Scout Leaders?

**5thracer** · 06-27-2011, 01:41

Canadian Scout leader and Venture adviser here... its one of my ventures that got me into the hammock camping. Have I ever thanked you Simon? 95% of our scouts and ventures are now hammock campers! Time to throw out the tents and buy more hammocks!

And my wife keeps reminding me, I've spent the last 8 weekends at scouting camps.

But I've got a weekend off before the week long camp

**rnr** · 06-27-2011, 11:23

Bobwhite here. I've also been in scouting for many years, SM ASM crew leader committee member etc over the years.

I've got one leader in a hammock and a couple kids. And on scout camp outpost, all the other kids are jealous of the boys who borrow my hammock. So it'll spread...

**Navigator** · 06-27-2011, 14:51

I'm an ASM with a troop of 60 Scouts. Just got back from summer camp on Saturday. This year we took 35 scouts and 6 adults. We had one adult (me) and four Scouts in hammocks. On Monday I took some ripstop nylon, tree straps and a couple of nylon truck straps and showed a few of them how to make a simple knotted gathered-end hammock. The Scouts fought over who got to sleep in it the rest of the week. Even let a couple of leaders take spins in my rig to see how it felt. Maybe we'll have some new hangers soon.

**harrell79cj5** · 06-28-2011, 10:16

I am an ASM in my local troop. I have the Scoutmaster about converted and many of the boys are interested as I have just introduced them to the 'Unofficial Hammock Camping Merit Badge'!

**pjmontymn** · 07-11-2011, 15:11

Woodbadger from C-44-06 in MN here! Have taken a hammock to Summer camp for years. Never used it at night though. Used it during my OA Ordeal weekend with a poly tarp fleece sleeping bag (got down to 40 and rained) so I could walk in the morning instead of being completely useless with my back problems. It was the first time getting up in the morning without a back ache since my son was a Tiger (now 15 and an Eagle!) not to mention being out in the field in the Army. Learned of this forum from an older Scouter that weekend and so much more from everyone here.

Plan to start making more gear to go along with what I have. Made some snake skins so far and want to make T&BQs in time for our next Fall Camporee. Also, want to make a winter tarp for Winter Camporee.

Hope to make some converts of the Scouts and Scouters in my Troop soon.

**obmit** · 07-11-2011, 15:37

I'm been a CM, Webelos Den Leader and I am currently an ASM. So far I have only converted one of the adults to hammocking but have had many inquiries.

**tygr** · 07-13-2011, 10:30

I am technically the Scoutmaster, however my wife refers to me as the "Master of Scouts."

Troop 1567
Utah National Parks Council

**medinacaver** · 07-13-2011, 15:31

Alamo Area Council - San Antonio, TX
Den Leader, CubMaster, Asst ScoutMaster, Merit Badge Counselor, cook, driver, dishwasher, finder of lost shoes. Remember, it's only one hour a week.

Hooked my son on hanging years ago. My brother is traveling solo by foot, bike and ferry boat to Alaska and I convinced him that hanging was the way to go. I am getting reports from him that he is getting the best sleep in years.

As my son and I set up our hammocks, the kids and adults from the Troop have inquired as to the comfort and convenince of hammocks, but are not convinced.

Many of the camping sites we go to do not have enough trees. And they want all the scouts to stay together. I am not sure hanging works with really large groups in a small camping areas.

Medinacaver

**mbcruzin** · 07-13-2011, 21:57

I'm an ASM here in South Carolina. On my first summer camp weekend I bought my hammock bliss single down at the trading post (it was only 20 bucks). Every time i turned my back there was a scout in my hammock. So parents night came and after telling the kids to go get there own for the last 4 days there had to be about 15-20 hammocks in camp that night. And the best part ........ they were all silent.

**s2sailor** · 07-14-2011, 14:21

Long time scouter here as well with two sons. Started as a Cub Scout leader of my oldest son's den then became committee chair of the pack when he bridged over while I finished cub scouting with the youngest one and then became ASM for the troop and have not looked back. The youngest son just aged out but I still do the backpacking trips for the troop. My years with the troop have been wonderful and very rewarding but I'm getting close to the point where it is time to hand the reins over to someone new and start focusing more on family related trips.

I discovered hammocking late in my scouting career ... it was just last year while I was preparing for a Sea Base trip that I investigated hammocking and made the switch ... all I can say is boy do I wish I discovered it earlier. I think back to all of the summer camps and trips that would have been even more enjoyable if I had a hammock.

Some of the boys in the troop hammock camp, but not many, still preferring to share the space of a tent with a friend or two and yuck it up into the wee hours of the morning. I'm probably old school in this thinking (and heretical for this forum) but I feel that hammocking should be reserved for the older boys. I think it is best for the younger scouts to start off learning tenting skills and reinforcing the buddy system and then moving to hammocks after they have learned the basics. Our troop discourages solo tents for the same reason.

I've run the backpacking program for about ten years and found it challenging enough getting 30+ scouts moving in the morning when all they had to do was roll up a tent with their buddy and load their packs. With the little extra fussing required for hammocks, and with each scout having their own, it could be a challenge getting a large group of young hammock campers moving. Certainly not impossible, especially with training and a smaller group, but would be quite the challenge with some of the knuckleheads I've had in the troop over the years

But every troop philosophy is a little different, and usually for good reasons ... to each their own.

For those of you just starting out in your scouting careers, I envy you. You are in for a very rewarding time. When I started it was mainly to just enjoy the experience with my sons. That has been wonderful, but equally rewarding, and very unexpected, was how much fulfillment and enjoyment I received helping and mentoring the other boys and watching them mature and advance to eagle. Seeing kids that you have known since they were 11 (or even earlier, in addition to your own son(s)) grow up, mature and head to college is a rewarding experience. The time passes quickly ... savor the moments.