GEAR& GADGETS
Hiking Boots
When you have the weight of the pack on your back, it is important that your feet plant solidly on the ground and stay there. Trails aren’t paved side walks; they are rocky and often eroded. In addition, you have your body weight plus the pack pounding down on your feet while going down hill. A major key to a successful backpacking trip is your boots. If your feet don’t feel good, you don’t feel good and you aren’t going to have a good time.
So what do you need in the way of boots?
First- boots are personal. What works on your foot probably won’t work on others. You need to pick boots that feel good on your feet from the first time you put them on. Camping stores that sell boots will often have a down-hill ramp that you can test how the boots feel on steep inclines. Try it out.
Waterproof boots are recommended. We hike in the backcountry & cross creeks at times. It's easy to slip on wet rocks without the proper footwear.
The down side for young Scouts is the rate at which their feet are growing. Unfortunately, this can mean a new set of boots every year. The Troop does have a Gear Exchange which does include some boots in various conditions. You are welcome to see if anything will fit your feet.
Hiking boots fall into two major categories – the traditional, high top boot with full sole and ankle support and low profile trail runners. While traditional boots are typically heavy, trail runners are lightweight, but offer less support and protection from the cold.
Troop 909 does not recommend sneakers or tennis shoes for hiking.
The lacing of the boot is as important as the boot itself. You lace a boot differently if you will be climbing uphill vs. descending an decline. Tight lacing keeps the boot from slipping on the foot which causes blisters.
Camp Towel
So what do I put in my pack if I go swimming or get wet and need to dry off? It is recommended every Scout carry a camp towel, but your average bath towel is way too big and heavy for backpacking.
Here are a few ideas:
An old, cotton dish towel out of your kitchen at home will work well (Ask your mother for one from your house).
Camping stores do sell special camp towels that are reported to absorb large amounts of water. While these will work, they are generally expensive.
This towel can double as hand towel, hot pad for lifting or holding hot pots, dish rack for drying the dishes and bath towel (in case you get wet). It can be used for a head cover if you forgot your cap or in some First Aid applications.
Sleeping Bags
Right behind rain gear, a Scout needs a sleeping bag. It is your bed and the difference between staying warm or being miserably cold. So how do you pick the right sleeping bag for you?
The type of insulation will affect the weight, cost and survivability. Synthetic is recommended for Scouts as it will still perform if the tent leaks. Goose down is light weight, very warm, expensive and extremely difficult to dry if wet.
The bag’s temperature rating states the best case, minimum “survivable” temperature. Typically, 10 degrees higher is the working temperature. A “20 degree” bag should work well to 30 degrees. Your level of comfort will depend on amount of body heat you generate (which can vary during the night), level of dryness and any additional clothes you are wearing (long underwear, socks, cap). A 20 degree bag is a good target for Texas, but the Troop has camped in much colder weather.
You need a compressible sleeping bag that will fit in or under your pack. Target something that stuffs to the size of a soccer ball or less.
Cost varies and goes up exponentially for warmer, lighter weight bags. It is exponentially more expensive to get a 20 degree, 2 pound vs a 4 pound bag and a 20 degree 1 pound bag is off the charts.
Sleeping bags do wear out – with repeated use and age, the insulation breaks down. So a 20 degree bag your family has had for years may not perform well. Care for your bag after camping makes a big difference – air fluff it in the dryer on low (not hot) heat and store it by hanging it up or in a pillow case size bag. Do not leave it compressed in your pack. Sleeping bags can be washed, but try to limit this to extreme cases. They are very hard to dry. A wet towel in the dryer helps a lot.
Cold Weather Gear
So I have a sleeping bag and it is going to get cold tonight – really cold, what do I do?
How am I going to get a good night’s sleep?
The first step to a good night is being dry – you won’t get warm if you are damp. Change your socks, your feet sweat more than you think. Taking off your outer layers is recommended, you don’t want to get the inside of your bag wet or dirty.
Your sleeping pad makes the ground softer, protects you from sticky things and keeps the cold from coming up through your sleeping bag. When you are in your bag, it compresses the bottom which greatly reduces the insulation. The pad makes up the difference. Pads range from close cell form in many various configurations to air mattresses and cost can vary widely. Most Scouts start with a close cell form, and work up. If your pad needs additional help protecting you, put your jacket and any additional clothes between you and the pad. This helps a lot.
Beanies are important in keeping your head warm. You lose a lot of heat through your head – which can make your feet cold. Yes, your head and your feet are connected.
Sleeping bag liners will help. This is typically a light weight bag you slide inside your bag. Materials vary from silk to fleece and you can get 3 to 10 degree improvement – fleece is nice and warm but expensive and bulky. Watch the weight they add to your pack.
If you really trust your water bottle – I mean really trust it – you can heat up a bottle of hot water and put in your bag. This is a great way to warm your feet and if your feet are warm you get warm much faster. Wrap it in a dry towel and it will stay warm well into the night. The water is still good to drink the next day.
Pocket Knife
It is said a Scout without a compass can find his way, but a Scout without a knife is…..without! Every Scout should complete their knife safety training and learn how to sharpen and care for a knife. Always carry your knife on campouts.
In selecting a pocket knife, you should consider the following:
A Scout should consider its ability to spread peanut butter and jelly along with pealing an apple. Fancy “dragger” may look cool, but in the back country we need functional knives.
Look for a knife that has a can opener as one of the blades (also known as a “P-38”). You never know when you may need to open a can for dinner.
The size of the knife and any additional blades / gadgets are a trade off against weight. Knives don’t have to be big to be effective.
BSA allows both sheath and folding knifes, but sheath knifes are not practical for backpacking and Troop 909 does not recommend them.
The knife should be sharp and the Scout should keep it sharp. (If you can shave the hair on the back of your hand, it’s sharp.)
Layering your Clothes
Everybody says dress in “layers” in cold weather, but what are “layers”? Why are they better than my coat?
See if this helps?
“Layers” are multiple, relatively thin layers of clothes that won’t keep you warm by themselves, but wearing them together is highly effective in cold weather.
Layers are generally in three stages: Base, Mid & Outer
Base layer is your long underwear and should be wicking to pull moisture away from the body. Under Armour is a well-known brand, but there are many others. In Texas, we can use light weight long under wear effectively. (Unfortunately, a Troop long sleeve activity shirt (T-shirt) is not that effective. It is designed for cool summer wear.)
If you begin to overheat, start removing layers.
Mid layer is the insulation that retains body heat to keep you warm. Fleece is a good option. It continues to function if wet, dries quickly and is light weight.
The outer layer (shell layer) protects you from the rain and wind and helps trap heat to the body. Your rain jacket can be an effective outer layer.
While thin layers does not reduce your range of motion, you can use more than one item at any layer. (Two thin base layers is very effective.)
Remember use all synthetic material in your layers. And don’t forget the gloves and hat.
Camp Plate
“A Scout is hungry!” – It is said to be the 13th law of Scouting. To address that issue and get a good meal, a Scout needs something to eat with and eat from. Scouts use a lot of different things and here is a unique idea that has multiple uses...
Try using a Frisbee has a plate.
It can be a valuable cooking tool for staging foods during cooking and a serving platter if needed.
In most cases, a flat plate is recommended over a bowl and some type of plastic plate is recommended over the metal “army mess kits”.
Turn the Frisbee over and it becomes a tough, plastic plate with curled up sides that makes it easy to hold and prevents liquids from running off.
It is flexible enough to keep from breaking and easily washed. Store it in a plastic bag and place it vertically on the front or back of your pack.
It is light weight.
It doesn’t need to be super large or expensive to work well as a plate.
You can play with it after dinner.
Backpack
A backpack is a Scout’s suite case – it carries everything he uses. The most important thing in selecting a pack is that it fit the Scout. Hiking is no fun if your pack doesn’t fit or isn’t adjusted to fit. Young Scouts need a youth pack, while older Scouts can migrate to adult packs.
Here are few things to consider:
There are two basic types of packs: the external and internal frames. You can see the frame on externals. They will stand (or lean) on their own, the sleeping bag, tent and other large items is external at the bottom and they traditionally have more pockets which help young Scouts stay organized. Internals fit closer to the back with less movement as you hike. You pack the sleeping bag internally which means your sleeping bag has to stuff to the size of the compartment available and they are held ridged by the items loaded which means they effectively collapse when unloaded.
Pack capacity is measured in liters (sometimes cubic inches are also listed).This is the volume of the load carrying capacity of the pack. Bigger is not better for young Scouts. A loaded 30 to 50 liter pack is all the weight they can carry. Stay on the small end for externals while internals will be larger.
You fit a pack in two dimensions: length from the nap of the neck to small of the back and circumference of the hip belt. Most packs have some ability to the adjusted within a range. Fitting the pack to the Scout and adjusting it as he grows is very important. Most young Scouts have very small waste and getting the hip belt tight enough to carry 60% to 80% of the weight is critical. It is said “if the hip belt is cutting you in half it is about right”.
Troop 909 has found two packs that to work well: The Kelty youth external frame and the Teton Internal frame. The Kelty is 34 liters at 4 lbs with good length adjusts to fit small torsos and hips belts that can fit little waste. The Scout has to provide the straps for the sleeping bag and the rain cover. The Teton is 50 liters and 4.5 lbs. – the larger size includes the sleeping bag. The Teton has some adjustments, a nicely padded hip belt, a built-in rain cover, but very small external water bottle pockets that do not chamber a 1 liter bottle.
Tents
Any tent will work on a nice night with no rain. It takes a good tent to holds up during a driving rain and strong wind. Tents come in many configurations, features and price ranges. Here are basics. Unfortunately, good tents cost more.
Tents are rated by the number of people they can sleep. Most Scouts use a one or 2-person tent. One-person tents are lighter, but provide very little extra room for gear. Two-person tents provide more flexibility and are less claustrophobic.
Most tents have four compondents: the base - the body of the tent, “foot print” - flat sheet which goes on the ground to protect the floor and keep mosture from wicking up, “fly” - the covering and rain shield and the poles. While the lightest tents are under two pounds, they are not recommended for Scouts as their silicone fabric is delicate. Fours pounds is a good target weight, while six pounds is getting heavy. There are no “pop-up” tens in backpacking.
Tents are classified in “seasons” – a 3-season tent performs well in spring, summer and fall, but not in heavy snow. We can use 3-season tents year round in Texas. Tent are free standing or require stacking to hold them up. Either will work, but free standing is slightly easier for young Scouts to erect.
You take care of your tent and it will take care of you. Always keep zippers zipped; spread it out after every camping trip to get the trash out and make sure it is dry. Most major brands have life-time warranties.
Popular backpacking configurations are full dome, rectangle dome and flashlight. A full dome is half an egg sitting on the ground. It’s roomy; you can almost stand up, but typically weighs more. Many 1-person configurations come as rectangle domes – a rectangle the size of your sleeping pad with a dome top in the long dimension. Generally lighter weight, they provide some room, but are susceptible to wind on the flat side requiring careful placement and stacking. Flashlights are funnel shape with the door on the large end and slopping down. While they are the lightest, you sleep in one direction and they provide enough space to sit up. They manage wind and rain well.
A recommended feature is aluminum poles (vs. fiber glass). Aluminum poles hold up better in the wind and are more durable.
Scouts love hammocks and there are hammock tents. While not recommended for young Scouts, they don’t work in open fields, require special hammock sleeping bags for cold weather and have little space for your gear in a rain.
