Camping Equipment Suppliers

Stores located in and around Atlanta:

• REI
• Sports Authority>
• 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
• [1]_
• http://www.alpsmountaineering.com
• [2]
• Amazon
• Sierra Trading Post
• [3]

 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 got 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 Ten\ ts, pallets and cots will already be set-up for each of the summer camps (Woodruff and Rainey).