Gear

You Don’t Have to Run Out and Buy a Bunch of Stuff

• Your scout will have most items needed for an overnight trip, and they can likely borrow most anything they don’t have

• If you do decide to buy, we’ll talk about shopping tips at the end, and will have suggestions for some good budget to mid-range priced items

Base Weight

• As backpackers we work to keep our packweight down

• Base weight is the weight of your personal, carried gear (including backpack)

  • Does not include water, food and crew gear

  • Does not include clothes you are wearing or any gear carried (like trekking poles)

• Largest percentage of base weight are called the “Big Three”

  • Sleep system 

  • Tent

  • Backpack

Big Three: Sleep System

• Your sleep system is: 

  • Insulated sleeping pad

  • Your sleeping bag or quilt

  • Anything else you sleep in

How Sleep Systems Work

• Sleep systems don’t generate warmth

• They trap your body’s heat in a layer of insulation around your body

• The more fitted your sleep system is around you (without compressing) the less air your body has to heat to stay warm

• The ground is the heat stealer - insulation between your body and the ground is the most important factor to staying warm

Sleeping Pad: R Value

• R Value is a measure of the insulating capability of a sleeping pad

• 1-2 - Only suitable for summer

• 3-4 - 3 season camping

• 4+ for winter and cold weather

Sleeping Pad: Types

• Closed-cell foam pad (rolled or folded)

  • Relatively inexpensive, light but bulky, R value generally 1-2

  • Generally thinner and less comfy than an inflated pad

  • Not suitable alone for winter camping, but good as second pad

• Inflated

  • Uninsulated inflated pads actually act as a heat sink and cool you down

  • For winter camping, want R Value 4 or higher

  • For extreme cold (say under 25 degrees F) 6+ is better for comfort. Can supplement a 4-6 value pad (put blanket underneath) instead of buying 2nd pad.

  • Wide range of features and cost

  • Generally sturdy, but be sure to hike with a puncture repair kit (comes with pad)

Sleep System - Bag or Quilt

• All of you have used a sleeping bag - no need to explain what one is!

• For your awareness as you do more backpacking, a sleeping quilt has advantages

  • A quilt doesn’t go all the way around you - it attaches to your pad and sits on top of you. So there’s no wasted insulating material being crushed flat under you providing no insulating value

  • With less material, quilts can be lighter, less bulky and less expensive than a comparable sleeping bag

  • Wonderful option for backpacking - but takes some practice to get used to sleeping under the quilt

  • Talk to Mr. Clouse or Mr. Sellar if interested 

Sleeping Bag/Quilt - Temperature Rating & Fit

• Sleeping bag/quilt temperature ratings are done differently by different companies - there isn’t currently and industry standard

• The advertised temperature is usually the “limit” or “safety” rating. The “comfort” rating is almost always higher. For example, a “20 degree bag” is often safety rated at 20 degrees, but comfort rated at 30 degrees. Know what your bag’s rating means.

• Troop 33’s minimum standard for winter camping is a 20 degree bag

• Remember that a sleeping bag keeps you warm because your body heat warms the air in the bag and then a layer of insulation holds that heat in

• If your bag has a lot of extra room in it, such as a rectangular bag or mummy bag that is way too big,

  • You won’t be as warm in your bag at night, and

  • You’ll be carrying extra weight (that is counter productive)

Sleeping Bag/Quilt - Down vs. Synthetic

• Goose (or less often Duck) down is an amazing material for insulation at very low weight and very high compressibility

  • Down bags and quilts are rated by “fill rating” which is how many cubic inches one ounce of down fills. Higher numbers mean more down and therefore more insulation (and cost and weight)

  • Down is amazing, but doesn’t insulate when wet*, is expensive relative to many synthetic options, and is harder to clean and maintain

    • There are forms of “treated” down fill that claim to be water resistant

• Synthetic fills works well, but is generally heavier

• Mr. Sellar highly, highly recommends synthetic bags/quilts for scouts who are still growing

Sleeping Bag/Quilt - Weight

• Ideally you want your Bag/Quilt to be under 4 pounds

• Roughly speaking, “lightweight” will be 2-4 pounds and “ultralight will be below 2 pounds

• Generally speaking, at the same cost and temperature rating, a quilt be somewhat lighter than a comparable sleeping bag

Sleeping Bag/Quilt - Some Budget/Moderate Options

SLEEPING BAG

• REI Trailmade 20 Sleeping Bag - Synthetic fill, 3-4 lb. depending on size

• TETON LEEF Lightweight Mummy Sleeping Bag

• TETON Sports ALTOS - Synthetic 20 or 0 degree

• KLYMIT Wild Aspen Lightweight Mummy Bag

QUILT

• Probably the best quilt value for money for Troop 33 hiking/camping purposes is the Enlightened Equipment APEX Sleeping Quilt 20 Degree. Enlightened Equipment is the most used brand of quilt by Troop 33 backpackers.

• Troop 33 hikers have also had good experiences with Zenbivy (like the 10 degree “Light Quilt”) and Outdoor Vitals (like the 15 degree Stormloft Down Topquilt 2023”) but down rather than synthetic and at higher price points. We also have at least one lover of their Katabatic Quilt, but not at budget prices. 

Sleep System - Liner

• An excellent way to make your sleep system warmer is to add a sleeping bag liner (can also be used with a quilt)

• This is a long, cloth sleeve - often silk or fleece - you climb into inside your bag or quilt

  • Can take a little bit of practice to get in and out of

• Depending on the material, sleeping bag liners can add another 5-15 degrees of warmth

• Some Budget/Moderate Options

  • COCOON Microfiber MummyLiner

  • Sea to Summit Reactor Insulated Sleeping Bag Liner

Big Three: Tent

• Most tents scouts use are going to be 3-season, freestanding tents staked in with a rainfly and a groundcloth

  • House wrap (such as Tyvek) makes a great, cut-to-fit, inexpensive groundcloth

• Whatever tent you use you want to be comfortable setting up, even in the dark

• Simple tents are better and generally have fewer points of failure - Two poles, crossed with the body clipped to the poles and the rainfly on top

• The weight of a tent can be shared across all the scouts staying in the tent - body, rainfly, groundcloth, poles and stakes. For backpacking we want to be under 2.5 pounds per person

  • For example, Ian’s tent (which has been to Philmont twice) is a Mountainsmith Morrison 3-person tent, and weighs 6.5 pounds. While that is certainly not “lightweight,” it distributes nicely across three scouts for backpacking at a little over 2 pounds per person - entirely reasonable.

• Never play with tent poles - no duels!

Tents: What not to bring

• Do not bring 1-2 season tents that have a rainfly that does not cover the tent. If you tent has a little rainfly (like a little hat) on top of the tent, it is not suitable for backpacking or cold weather camping

• Do not bring monster family tents, especially ones with multiple rooms. These giant tents are amusing for car camping in warm weather. For backpacking tips they obviously weigh too much, and for cold weather camping with all that air inside the tent they will be far colder than a smaller tent

Tents: Trekking Pole Tents

• Trekking pole tents are less common than freestanding pole tents, but have advantages for backpacking

• Instead of tent poles, they use your trekking poles (part of your carried weight, and not your base weight) and are then staked out to keep tension.

• They are harder to set up and definitely take practice. They are not freestanding, and so in hard ground it can be tricky to stake them out.

• They are wonderfully light 

  • For example, Charlie’s Durston XMid 2 (which has been to Philmont once) weighs less than 2 pounds for the entire tent, including ground cloth and stakes. He and Michael split that weight, for a little under a pound apiece.

• Several adults and scouts who have been backpacking for a while have picked up trekking pole tents. If you are interested, ask to see one of theirs in action on the Michaux Forest trip

Tents - Some Budget/Moderate Options

TENT WITH POLES

• Mountainsmith Bear Creek 2 

• TETON Sports Mountain Ultra (can pick 2 or 3 person)

• ALPS Mountaineering Chaos 2-person and 3-person

• ALPS Mountaineering Lynx

• REI Trailmade 2 Tent

• Mountainsmith Morrison EVO

TREKKING POLE

• In Mr. Sellar’s opinion, there is a best trekking pole tent - the Durston XMid 2

  • This is not a budget tent at $319 (which doesn’t include a groundcloth)

  • The cabin is rotated under the poles to form a trapezoid. This results in an extra spacious cabin, superior to most comparable trekking pole tents.

  • It goes up with only four stakes in the corners (although you can add guy lines and extra stakes for extra wind stability if desired.)

  • It’s easy to set up (once you’ve learned how and practiced a few times)

  • The complete tent weighs only about 2 pounds (not including carried trekking poles)

• LANSHAN Ultralight Tent  - Be sure to select “2 person”

Sleep System: Hammock

• It is possible to sleep in a hammock while backpacking and in cold weather

• A hammock sleep system has an under- and top-quilt for insulation, as well as a tarp overhead

• We are not hammock camping on this trip, but it’s an interesting option to look into if you are curious

Big Three: Backpack

• Too obvious to say that your backpack is a pretty big part of backpacking?

• There are a lot of factors that go into choosing a backpack, but the most important are fit, capacity, cost and the weight of the backpack itself

Backpack: Fit

• The most important thing about a backpack is that when loaded the weight rests on your hips via the hipbelt

• This can be tricky for younger, smaller, skinnier scouts - sometimes they don’t have hips to speak of!

  • There are strategies to help with our beanpole scouts, like putting pool noodles/tshirts between the scout and the hip belt, but it’s obviously better to find a pack with a good natural fit

  • When looking at packs for your skinny, hipless scout, consider Women’s packs

• When the hip belt is loaded, you want the shoulder straps to have some room underneath them, such that you can slide a few fingers easily between the strap and shoulder

• You want the weight of the pack to carry close to your back - not far back, pulling you backwards

Backpack: Capacity

• The best capacity for Troop 33 backpacking and camping is 60-65 liters. 

• You can get away with smaller, but generally only after you have already started acquiring lightweight gear

  • Remember that your pack has to fit food and crew gear along with your base weight fear

• For most scouts, huge packs over 70L are (a) too tempting to fill with unnecessary and heavy stuff, and (b) too heavy themselves. (This guideline does not apply to 6’5” scoutmasters.)

Backpack: Weight

• Something people don’t always think about is the weight of the backpack itself

• ‘Normal’ camping backpacks - ones with separate sleeping bag compartments, lots of zippers, lots of straps, lots of extra pouches attached, etc. - often come in at 4+ pounds

• Ultralight packs (lower load limits, optional hip belt, no load lifters or compression, basically a sack with shoulder straps) come in at 1.5 pounds or less. Of course, those presume that the rest of your gear is ultralight too (like base weight of 8-12 pounds). This this is likely not a good option for Troop 33 backpacking.

• Lightweight packs are the sweet spot between those. They run 1.5 to 3 pounds for the most part, but have load carrying and features more in line with 'regular' backpacks. Shaving a full 2+ pounds from your base weight is a big deal. These tend to be from boutique shops, although some of the major manufacturers (incl. Osprey and REI) are making inroads into lightweight packs.

Backpack - Some Budget/Moderate Options

• In Mr. Sellar’s opinion, there is a best backpack for Troop 33 backpacking needs: The Granite Gear Crown3 60

  • This 60L pack with full features - cushioned hip belt, load lifters, detachable brain, hip belt pockets, large stretch-fabric exterior pockets, etc.

  • It retails for $260, but regularly throughout the year goes on 25-50% discounts. At the time of this writing, it’s on sale for half off for $130.

  • The pack itself only weighs 2.4 pounds

  • Ask to see Mr. Sellar’s or Charlie’s if you want a look

  • Be sure to read sizing information carefully - check area retailers like REI or Dicks to see if they have it available to try on

• REI Flash 55 Pack - Men’s or (esp. for skinny, hipless scouts) Women’s

• REI Trailmade 60 Pack - Men’s or Women’s

• Osprey Rook 65L Men’s or Renn 65L Women’s

Pack Liner & Pack Cover

• A pack liner is a waterproof bag that goes inside your bag to protect your sleep system, clothes, and other gear.

• They sell pack liners, but the best option is a trash compactor bag (or a garbage or contractor bag)

• Pack covers are usually waterproof shells with either elastic or straps that go over your backpack to keep rain out

• Using a pack cover is personal choice (assuming you have other waterproofing measures in place), but is very popular with Troop 33

• Some pack covers can get pretty heavy. If possible, get one that doesn’t add too much weight by itself

Other Gear: Trekking Poles

• Trekking poles are a personal choice, but are very popular with Troop 33 hikers

• Absorb pressure off your back and knees, help with balance, help engage on up- an downhills

• If you use a trekking pole tent, obviously they are required

• Personal preference, but consider cork handles (more pleasant with sweaty hands)

• Never play with trekking poles - no duels!

• Some Budget/Moderate Options

  • Foxelli Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles

  • Cascade Mountain Tech Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles

Other Gear: Water bottles

• Don’t bring heavy water bottles made of metal, glass or ceramic

• Don’t bring breakable water bottles made of glass

• Nalgene water bottles are fine, but are relatively heavy

  • You can pour hot water into a Nalgene, which is handy if you end up needing to boil water to purify it

• Using a one liter Smartwater or similar water bottle is cheap (just a few dollars) and lighter than almost any other options

• Put a distinctive sticker and your name on all water bottles

• Best Option: Smartwater or similar 1L water

Other Gear: Mess Kit

• Bring a long-handled spoon that can reach down into a freezer bag or Mountainhouse bag

• Bring a light, wide-month bowl (unless we’re only doing freezer bag cooking)

• Bring a thermal pouch for rehydrating food

Shopping Tips

• You don’t need to buy a bunch of stuff for our December trip, as we’ve said. Over the years, though, you will probably be buying items from time to time for your scout.

• Know what items you are looking for, and then wait for deals

• Sign up for retailer emails - REI, Backcountry.com, Dick’s, Garage Grown Gear, Sierra Trading Post, etc. - watch for sales and specials. 

  • Also first time buyer discounts for signing up for email.

  • REI membership is a good value - coupons, early access to outlet sales, annual in-store returns sale, annual dividend

• Outlet sites (including REI)

• Used items, esp. EBay

• Borrow items

• Last season’s colors, or end of season close-out

• Look at “generic” or house branded items from REI, Backcountry, Amazon, etc.

• Multi-packs for things like socks and underwear

• Best items to invest in: 

  • Sleep system - Good pad and sleeping bag/quilt

• If you want tips for specific items, you can always ask us. And we have recommendations for good budget-to-moderate priced items for each category linked from the copy of the outline we’ll email out.