I think the patrol boxes work great. I think one of the main benefits of the patrol box is that it adds to the experience of camping in the outdoors. I feel that the use of plastic tubs really takes away from the historical realism of being in the outdoors. It also promotes the use of plastics, which is something that "green" groups are trying to shy away from these days.
I take a lot of pride in the way that I camp. I have a period canvas tent, and carry a lot of hand forged equipment with me. I also tend to teach scouts using a lot of old methods, such as flint and steel to start fires. The use of wooden camp boxes fits right in with this style of camping, and gives the scouts more of a true outdoor experience.
As for whether they work, of course they do. They offer great organization and keep everything together in one kit. I feel that it also gives the quartermaster a good base of operations for working with the troop kitchens. It's much easier to open a patrol box and see if something is out of place, than opening a plastic tub and digging around to make sure everything is there.
The other bonus with the boxes are the fact that they act as a station to work at. It allows us to have scouts preparing meals, cooking, or cleaning without having to pack an extra table along.
The boxes are bulky and weigh a lot, but I wouldn't trade them for anything else.
It's nice to see the Boy Scouts evolve with the times, but it's also really nice to give the boys an "Earthy" experience, and I think patrol boxes help to do that.
Our troop is in the Western United States, so it might also be easier for us to adapt to these. I would imagine it would be more difficult for inner city troops to pack these around, but it would be worth the effort to even make smaller boxes that could be stacked to work.
Sincerely,
Hates to see Plastics at a Scout Camp Out
One thing I forgot to add, is that the standard patrol box with legs also helps to keep out those pesky little critters that like to get to your supplies. We just recently returned from summer camp where we had shared our camp with another troop. The other troop kept their foodstuffs in plastic containers, where all of ours where kept in the patrol boxes. Needless to say, our food survived, theirs didn't.(This message has been edited by jdsherlock)
Do Patrol Boxes Work?
in Equipment Reviews & Discussions
Posted
I think the patrol boxes work great. I think one of the main benefits of the patrol box is that it adds to the experience of camping in the outdoors. I feel that the use of plastic tubs really takes away from the historical realism of being in the outdoors. It also promotes the use of plastics, which is something that "green" groups are trying to shy away from these days.
I take a lot of pride in the way that I camp. I have a period canvas tent, and carry a lot of hand forged equipment with me. I also tend to teach scouts using a lot of old methods, such as flint and steel to start fires. The use of wooden camp boxes fits right in with this style of camping, and gives the scouts more of a true outdoor experience.
As for whether they work, of course they do. They offer great organization and keep everything together in one kit. I feel that it also gives the quartermaster a good base of operations for working with the troop kitchens. It's much easier to open a patrol box and see if something is out of place, than opening a plastic tub and digging around to make sure everything is there.
The other bonus with the boxes are the fact that they act as a station to work at. It allows us to have scouts preparing meals, cooking, or cleaning without having to pack an extra table along.
The boxes are bulky and weigh a lot, but I wouldn't trade them for anything else.
It's nice to see the Boy Scouts evolve with the times, but it's also really nice to give the boys an "Earthy" experience, and I think patrol boxes help to do that.
Our troop is in the Western United States, so it might also be easier for us to adapt to these. I would imagine it would be more difficult for inner city troops to pack these around, but it would be worth the effort to even make smaller boxes that could be stacked to work.
Sincerely,
Hates to see Plastics at a Scout Camp Out
One thing I forgot to add, is that the standard patrol box with legs also helps to keep out those pesky little critters that like to get to your supplies. We just recently returned from summer camp where we had shared our camp with another troop. The other troop kept their foodstuffs in plastic containers, where all of ours where kept in the patrol boxes. Needless to say, our food survived, theirs didn't.(This message has been edited by jdsherlock)