Camping
Kids love camping, but what if you have never done it! This page highlights some of the bigger items to purchase if your family is planning to camp. For your first campouts, a checklist of things to bring will be given. The items below are pretty fundamental to all camping experience.
A Tent
Prefer smaller tents (2 to 3)
Prefer waterproof (make sure the bottom tarp extends up)
Stick to the solid brands:
For Cub Scouts, we will not be camping in below freezing weather, but you definitely want Sleeping Bags that works for you.
Again, stick with solid camping brands.
If you don't like closed spaces, definitely stick to the more open designs.
The best campers know that they sleep better with some cushion under their sleeping bag. It also provides some insulation from the ground as well.
Here is a quick link to find one that works for you. I have had some success with the self-inflating versions.
Lots of options. Make sure you have a few. You certainly can use your cellphone's flashlight mode, but I personally don't like bringing mine into an outdoor toilet.
You are mostly looking for a backpack that is water resistant (just in case), light and durable. A good back will have places to clip things on like water bottles using carabiners.
Get something with a nice clip that you can attach to your backpack. Insulated bottles are great for keeping hots hot and colds cold.
As your Scout gets older, some of the campouts will require a mess kit. It is a good idea to bring it just in case. I like the ones that are two parts with utensils.
Pretty much any of these heavy duty wagons will work. You want a wagon that has big wheels and is collapsible for travel.
I perfer the hiking chairs for camping. The iClimb model above is well reviewed. Keeping everything lightweight sets everyone up for success with future hikes.
If you find that you are going camping a lot, a Duffel Bag can help a lot make your camping kit more of a grab and go. Older Scouts will typically want to have a Duffel Bag that they take on Outings.