The “Buff” Scarf
(image from amazon.com – the colours of Buff!)
Regular readers will know how relatively few times I will specifically identify a make and model of outdoor equipment, preferring to allow the reader to find something that is workable and within their price range.
However, today I will break that by discussing an item of kit that I believe should be in everyone’s rucksack for outdoor adventure – the Buff Scarf.
These cost about £15 for a “normal” one, more for the “winter” one (about £22); my advice would be to not buy the winter one, but perhaps two normal ones.
So what do you get for your money? Simply – a tube of stretchy nylon material – however, its usefulness is incredible. Want a scarf? Pull it round your neck. Want a hat? Two twists midway and there you go? Want something a little lighter – sort of “doo-raggy”? Hands through into the material and pull! Also – too hot? A couple of twists and you have a wristband!
There are a number of makes out there (Oxford make one that is sold through motorcycle outlets) but to be honest I haven’t seen much of a price difference – and Buffs are sold in a massive variety of colours (including black) that being stuck with an option isn’t a problem.
I did mention the winter model – this is like a buff, but has a polar fleece extension to it. Whilst this is good if you need the warmth, if you get too hot you are still stuck with it – layering being a key (hence the suggestion for two normal ones so you can use them all year round).
I’ve now got a small collection of these scarves – and with one being over 10 years old I can be pleased to report how effective they have been in use.
They are available in outdoors shops (Blacks, Millets), online (amazon, the buffshop) and in certain other stores too (such as motorcycle clothing shops – and the Ace Cafe!!)
(How to wear a Buff! Image from Flickr.com)
Purchasing Equipment – torches
Torches
Another mainstay item for the well-prepared Scout. Also probably the hardest to write about as there are so many options out there now.
LED Torches / winding torches
(From www.watchbattery.co.uk)
Rather than use a traditional bulb, LED torches use a non-replaceable Light Emitting Diode (the LED bit). This has the benefits of being more power efficient, but the negatives that if (for whatever reason) they get broken, they can’t be replaced.
The example above also shows a winding element to it. About a minutes winding will produce about an hours light – which is great, but over about 10 minutes the power of the light will sometimes fade (especially if it’s a bright torch) and so across the campsite you’ll hear the Rrr-rrrr-rrr sound of the torch being wound up again (this is something I’ve yet to hear done quietly… like eating crisps at the cinema).
Whilst the above are great (no worries about batteries running out) I do find that in order to use one I need to either hand it to someone else, or just work with one hand.
Head Torches
(from www.armynavy.com)
Unlike the torch above the head torch, will mean that both hands are free. You can get all kinds of varieties to these and they tick many boxes. Most are now sold with the LED lights – and batteries – so they are quite adaptable.
Benefits are that being head torches they will shine a light where you are looking – a downside for the person that you’re talking to as that will mean straight into their eyes. It also means that you will need to carry spare batteries with you for when they run out…
Mini Maglites
I will admit that this a proprietary brand and that I have tried wherever possible not to point out a favourite, I can’t help but rave about the Mini Maglite with the 2 AA cell batteries.
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(From www.maglite.com)
As a standard it uses a bulb (so yes, you will need to have a spare – but Maglites helpfully put a spare at the bottom of the battery compartment) – but as you can see from the above you can screw in an LED instead; it also uses batteries – so you will need spares for that too.
However, I have found that the maglite also makes use of rubber “O” rings in multiple places, so it is pretty waterproof. I don’t know if it would work underwater (can’t see why it wouldn’t to a shallow depth) but have never tried. However, being a small size, I can pop it in my mouth leaving both hands free to do whatever (and giving everyone else some peace and quiet).
You can get a headband that you can slot the torch into as well – so apparently ticking all the boxes… except the windy thing.
Purchasing Equipment – Waterproofs
If you do any camping in the UK at some point you will need to have a waterproof jacket. Actually, if you spend any time at all in the UK you’ll need a waterproof jacket – but camping is more important as typically it’s harder to dry off – and on a cold, windy day in autumn this can ruin an otherwise fun weekend.
So – what to buy? Well here’s the first tip – DON’T BUY A SKI JACKET. The clue as to what its purpose should be is in the name… the “ski” bit. This will stop powder snow from getting in, and can be brushed off. Rain will tend to seep into the material – and whilst the padding will keep you warm (again, jacket designed for minus temperatures, not above zero) it will take forever to dry out if properly wet.
You need to consider that you may have to wear your waterproofs all day long.
FUN EXPERIMENT NO. 1
Put your waterproofs on. Stand under the shower for about 10 minutes (with the hood up and the jacket zipped). Make sure that you get water all over, front and back. How well did they last? That’s about how well they would over a couple of hours outdoors.
So what to buy? Well, I would suggest that the most important thing would be the jacket – waterproof trousers are also quite useful, but if you get a long enough coat only the bottom part of the trousers will get wet. However, the construction of the jacket and the trousers are broadly similar, so I can discuss as a single entity.
So, generally for waterproof jackets the material is either non-breathable or breathable. Non-breathable coats are becoming more rare these days and if you can avoid them, do so. The non-breathable material is a solid rubber or nylon that will let nothing in – however it also lets nothing out either, so you will sweat inside it and after some time it will be as wet inside as out – and it won’t matter if it didn’t rain either.
Breathable materials allow the body to breath – that is, the warm air / sweat out – but prevent the colder wet (the rain!) in. Breathable materials are now becoming more common place now, so it typically will come down to style as to what jacket to buy (more later). If you have the money, the best material to buy within a waterproof jacket is “Gore-Tex”. This is a breathable material in its own right, typically sandwiched between nylon layers to protect it. Because this is a material, rather than a proofing, it won’t rub off or deteriorate so it will last a long time. But typically the jacket will be at least 1/3 more expensive than other jackets.
When buying a jacket, you need to check the seams. The more stitching the more holes – and the greater risk of leakage. Check on the inside how the two materials have been stitched together, have they been rolled and stitched flat or like a shirt? Have they got tape over the stitching (this is good as it is increasing the prevention of water getting in)? You need to make sure that the stitching isn’t poor – if it comes apart when you’re standing in a downpour then you won’t be a happy camper! If the jacket has outside pockets, don’t forget to check the stitching there too!
So what shape of jacket to buy?
I’d suggest that the starter should be that you can get a thick jumper underneath – you could end up wearing these for a winter camp. It will also give you some growing room and room to move.
Some jackets are called “technical” jackets – they are typically cut in a way that will allow the wearer to do stuff (say climb, cycle… you know, Scout activities!) but reducing the amount of riding up that the jacket could do.
Shorter length jackets will allow greater flexibility, but will also create the greater need for waterproof trousers. Longer jackets will reduce the need for waterproof trousers, but will limit your flexibility for some activities.
FUN EXPERIMENT NO.2 (REQUIRES SOME CONFIDENCE)
Put your jumper on, then put on the waterproof jacket. Do up the jacket so you’re properly zipped in. Then do Jumping Jacks. Really fling the arms about (make sure you’re not going to knock over mum’s best nicknacks!) Whilst this is an extreme test it’ll give you an idea of how limiting your waterproof jacket is… and how much noise it’ll make when you wear it!
The reason for the need for confidence? Ideally, this should be done when trying on the jacket…!
Buying kit and equipment – Hike boots
This has been (and should remain) the staple item in every Scouts camp kit bag! Over the years, technology has moved on to make boots more specialised and so buying these more challenging (and in some cases more expensive, that’s true) – but this guide should enable you to identify what is useful and perhaps what you won’t need.
So let’s get an idea of what we need the “camp shoe” to do:
- Stop water from getting feet wet – first thing in the morning (even in summer), UK grass is wet and will soak trainers quickly
- Be comfortable – these shoes will typically be worn all day
- Be adaptable – they will be worn summer, winter, spring and autumn
- Be supportive – they need to be worn when on hikes over rough terrain
- Be protective – especially if using axes, saws and knives
- Be grippy – especially on obstacle courses and on hilly hikes
- Be tough – these will need to last the whole week!
Linked from www.abc-of-hiking.com
Whilst the image is of quite a technical boot, it does details what a typical hike will look like, and some of the reasons for the extra twiddly bits.
The most important items in the hike boot are:
- A sewn-in tongue. This gives the boot more waterproof-icity (you will need to maintain the waterproof nature – more on that later)
- A knobbly base. This gives the grip to the boot. Vibram is a good name to look for in terms of boot soles. Years ago, when I was a Scout I was told “DMs are good for kicking people, but rubbish for hill walking”. Having now seen someone not be able to scramble up a slope because they were wearing DM boots I understand this)
- A good leather upper. Apologies to anyone who is vegetarian but (as yet) I’ve not seen any reasonable Scout-proof hike boots that don’t have a decent leather upper.
The boot should come above the ankle as this will reinforce the support to the ankle. There is a whole discussion on how much a boot should twist as you turn it between your hands – but as a simple rule it should be reasonably stiff – too loose and it won’t support anything.
When you are trying on hike boots, you need to go prepared – more so than buying normal shoes. This is because you should always wear two pairs of socks inside your boots (the jury is still discussing whether it should be two the same thickness or one thick, one thin). The reason for this is due to the length of time that you may have these on your feet, especially hiking. The outer sock will move with the boot, the inner with the foot – and you won’t get blisters.
Once you’ve bought your boots, you should walk around the house with them on for a weekend. As a note to anyone with light carpets in their house – ONLY wear them in the house when breaking them in! This will start to get the foot bed to mould to your feet and to get the leather to warm to the shape of your foot.
Additionally, you can also rub in NIKWAX or DUBBIN. This is also the stuff that will make the leather more waterproof. This is really gunky stuff to work with and you need to make sure that it’s rubbed well into all the seams. If you’ve been wearing the boots, or have made them warm then the stuff will soak in much better – it is effectively an oil. You won’t need to use leather polish (and to be honest, for these boots its not as much fun either!)
So okay, that’s a quick run through the boots. Some other questions that you may have:
How high should the boots go?
In this case, you don’t need calf high boots (such as the classic DM or the Rock Boot). They do offer good protection, but after a point they are just keeping your ankles warm. Also, just because the leather goes further up your leg won’t mean you can stand in deeper puddles – you need to check where the tongue stops getting sewn to the boot.
But what about Wellies?
Ah yes, wellies. The most waterproof boot going. These are reasonable for sploshing through puddles on a Sunday morning when walking the dog, but because they 100% waterproof and are not breathable, aren’t laced to your foot / ankle and typically are one piece with a thin sole they will make your feet sweat, will not support your feet and early morning will be cold and will not keep your feet warm.
My dad’s got cross country trainers – could I use similar?
Early on in this post, I noted that technology has advanced. There are now some quite decent cross-country trainers on the market – but at £50 for a cheap-ish pair you won’t save much – if anything. Additionally you need to remember that these trainers are designed that they will shed any water getting in – that means holes – which means they’re not going to be waterproof. Also the trainer is designed for someone who will be moving their ankle a lot – so won’t offer the same protection.
IMPORTANT NOTE: cross country trainers do have something that normal trainers don’t have – a decent grippy, knobbly sole rather than a road-based shoe.
I’ve heard of things called “Monkey boots” – any good?
Monkey Boots seem to sit to one side of fashion in regard to footwear. They do have a reasonable grip on them and would tick most of the boxes. However at the time of writing these are difficult to find on the high street, so it’s unlikely that Millets or Blacks will be stocking them any time soon.
What about steel toe caps?
Aha – the solution if you’re using axes and saws. These are quite useful, especially for this purpose, but you shouldn’t go out of your way to buy boots with these (and typically you won’t get proper hike boots with these anyway)
Equipment Tips – what to wear at camp/outdoors
This isn’t a check list of specialist kit, but more of a share of information. If you also have any special tips, please add the comments to the bottom.
The starter for what to wear is to think layers rather than having one super-warm jumper. If you get too hot you can control the temperature better.
Hat and gloves (especially for colder camps) are also a good thing to have – but think about what you may need to do over the camp – will the fleece lined mittens really help you?
Wellies are great for sploshing about puddles, but they generally don’t retain the heat and being solid rubber aren’t designed to be worn all day. Better still is to invest in a reasonable pair of hiking boots and liberally apply Nikwax or Dubbin (more about this on the Boot Blog when I write it)
Waterproofs should be an automatic consideration for camp. In addition during colder camps the waterproof trousers can give an additional layer of warmth.
If you’re skiing – wear a ski-jacket. If your camping – DON’T wear a ski-jacket (unless you also have a waterproof jacket to put over it). Ski-jackets are good for keeping you warm, but they are designed to stop snow – not rain – so in a downpour they will get wet and will take a long time to dry out. Once the wet material cools down, the next morning it is a horrible feeling to put on a cold wet jacket to face the world…
Jeans are quite good and robust for camp – but remember they are an open-weave material, so once wet they will get heavy and let the cold in (which is why they discourage using them for the swimming personal survival badge).
Unless you’ve bought specialist outdoor equipment, save the expensive designer gear for Harrow High Street. D&G may have the bling, but covered in mud they don’t have the staying power (and if you do have the money, in my opinion Jack Wolfskin is the product line to go for! http://www.wolf-paw.com/ for the UK website). Typically most Scout Leaders don’t think very highly of anyone who says “I can’t do that, these are my best trousers” – the thought being “why bring them to camp then?”
Purchasing Equipment – plates and cutlery
Whilst this may seem like the simplest of things, plates and cutlery can create some of the largest problems at the washing up bowl at camp. Typically because everyone buys their camping plates from the same outdoors shops, we tend to see a lot of plates that are the same. So here’s a few tips to consider when shopping for plates
- How hard is the plastic? Some camp plates are quite brittle and don’t flex especially well.
- You may want to consider using metal plates – or even using “mess tins” (a favourite of mine as you can just pile in the food without it spilling. However you don’t get a nice presentation on the plate though).
- How “common” is the colour? Orange used to be a standard colour.
- On mug shopping, look at the handle – how flimsy is it?
Once you’ve made your purchase, you need to consider marking it in some way. My suggestion (if you have one) is to use a Dremmel to cut the name into the plate. I would not use nail varnish because:
- You’d be surprised how many people have the same colour nail varnish
- Even the most flexible of paints will chip off the plate when Scouts wash them
Some people have used sellotape and plasters – and if you’ve ever taken a bath, or had a shower with a Band-aid on you’ll know how effective that is.
Cutlery (the K-F-S or Knife-Fork-Spoon) is a little favourite of mine. There are many different types of cutlery that you can buy, including ones that clip together. I like these as they are great for packing – but again, you need to make sure that they are properly marked or drilled in some way that allows you to identify yours over the other 5 similar items in the drying rack. However, you may decide to just use “normal” cutlery. That’s fine – but watch the knife (I’ve managed to cut myself getting my dinner knife out of my rucksack before). A surprising success for me has been using “children’s cutlery”. Whilst the knife isn’t especially sharp (at all) I have yet to not be able to identify my brightly coloured K-F-S from anyone else’s!
Finally – and I need to state this – DO NOT give your child paper plates or disposable cutlery to bring to camp. This teaches them nothing about camp hygene, it does nothing for team building (why do I need to wash up your plates) and if they are more likely to break in transit. They are also rubbish at holding hot wet food for any length of time.
Also, for similar reasons, there’s little point in giving them a hybrid device such as a Spork (a combined fork and spoon) unless they are doing something really specialised such as expedition hike.
