Equipment Recommendations

[wagionvigil]

Thought we needed a place to help each other with some High ADventure items. Which tents work which don't etc. Same with packs and stoves etc. We all read the experts take onthings in backpacker etc. but we the folks that really use these things with scouts may have different views on them.

[Rick Tyler]

Thought we needed a plce to help each other with some High ADventure items. Which tents work which don't etc. Same with packs and stoves etc.

http://www.scoutdirect.com
http://www.alpsmountaineering.com

Good quality. Scout-proven. Great prices.

[wagionvigil]

Before I went to the Hill I was looking for a cheap light weight sleeping bag. One that if it got ruined I could just toss it. K Mart had a summer bag with zip open vents for 19.99. I said what the heck I'll give it a try. Funny it worked great. Brought it home washed it and it is like new. It packs small and for summer above 55 degree temps it is great. Like I said it was cheap and I really was not too sure what would happen.

[Lynda J]

This is a great idea. The voice of experience when it comes to equiptment will help those who are just beginning to need this type of equipment.

[momma_bee]

This is completely off-topic, and I'm sorry, but

Wagion Vigil - I read your post w/o seeing who posted and I have to admit, I thought for a second you typed WARSHED. Then I realized who was talking and figured that it sounded that way to you when you said it.

This is a good idea.

Has anyone had any experience with the tents that have the poles 'built in.' After losing ours this spring, I thought that would eliminate a problem.

[wagionvigil]

I have a tent with a spring steel frame. Goes up in 10 seconds. It is great to take out of the car and set up BUT not to pack it is about a two ft circle when backed and weighs about 15 pounds. It was from B-West outdooors and made in South Africa. It is a really great bad weather tent. It has been through Hurricane winds and 12 inches of snow. I am in the buying process at this time for a back packing tent and am looking long and hard at Apls Mountaineering Extreme 3. ANyone with experience with this one?

[cballman]

momma-bee that was not a good thing to say about wagionvigil. all he was doing was recycling the "R". see what happens is that them yankees up north leave out a lot of letters when thay say a word or name like "Worchester" in the state of MASS. now what happens is when them yankees speak the words float up in the air and come down in our warsh. now to most of yall dont care but it really hurts when yall are so jealous that you cant be and talk like us.

[wagionvigil]

Simple,born in WV raised in WEstern Pa. Went To WVU for 5 years and during that time had a Room mate from Richmond VA took me a year to understand the boy . Been teachin in WEstern PA. for 35 years but still in and out of WV alot.

[Mick Scouter]

Great idea for a forum. I have plenty of questions (later). Western PA / West Virginia both Ok by me.

[hops_scout]

That whole council wagion's in is a little goofy

But thats ok

[wagionvigil]

ALso while we are here Books and Magazines that really Help with a High ADventure Program( I thought all scouts were to be High Adventure). Any way you all know what I mean. No Kitchens No Drive in and put things up like Car Ports etc.

My List
Backpacker Magazine
Mountaineering: Freedom Of The Hills
BSA Field Book
You Can Be AN Expert with Map and Compass

[Mick Scouter]

Sorry wagionvigil, I didn't get your last post.

[wagionvigil]

High Adventure as compared to Troops that drive in set up camp with every convience they can bring. Car Ports Portable Kitchens etc.

I can remember back in the days when we each carried half of a tent and one pole. We cooked on wood fires and carried all our food for the weekend. Now it is like I described above.

Personal Feeling is scouting should be High Adventure if we wish for the program to grow.
Keeping the Outing in Scouting as some would say.

[Nuts4Scouts]

There should be High Adventure as an option, certainly. Strictly High Adventure across the board & nothing else, I don't think so.

You can keep the "outing" in Scouting many ways, it does not have to be just high adventure. There are many boys (& their parents) out there that are not hard core campers. They might like the outdoors & even simple camping, but are not into 50 mile backpacking trips, wilderness canoeing, mountain climbing, etc. If you went strictly high adventure you would not have to wait until they were older scouts to lose them. You would lose them before they even made 1st Class.

[wagionvigil]

you can be high adventure without being hard core.

[wagionvigil]

We are Having a High ADventure Camporee in te spring. You would not believe the number of troops that have told me they were not coming if
1. They could Not Drive To Their Site
2. Set up their Car POrts and kitchens
3.Camp Where they want to.


The rules are Simple Everyone must park in the assignaed parking area and everything must be carried to your assigned site. ONly bring what you can carry in.

[fgilpin]

Wagion,
Up at our Council camporee a couple of weeks ago, one of our scouters recommended a tent called a Unipen. He said it stands up to winds great, and the full fly on it keeps everything dry. And they are not too expensive, either. Here's a link to a page where a scout troop took some out and played with them.

http://www.tentsonsale.com/store.asp?pg=2004reports3081CA

From what I gather from their website, they pick scout troops every year to test their new products.

[CapXK]

Our troop has a strictly backpacking program (otherwise known as we are too cheap to buy all that pretty camp gear). Even though most of our camps are at council facilities we pack in our gear from the parking lot - we usually have to get "lost" a little to get in a decent hike.
The most important aspect of any high adventure gear is WEIGHT, the second is WEIGHT, and the third is WEIGHT. Nothing can kill a Scout's enthusiasm more than a too heavy load over too long a distance. Outfit your troop with two scales. One that reads from 1 oz. to 4 or 5 pounds and another, hanging scale preferably, that reads from 5 to 60. Use the small scale to weigh individual equipment, write the weight on each with a sharpie or record the weight in a notebook. Use the large scale for the weights of larger pieces of equipment and the fully loaded backpack. No one should be carrying more than 25% of their weight. Weighing equipment prior to an outing helps the Scouts make decisions about what they really want to carry and also helps to more equitably distribute patrol gear.

We've had our best luck in talking with the staff at REI and other camping stores. They're quite informative even though they really want to sell you the latest toy. We've even been able to rent equipment for a weekend to give it a solid tryout. Campmor is a great source once you know what you're looking for (as long as you don't have to have the "in" color or style).

I'd suggest reading Backpacking magazine and Ray Jardine's Ultralight Backpacking book. Jardine is a zealot and maybe a little kooky but he gives some excellent advise and has a lot of useful tips (I figure anyone who's hiked the Pacific Crest trail more than once to be an informed source).

The biggest thing for High Adventure is to be in shape, to know your equipment and its limitations, know how to repair and improvise in the field, and to keep a positive mental attitude.

[Mick Scouter]

Thanks, I liked the tents on sale site.

[Suzyplus2]

Hi all, just by visiting the Coleman site you can find the link to sign up for their "non-profit organization" rate. This is a separate online catalog from the full Coleman selection but still great quality stuff at good prices.

There are great deals on tents and good deals on most of the rest of the Coleman line: lanterns, stoves, grills, etc.

For example --- I needed a new family sized tent this past summer and was able to find a 16 x 13 (including screenroon) dome tent for only $95.