[philmont] Boy Scout Camp Mindset

Been thinking a little since I posted the reply about Gutter Spikes.
   
  "Boy Scout Camp Mindset" is one of them. Get rid of that if you want to enjoy Philmont.
   
  One of the things that Scouters suffer from when going to Philmont is "make it heavy duty so it will last". I am one of those guys who is a firm believer in "heave duty" is better, but not when it comes to backpacking.
   
  Ya gotta change your way oi thinking from that to "Backpacking Mindset".
   
  "Boy Scout Camp Mindset" is things like "heavy duty", "I beam tent stakes", "Scout Proof", "lasted for many years". More terms are chuck boxes, lanterns, cots, shovels, gateways and all the Sundry things that Scouting has held in high over the years.
   
  Change that to "lighest", "fewest", "simplest" just to mention a few.
   
  A pretty good rule of thumb with a few exceptions is "if it won't do at least three jobs, it's ain't going in the pack".
   
  If you want to do some good reading on this subject, read Colin Fletchers works. The Thousand Mile Summer, A Man Who Walks Through Time, Complete Walker and others. Fletcher was writing good stuff on backpacking before it became vogue back in the 60's. Check him out.
   
  I do believe that backpacking can be done with two things. A good pair of hiking boots and a Leatherman tool. All else is optional. Maybe a little exagerated, but not by much.
   
  John LeBlanc
   
   
   
   

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Received on Mon Dec 25 22:19:34 2006