nspdx

31 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

Get an REI membership and get yourself a harness. BEST INVESTMENT EVER! The dividend from the harness paid for the membership. While the harness is long gone, I still use my REI membership. And that harness I bought was super comfortable and had gear racks. Unlike the one size fits most harnesses the camp provided. Used that harness for several years.

A good pair of gloves would be good to.

Also one of those Froggs Toggs chilling bandanas, or something like it are awesome. I used a wet bandana back in the day to protect my neck and cool me off. Attached it inside my helmet and let it hang down the back. of my neck. When I was working CS day camp, wife got me a Froggs Toggs chiling bandana, and it was awesome.

At the first camp I did climbing and rappelling at,  one guy would bring up binoculars. Between classes, he would scan out over the horizon from top of the tower. That was at the former Kingsdown Scout Campsite in Kent, UK. On a good day you could see Calais France.

 

I'm fairly well set gear wise but I'll definitely be heading to REI to get a backup harness–worked a climbing wall last summer and had my harness stolen, a week of using the one-size-fits-all harnesses convinced me to always have a backup! I'll try a pair of gloves, never been a fan of them while rappelling before but I'm guessing they'll be worth it for the amount I'll be doing!

Definitely planning on investing in a good pair of binoculars too. One of the guys I climb with always brings his–I'm usually up in the rockies in Colorado, and the view from up there is pretty incredible! Though probably not quite as good as being able to see France.

Thanks for the tips!

26 minutes ago, chief027 said:

@nspdxAre you at Oljato? As for Scout camp advice, the Boy Scouts has lots of rules and policies at first you will not understand the acronyms YPT-Yourh Protection Training, G2SS- Guide to Safe Scouting, etc. which when people spurt out 10 in one sentence it makes it sound like a foreign language, but you’ll learn. One scour spefic thing is tradition of scout camp has its own traditions and all run similar programs, I recommend looking at summer camps leaders guides as they give you some insight into how it’s run. One important thinks with scout camps is to have fun you don’t get paid a lot but it is worth it. Just curious what program area are you in?

Yep, I’ll be at oljato. Program area, I’m climbing staff. And yeah, pretty much no summer camps pay well, but it’s a lot more fun and a lot more fulfilling than lots of other summer jobs! I’ve already gotten my  YPT, guide to safe scouting, weather hazards and such training done so I’m familiar with it at least. Definitely looking forward to the summer!

I will also be a 1st year staff at a camp on huntington lake, though it'll be the one across the lake for me (and no cabins for us). Was wondering if there is any scout-camp specific advice I could get from any of you. I have worked a couple of other summer camps but, being female, did not grow up in scouting (hated girl scouts and unfortunately didn't learn about venturing until my senior year of high school). I have lots of family who did but they are all much older generation. I am trying to learn as much about the bsa as I can/should know for the summer and would welcome any advice. I will be on climbing staff btw.