Backpacking
Welcome!
Welcome Folks,
This is our first blog post and I will use it to put up the Backpacking Trip Gear list in case anyone loses track of the email. Moving forward, gear lists and campout information will be hosted here.
Gear List: The following is a gear list with some recommendations as to what type of thing to buy. We always suggest checking EBAY for used gear. REI is having a garage sale at the end of this month on the 29th. It is for members only. Honestly if you aren’t an REI member already, go become one, it’s worth it and the garage sale is an incredible opportunity to get lightly used gear for really good prices.
If you would like to split gear with another family the following can be shared items:TentStove & PotsWater Filtration System
Also REI has a backpacking bundle that includes a sleeping pad, a tent and a sleeping bag on sale for $200 through the 26th.
Shelter: In any survival situation shelter (body temp regulation) is the first physical problem we solve. Part of that is clothing, the other part is where we are sleeping. As this is a backpacking trip, this section wil also include our backpacks.
Backpacks: They must have a backpacking pack, we a recommending a 30L pack. 40L wouldn’t be a bad move, more than that is excessive for our purposes.
Kids’ Kelty 34L REI $119.95
The Bundle REI is selling is not a bad move, and gives a good baseline for what that gear should look like. Also, if a backpacking tent is too expensive, I’ve used a pair of tarps to make a single person backpacking shelter more than once. It takes 45minutes or so to get set up, but it’s as cheap as it gets and it works just fine.
$200 Backpacking bundle (sleeping bag & pad, 2 person tent)
The tent is heavier and larger than ideal for solo backpacking at 5lbs but is great two people. Scouts would do well to be splitting pack weight and sharing this tent on our trip.
Sleeping pad: Conduction with the ground is our greatest source of heat loss overnight, getting a few inches off of the ground and insulated from it is really important.
$80 pad (this is the pad that comes with the bundle, and is the pad Mike and I use)
Sleeping bag: The sleeping bag degree rating is not the temperature you are comfortable down to, it is the temperature you will not die down to. If it’s going to get down to 30 and your bag is a 30 degree bag, get ready for a cold night.
15 degree Marmot (on sale for $95 right now)
30 degree bag $100 (the one in the bundle)
Tent:
2 10×10 medium tarps $10-$20/ea (Harbor Freight recommended)
reasonable 1person backpacking tent (on sale for under $70)
Cothing:
Make sure you pack weather appropriate clothing. RIght now we are looking at late March, cold should not be a major issue. However, the general idea is to pack one outfit for when it’s cold, one for if it’s warm, rain gear, and an extra pair of socks/underwear. Because of the rigors of backpacking and the weather, it is important that they are apporpriately layered to be able to add/remove layers when necessary. Synthetic sock liners help to avoid blisters. If your scout is wearing new shoes this is important.
Wicking(Base) Layer: Undershirt/pants usually a synthetic material, not cotton under any circumstances. Think Under Armor or Merino wool. This needs to be able to dry out while being worn, and push sweat away from the body. In March I would go with a synthetic over wool, it should not be particularly cold.
Insulative (Mid) Layer: Fleece, insulated jackets, etc. The clothes that generate and hold our warmth.
Wind Break (Outer Layer): A jacket shell or otherwise wind and water resistant layer that keeps the rest of our body safe from the elements.
Rain Gear: Frog togs are cheap, lightweight, and effective
Water: Water becomes the priority after we know what our plan is and where we are sleeping. We will be filling up water from creeks along the trail and either filtering or boiling.
Water filter:
sawyer system – $40
Water Bottle: They need a stainless steel water bottle, preferably 2 Liters, or two 1L bottles. It cannot be insulated/double walled or it will explode when we try to boil water in it. This is incredibly dangerous. Single wall, stainless steel water bottle. You will likely have better luck ordering one online than your will finding one in a store at this point.
The Pathfinder School has a great selection, and is exactly what we’re looking for. Mike and I have both worked with Dave Canterbury in the past.
Fire: The next step on the list is fire. Fire provides warmth and security, it helps us clean water and serves to keep animals away from our camp. We can’t have open fires on this trip, everyone needs their own stove set up
Stove and pots bundle:
Burner and pots 22.97
Fuel: 2 cannisters will be fine
Fuel 16.99
Food: Food is last on the list of priorities as we can survive for weeks without it, we’d just rather not. We will be providing food, and Mountain House is the brand we’re going with.
Here are some examples of the type of thing we will have:
Breakfast Blueberries, granola & milk (hot/cold)
Breakfast Cinnamon apple oats quinoa cereal (hot)
Granola Snack (dry)
Lunch/Dinner vegetarian chili
Footwear:
Sturdy ankle supporting hiking boots are great, however, some backpackers much prefer lighter weight footwear. Ideally something sturdy that doesn’t feel like bricks on their feet. We have to walk a lot.
Sending a pair of camp shoes (flip flops or light sandals) to switch into when we are done hiking for the day is a great idea.
Miscellaneous Gear: The rest of the stuff they should have. You should already own most of this gear:
Mess kit
Headlamp
Knife
Toiletries:
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Lip balm
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Toilet paper
- Baby wipes
- Small Towel
- Hand sanitizer
First Aid:
- A moleskin sheet for heel blisters
- Bandages
- Gauze
- Salve for wounds (comfrey salve, Neosporin, etc.)
- Medical or climbers tape
- Saline (for cleaning/irrigating injuries)