Camping & Safety Checklists

Camping & Safety Checklists

"Be Prepared...the meaning of the motto is that a Scout must prepare himself by previous thinking out and practicing how to action any accident or emergency so that he is never taken by surprise."

—Lord Baden-Powell, Scouting's founder

Spending extended periods of time outdoors requires a lot of planning and preparation. We've assembled a couple of checklists to help make planning outdoor events easier and less stressful. Also, we've included a couple of safety checklists for planning emergency kits to be sure that you are prepared for such an event as well. Please also look at our Patrol First Aid Kit Checklist (listed under the Patrol Resources section of our site) for a larger kit for group outings.

Camping Essentials

• Mess kit (self contained plate, bowel, cup, fork, knife & spoon)

• Clean-up kit (soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, washcloth, towel & shampoo)

• Flashlight

• Pocketknife (must meet BSA guidelines)

• Canteen or water bottle

• Rain poncho or large trash bag

• Hat & sunscreen (warm weather)

• Wool cap & gloves (cool weather)

• Weather appropriate clothing (1 set per day)

• Jacket (cool weather)

• Swimming suit (warm weather)

• Sleeping bag

• Pillow (smaller is better - a pillow case filled with clothing works great)

• Tent (not mandatory - we have extras)

• Sleeping pad

• Boy Scout Handbook

• Troop Notebook

• Small spiral bound notebook & pen

• Compass

• Reading material (book or Bible) for quiet time

• NO portable game devices or music player

Click here for specific Summer Camp Packing List Checklist

Backpacking Essentials

This list is both too complete, and not complete, but covers most of the items needed. The gear needed depends on many factors including the location, time of year, weather, elevation, water supply, etc.

• Must Have Items:

  • External or Internal Frame Backpack

  • Map compass

  • Whistle

  • Pocketknife

  • First Aid Kit - personal and patrol

  • Hydrocortisone cream

  • Snake bite kit - can be shared

  • Signal mirror

  • Flashlight

  • Extra batteries for flashlight

  • Chemical light sticks

  • Water bottle

  • Water purification tablets

  • Braided nylon rope - for hanging "bear bag", can be shared

  • Pencil or Pen and Paper - for leaving notes

  • Quarter x2 " White fuel cooking stove

  • Mess kit

  • Drinking cup

  • Eating utensils

  • Food - meals and quick energy

  • Compact tent

  • Ground sheet

  • Light weight sleeping bag - in stuff bag for waterproofing

  • Plastic bags - assorted sizes from sandwich bags up to large garbage bags

  • Reading material - for those rainy days

  • Trail maps

  • Waterproof matches

  • Fire starter

  • Watch

  • Small camera and film

• Clothing and Personal Items:

  • Light jacket

  • Hat or cap

  • Hiking boots - must fit over 3 pairs of normal, everyday socks

  • Thick hiking socks x2

  • Everyday socks x2

  • Short sleeve tee shirt x2

  • Long sleeve tee shirt

  • Underwear x2

  • Toilet paper - short strips, not the whole roll, preferably biodegradable

  • Rain gear - poncho or garbage bag

  • Pack cover

  • Insect repellent " Camp shoes or moccasins

  • Shorts x2

  • Pants

  • Belt

  • Comb or brush

  • Hand towel(s)

  • Bandana

  • Toothbrush, toothpaste

  • Pillowcase

  • Sunscreen, lip balm

  • Camp shovel

  • Scrub pad

  • Camp soap - biodegradable

• Nice To Have Items:

  • Digital camera, extra batteries

  • Video camera, extra batteries

  • Tripod

  • Binoculars

  • Fishing gear, license

  • Sunglasses

  • Collapsible one or two gallon plastic water bottle

  • Extra contacts or prescription glasses

  • Fire tender

  • Coffee filters - for filtering sediment out of water

  • Shoulder foam pads

  • Logbook

  • Handheld GPS " Air mattress or pad

  • Sewing kit

  • Rubber bands

  • Bungee cords - various sizes

  • Candle

  • Cell phone

  • Hand radios

  • Light gloves

  • Duct tape - duct tape fixes everything

  • Medium gauge wire - for binding together broken tent or backpack that the duct tape couldn't fix

  • Water purification pump

  • Cigarette lighter

  • Extra fuel container

  • Hiking stick

• Food General rule is 1½ pounds of dry food per person per day:

  • Drinks

    • Water, purification tablets

    • Coffee, tea, hot chocolate

    • Powdered milk

    • Lemonade or fruit mix - use to hide the bitter taste of the iodine purification tablets

  • Breakfast

    • Freeze dried eggs and sausage

    • Oatmeal, cream of wheat

    • Granola bars

    • Dried fruit

  • Lunch and Snacks

    • Granola bars

    • Quick energy bars

    • Trail mix

    • Hard candies

    • Peanut butter

    • Beef jerky

    • Beanie Weenies

  • Dinner

    • Freeze dried meals

    • Dehydrated soup

    • Mashed potatoes

  Personal First Aid Kit

• Adhesive bandages, assorted sizes

• Gauze pads, assorted sizes

• Adhesive tape

• Roller bandage, 2 inches by 5 yards

• Butterfly bandages (for closing cuts)

• Mole foam or moleskin (to protect hot spots and blisters)

• Elastic bandage at least 4 inches wide (for supporting sprains and pulled muscles)

• Tweezers

• Needles (to open blisters and help remove splinters)

• Small scissors (to cut bandages and tape)

• Liquid antibacterial soap (to clean wounds)

• Safety pins (for securing slings and large wounds)

• Triangular bandages (for splints, slings and large wounds)

• Sunburn cream

• Aspirin (to relieve pain and reduce fever)

• Antacid tablets (for upset stomach and altitude sickness)

• Oral thermometer

• Snakebite kit (in areas where needed)

• Poison ivy lotion (where needed)

• Coins (for emergency telephone calls)

• Pencil and paper (for writing down emergency information)

• Mouthpiece for CPR

Emergency Survival Kit

• Spark-Lite™ Firestarter

• 4 Spark-Lite™ Tinder-Quik™

• Fox-40® Rescue Howler™ Survival Whistle

• Rescue Flash™ Signal Mirror

• 20mm Survival Compass

• Duct Tape

• Stainless Steel Utility Wire

• Braided Nylon Cord

• #69 Black Nylon Thread

• Fishing Kit

• Heavy Duty Sewing Needle

• 4 Safety Pins

• Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil

• #2 Pencil and Waterproof Notepaper

• #22 Scalpel Blade

• Contents List

• Fresnel Lens Magnifier

• Pocket size Clear Vinyl Pouch

Uniform Inspection Sheets and Campsite Inspection Sheet

Uniform Inspection Sheet

Campsite Inspection Sheet