Personal Camp Kit List

What a Scout needs for a weekend camp

By Scouter Liam Morland, October 2000

This is a camp gear suggestion list for a weekend camp. This is an all-season list. What you actually bring will depend on the weather and the type of activity.

Important note on packing

Scouts are big people. Parents must not pack their gear for them. Doing so will lead to:

"Sarah, it's raining! Where's your rain coat?"

"I can't find where my Daddy put it!"

At most, parents can help their Scouts lay out their gear and ensure that everything is there. They should never actually put the gear into the pack. This is for two reasons. Scouts need to know where something is packed so that they can find it, and Scouts may not be able to pack their gear as tightly as their parents can, leading to problems when it comes time to repack at the end of camp.

Camp Gear

Packs

• Backpack/hockey bag.
• Day pack: School packs are good.

Sleepwear

• Sleeping Bag: Warm as the weather may drop below freezing. Two summer sleeping bags, one inside the other, work well in cold conditions. An extra blanket can be useful as well.
• Insulated Sleeping Pad: Blue foamy, Therm-a-Rest, etc.
• Small Furry Friends are always welcome.

Eating Gear

• Unbreakable plate, bowl, & mug.
• Knife, fork, & spoon.
• Ditty bag: for hanging dishes to dry.

Outerwear

• Warm jacket.
• Snow pants.
• Rain gear: There is always a risk of rain.

Footwear

• Running shoes.
• Hiking boots/waterproof boots.
• Winter boots.

Clothes

• Scout uniform: shirt, necker, & woggle. Sash should be brought but kept carefully folded in the backpack. It is only worn for ceremonies
• Blue pants & shorts.
• Tee shirts.
• Long underwear.
• Jogging pants.
• Sweater/fleece.
• Dry socks.
• Dry socks.
• Dry socks.
• Underwear.
• Swimsuit & towel.
• Mittens & gloves: always bring gloves, even in the spring.
• Toque: keeps feet warm on cold nights.
• Sun hat: light coloured Tilley-style is the best.

Scout Gear

• BP Kit.
• Flashlight.
• Water bottle.
• Campfire blanket.

Miscellaneous

• Toothbrush & toothpaste.
• Medication: must be noted on the medical form.
• Sun screen.
• Bug repellent.
• Watch.
• Smile.

Please do not bring

• Food besides the food on the menu.
• Electronic games, Walkmans, or similar.
• Non-folding knives.
• Incendiary devices.
• Family heirlooms.
• Anything that might lead one to disregard the Scout Law.

Dressing for Winter

Keeping warm in winter requires attention to a few important details. To start with, one must be dry. This means not overdressing which leads to sweating, and changing before bed. You must change all your clothes before bed. You must have extra clothes to change into.

The other trick comes in layering. A warm coat on its own is not enough. Insulation must be spread over the entire body. Your layers should be something like this:

1. Long sleeved tee-shirt, long underwear, thin socks.
2. Sweaters, jogging pants, heavy socks.
3. Winter jacket, snow-pants, winter boots.
4. Hat and neck-warmer. Gloves and mittens.

There are certainly many excellent outdoor clothing products on the market these days. Treated polyester long underwear, special socks, and just about any piece of clothing made of fleece. This high-tech clothing is excellent, expensive, and unnecessary for introductory winter camping. Waffle knit cotton long underwear, jogging pants, and wool sweaters and socks will be fine for a weekend camp. If one is further interested in winter camping, then it is reasonable to look at special equipment. The main difference is the performance of the clothing when it is wet or damp. Cotton must be kept dry and replaced when it gets wet. No other piece of advice is as important.