Cubs Packing List

Our day trips will typically be out on the trail (or snow, or water) while our overnight trips may or may not be at a location with water, refrigeration and cooking equipment. The adventure briefing will let you know if your Cub needs to bring their own food and water. For a simple hike (a few hours) bring approximately 1/2 liter of water per hour of hiking, and a simple snack like a granola bar, fresh fruit or trail mix. If you are asked to bring a meal to a longer event consider the food your Cub brings for lunch at school - something that does not require refrigeration or heating and is easy to clean up after. On a cold day, a warm lunch in an insulated container can help your Cub stay in good spirits.

"Vancouver is the Canadian city with the best climate and the worst weather"

- Allan Fotheringham

During most of the year our weather can be variable throughout the day. Despite the weather forecast, we recommend that your Cub always brings an extra layer for warmth and to stay dry - these can be the same piece of clothing or separate.

In the winter there are several additional requirements for safety. It is strongly recommended that no cotton (including jeans) is worn - it gets very wet and stays very wet, which is dangerous in the winter. Wool and synthetic materials are preferred. A pair of warm and water resistant gloves and a toque are required. Cubs will typically be carrying a backpack, so bringing these extra pieces of clothing is not difficult.

On a warm and dry day, running shoes are good for hiking and other activities. If it's raining (or rained recently) then rain boots are recommended. Remember that puddles and flooding can linger on a shaded trail for a long time. Hiking shoes/boots are not required for Cubs, although they do perform well in mixed weather conditions.

We will typically do one camp in each season. That means most of the camps will be "cold" weather. A sleep system includes a sleeping bag and sleeping pad, and their main function is to keep a person warm.

A sleeping bag stops heat transfer to the surrounding air by trapping air within it's insulation. The insulation can be synthetic material or down (from a duck or goose). Synthetic sleeping bags are less expensive and still partially function to keep the user warm if they get wet. Down sleeping bags are more expensive and they weigh much less and pack much smaller for the same warmth. Down loses most of it's function when it's wet. Both synthetic and down sleeping bags are rated for a temperature in which they will give you a comfortable sleep ("comfort" rating) and/or a cold sleep ("lower limit" rating), and a temperature in which they will keep you alive ("survival" rating). The testing standard for sleeping bag ratings is "EN" or "ISO" - if your bag is not labelled with one of these then assume it is not as warm as labelled. Sleeping bags can be made warmer in the winter by layering two bags together or using a quilt on top.

A sleeping pad stops heat transfer to the ground and also makes a (slightly) more comfortable surface to sleep on. In the summer when the ground is warm, the insulation properties of the sleeping pad are less important. For the rest of the year, the insulation of the sleeping pad is just as important as the insulation of the sleeping bag. Sleeping pad insulation ratings are indicated as an "R-value". An R-value of 2-3 is for Spring, Summer and Fall. An R-value above 4 is recommended for Winter. R-values are additive - if you stack two sleeping pads each with an R-value of 2, you will have a total R-value of 4. Solid foam sleeping pads and air-filled sleeping pads have their own pros and cons, and they are both acceptable for Cubs.

The Ten Essentials is a piece of conventional wisdom for outdoor adventures that has adapted over time to with improvements in technology. This list covers what you should always bring with you on an adventure in case something goes wrong or you end up being out longer than you expected. Our Scouters will carry the required safety equipment for the entire Pack, but it is a good idea to begin acquiring these items now and getting familiar with them because they will be used extensively in Scouts.

Check out the list on MEC's website here: https://www.mec.ca/en/explore/the-10-essentials-hiking-camping

The backpack is last on the list for a reason - everything else needs to fit in it. Don't buy a new backpack until you can bring all your other gear with you to make sure it fits. A regular school backpack is acceptable if the zippers work and there are no holes or tears. Children-sized "Daypacks" designed for hiking are great, but not required for Cubs (they will grow out of them quickly). MEC carries these bags in the $50-$100 price range from reputable brands like Deuter, The North Face and Osprey. Test your fully loaded backpack for comfort before you hit the trail! Adjust the straps to be snug but not too tight on the shoulders and hips (if your bag has a hip belt).

For overnight trips, it is unlikely that Cubs will be able to carry all of their own gear. If your Cub owns proper backpacking equipment, they are encouraged to try it out as often as they like. For now, packing everything in a large duffel bag or any other means of getting all of your gear to camp is acceptable. It's a good idea to pack important items like your clothes and sleep system inside a garbage bag before it goes into the carrying bag to help keep them dry.