Camping Equipment Suppliers

Stores located in and around Atlanta:

• REI
• Dick's Sporting Goods
• WalMart (selection gets better the further outside Atlanta you go)
• Going Gear (Smyrna)
• Mountain High Outfitters

On-Line Stores:

• http://www.backcountryedge.com
• Campmor_
• http://www.alpsmountaineering.com
• Mountain Gear
• Amazon
• Sierra Trading Post
• Paul's Supplies
• Hyke and Byke

Alps Mountaineering offers a 45% discount for Scouts. A family friend runs a large Troop and they brought all their gear from them. To get their discount, you need to sign-up at www.scoutdirect.com I understand they have great holiday sales, if you can wait for them. Other suggestions and recommendations with regards to gear:

Sleeping Bags

A 20-degree bag for winter camping and 40 degree bag for spring/summer camping were recommended. If you can get them with a compression sack, they will be easier to carry in a backpack.

Pads

Kids can generally do well with the foam egg-crate pad, but a better pad would be the self-inflating type. The self-inflating was definitely recommended for adults.

Backpacks

Make sure they they offer good support and are adjustable as the scout grows. Rain covers, hydration packs, and easy to access pockets for things such as flashlights were also recommended.

Tents

The patrols will arrange all the food and tenting arrangements for Troop campouts. The only recommendation I have concerning tents is to make certain your boy knows how to put it together and break it down before he uses it on a campout.. The Tents, pallets and cots will already be set-up for each of the summer camps (Woodruff and Rainey).

Clothing System

See this document for information on a recommended clothing system.

Scoutmaster Suggestions

A few recommended budget gear items for Scouts:

• Kelty Cosmic synthetic 20-dgree sleeping bag - perfectly fine year-round sleeping bag with a cult following for value.
• REI backpack
• Marmot Precip rain jacket - often cheaper than REI jacket but better in our opinion. $70-$100. Often off colors are sold at closeeout pricing (both brands)
• Sleeping pads - a bunch of inexpensive ones on Amazon. While kids could sleep on the ground, they need the insulation. For crossover Scouts, women's sizes are a good choice.
• Suggested tents: REI Half Dome 2 and the REI Passage 2