Gear up!

The gear to bring on any scout adventure can be both a mystery and an overwhelming task. There are many resources online and in your scout book to help you out. Here are some guidelines for Troop 2.

Start with the Essentials

No matter what the event, a scout should have a day pack containing the scouting essentials as described in the Hiking chapter of the Boy Scout Handbook. This should be with you in whatever vehicle you are riding in (snacks and a drink are always good on road trips).

Camping Gear

Your camping gear should be tailored to the location you are going and the activities you are going to do. To make travel easier, all your gear should be in a single bag. A duffel of 4400 square inches is a good size for most folks, a backpacker's backpack is even better. Again, we'll go to the Boy Scout Handbook, this time to the Camping chapter (duh!)

• Clothing

  • Weather and Season appropriate

  • Closed toed shoes

  • Extra socks

• Sleeping

  • Tent and Ground Cloth

  • Sleeping bag

  • Sleeping pad

  • Pillow

• Eating

  • Utensils

  • Plate

  • Bowl

• Cleaning Up

  • Soap

  • Toothbrush and Toothpaste

  • Towel

• Optional

  • Medications

  • Camera

  • Pencil and Paper

  • Insect Repellent

  • Scout book

Winter Clothing

When winter is on us, there are some special considerations to keep in mind. 

1. As the day warms and cools, you need to be able to shed and add layers to stay comfortable.

   1. As you shed layers, you'll need a place to put them, have a day pack you pack your layers in!

2. Don't sweat! Sweat leads to wet clothes which can drain your internal temperature quickly.

3. Be prepared! Assume conditions will be cold and wet, and hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 Some suggested items:

• Base layer: wicking underwear. Wicking refers to pulling the sweat away from the skin.

• Mid layer: insulating jacket/vest/pants 

• Shell: rain jacket (or soft-shell jacket) Rain pants (or soft-shell pants)

• Dry clothing for camp

• Balaclava and/or face mask

• Gloves and/or mittens (mittens will keep your hands warmer, they just don't look as cool...)

• Footware:

  • Insulated Boots

  • Main socks, liner socks, spare socks

  • Camp booties