Published by Scouts UK with a forward by Bear Grylls The Outdoor Adventure Manual is packed with practical Scout skill tutorials ; tents and camping, fire, food and cooking, tools and gadgets, knots and lashings, navigation, first aid and survival, and more.

Skills are explained step-by-step with photos and illustrations that really bring them to life. I’ve read a number of ‘how-to’ books that I suspected were written by people who had not actually tried out what they were describing. The Outdoor Adventure Manual leverages the know-how of many experienced authors to provide practical instruction that is inspiring and easy to follow.

The book is not an attempt at an exhaustive reference work, it’s a collection of adventurous projects, useful knowledge and activities that any Scout would enjoy.  Within it’s pages a Scout can learn to build a shelter, make cordage out of natural materials, carve a wooden spoon, explore natural navigation, and sharpen their tracking skills.

Some of the information is specific to the British Isles and to Scouts U.K. (plant and animal identification for example) but that’s not to say they aren’t interesting and practical for North America. It is also a great opportunity to learn something more about the world of Scouting.

Doing the projects and trying out the skills in The Outdoor Adventure Manual would be a great way to spend a summer. It’s a colorful. engaging, hardcover book that encourages Scouts to get outdoors and get active – kind of makes me wish I was twelve year’s old again!

Click on the images to see full sized page spreads

Outdoor Adventure Manual: Essential Scouting Skills for the Great Outdoors Available at Amazon

Outdoor Adventure Manual

If you are looking for a reliable way to re-charge portable electronic devices on extended camping trips the Brunton Restore is a solid choice. When at full capacity the Restore’s  internal lithium polymer battery will recharge virtually any USB compatible device.  Charge he internal battery using USB power from a laptop, a wall adapter (not included), auto adapter, or the Restore’s solar panels.

Encased in a durable, water-resistant, rubberized shell  measuring 5.5″x 3″x 1.25″ the Restore  weighs 8.6 ounces. Thread the Restore onto a pack strap using the two loops  on the device and the Restore can charge its internal battery via the solar panels as you hike.

An array of four blue LED’s each indicate 25% of the charge level of the internal battery and a useful white LED work light makes using the Restore at night a bit easier. The Restore comes with an integral cable with USB and mini USB plugs, and auto charger and an adapter for most cell phones. You may need device-specific charging cables in some instances (like iPods, iPhones or other Smartphones)

Beyond using the restore while camping it can provide backup for power outages and travel. At an average street price well under $100.00  the Brunton Restore is  in the middle of the pack; there are more and less expensive alternatives but the features and capacity of the Restore are more than adequate for most of us.

Carrying electronic devices on camping trips remains a hot topic, one that we won’t try to debate here. Limit comments on this post accordingly please. 

Brunton Restore Solar Charger

Available at:
Amazon
Conohocreek.com
Campmor

Brunton Restore Solar Charger – Video Review

For a number of years I thought that real Scouts only used real Scout mess kits.  The standard issue military type clam shell mess kit has a long tradition in Scouting but, compared to the alternatives available out there it is woefully inadequate.

There are lots of gadgety, expensive, highly touted modern specialty cooking and serving ware being manufactured for campers but I like cheap, light, and practical Scout mess kits assembled  from easily available components.

click to see the full-sized infographic
the highly evolved messkit as a PDF file

Here’s some evolved alternatives ranked by price. It’s likely that anyone could put together a Scout mess kit for little or no cost.

Why carry a fork AND a spoon when a spoon will do? Any common plastic spoon (I do like Lexan spoons – they are cheap, light and indestructible) will do. You don’t need a special eating knife if your’e carrying a pocket knife.
$	$$	$$$	Free (or nearly so)
Light My Fire Spork	Lexan Camping Utensil Set	Optimus Titanium Spork	’Disposable’ plastic spoons
My Choice is a food storage container with a lid, there are specialty camping bowls and kits, but I prefer the lighter, less costly alternatives.
Square 2-Cup Food Storage Container	Bowl with Lid	Light My Fire Outdoor Meal Kit	A disposable take-out container
A 1-2 quart aluminum pot with a lid is my choice, Scouts should be cooking with a patrol, and when we are backpacking it doesn’t make much sense to have every individual carry their own pot.
2 Quart Kettle	Stainless steel Cookset (buy one and share with your friends)	Titanium Pot	An old saucepan can be repurposed into a camping pot. (you can always cut off a handle or add a tinfoil lid if need be)
An insulated mug does double duty as a bowl and will keep food warm unlike the flimsy plastic cup in most mess kits
Insulated Infinity Mug	Insulated Stainless Steel Mug	Delta Mug	Every household probably has at least several insulated mugs hiding in a cabinet somewhere.

The Highly Evolved Scout Mess Kit

In a recent article Frank discusses three things that Scouters should never do for their Scouts;

As Scouters, though, we really need to put… parenting instincts aside in order to make sure that we not only deliver the Scouting program as promised, but also to help our kids do their best by not helping them directly.

Don’t teach Scout skills - If adults take over the teaching of Scout skills, such as knot tying, first aid, plant identification or compass skills, the skills will get taught – and probably very well – but we miss a golden opportunity for the Scouts to teach these skills themselves. They might not do as good a job as an adult would, but teaching of the skills is less important than the Scouts learning to teach, thus reinforcing their own proficiency. It’s also a way of involving young people in interactive situations. Likewise, parents who overly involve themselves in their children’s advancement take away that opportunity for their sons to learn from one another.

Don’t interrupt them at troop meetings - Troop meetings are for the boys, led by the boys, involving only the boys. They are not an adult-led teaching session. If troop meetings don’t meet your standards, maybe your standards are wrong! The object of a troop meeting is not to follow an orderly agenda and start and end on time. It’s to give young people learning experience in leadership and managing their own affairs. If we hover over them, jumping in when we feel things aren’t going as we’d like them to be, we destroy their confidence and take away their chance to lead for real. Scouts become puppets of the adults, much like in most other youth activities. Any corrections to their meeting plans should be made before or after the meeting, as the Scoutmaster reviews plans with the senior patrol leader. Once the meeting starts, though, adults should get out of the way and let the boys run their troop. All adults – I mean it, even the Scoutmaster. Just go sit in the back and watch. Make notes on what goes on so you can talk to the SPL after the meeting, not during the meeting.

Don’t manipulate youth leader selection or patrol makeup - You can’t choose their friends for them, and patrols are basically groupings of friends. You also can’t choose who you feel is the best leader and put him in charge of his patrol or the troop. Leaders are elected and selected by the boys. Like it or not, as Scoutmaster, your job is to work with whoever the boys elect, give him your best effort, and give him the skills he needs to lead. Likewise, let the boys choose their own patrols. Don’t make up rules for adult convenience. If the boys want to reorganize or rename patrols, give them a chance to do it. If a boy wants to move to a different patrol, he should do so as long as it’s OK with the patrol leaders. Let him be with his friends! He’ll be more enthusiastic and engaged if he’s happy.

Scouting is more about good ideas than absolute rules, so it’s difficult to say ‘never’, but in this instance I agree with Frank’s rules.

Of course saying ‘never’  immediately invites exceptions to the rule. Making these sort of statements also invites a search through Scouting literature to try to find things that support or unravel the idea behind the statement.

If we accept the premise that Scouting is something that Scouts create, manage and do for themselves rather than something adults present to them the rules start to make sense. Instead of looking for exceptions perhaps it would be more interesting to think of how things would change if we imposed these rules on our troop. What would happen?

via Three things you should never do 

Three Things Scouters Should Never Do for their Scouts

This edition of the Scoutmaster Podcast we discuss how Scouters and parents can prevent and treat homesickness. There’s also an answer to an email question about the the ratio if adults to Scouts on camping trips. We wrap things up with belated (honestly, is there any other kind?) good wishes for Scouting moms on mother’s day.  All this and your messages in the mailbag. Links in this Podcast: ScoutCircle ScoutmasterCG YouTube Channel

Scoutmaster Podcast 171 – Homesickness

Before the ceremony a couple of weeks ago I asked the Eagle candidates and their parents to step into a side room for a minute.

I hand each family a velvet covered box.

“We’ll have mom practice pinning the Eagle medal on their son’s left pocket flap first” I announce.

Three moms pick up an Eagle medal and pin it on their son.

“It’s not as easy as it looks, is it?” one laughs as her husband bends down to pick up a fumbled pin back off the carpet.

“No, it isn’t,” I reply “that’s why we have this little rehearsal.”

Not as easy as it looks? That’s an understatement.

The years that led up to this moment started when a little boy came home excitedly talking about something called Cub Scouts.

From that point on it was a blur of den meetings, pack meetings, overnights and trips. A tear wiped away as that little boy stood on a stage and got his first badge, and his second, and his tenth. All of them have to be sewn somewhere, but before too long he’d outgrown his shirt and they all had to be sewn on again.

Boy Scouts? Camping? When are they going? Where is this happening? What will they be doing? You have to get food for how many? This weekend!?

It seemed like months passed rather than years and that little boy grew up. Now he tramps through the house in muddy boots, reeking of campfire and tosses a backpack full of clean clothes he never wore on the kitchen floor before he opens the fridge.

Sure there have been arguments, disappointments, fears and doubts; but there have moments of pride, moments of amazement, (He did what? How come I can’t get him to do that at home!?), and lots of love.

Somehow we made it through, somewhere along a little boy grew into this person standing here, taller than his mother, and she is pinning an Eagle medal on his shirt.

“If you look there’s a pin for dad, we’ll have the Scout pin that on dad next” I continue, and there’s a little more fumbling around and a nervous laugh or two.

“We save the best for last,” I say (there’s always a catch in my voice when I do),” There’s a pin for mom too.”

Within the next hour there will be nervous smiles and a few tears as the moment approaches. We’ll all stand on a stage and a big lanky kid will haltingly pin a small token of his appreciation, of our appreciation, on his mother. Then, to her amazement, in spite of the fact that his friends are looking on, he’ll give her a hug and a kiss and say; ‘Thanks mom”.

From all the Scouting sons out there: thanks mom! Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy (Scout) Mother’s Day!

What are your expectations for summer camp merit badges?

To most of us and to nearly all of our Scouts the central feature of the week at camp is earning merit badges.

But what if it wasn’t?

What if Scouts exchanged earning summer camp merit badges for learning and doing the things that actually interest them, the kind of things that Scouts do, instead ?

Want to take your patrol on an overnight hike in some remote part of camp? Want to learn to swim, shoot a rifle, how to identify plants, learn about the stars, cook in a dutch oven, learn to tie a dozen knots, cut and split a half a pile of fire wood, make a sheath for your ax, a belt, or a candle lantern? How about studying the interrelationships of the natural environment or how to find your way with (or without) a map and compass?

I could go on and on, but you get the idea, right? I served as a camp staff member and camp director for a dozen years and I’ve spent nearly thirty summer camp weeks as a Scoutmaster. Like most troops we’ll be headed for summer camp soon.

What if  our troop of 25 Scouts came home with  ten or fifteen completed merit badges and a big pile of partially completed ones. What would happen then?

Calm down, now, play along with me for a bit.

We adults have pretty much decided that anything less than ’x’ number of completed badges is a failure on the part of the Scout, the camp, the counselor or all three.

Scratch the surface of any conversation about a camp’s merit badge program and you’ll hear the same old chestnuts that have been topics of conversation for at least the last thirty years I have been around (and I would guess even more);

• There aren’t enough Eagle required badges to attract older Scouts.
• There aren’t enough ‘easy’ merit badges for younger Scouts.
• Younger Scouts shouldn’t be allowed to do some merit badges.
• Younger Scouts should be required to do some merit badges.
• Counselors are too young, too old,  too demanding, too easy, don’t know the subject well enough, don’t do the requirements properly.
• The camp doesn’t have the right, proper or sufficient equipment or facilities.
• There’s no ‘quality control’ (as if we were manufacturing widgets of some kind).
• There’s not enough time for ‘classes’, there’s too many Scouts in a given ‘class’.

Some adults even end up hollering at a sixteen year old counselor as if he’s a tenured professor. They  complain to the camp director, the program director, the area director and through around plenty of snide remarks about ‘merit badge mills’. Let’s face it we adults can make a real mess of things because (to my mind at least) we have totally missed the point of merit badges and the possibilities of a week at camp.

The really frustrating thing is that the expectations of  adults  drive the very problems that upset them!

Because we adults insist that our Scouts leave camp with ‘x’ number of badges (and no partials!) we pressure the camp staff to produce. Under this pressure the staff does everything it can to meet these expectations. One marker for success becomes the number of blue cards they sign. This makes counselors focus everything they do on getting the dang-nab merit badge work done.  When this happens Scouts become a grubby little hand reaching out for a blue card with the implicit threat of an over-tired, stressed Scoutmaster demanding explanations and hollering.

As a counselor I know that this pressure can turn something you love into something you learn to hate. Once a counselor passes this point their instruction becomes perfunctory and Scouts become an onerous burden rather than a welcome challenge. A counselor with a merit badge that is popular, or otherwise looked on as ‘important’  can end up with thirty or more Scouts in a merit badge session and has to default to impersonal academic practices to have any chance of getting this crowd of Scouts through the badge.

All of these problems are  a result of the expectations imposed upon a camp staff  by adult Scouters. Scouts don’t know any better, they know what we tell them and, by and large, we tell them that summer camp is all about earning merit badges.

Scouts love Scouting, they love the outdoors and they love a challenge. What if we disconnected the things they want to do from the requirements for merit badges? What if we let them map out their own week at camp?

Why should  they only do things that are requirements for a badge on a schedule with twenty or thirty other Scouts and an over-worked, over-stressed counselor who spends the lion’s share of their energy trying to maintain order? Why must they do all the requirements for the badge at camp even if they aren’t particularly great things to do at camp? Why spend any of those precious hours at camp attending classes, writing reports,  filling out work sheets, and taking tests?

I think advancement is important, merit badges are important, I think they are a great way to learn about the many different subjects that they represent. I wonder, though, have we lost the spark of inspiration that created them? Have we regimented and legislated that spark out of the process altogether?

What if, instead of emphasizing  earning badges we started thinking about inspiring the love of learning and inquiry? What would our Scouts do with an opportunity like that?

Rethinking Summer Camp Merit Badges