Preparing For The Polar Bear Campout

With our Mission Polar Bear II cold weather camping event just a couple of weeks away, we wanted to make sure that everyone was aware of how they should prepare for the cold weather event.   Consult your Boy Scout handbook for additional cold weather camping information.

Cold Weather Camping

Polar Bear is a cold weather camping event, so pack accordingly.

Sleeping Bags

Pack a cold weather sleeping bag (10 – 20 degree rated bag). If you have a 30+ degree bag (or you don’t know the rating), pack an additional blanket, preferably wool, to place inside your sleeping bag for added warmth and it will allow you to stay comfortable in an additional 10 degrees of coldness.

Clothing

Take extra care to bring and wear multiple layers of clothing to adjust your body temperature to the weather. Make sure that you have clean clothes to change into each night. When it is cold, you can actually make your self colder by sleeping in the same clothes on that you wore that day. Even if you don’t notice, your body perspires and gives off moisture all day long. If you decide to wear the same clothes to sleep in, all of that moisture will stay in your clothes and make you colder; not warmer. Change all clothing down to your skin. And, don’t forget clean socks. When you are outside in cold weather, wear wool; not cotton. Wool breathes more than cotton and will handle moisture better. Don’t forget hats and gloves.   A hat that covers your ears can also be worn while sleeping to help keep you warm.   A surprising amount of body heat can be lost through an uncovered head.

Exposure

You can get sun and wind burned in the winter. Pack Chap stick or lip balm.

Personal Equipment List

(Pack everything in dry, waterproof zip-locks or containers):

• thermal underwear
• warm hat/headband
• day pack or fanny pack
• warm shirt/sweater
• warm, waterproof gloves
• lip balm
• sweatshirt
• wool or ski socks
• water canteen
• wind/waterproof jacket
• waterproof boots only – no athletic shoes
• personal 1st aid kit
• change of clothes
• warm, water resistant sleeping bag (Holofill, or Qualofill, or down) (10 degree rating)
• extra wool blankets or fleece insert
• warm, waterproof pants (ski bibs/powder pants, if available)
• WATERPROOF, INSULATED BOOTS ONLY – NO ATHLETIC SHOES.

Troop/Patrol Equipment List

• Patrol flag
• pocket knife
• standard size blanket
• patrol first aid kit
• 1 flashlight/headlamp
• 6X8 tarp/plastic ground cloth
• 1 scout handbook (in plastic)
• compass
• 2 spare neckerchiefs
• paper pad (in plastic)
• waterproof matches
• 1 neckerchief/scout in patrol
• pen/pencil
• 50′ of 3/8″ rope
• (4) 12′ pieces of 3/8″ rope
• fire-starting material
• star chart