What to bring to a Cold Weather Campout Boy Scout Troop One, Akron, OH "If your toes are cold, put on a hat." "Let’s play the stupid game!"

"To Stay Warm Think COLD"
 

-Think  -Avoid  -Dress in  -Stay

Clean Overheating Layers Dry

Be prepared for extreme cold and wetness. Early Spring or Late Fall and Winter can be unpredictable. The easiest way to stay warm is to dress in layers and stay dry. Dressing in layers allows the scout to regulate heat by taking off and putting on various layers. Wetness, including sweating will lead to a cooling down of the body. This is desirable in the heat, but more troublesome in the cooler temperatures.

Wear:

• full uniform when appropriate (e.g., traveling)
• socks - wool best, acrylics next best, cotton bad.
• Heavy jacket or Coat (remember the layering idea)
• Hat (wool or acrylic stocking cap best)
• gloves (if not cold have these in pack. Can these gloves pick up a hot pot without melting?)
• Poncho or raincoat (if not raining - pack it on top of gear in backpack or duffel bag).
• many scouts like waterproof pants (thin shells that go over regular pants, not the heavy snow pant)
• Hiking boots. This is a must. They must be waterproofed using a waterproofing compound
• Watch (optional, but recommended)

• Sleeping bag in water resistant bag (trash bags tear easily)
• insulating closed cell foam pad (good - earth pad WalMart $9, better Ridgerest Applichian Outfitters $17?, Best Thermarest, Applichian Outfitters $60)
• extra blanket for cool temp (optional, wool or polar fleese best, cotton worst.)
• sleepng bag must be rated to 20 degrees or better, other bags are acceptable, but you need to bring blankets for winter camping. The outside of the bag must be a tightly woven water resistant nylon (not cotton) and stiching should never go all the way through the bag.
• The scout should have sleeping clothes that are not used for anything else.

• Don’t underestimate the value of food on a winter campout. Foods high in fat are just the thing you need.
• Avoid an unnecessary use of sugar and caffeine.
• Eat lots of high calorie foods, just avoid the so called empty callories.
• Each meal should be cooked or heated. Try to use one pot meal plans and use the dutch ovens. Minimize the cleanup and you will be thankful.

• You can stay warm in a tent, but the smaller the tent in proportion to the number of scouts sleeping in it, the warmer you will stay. All of the heat in a tent comes from your body heat. The more bodies, the more heat, the larger the space to heat, the colder the tent will be.
• Stand behind wind brakes as much as possible. Even if you "can take it," eventually heat that you lose will be very hard to replace.

• An old saying is "White man builds big fire, stays cold. Red man builds little fire, stays warm."
• Fire can only heat one side of you. Do not depend on the fire to get you warm. Fire is for cooking, drying clothes you aren’t wearing and to provide good cheer.
• You are supposed to be well insulated. If you can feel the fire that means that the heat can get in. That’s bad. If the heat of the fire can warm you through your layers, your body heat can easily escape.
• True winter campers avoid fire because it overheats them and that can be very dangerous.