This page covers the clothing and gear a new Scout needs now for base camping ("car camping") and summer camp. Backpacking gear comes toward the end of the first year, and parents should defer as much of that as possible until the Scout is ready and interested. See also the buyer's guide and the backpacking checklist.
Why now?
Troop 4 has an outing almost every month and new Scouts are expected to join as soon as their forms and fees are in. In base camping, gear, food, and patrol tents travel by vehicle. Each patrol is issued three-person tents, a stove and lantern, propane, an ice chest, and a patrol box of cooking utensils, so Scouts need only personal gear.
Start with the Ten Essentials
Every hike and outing requires them. The full list, with buying advice, is on the Ten Essentials page. A daypack, rucksack, or school bookbag that closes securely and resists water is enough to carry them, and the loaded weight should be only a few pounds.
Sleeping gear
The flannel sleepover bag will not be warm enough for three of the four camping seasons, and it won't pack small enough for backpacking later. By the time the Scout is ready to backpack, about a year in, a good down or synthetic mummy bag with a water-resistant stuff sack and a sleeping pad will be needed. Renting a bag from an outfitter such as REI is a good way to learn what suits your Scout, and experienced Scouts and leaders are glad to advise.
A sleeping pad is required, not optional. Most body heat is lost to the ground. The troop issues ground cloths for under the tents. An air mattress is optional for base camping and dead weight for backpacking.
Clothing and personal items
Pack sleep clothes for the season (shorts and T-shirt through sweats or long underwear), a knit cap for cold nights, and a change of underwear in the Ziploc with the spare socks. Layer: a wicking base, a warm middle, and a wind and rain shell. For base camps, overnight gear can ride in a duffel; only the Ten Essentials go on the Scout's back.
Personal hygiene, all in a Ziploc bag: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, a small washcloth and towel, towelettes, soap, and folded toilet paper. Comfort extras such as a watch, bug repellent, paper and pencil are fine, but every extra item must be looked after and carried. Skip the pillow and extra blanket; folded clothes make a pillow, and a better bag plus pad beats a blanket.
Phones
Smart phones are generally prohibited on outings. Leaders carry phones and keep parents informed. Scouts should not take pictures on outings unless a leader authorizes it for a specific purpose such as the Photography merit badge.
Hiking shoes and backpacks can wait
Blisters and bad footwear are miserable and can be dangerous, but opinions differ between sturdy boots and quality trail runners. With the troop's emphasis on ultralight backpacking, heavy boots are often harder on feet. Both footwear and backpacks need to be fitted to the Scout, so they are covered in the troop's Backpacking 101 presentation when the time comes.
What not to buy yet
Tent, stove, shovel, cooking pots, alpine sleeping bag, multi-tool, mess kit, folding cup, rope, lantern, expensive boots, hand axe, dehydrated food, specialized rain gear, water purification. The troop supplies most of these when they are needed.