Please Provide Feedback on Our Gear List for Philmont

[Aubrey W. Bogard]

Scouters,

Please review the document linked below and provide constructive feedback based upon your experiences.  Many thanks in advance for your support.

Troop 326 Philmont Backpacking Gear v3.0

[Bruce Kolkebeck]

Its a long one. I gotta print it out, sit down and read this one. When you going?

 

BK

Contingent Leader 2000, 2003,2007,2010, 2013

 

[Bruce Tolley]

The Philmont food can easily be repackaged to fit in normal sized packs and at most you only have 3 or 4 nights between re-supply.  A lot of the food can also be left at the commissary trading bin once the Scouts know what they like or dislike to eat. In other words, 45 to 60 liter packs should be fine.

Unless you are camping on top of Mt Phillips most of your nights will be in the 40s and higher.  My crew was fine with bags rated at 20 to 30 degrees.  Some of us did where a fleece or down vest during the coldest night on Mt Phillips.

Many of our adult leaders slept in tarp tents from Henry Shires or other cottage manufacturers that came in at 1 to 1.5 lbs per person. So I think your tent weights are a bit high. Some of the widely available 2P tents now from Big Agnes can also get you into the 1.5 lb per person range.

The common gear is another area to save weight.

 

 

[Bruce Kolkebeck]

You have put together a very thorough list. I too never had a need for more than a fleece jacket in the treks I’ve taken in the past. When the wind blows on top of Baldy just my rain gear and fleece handled it all.

Folks that frequent this website are pretty much UL hikers. Philmont is not. The food they pack is pretty heavy. My kids tend to be pretty hungry. They brought everything and ate all of it with the exception of the Bandito Scramble. The food is incredibly heavy and some times in cans. My Golite Jam 70 just didn’t have the capacity to handle the weight. Its funny how the Kelty Trekker packs handled the weight much better than the UL packs. Definitely not UL but with ropes, heavy food, pots and Philtents you need the support and capacity.

You have made a wonderful list and I’m sure you know what’s best. My advice is don’t be afraid to recommend a specific product or model. Parents get confused sometimes. They just want the facts. I just got done with Camping Merit Badge for some of my kids and I could see their eyes glaze over on different choices concerning equipment. The adults at the same time ate it up. Just telll them what they should have.

Good luck and great list. Hope you don’t mind if I circulate this list among my leaders?

BK

616 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Aubrey W. Bogard]

Thanks for the feedback guys.  I really appreciate it.  Our trek is in early July.  Feel free to use the list.  I plan to make a couple more tweaks, and then I’ll update the Google document.  I’m making a companion spreadsheet as well.

[Michael Ray]

My Golite Jam 70 just didn’t have the capacity to handle the weight.

FWIW, my son had no problem with his Jam 70, but I had added some corrugated plastic to has back panel to provide more support since I knew he’d be carrying more than we normally do and that he was going to be helping carry even extra to help lighten the female crew leader’s load. He’s a big boy though (outweighs me by 60!) so it may be a stretch for someone not so solid.

[bill berklich]

“My Golite Jam 70 just didn’t have the capacity to handle the weight.

I’ve had my GoLite 72L Pinnacle out to Philmont twice both with 4L water and 5 days food – no problem. And twice on the AT with 6 days. I highly recommend a Jam or Pinnacle if you can find one.

[Bruce Kolkebeck]

Buy lightweight equipment before you buy a lightweight pack. The Jam had a “one size fits all”  hipbelt and torso fit. I tried the medium, too small on my torso and moved up to a large. Hip belt too big and torso just right. Not enough adjustment in the belt and narrow shoulder straps. I had a 3 pound tent, a heavy Whisperlite, and a 3 pound sleeping bag. All have been replaced. The food was the problem. Too heavy.

I will be leaving SOBO on the AT in June. The Jam will stay home and my Quest will go. I’m a GoLite man. If you want my Jam let me know.  Advice, try the pack on with 30 pounds before you buy.

BK (Trail name Budget)

Philmont Crew Advisor 2000, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2017 and hopefully 2016 AT Thru

 

 

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