So You’ve Got This New Scout, Now What?

Campfire Guy here.  One of the questions I get asked by families joining a Boy Scout Troop is, “What kind of gear are we going to have to buy”.  Gone are the days of Cub Scouts where you crammed the family truckster full.  Packing for Boy Scouts is going to look a little different than what you may have been used to.

Here’s What You Need

Below represents what most Troops will recommend. Each Troop will, of course, have their own version, but this will address 90% of what you’ll end up needing.

 

A Bunch of Words are Worth One Infographic

Below is the gear we have used or lost and a bit more info about each item.

Tent

REI Half Dome 2 Plus.  Some Troops will provide tents for you, so check with them first.  Half Dome 2 Plus goes on sale about twice a year.  We picked ours up for $160.

Backpack

BSA Technical Venturing 50Liter – Get an adjustable length pack in order to get a few years out of it. Make sure he gets fitted at the store, then take it home, load it with about 20 lbs of stuff and let him walk around the neighborhood for a bit.  Pack weight should rest comfortably on the hips and not rub anywhere.

Sleeping Bag

KLYMIT KSB 20 Down Sleeping Bag – I talked about sleeping bags in an earlier post but if you can find it on sale, I really like the Klymit down bag for a new Scout.

Sleeping Pad

Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol Mattress – A Sleeping pad will provide some cushion off the ground and help keep him warm on cold campouts.

Headlamp

Magellan Outdoors 100 Lumen LED headlamp, from Academy. This is cheap, bright and uses AAA batteries.  Try to avoid headlamps that take the special CR32 (looks like a big button) batteries.

Day Pack

REI Flash 18 Pack. Troops usually require a day pack for travel to a campout.  Among others (check with your Troop) it should contain water, Scout book, rain gear, first aid kit and a headlamp.  Often times, their main gear is packed away in a Troop trailer.  The day pack has the essentials you need until the rest of your gear gets unloaded.

Wool Hiking Socks

Darn Tough Merino Wool Boot Sock . Very important to avoid cotton.

Comfy hiking boots

Hi-Tec Men’s Skamania Hiking Boot. Stick to cheap and comfortable until he’s about to embark on a multi-day high adventure trip.

Dri-fit Underpants

ExOfficio Men’s Give-N-Go Boxer These are super comfortable.  Anything synthetic will work, just make sure to avoid cotton.

Base layers

Everything you need to know about layering and awkward photo sessions can be found here.  For a new Scout, synthetic base layers are going to be your best bet. If you plan to camp regularly with him in cold weather, go for the merino wool.

Zip Off Pants

Boy Scouts Switchbacks – Functional and stylish! Costco will sometimes a similar version for around $20.

Rain Gear

Frogg Toggs Pro Lite Rain Suit, these are cheap, lightweight and very packable.

Gold Bond

Chafing is bad, Gold Bond Powder is good.

First Aid Kit

Ultralight and Watertight Medical Kit.  Before you head out, make sure your son know how’s to use the basic supplies, even though his First Aid skills may be limited at this point.

Water Bottle

Nalgene Water Bottle. Troops generally prefer this to a camelback, as they can actually see if your Scout is drinking water. Many a Scout has tried to head out of town with an empty camelback.  It is very important for the boys to stay hydrated, even in cold weather.

Camp Pillow

Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow is the best option.  This is definitely a comfort item, but it sure beats the heck out of dirty t-shirts crammed into a stuff sack.

Learn From Campfire Guy’s Mistakes

Don’t spend a fortune on brand new, fancy gear. Be prepared for any and everything to get lost, damaged or inhabited by mischievous singing chipmunks.

Don’t buy your 10-year-old a brand new $100 pair of Merrell hiking boots. He’ll use them on two campouts then his foot will grow two sizes, rendering them useless.

Parents, The Fun Doesn’ Have To Stop

Camp with your son’s Troop as often as you can. You only have a few more years before the fumes (perfume and exhaust fumes) hit. He’ll probably ignore you all weekend, but you will be amazed at what your son is capable of doing when you aren’t doing it all for him.

Did I miss anything? Do you have any technical questions about the gear above? If so, drop them in the comments below.

The article above contains affiliate links. Help a Campfire Guy out. They don’t add cost to your purchase, but they do help to replace lost camping gear.