Troop 757 Portal

Troop 757 High Adventurists,

If you are signed up for Northern Tier this summer, or Philmont for next summer, you need to begin thinking about your camping and hiking gear if you don’t already have some. Major items for high adventure hiking/camping include boots, backpack, tent, sleeping bag and pad. These items will be the most expensive items you purchase. To provide ballpark figures, hiking boots run $80-$150 for a good pair, backpacks $60-$100, lightweight tents $80-$150, and sleeping bags $80-$150. Of course, there are sales to be found and economical suppliers to purchase from. For instance, for my Philmont trip in 2008, my name brand boots cost me $80 because I got them at a half price sale. My backpack, tent, and sleeping bag cost $65, $90, and $80, respectively, because I bought them at Alps Mountaineering on their Scout Direct website where they offer substantial savings for scouts.

I have posted quite a bit of information regarding gear selection on the troop website under the new article entitled “High Adventure Gear”. I will also try to attach some key documents to this email, but if that doesn’t work, you can find them on the website.

The documents include a list that we used for the 2008 Philmont trip, a “quick reference” equipment list, a couple of documents on good outfitters to look at, and six documents from the REI website on how to select various types of gear. I also posted three documents explaining the Alps Mountaineering Scout Direct Program, which allows scouts to purchase Alps equipment at 40% or more off. They just posted their 2010 price list, and it is included on the website. Alps and REI are two outfitters we as a troop have used a LOT! Alps has good quality gear at low prices, and REI carries all major brands. Alps is mail order since they are located in Missouri, but REI has stores south of Nashville and north of Atlanta where you can go look at and try on gear as necessary. REI typically has higher prices, but they do run sales, such as their current winter clearance. Furthermore, they have what is called their “scratch and dent” sales 3 or 4 times a year where they sell merchandise that has been returned to the store for various reasons, but the prices are typically 50% or more off. REI also offers training classes, including a Philmont preparation class that we took prior to the 2008 trip.

All the details for gear selection are on the website now, so go shopping!

Mr. McCarn