Your First Outdoor Campout

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 Note: For your first campout, just bring as much of the following equipment as you already own or can borrow.  You will need a sleeping bag and a closed-cell foam camp sleeping mat right away, but try not to buy any other new equipment until you have been on a couple campouts and had a chance to talk to your Scoutmaster about what to buy. 

 ____ BACKPACK (and/or large Sports Equipment Bag, and/or Duffel Bag). Line it with a lawn bag first, to keep contents dry.

____ SLEEPING BAG

____ CLOSED-CELL FOAM CAMP SLEEPING PAD ($7, Walmart's camping section).

____ RAINCOAT (If buying new, see "Wish List," below)

____ WARM JACKET (for night).

____ EXTRA PAIR PANTS (non-cotton, if possible -- check the tags for polyester, nylon, or other synthetics)

____ WOOL SWEATER, or POLYESTER SWEATSHIRT (about $3 at Thrift Stores).

____ LONG SLEEVE SHIRT (Wool or synthetic fiber for insulating quality/quick drying-$3 at thrift stores).

____ SHORT SLEEVE SHIRT

____ UNDERWEAR

____ WARM HAT (to wear at night when you sleep)

____ GOOD QUALITY WHISTLE on neck chain.

____ MESS-KIT (BOWL, CUP, FORK, SPOON, PLATE -- (plastic keeps food warmer than metal).

____ 2 ONE-QUART WATER BOTTLES, filled ("Nalgene" Bottles are the most dependable).

____ FLASHLIGHT & EXTRA BATTERIES, (headband style keeps hands free)

____ SMALL FIRST AID KIT (You can make your own: BSA Handbook, Page 289).

____ PEN & POCKET NOTEPAD, (No, you can't borrow ours), BSA HANDBOOK (Free when you join)

____ CLEAN-UP KIT (Small Hand Soap, Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Comb, Floss, Fast-Drying Camp Towel).

____ TOILET PAPER (Half a roll in a Zip-Lock bag).  

 Always pack for one season COLDER than now!

 Avoid cotton clothes (like blue jeans and cotton sweatshirts) for outdoor use.   

 Wish List: Ideas for Birthdays & Christmas:

 ____ 100% POLYPROPYLENE LONG UNDERWEAR (Required on winter campouts and summer deep-woods backpacking trips, but recommended year-around for rainy weather, and for cold nights & mornings in the summer.  If buying new, look for 100% Polypropylene, NOT the white "waffle pattern" cotton blend).

____ OFFICIAL SCOUT SHIRT (We have some “recycled” Scout shirts available for $5, see Rick)

____ TROOP ACTIVITY PANTS (Green Olive-Drab Nylon Zip-Off Cargo Pants, or Green Olive-Drab Army BDUs) See: http://inquiry.net/uniforms/bdu.htm 

____ HIKING BOOTS  (Buy 1/2 size larger to fit heavy hiking socks--Make sure your boots are NOT TOO TIGHT!).

____ HEAVY NON-COTTON HIKING SOCKS & Liners 

____ COMPASS with a BASE-PLATE, in a Zip-Lock bag (with map, if you have one).

____ POCKETKNIFE (SMALL Swiss Army Knife on neck chain, $13. Never buy a knife made in China!)

____ Good quality RAIN SUIT (includes rain pants, about $40)  

____ "BLUE" 5'X7' TARP (or other Plastic Ground Sheet to keep your sleeping bag dry).  

____ SMALL”3 MAN” DOME TENT WE NEED THEM! (When buying new, the outer Rain Cover should come all the way down to the ground.  Costs about $50 on sale)

 Reprinted with permission of The Inquiry Net:  http://inquiry.net/outdoor/equipment