Cub Scout hiking kit ideas?

SDS

SDS

Joined
Oct 22, 2007
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Yes, another "what would you put in this kit" thread. I know these kinds of threads are pretty much done to death but you guys are my best source of ideas for this one. I am a assistant pack leader for Cub Scouts and more specifically I lead a den of Wolf cubs. These boys are 2nd graders, typically 7-8 yr. olds.

We are about to finish up our required achievements for the boys to earn their Wolf badge and after that I get to do more elective stuff. I really want to get the boys outdoors hiking and just doing some general woods bumming. Obviously safety is paramount and to that end I would like to have each boy build himself a small kit that he can carry with him while we are out and about.

I have ordered up a bunch of keychain lights and whistles will be included. I'd also like to add some band-aids and little things like that. I want these kits to be small but easy to carry. The method of carry is where I'm stuck.

My two kids each have their "go-necklace". It's just a ball-chain necklace with an ID tag (with phone numbers), keychain light (white light), whistle, and another keychain light (shines in varying rainbow colors-this one is for fun). They know that when we are out hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, or just traveling these go with them everywhere. They are not allowed out of hotel rooms without them and they know what they are for.

The Cub Scout kits may end up being something that simple if necessary. I was hoping to carry a few other items as well though. I have considered a belt pouch of some sort but after looking, very few kids this age wear a belt. I could start requiring that they wear their Cub Scout belt and that would solve that issue.

Another idea I had was for a sort of "medicine pouch" to be worn around the neck.

I'm wide open to ideas and suggestions on this one. I'd like to keep the cost down as I usually just buy this stuff to give the boys but I don't want to waste money on junk either.

Since you guys are my "go to" source for this kind of thing here I am.

Thanks,
SDS
 
I am an 11 year old scout leader and had a similar experience. We always have our Troop Kit if we're outdoors but I too wanted each boy to have his own. We put in (each kit) a firepiston (that we made), cotton balls/petroleum jelly, mini bic, whistle, char-cloth, band-aids and a piece of cloth to use as a sling or whatever else they needed. I required belts to be worn and we wove paracord to secure it to the belts (and to have the paracord available if they needed it). Most boys also added a pocket-knife. It was a little bulky (used cheap digital camera cases from walmart) but each kid really loved theirs and still talk about them.

Good luck!
 
Depends on how much you want to put in it. If it's just bare essentials, you could go with a slim pouch they can put in their pocket, possibly with a lanyard and carabiner to clip it onto their belt loops. If you want to put a bit more in I'd go with a belt pouch (One that attaches with alice clips etc so you can take it on and off quickly and without removing the belt).
 
Amcardon, I like that idea but I think these boys may be a little young for some of those things. Although, if they get used to carrying their kit now we can adjust it as they get older. I'll likely be with this group of boys throughout their scouting career (for lack of a better term).

Bmgillies, I like the idea of a slim pouch. Maybe even something like a nylong knife pouch. I will check the Scout shop for ideas. This will probably be a very basic kit with band aids, small flashlight, and whistle. Maybe a few jolly rancher candies just to keep the kids interested but not much more than that for now.

I know that the Scout shop has a really neat little belt pouch with belt that would work great. Unfortunately that rig costs over $20 and I just don't think it's worth that.

I like the idea of a nylon knife pouch though.

Thanks,
SDS
 
why not use an altoid or sucrets tin? it would fit in a back pocket and not be too bulky, and should hold most of what you're describing.
 
You can find the plastic "GI style" canteens with holder for about $5, the holder usually has a small pocket on it that you could put a light, and bo-bo kit in. Fit the canteen holder with a rope shoulder strap or show the kids parents the correct web belt to get.
 
SDS,
A couple of things... BSA "allows" Wolf/Bear Cubs to carry a knife after they have earned their Whittlin' Chip. If you haven't gone there yet, it MIGHT be something for to consider and plan for in your kit design. My wife is a den leader of Webelo 1 cubs and they did their whittlin' chip training during Bear year.
As a Scoutmaster, I am ALWAYS preaching 10 essentials to my scouts whenever we venture forth...

Also, you might peruse Doug Ritter's site (equipped.org) for thoughts on ... Kits for Kids
 
I don't know what you're even allowed to give them these days, but when I was a Cub, we all carried a Cub Scout knife.

One thing I highly recommend is a brew kit.
You can go GI Surplus (we did) and get a canteen, canteen cup, stove and pouch (MOLLE pouches are better and work with a normal belt better, and have two pouches that are larger than the one in the ALICE pouches, which are only big enough for a bottle of iodine tablets). They may not need the stove, but it's aluminum and weighs nothing, and you may get to using it later, and it definitely something they can use for their whole life. Use one pocket to hold a bandanna the other can hold drink mix, tea bags, etc.

For a little kit, the GI compass pouches are probably big enough to hold all of what you'd actually want them to have, and are generally cheap.
 
I'd have them carry a brightly collored puncho (space blanket, trash bag) in their back pocket and a baggie of trail mix in another pocket. I think it's also a good idea for them to begin getting in the habit of carrying a compass along with their whistle. They'll need a waterbottle or cantene they can sling over their shoulder.

If they're going out for a while, they'll need a daypack with a sweater and lunch.

I think the adult leaders, on the other hand, have to load up. I carried a fannypack with a crew level first aid kit, fire making kit, repair kit, extra trail mix, and cantene cup up through venture crew outings - and have had to use it.

I think the most important think you should impress on them is that, if they get seperated, DON'T LEAVE THE TRAIL! If they're on the trail, you can always back track and find them.

You're starting a great trip, SDS. My wolf is now a silver eagle and a sophmore in college. Scouting gave us both a lifetime of memories.
 
What we did with our Wolves and Tigers was to make a neckerchief slide using a film canister, a red cross sticker, and a small piece of pvc sliced into a ring and glued to the back of the canister.

They can put a few bandaids and other small items (maybe a piece of hard candy) in there and it adds so little weight they won't notice it there.

I have two boys in my den that use those slides at every meeting. Others have gone back to the brass buckle type but those boys come a bit more prepared than the rest. :)

You could even get some of those bobber light glowsticks as they'd easily fit inside the canister.

B
 
I'm going to have to watch this thread for ideas. I'm a new Asst Den Leader for some Bear Scouts.
 
Paracord merc rig:

Convenient method to carrying anyway, very cheap, seconds to make, no strangle hazard.

Small Tupperware box or similar:

Guessing you must be able to get a bulk pack of small ones cheap at Walmart or somewhere.

Kiddies sox:

Instant bag, perhaps with Winnie The Pooh or whatever on. Sew on a clip and you have a method to attach Tupperware to paracord.
 
I think cheap .5l to 1 litre fanny packs/pouch would be ideal for you. Solves the no belt issue and they can wear them cross shoulder. It will give room for spaceblanket, tiny cup, snacks etc.

My survival kit is packed into a .9litre mec pouch. Forced myself to limit kit to whatever I can fit inside.
My dad was a leader for 20 years for all 3 of us boys.

His favourite container for small survival kits was an international coffee tin. Small, sturdy with a lid. They hold up to numerous cookings and can be had cheap to free. Fits in a pouch quite well and waterproof.

He would have us make fires in groups of 4 to conserve wood and everyone had to boil water in their own container for hot chocolate packs.

He also had us carry a space blanket and 2 large trash bags-
one which had arm and head holes precut and taped for strength.
It was a meeting project and were used all the time with our poncho blanket . A lot of our cubs/scouts were quite poor and our gear choices were tailored to fit.

Our troop leaders had us use our kits frequently, we went to a creek valley just outside of the city once a month for field practice and a hike.

It sure helped that he ran trapline, taught first aid and grew up in a northern frontier town. Not every troop is lucky enough to have adults like him and our forum members.
He was the only experienced woodsman out of the leaders and volunteered after seeing how well intentioned but inept they were when I started.
Seriously looking into giving a hand now that I am married with kids coming in a couple years.
Lead and teach

great thread
 
First I want to thank everyone for the suggestions and ideas. I'm going to try to hit a surplus store or two to see what is available as well as looking for a few of the other items mentioned above.

I like the idea of a canteen kit since we will most likely need water wherever we are too. Ideally something that can attach to a canteen may work great so they can carry it to places that a canteen isn't necessary.

To everyone who has boys in scouting, please help out those den leaders. It may not seem like a big deal but getting a meeting ready every week is taxing at best. I don't have an assistant so it's just pretty much me. Help when you can. It makes a big difference.

I had considered the pocket knife and the fire kit but with schools the way they are these days I'm still trying to decide what to do on that one. The school here is really good about including the scouts in school activities. I just really want to keep that going well and as much as I'm not pro-political correctness, to a degree it's a necessary evil.

I realize I won't have a bunch of little bushmen but I sure want to get these boys away from concrete and paved streets as much as I can. Who knows, if I can keep them interested they may turn into some pretty decent woodsmen in a few years.

Thanks again for the input so far and I'm wide open to any suggestions.
SDS
 
I have a few little mesh zipper bags of different sizes that I use for toiletries for airline travel, small camera gear, and fire-starting stuff in my backpack. I think I got them at the Container Store. They're cheap, lightweight, and the smaller ones (3" x 4") lay flat -- they could work well on a neck lanyard or a biner clip, or fit in a kid's back pocket.
 
I have seen a LOT of different,small military pouches
(ammo pouches) that were pretty cheap. 4 or 5 bucks.
most included 2 of those long Alice clips.
MGR-275_A.jpg

is an example.
If you have an army surplus store in your town,check them out.
also,and seriously,check out your local
Dollar Buster ,Dollar Tree or whatever its called in your area.
Lotta great ideas can be found ion those isles!
little bags,whistles,mirrors,all kinds of stuff.

Any dangerous/poisonous creatures/plants in your area?
maybe have them print out tiny pictures and laminate them
into small BOLO books.... (Be On the Look Out)

Heh,I better stop.
Have fun and teach them well.
Thanks!
 
I would tend to shy away from a neck based kit with all those kids. A pocket kit or a belt pouch based kit would prevent the possibility that one of them might strangle himself. I think you have a good start on the contents.
 
The Scouts sell these belt pouches, I like them.

mike205.jpg


Contents:
mike206.jpg


They also market a small "survival back pack", but I haven't handled one. A while back, Laurence Gonzales wrote an article in Scouting magazine with a bunch of gear recommendations.
 
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