docGear Clinic 2016 - Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America
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Gear Clinic 2016 - Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America
Chester County Council, BSA High Adventure Committee Gear Clinic Philmont Parents & Participants November 4, 2015 High Adventure Committee Chester County Council, BSA Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Equipment: The “Big Four” Hiking Boots & socks Backpacks Camping Sleeping bag Sleeping pads Clothing Rain gear General clothing Everything else Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Hiking: Boots & Socks Lightest boot capable of handling trails and loads you’ll have Remember: your weight = you + your pack (+/- 50 lbs.) Waterproof! Gore-Tex or commercial equivalent Fabric & Leather Less expensive Lighter Minimal break-in Leather More expensive Careful break in Heavier Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Hiking: Boots & Socks It’s the fit, not the size No toe contact with front on incline Walk around - does it feel right? Walk down a steep incline Socks 3 pair socks recommended • 2 for hiking, 1 for camp Mid-weight wool Some people like sock liners Camp shoes – Closed toe Keenes, not moccasins! Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Hiking: Backpacks External Frame Less expensive Heavier Spaced from back Trade-offs Cooler Tolerates lumps Some gear outside More pockets More freedom packing Higher center of gravity Internal Frame More expensive Lighter Close to back Hotter Gear inside & outside Fewer pockets Careful packing required Lower center of gravity Bottom Line: Either will work for Philmont – Personal Preference. Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Hiking: Backpacks Pack Size - Must be adequate for personal/crew gear, food External: Minimum of 4000 cu in (approx. 65 L) Internal: Minimum of 4800 cu in (approx. 80 L) • 70 L is OK if you can strap tent on outside of pack Sizing (based on torso) and fit are critical Get measured and fitted correctly Try on many different packs Features vary between manufacturers Padding styles differ (straight, curved, etc). Don’t forget: rain cover and shipping bag! Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Hiking Backpack Features to consider Is it large enough? Water Bladder – Internal, External, None? Enough outside pockets for your gear Removable pack for daypack Sleeping back compartment Can you strap gear on outside Tent, Foam Mattress Adjustable size for growing scouts Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Camping: Sleeping Bags & Pads Don’t buy a ‘special’ bag Philmont: 20º to 30º rating • Should keep you warm when campout in 40º Minimize Bulk Less than: 10” dia x 20” length & 4 Pounds Use compression sack to reduce bulk Waterproof Bag Trash bag inside stuff sack Or waterproof compression sack Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Camping: Sleeping Bags If you buy a new bag, buy one that suits you for the future. Mummy Less room Less to heat = warmer Hooded Lighter Usually ½ zipper Some have foot zipper Rectangular More room More to heat No hood Heavier Usually full zipper Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Camping: Sleeping Bags Down Warmest Lightest Loses insulation ability when wet Very hard to dry Expensive Synthetic Warm enough Light enough Not too bad when wet Easier to dry Less expensive It doesn’t matter if the bag is down or synthetic… …if it’s wet you won’t want to sleep in it. Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Camping: Ground Pads Sleeping Pad Options Closed cell, self-inflating foam, or insulated inflatable ¾ length deemed adequate (for some) Pillow – if you need one Small inflatable or packable Keep it light and small Or: old pillow case stuffed with clothes Sleep is very important Don’t adopt a new strategy Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Camping: Ground Pads Closed-cell foam Water proof Inexpensive Lightest More bulky Does not fit in pack Packs quickly Durable Thinner Self-inflating Not water proof More expensive Heavier Less bulky Packing takes a little longer Slightly more comfortable Thicker Adults prefer Inflatable Not water proof Must be insulated Most expensive Medium weight Packs very small Packing takes a little longer More comfortable Thickest Adults prefer Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Clothing: Rain Gear Objective: stay warm & dry, while able to pack small Test it out in rainstorm. Make sure it is waterproof. Rain Jacket required, Pants are ‘optional’ There was nobody at Philmont in 2015 that regretted bringing rain pants. Rain pants keep rain from running down your legs into your boots. Frogg Toggs • Cheap and waterproof. • More bulky than better gear. • Some people love it, some hate it. Keep on outside pocket of pack Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Clothing: Rain Gear Avoid: Ponchos Plastic Paper If you carry your raingear for two weeks but it does not rain you have nothing to complain about Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Clothing: General NO COTTON! NO COTTON! NO COTTON! This means no jeans, denim, etc. Minimum requirement is 50/50 blend Recommend quick dry, moisture wicking clothing; synthetics Long pants required for some activities Pack clothing in waterproof bag Temperatures will vary between 85º and 40º F Yes, you are wearing the same underwear again and again and again. Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Clothing – Some specific recommendations 1 pair shorts 1 pair convertible pants 1 short sleeve shirt 1 long sleeve shirt 1 fleece sweatshirt 3 pair underwear 3 pair socks 1 pair thermal pants Sleeping underwear and shirt Thin glove (or just liners) Hats – 1 for sun, 1 for warmth Hiking Boots Rain Gear Camp Shoes - waterproof Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Personal Gear List - Recommendations Tarps for under tents Stakes for Tents and Fly Backpack & Rain Cover Sleeping Bag Sleeping Pad Water Bladder (3+ ltr) 2 Nalgeens (1 ltr each) Collapsible bottle* Bowl, Spork, Cup Headlamp Compass Whistle Watch Toothbrush / Toothpaste Hand Sanitizer Small Towel / Washcloth Sunglasses Small Notepad / Pen Camera* Backpacking Chair (< 2 lbs)* Paperback book* Waterproof bags Zip Lock Bags (1 & 2 gal) Day Pack (ultra-light or part of your pack) Trekking Poles (for old guys) * Optional Chester County Council High Adventure Committee What you do not need to bring Tents – Use Philmont’s Full mess kits – Bowl, Cup and Spork is all you need Toilet Paper – Must use Philmont TP Shampoos & Deodorants – The bears like them too Speakers Phones (unless that is your camera) Do not duplicate Troop Gear Stoves Cooking Gear Cleaning Gear Chester County Council High Adventure Committee How much weight should you carry Group Weight Range Water (5 liters) 11 lbs Food (4 days) 8 lbs per person Troop Gear 5 lbs Tent / Ground Tarp / Stakes 6 lbs / 2 people Pack and Camping Gear 10 – 15 lbs Clothing 5 – 10 lbs Personal Gear 2 – 7 lbs Total 44–59 lbs (59 lbs is too much) Younger Scouts: 45 lbs max Older Scouts and Strong Adults: 55 lbs max. It takes a lot of discipline to get the pack weight down Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Outfitters EMS www.ems.com 289 Main Street Exton, PA Concord Mall 4737 Concord Pike Wilmington, DE Dick’s Sporting Goods WWW.dickssportinggoods.com Brandywine Square 1026 E. Lancaster Ave. Downingtown, PA REI www.rei.com Conshohocken Plymouth Meeting 200 W Ridge Pike Conshohocken, PA 19428 Campmor www.campmor.com ScoutDirect www.scoutdirect.com www.alpsmountaineering.com Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Being Thrifty: Saving $ on New Gear Great for holiday/birthday gifts Watch for sales (Black Friday), coupons, Scout/Club Days Ask if the store has a discount for Scouts, AAA or AARP or <your favorite organization> Join store “club” and email (for specials, coupons) Check credit card point programs Look at the Closeout rack(s). get deals on last years color/style Think about returns/replacement parts (just in case) E.g., at Philmont - Mini-Bears, bit valves/covers Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Being Thrifty: Saving $ on Used Gear Most often used for 10-14 days (e.g., 1 trek). You need to know what your looking for, and allow time to find. Been there, done that - got the Patch. Do you know someone who has gone to Philmont recently? BORROW equipment - if you can. Craigslist – Use search engine for all of the U.S. If local you can go look at it. If not local, ask seller if they will ship (if you pay shipping) & mention scouts - it helps. • Most (not all) of the time, people will ship if you pay for shipping eBay Chester County Council High Adventure Committee Practice and Prepare Practice with your gear Practice hikes • Test your boots and socks • Make sure you can carry your pack weight • Make sure your scouts can navigate Practice campouts • • • • Is your stuff warm enough (nights down to 40º F) How well packed is your gear How long does it take to set up / break down camp Do you know how to work your stoves Chester County Council High Adventure Committee More Information Chester County Council Home Page www.cccbsa.org High Adventure Page Email philmont@cccbsa.org
