7 Day Backpacking

BASICS

• backpack

• sleeping bag and stuffsack

• sleeping padf

• lashlight and batteries, plus spare batteries

• waterproof matches

• knife or multi-purpose tool

• compass

• map of area being traveled

• whistle

• 2 1-quart water bottles, or 2+ liter water bladder

• first aid kit

• 2 large garbage bags

• several zip-lock bags, 1 quart

• tent, tent poles, stakes - share with tent buddy (usually supplied by troop)

• ground cloth - share with tent buddy

• pillow - small backpacker type (optional)

• rope, nylon, 25+ ft (used for bear-bagging, usually supplied by troop)

EATING

• plastic or metal drinking cup

• plastic or metal eating bowl

• durable plastic or metal spoon

• personal food (trail mix, dried fruit, jerky, etc)

• bear bag - big enough for all your "smellables"

CLOTHING (besides what you wear at any time)

• light rain jacket (waterproof/breathable or very rain resistant)

• light rain pants (waterproof/breathable or very rain resistant)

• fleece jacket, sweater or sweatshirt (polypropylene)

• 2 pair socks (wool or equivalent - NO COTTON)

• 2 pair sock liners (polypropylene or equivalent - NO COTTON)

• 2 pair underwear

• 1 pair pants

• 2 tee-shirts (polypropylene or polyester or equivalent)

• hat or cap for sun protection

• stocking cap for cool nights

• gloves or mittensthermal underwear, tops and bottoms (polypropylene)

• tennis shoes, or water footwear for water wading and camp wearswim suit or quick drying shorts

PERSONAL GEAR

• camper’s soap (biodegradable, very small plastic bottle)

• toothpaste (small tube)

• toothbrush

• toilet paper (with duct tape around and core removed, pack in zip-lock bag)

• sanitary wipes (packed in sandwich-size zip-lock bag)

• light-weight towel

• wash cloth

• plastic trowel to dig 6" to 8" cat-hole (pack in zip-lock bag)

• suntan lotion

• hand lotion (skin dries out fast in mountains and dry climate)

• chapstick

• insect repellant (no aerosol cans)

• sewing kit

• notebook and pencil

• "Polar Pure" water treatment (usually supplied by troop)

• boot laces - 1 spare set

• gators (optional, handy when going through heavy brush and fields)

• camera, disposable (optional)

• bandana or large handerchief

WHAT YOU WEAR - Varies with weather

• hiking boots - well fitted, good support, broken in

• socks - wool or equivalent (NO COTTON)

• sock liners - Polypropylene (NO COTTON)

• underpants

• shorts or long pants

• T shirt (polypropylene or polyester or equivalent)

• class "A" scout shirt for drive to and from - leave in car during hike

NOTES:

• Getting your footwear right is very important. Good, well-sized, broken-in boots with polypropylene sock liners and wool outer socks makes hiking very pleasant. Sore feet and blisters can ruin a trip and may require evacuation.

• Keeping you and the contents of your pack dry is another key element in having a great time on a trip. It is very common to get storms any time of the year, plus we need to cross streams.

• Use zip-lock plastic bags to pack clothes in (keeps them waterproof)

• Use sandwich size zip-lock bags to pack loose items, matches, etc

• The clothing listed is designed to be worn in layers. As it gets cold or damp, more layers to go. As it warms up, more layers come off.

• No electronic devices are allowed on trips (No cell phones, No music pods, No tablets, No game players, etc)
  * OK for drive to and from. Must be left in car. Driver is not responsible for items.

• "Light weight" and "non-breakable" are good words to describe all pack items.

• Put name on personal items

• Everything, and I mean everything, that gets packed in gets packed out. Leave no trace is more than a motto.