I have found a HH Cub at a discounted price, and we will see how he likes it. I think he could get about five years of use out it. Noah tarps were also on sale this weekend on WOOT so I picked up one at each size. Even if we use the fly that comes with the cub, the Noah tarps will be good to have on Pack campouts. I also decided that I would get a Dutch netless for myself. Thank you all for your input.
I would make sure that the pack allows it. Mine won't ( I am really trying to change that).
It will not be a problem. Can I ask why your pack does not allow it? Do they allow the adults to camp in hammocks?
My son's Boy Scout troop won't allow hammocks either. Yet all their tents leak. He really wants to bring his Hennessy but can't. I think all the reservations they go to don't allow them, so the troop doesn't.Originally Posted by mahaney
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They say because of the no children sleep alone rule that he has to sleep in a tent. When I asked if I could sleep in a hammock next to the tent things got a little vague. Luckily I am taking the training to take over the pack and will address this issue with the local council and find out what their thoughts are.
Of course, this is the same pack who generally do glamping, not camping. I seem to see a pattern of if there isn't running water and bathrooms, they tend to not camp there. Just something else I am trying bring them around on...If I can take a poop in a bathroom, its not camping
J
I am the Cubmaster for my sons' pack, but we have had leaders before me that used hammocks, and we have at least 3 or 4 other leaders that prefer hammocks as well. Running water and a bathroom are normally the requirements for a "council approved site", and you must use these sites for Cubscouts "family camping". For Webelos the rules change somewhat base on the "age appropriate activities" and some additional training by the leaders.
My younger son is a tiger this year and I do not think he would be ready yet to be in a hammock overnight. So I can see a rule in place for younger scouts, because some people will lack common sense or do not know how to tell there child no. Anytime we go to a site I am not familiar with, I bring both my tent and my hammock. Some more places we camp are more open fields and do not have trees to hang on. Since becoming Cubmaster I do try scout the areas we camp before I bring the whole pack. But again you may have some folks that do not plan ahead and be prepared to go to ground.
If you approach the Scout Leaders with an "option" for hammocks, maybe this can work.
Use hammock stands like a TDS or metal bipod(there are some good ones here). Each one can have their own tarp and all can be close together in rows or you can make a tarp for 2 hammock config or 3 hammock config.
2 hammock tarp would look just like a tent with the hammocks parallel to each other.
3 hammock, use 3 TDS tripods and 3 ridgepoles.
You can custom make your tarps for each config and chronicle the tarp build so you can make it a Scout project.
Show these to the Scout Leaders for testing and laying in them and maybe for approval.
Enjoy and have fun with your family,before they have fun without you
It seems that the OP has found a solution, but I'll toss my 2 cents in still on both the original and now new issues here. Background, I have been a scout parent, den leader, Committee Chair, Cubmaster, and Scoutmaster for the last 8 years, and I am pretty active with both my pack and troop as I have a son in each (1 currently Webelos).
As a Webelos there is a bit more flexibility in camping than a pack a whole, and while any pack/charter can camp as they like, BALOO is pretty clear that flushing toilets are 100% required for Cub Scout Activities. This does not seem to apply to Webelos attending Boy Scout Activities which is a bit of a grey area. So yes cub scout camping is required to be a more glamping and bit less rustic. While I don't know of any specific temp off the top of my head, most councils seems to accept that below 50 degrees F cubs need to have an indoor option. My council cub family camp hit 25 degrees this past fall and we still spent the night. So, it's also effected by who is in charge. At family camp the onus is on the parents to make the final decision and not the Unit or council. Giving any event the "Family" qualifier removes a significant amount of the burden off the unit and leadership. Now, most camps also have a rule that cubs are not to sleep alone. They should ideally be with another cub, or with their own parent. In a slightly open hammock, there can be some debate that this doesn't provide the cub proper privacy, which is something we as leaders need to take into consideration. My own son has hammocked at summer camp and he is fine with it, but not all boys are. Sometimes a privacy tent may need to be brought along.
Now as for a starter Webelos hammock. While I am not crazy about them, I tend to recommend a cheap Amazon or WalMart purchase for cub scouts for multiple reasons:
1) They don't camp a lot
2) They are VERY hard on their gear at this age. Better for them to learn to maintain cheap gear first just in case.
3) Their friends will want to try it out, their friends are just as hard on gear, and will forget that pocket night clipped on their belt when they jump in.
4) A Noah, or Yukon tarp to start is great. They are still lighter than a tent, and are inexpensive and rugged. Great for them to learn on.
5) A converted Sleeping bag for TQ/UQ or PeaPod is great. Check out the Cowboy UQ Project for a $20 UQ That will be full size for most cubs.
6) You never know when hammocks won't be an option or if they won't like it.
I know we all would like to hammock as much as we can, but there are rules that we need to follow, and sometimes outings that don't provide the best opportunities (Camporees). Once the boys move up to the troop level things get a a lot more flexible, and adventurous. We have a large number of hammockers in our troop, and find most camps are very open to the use of hammocks as long as proper tree straps are used, and a privacy shelter for changing is available.
Just my 2cents, YMMV.
"I used to be an eagle a good old eagle too . . ."
My son is Webelos 1 this year and I'm the den leader. He and I exclusively camp in hammocks now and I haven't had a single issue/complaint about it. In fact, now that we do that, two other families in the den have also converted to hammock. He's using an old Eagles Nest Singlenest, a Fronkey style bugnet, and a PLUQ. The PLUQ, since he's a little guy, is more than full length for him and has kept him toasty down to the low 30's. He and I tandem sleep under the same Noah 12 using a spreader pole and it works really well. Once we start backpacking with Boy Scouts in a couple years, I'll upgrade him to a proper UQ (probably a Jarbidge) and get him a decent tarp.
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