[Philmont] Water

Steve Unger wrote:
Hydration systems have never worked for us. Too hard to monitor. We use
1.5 qt. Open Country bottles (3) and are able to decern how much each
Scout is drinking. Yes, you can check bladders by removing them. Yes,
the military has great sucess. For us, the "old fashioned" way has
worked. We have NEVER (since the first trek, when we were ignorant) had
a Scout with dehydration issues. Pretty good record. We "camel up"
before we leave. Water breaks every 20, or so, minutes.
_____________________________

I agree with Steve.

Since 1989, we've sent 26 crews to Philmont for backpacking or cavalcade.
I've always recommended that they use bottles. Nalgenes are great as they
don't break when dropped. There are other choices too and Steve mentioned
one of those. In my opinion, being able to actually see that crew
members, especially the youth members, are drinking water is important.
You can't so that with hydration systems.

On the other hand, for our adult Autumn Adventure trips, many of our crew
members have used hydration systems. Those have worked well but I did
find it rather amusing to observe one of our very experienced adults
attempting to repair his brand new hydration system when it sprang a leak
and got his back wet during a very cold October Philmont morning.

YiS,

-- 
Calvin H. Gray
Scoutmaster, Troop 405
Associate Advisor, Venturing Crew 405
Georgetown, Texas
I used to be an Owl (WM-62-2-98 @ Philmont)
-------------------------------------------------------
Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
-------------------------------------------------------
Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
Send postings to:          philmont@troop47.com
List FAQ found at:         http://usscouts.org/lists/faq.asp
List Administrator:        philmont_owner@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
To Unsubscribe send text email to:
     To: listserv@troop47.com
     Subject: unsubscribe
     Body: unsubscribe philmont@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------