn’t suggest hundreds of dollars but don’t think the sleep-over-Wal-mart bags are the best for backpacking. They’ll take up a lot of space in a small pack. I think mine is a 30 degree bag and has worked well for 99% of my camping. Campmor.com and Sierra Trading Post have good options and Dick’s has some I’ve been looking at. A good compression stuff sack will also help with space.

Sleeping pads:

Good recommendations from the article. Jacob uses an older Therma-Rest of mine, but I don’t know if I’d recommend $75 or more for the potential of ruff-housing in the tents. I’ve just ordered a backpacking air-mattress as I’m needing more comfort as I’ve gotten older, but again wouldn’t suggest that for probability of damaging and wasting money. I actually started in scouts years ago on a $5 pool inflatable, but think the foam pad is a good bet.

Tents:

Ignore his comments about a tarp. In the SW or West, many people can get away without a mosquito net for most of the year, but that won’t work here. Especially with milder winters, I plan to use a tent most of the year because of bugs. We have some good Troop tents now and a few Scouts have tents. Not something to invest in any time soon, unless your Scout has other important gear. If you want advice, ask for it and I’ll give my 2 cents. We’ve also given out info about hammocks.

Backpacks:

I was hoping Zack was going to bring several packs to show off, but instead he brought one that wasn’t applicable at all! However, his comments were good: need a solid hip-belt, adjustable suspension, and a few extra pockets. We will discuss packing an internal frame pack in meetings, but I actually disagree with his recommendation, but will go over that later.

There are 2 thoughts here and Hap and I have discussed:

-one thought is to get a cheapo-pack so not heavily invested in case son doesn’t like backpacking. However, chance is high that it will be extremely uncomfortable and actually discourage backpacking. (I started with a pack without a hip-belt and can’t believe I survived!)

-spend a little more and get something that does the job and won’t be a distraction from backpacking.

A great idea is to rent a backpack from one of the outdoor stores or through UAB Outdoor Pursuits. (Looks like $12-15 a day from AO or $7 from UAB.) They should have great options and will probably help adjust it to your Scout and he’ll have a good chance to test it out. If it’s good, you can look for that one. If not, try another one next time and/or you know what not to look for.

I’m not suggesting spending $300 on a brand-new pack, but think there were some good options at Alabama Outdoors. I think Vaude was the brand they had that was on the cheaper side, but still had lots of options.  May not find all the bells and whistles on the perfect pack, but want something that fits well and has some room for growth. Separate sleeping bag compartment at bottom, straps to add things, and top pocket for loose items to grab in a hurry will be some of the key things.

Stoves/cookware and water-filters:

Again, not the highest priority for new Scouts. I think we have stoves and cookpots for what we need. Plus, much of the freeze-dry stuff is boil water and add to the bags its in. We’ll be putting gear together by patrol and don’t need anywhere near individual stoves/cookpots/filters.

Super lightweight sporks/plates/cups add cool-factor points, but a simple bowl or plate and a plastic spork works great. Plus, cool-factor = expensive!

Water bottles will be necessary and I like Zack’s idea of recycling a Gatorade bottle for multiple points: Low weight, not out $20 bucks if lost, and I’m a recycle-nut! Everyone will probably need to plan on at least 2 bottles, but not a big investment.

Conclusion:

I was nervous about sending this super-long article attachment and wanted to summarize a few points and have now created a super-long addition to a long article! Between these 2 pieces, I think you’ve got more than enough info. If you have more questions, please ask one of the adults – we get kind of geeky on this and love to talk about this kind of stuff!

One additional point is we’ve all heard of nightmares of ordering online and not fitting. I order a decent amount off the internet at a discount, but I usually make sure I’ve put hands on something and decided it is what I want. (Pouring over the Campmor catalog or wandering through outdoor stores is a hobby of mine!) It is also good to support the local stores and have someone standing behind what they offer. Both Alabama Outdoors and Mountain High Outfitters have great staff that will spend as much time with you discussing gear as your willing to give them.

See you in the great outdoors!