Page 1 of 12 12311 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 111
  1. #1
    Senior Member Just Jeff's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Charlottesville, VA
    Hammock
    Blackbird
    Tarp
    MacCat Standard
    Insulation
    Winter Yeti, MWUQ4
    Suspension
    Whoopie Slings
    Posts
    7,924
    Images
    32

    Boy Scouts and Hammocks

    I know folks who are involved in Boy Scouts are introducing their troops to hammocks, but BSA is getting even smarter...page 225 of their 2004 Fieldbook (I think it's the most current one) has a picture of a guy in a Clark, with the following caption.

    Hammock A hammock designed for tropical camping is essentially a small shelter complete with mosquito netting and a pitched nylon roof to shed the rain.
    And the Scout shop in Fayetteville even had ENOs in there! I'm pretty impressed...but we still have to show them you can hammock in the dead of winter.
    “Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall when the wise are banished from the public councils because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.” ~Judge Joseph Story

    - My site: http://www.tothewoods.net/
    - Designer, Jeff's Gear Hammock / Pack Cover by JRB

    IMPOSSIBLE JUST TAKES LONGER

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    New Orleans, LA
    Posts
    3,554
    Images
    57
    Come on, it would not be the Scouts unless you had 50 lbs in an external frame pack with a heavy tent. Or at least that is what I remember of the hikes I went on in the 90's.
    Is that too much to ask? Girls with frikkin' lasers on their heads?
    The hanger formly known as "hammock engineer".

  3. #3
    slowhike's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Winston-Salem, NC
    Hammock
    DIY, gathered end , w/ spreader
    Tarp
    JRB Universal
    Insulation
    DAM/ HG Incubator
    Suspension
    Webbing and rings
    Posts
    11,677
    Images
    319
    Quote Originally Posted by hammock engineer View Post
    Come on, it would not be the Scouts unless you had 50 lbs in an external frame pack with a heavy tent. Or at least that is what I remember of the hikes I went on in the 90's.
    yeah, a small, canvas, pup tent that became a bath tub when it rained

    several times now i've herd talk about troops w/ several of their guys (& leaders) using hammocks.
    maybe we can start to get the word out to BSA troops about hammock forums.
    but it might be a good idea to get the basic hammocking videos in place first though.
    and maybe a few more articles (followed by discussion) covering some of the questions that most every beginner has.
    I too will something make and joy in it's making

  4. #4
    Senior Member neo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    nashville,tennessee
    Hammock
    DD modular jungle hammock
    Tarp
    wilderness logics
    Insulation
    wilderness logics
    Suspension
    whoopie sling
    Posts
    4,434
    Images
    297
    Quote Originally Posted by Just Jeff View Post
    I know folks who are involved in Boy Scouts are introducing their troops to hammocks, but BSA is getting even smarter...page 225 of their 2004 Fieldbook (I think it's the most current one) has a picture of a guy in a Clark, with the following caption.



    And the Scout shop in Fayetteville even had ENOs in there! I'm pretty impressed...but we still have to show them you can hammock in the dead of winter.
    one scout in our troop has a lawson hammock,it doubles as a tent on the ground,he had never set it up,so my youngest son hung it for him neo

    http://theconsumerlink.com/LawsonHam.../TCL+BRCH-C/10

    i just wish i had took a picture of it

  5. #5
    Senior Member Just Jeff's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Charlottesville, VA
    Hammock
    Blackbird
    Tarp
    MacCat Standard
    Insulation
    Winter Yeti, MWUQ4
    Suspension
    Whoopie Slings
    Posts
    7,924
    Images
    32
    What's funny is that I remember my old Boy Scout Handbook talking about lightweight backpacking. It said that every time you come back from a trip, you should make three piles from your gear - stuff you used every day, stuff you used every now and then, and stuff you never used. "The wise Scout will take only the first pile on the next trip." But that's not how it turns out when overzealous and overprotective parents have liability for 25 kids in the woods that they're barely comfortable in themselves. That's why I took what I needed from the Handbook and dropped out of Scouts.

    But as you say, I've heard several Scout leaders talking about introducing their troops to hammocks and lightweight backpacking. Specifically for hammocks, they talked about how they had to create new camping "doctrine" for their troops, re-examining things like the buddy system (can't sleep two boys in one shelter) and campsite selection to accomodate ground dwellers and hangers.

    Little by little. We shall overcome...
    “Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall when the wise are banished from the public councils because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.” ~Judge Joseph Story

    - My site: http://www.tothewoods.net/
    - Designer, Jeff's Gear Hammock / Pack Cover by JRB

    IMPOSSIBLE JUST TAKES LONGER

  6. #6
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Deep East Tx
    Hammock
    Claytor
    Tarp
    Black Cat
    Insulation
    Exped 7
    Suspension
    straps
    Posts
    77
    Images
    7
    Hey guys,
    TxUlrich and I are one step ahead of you. We take our hammocks on all our troop campouts - every month! We've been through storms, blistering heat, and down below freezing a couple of times ~ 28F. We've even taken them to summer camp for a week. My son has an HH and loves it and takes it when he & I go out. For weekend campouts with the troop though, he usually tents with a couple of other guys.
    Our problem is having enough good trees to handle the size of our troop, usually 25-35 Scouts plus adult leaders (4-8 adults). Might have to start hauling our stands.
    We'll keep preaching the word and making converts!

    Tango61

  7. #7
    slowhike's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Winston-Salem, NC
    Hammock
    DIY, gathered end , w/ spreader
    Tarp
    JRB Universal
    Insulation
    DAM/ HG Incubator
    Suspension
    Webbing and rings
    Posts
    11,677
    Images
    319
    Quote Originally Posted by Tango61 View Post
    Hey guys,
    TxUlrich and I are one step ahead of you. We take our hammocks on all our troop campouts - every month! We've been through storms, blistering heat, and down below freezing a couple of times ~ 28F. We've even taken them to summer camp for a week. My son has an HH and loves it and takes it when he & I go out. For weekend campouts with the troop though, he usually tents with a couple of other guys.
    Our problem is having enough good trees to handle the size of our troop, usually 25-35 Scouts plus adult leaders (4-8 adults). Might have to start hauling our stands.
    We'll keep preaching the word and making converts!

    Tango61
    you guys keep up the good work. i believe the number one reason people don't learn to enjoy the out doors (& respect it) is because they haven't learned how to live well out doors.
    sleeping in a hammock is living well !!!
    I too will something make and joy in it's making

  8. #8
    Senior Member TDunc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Charlotte, NC
    Hammock
    DIY - Depends on time of year.
    Tarp
    DIY 10x12 cat cut
    Insulation
    Down/Synthetic
    Posts
    252
    Images
    9
    Scouting is not that far behind the times. Heavy packs and long hikes have given way to lighter is better.

    If you research anything about Badden Powell (the founder of Boy Scouts) you will find a picture associated with most records and guess what... It is of him in a hammock... GO FIGURE.

    Our troop has several that hammock camp when they can. www.scoutstuff.org has had ENO's for several years. My son and myself were the only two dry the next morning a few weekends ago when it started raining at 9pm and did not stop till after breakfast... Most of the kids wanted to spend time UNDER my tarp.
    I especially like it when I have my late night potty break. I still stayed dry.
    Most will be converted soon... My son will see to that.

    Happy hangin'
    Asst Scoutmaster Troop 51
    Last edited by TDunc; 07-03-2007 at 21:23. Reason: spelling

  9. #9
    Senior Member sk8rs_dad's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Ottawa,ON
    Hammock
    WBBB 1.1 DL
    Tarp
    WB Big MJ
    Insulation
    JRB Nest, HR & MW4
    Posts
    258
    Images
    5
    I brought my HH explorer to our area camporee and was the only hammock there out of 1,000 campers. Two weeks later I brought it to a council cub event. When I was hanging it another leader shouted across from the other side of the pond, "Is that a Hennessy? I'm thinking of getting one." Two weeks later I'm at our group's linking camp and another leader and a scout have got their own hammocks, the venturer company is thinking about it, and the Council Rover crew is getting real serious about it.

    The other leader is hanging in a tree this week at Opemikon and he's off to the Canadian Jamboree at the end of the month so another 8,000 or so scouts, venturers, rovers, and leaders will get exposed to hammock camping.

    ... and they'll tell two friends, and so on, and so on,...

    Maybe I'll write an article for "Leader Magazine" about hammock camping in Algonquin Park. It goes to every leader in Canada.

  10. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    New Orleans, LA
    Posts
    3,554
    Images
    57
    Keep up the good work spreading the word to the scouts. I thought about volunteering when I get back, but it is a slipery slope. Pretty soon they would have me every weekend.
    Is that too much to ask? Girls with frikkin' lasers on their heads?
    The hanger formly known as "hammock engineer".

  • + New Posts
  • Page 1 of 12 12311 ... LastLast

    Similar Threads

    1. Boy Scouts and hammocks
      By doogie in forum Trip Reports
      Replies: 53
      Last Post: 08-14-2014, 23:05
    2. Scouts for my Scouts
      By Mumbles in forum Hennessy Hammocks
      Replies: 3
      Last Post: 09-08-2013, 17:51
    3. Boy Scouts and hammocks
      By TyGuy in forum General Hammock Talk
      Replies: 58
      Last Post: 12-08-2011, 20:55
    4. Seat Hammocks, Spreader Bar Hammocks, & Portable Hammocks For Sale!
      By HammocksofCostaRica in forum Other Vendors and Services
      Replies: 1
      Last Post: 09-23-2011, 13:18
    5. Scouts and Hammocks
      By txulrich in forum General Hammock Talk
      Replies: 24
      Last Post: 05-19-2008, 12:15

    Tags for this Thread

    Bookmarks

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •