Re: Backpacking

>
> Two questions immediately come to mind:
>
> 1. What should I tell them (where to start)?
> 2. What should be in every scouts backpack?
>
> I have my own ideas on both of these questions but I want to hear

1. Get a pair of sturdy and COMFORTABLE hiking boots.
2. Before worrying about what to pack, make sure that the pack
itself is properly sized and fitted for the scout. I would not
recommend buying the largest pack that fits since your list of
backpacking "essentials" tends to expand to fill the available
pack space. About 3,00 -3500 cubic inches should be more than
adequate for an external frame pack; add another 750-1000 cubic
inches for an internal frame model.

A good place to start for a list of "what to pack" is on page 260
of the Fieldbook. It's as good a place to start as any. Some folks
believe in the "10 essentials list" but I've never seen two " 10
essentials" lists that actually matched, depends on your source of
information, YMMV.

If you like, I can send you a scan of an illustrated guide to
fitting a backpack.

Mr. Thorpe sent a multipart post to the list a few months back on
"Leave No Trace" (thread started May 8). You can probably find it
in the archives or he might be willing to resend it to you if he's
still on the list. If not, I've saved all the parts to the
message. Leave-No-Trace (LNT) is an excellent training theme for
troop meetings BEFORE you hit the trail.

Ramble mode off

Rich Locke
Advisor, Crew 486
Williamsburg, VA

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