Basementdweller 608 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 short mentioned minimalist camping......As primary gear hauler....this has a huge appeal to me. the biggest hurdle I see is cooking.... when we backpack we buddy cook. the boys pair up and share a stove and a 1 liter pot. Patrol cooking there are patrol boxes, dining flys coleman 2 burner stoves...on and on..... an entire trailer of gear.... I really appeals to me....less is often more...... Thoughts?????? Feedback????? short please interject your experiences. Menus, pro's cons...How is the patrol impacted by the change.....strengthen or weaken the patrol???? Link to post Share on other sites
Pack212Scouter 10 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 When we backpack, we still patrol cook. A patrol takes out two backpacking stoves and two fuel bottles (one primary, one backup) and a 4 quart pot with a lid. Split it up between 5 Scouts in the patrol. If they are doing dehydrated meals, each Scout packs his own. If they are one pot cooking, the remaining patrol members split the food load. Link to post Share on other sites
IM_Kathy 32 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 I know when my son went to philmont each crew had a total of 10 people between adults and boys and they crew cooked with 1 stove and fuel - though each crew carried 2 because the last time the troop had a crew go with just 1 stove it needed a repair, but were lucky they were able to repair it in time to cook and eat for the night, but after that they always pack 2. we don't have many locations around here to backpack into locations - wish we did. since the troop does a HA every other year they usually have a year without and then a year with using it a few times even if they don't hike into site just so they get use to it. Link to post Share on other sites
Eamonn 61 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Most of the time we set up a base camp and Scouts going hiking leave from there. At the base we set up Patrol cooking, but the Scouts going on the hike draw the equipment that they need depending on how many of them there are, how long they will be gone and what they are cooking. A lot depends on the size of the Troop and how many adults are available. With a large Troop and limited adult support taking the time for just a small number of Scouts just didn't seem fair. Of course if the Troop is small then this isn't a problem. Ea. Link to post Share on other sites
Basementdweller 608 Posted May 4, 2012 Author Share Posted May 4, 2012 Current situation...... Two patrols 18 registered..... typical outing 10-14. which means 5-7 per roughly..... Two patrol boxes, two dining flys, two propane tanks ect....... Two adults. I would love to eliminate the dining flys, patrol boxes and all that extra stuff and treat every outing like a backpacking trip..... Link to post Share on other sites
dennis99ss 10 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 this weekend we have 39 going. scouts from 7 patrols. 7 cooking boxes; 7 patrol gear boxes--tents, tarps, etc. 39 plus duffle bags or backpacks, chairs, and adult gear. Trailer is getting heavier as we grow. Soon, i will need a bigger truck to pull it. Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 In moving to more "backpack style" cooking, would there be any benefit to linking it with Leave No Trace? Dining Flys, Patrol Boxes, Chairs, Tables, all have to leave more of a trace than Buddy Cooking Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh 3452 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Does each patrol have their own pool table? If your trailer needs a bigger truck, there's a serious problem. Dump the heavy patrol boxes, get a light plastic tote and if it doesn't fit in there, it doesn't go. 7 totes will fit in a small pickup truck along with flies, tents and gear. Rest of the stuff goes in the vehicles hauling youth. The only exception to this might be summer camp where a dining hall is available. Then the only gear needed is personal gear. Scout trailers are a luxury. If it becomes a necessity, it is time to reevaluate the camping priorities. Just my 2-cents worth. Stosh Link to post Share on other sites
Eagledad 2779 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 >>I would love to eliminate the dining flys, patrol boxes and all that extra stuff and treat every outing like a backpacking trip..... Link to post Share on other sites
Tampa Turtle 1011 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 What is a Backpacking Dining Fly? Link to post Share on other sites
dennis99ss 10 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 No pool table. We tell the boys no pin ball machines as well. but we do bring the generator, tv and dish if our campout is on football weekends, playoffs, etc. Us adults have to be happy to!! Just the way we do it for about 3/4 of our campouts. On our backpacking ones, we don't bring the boxes, etc. I must disagree, however, that the trailer is a luxury. In our troop, it is far from it, and, frankly, we are good with it. Link to post Share on other sites
eisely 13 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Tampa Turtle, A backpacking dining fly is simply a fly made of lighter weight material. One can purchase flies made of very heavy material that may be appropriate for car camping, but are not worthwhile for backpacking. Link to post Share on other sites
Basementdweller 608 Posted May 4, 2012 Author Share Posted May 4, 2012 shakin head..... generators, tv's....why bother going????? Of course this is the same troop that has access to airplanes to go to summer camp...... So Blake....do you guys buddy cook or patrol cook??? Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh 3452 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 I was going to be polite and pass on that reference so I changed the thread to troop trailers. My troop always used the patrol cooking even at summer camp. They didn't like the mess hall and they got to pick their own menu items. It might have been a nice challenge for the boys to buddy cook, but with all the activities of the outing, didn't get an opportunity to pursue it. I would always individual cook both as a scouter and as a reenactor. The only time I cook for more than myself is when my wife and I camp. Gotta feed her, ya know! The boys were usually busy with their own cooking to ever watch what I was doing. I would think that for survival training, cooking for oneself would be a good idea to know. The only time my boys cooked for themselves is the T-FC requirement of cooking on a wood stove. Because I always cook for myself the council is always wanting me to teach the boys utensiless cooking. Heck, my aluminum mess kit is my best friend on an outing! Over the past 50 years I bet I have gone through a dozen of them. A mashed potato w/gravy and hamburger steak and corn on the cob vs. a meatball in an orange peel? Yeah, right. Sign me up! Stosh Link to post Share on other sites
Kudu 186 Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Consider Bob Geier's Lightweight "Cook Group" Method: A "Cook Group" is 3-4 people, with 2 Cook Groups per Patrol. Equipment includes a MSR stove, a "Thelma" brand Patrol fly, 1 "Bake Kit" (backpacker's version of the Dutch oven), and some other quality equipment: http://inquiry.net/outdoor/skills/cooking/lightweight.htm Link to post Share on other sites
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