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Dear Philmont Bound Trekkers and Parents,
Now here's some news you can really use all through the spring and summer and into the early fall before we start the backpacking part of our Philmont adventure! Here you go, straight to the point, let's get it right out there-....ready...wait for it...wait for it.....TRAIN! Yep, you got it, training is the key ingredient to a literal mountaintop Philmont experience. Period. Done! But, Mr. Brown, you say, " I play sports!". Any my response, says Mr. Brown, " I'm happy for you!". Playing sports does not maketh the man or woman, as the case may be, but training sure makes a difference. Sure, maybe those of you engaged in sports are getting an exceptional dose of aerobic exercise-and practically on a daily basis, too; but what happens in the off-season when the music stops, I ask you? So, perhaps like me, you are not an athletic person, plain and simple. Most of us fall into this category. So you will likely approach training like one might approach the plague."Mr. Brown!", you say, "do I have to, really???" "Yes" says Mr. Brown, "Plain and simple, for your own good and that of your crew." Your new motto, shamelessly stolen from Nike, and your new creed is "Just do it!" No need to work yourself up into a hot mess over training either. No one is advocating that you enlist in the military and ship off to boot camp for the summer. No hours on end of grueling, grinding activity, but you will score extra points in your training if you do on occasion. Beastly, primeval instincts are not called for here nor are expending buckets of sweat. What I am advocating, though, is a simple daily routine focused on increasing your lung capacity, your legs, and your core. This is an art not a science. Set a goal of at least 30 minutes per day. So what if you miss a day, no worries. It's the regimen, the repetition, and the fact that it is only for a short period daily, that will make the difference and take you over the top in your training commitment to yourself and your crew. Choose a specific time to train too, say right before or after supper or even first thing in the morning and stick too it. So, you might ask "What exercises should a trekker do, Mr. Brown?" For me, my absolute favorite exercise is power walking. I have a two-mile stretch that I do daily during my lunch break at work. I throw some topo into the mix and I have a good walking regimen. Add a day hike bag with some weight in it to your walk. Philmont says hike with your pack, but I say, just Hike On! On the weekend or even a week night, I will go out to Fisher Farm and walk the perimeter of the meadows there. I use my trekking poles, so I am giving my upper body a workout as well. Hit the running trails at Davidson college, or one of the local greenways or beautiful trails at many of the parks close to home. Make it fun! A weekend hike at South Mountain, Stone Mountain, or some other mountainous state park also mixes in the fun factor-fun with a purpose! Rather jog or bike? Go for it! Now let's add other ingredients to really make a difference-exercises. You do not have to do a gazillion exercises or for copious, long hours at a time, nor do you make it into something it does not have to be! 15-30 minutes daily or even every other day will do the trick. Exercise bands for resistance training are great as are core-strengthening exercises. Even if you do one set of thirty repetitions for a few well-chosen exercises, you till see a tremendous improvement in muscle tone. "What exercises do you do, Mr. Brown?" you might ask. I do sit ups, squat thrusts, planks, windmills, deep knee bends, a series of exercise band exercises to strengthen my ACL or whatever the leg tendons are called, and resistance exercises for the core and upper body. Get into a routine and stick with it. OK, Mr. Brown's Secret Sauce is now revealed! And now for the charge to you all-Get to it, chop, chop!!!! :o) I can hardly wait to your first backpacking trip in the fall! You guys will be in such great shape! Mr. Brown
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Dear Parents and Trekkers,
I want to take this opportunity to provide some helpful tips regarding your clothing system selection for our Philmont adventure. If you take a moment and review the recommended gear list posted on our 323 crew site, you'll see that our clothing system is divided into three layers- hiking, cool weather, and cold weather layers. The recommendations for clothing layers closely follows what Philmont recommends. The Philmont way has a proven track record, so why radically deviate, right? Here's the catch, though, your clothing is perhaps collectively are the most bulky and heaviest items in your pack. With a little bit of careful thought and planning on your part, you will be carrying exactly just what you need and you'll leverage your clothing layers to serve multiple purposes. Here are several tips to keep in mind when selecting the right clothing system just for you and in shaving weight. The first general rule of thumb is "A pair to wash and a pair to wear." This is especially true of your hiking layer-what you will be wearing when hiking and most of the time on the trail. This may seem extreme, but plan on wearing a set of clothing two consecutive days before washing-you can go more or you can go less if you wash clothing every day. The second rule of thumb is select clothing that is fast drying and has excellent wicking properties. DO NOT WEAR COTTON! Typing in all caps is said to be like screaming. While I may not really be screaming, I am surely emphasizing a very important point. While your favorite cotton tee might be really comfortable to you, when it gets wet, it is very slow to dry and it chills your body temperature rapidly. In the backcountry, cold wet conditions can make cotton clothing a strong recipe for hypothermia and for chafing. Synthetic blends and merino wool are the best choices for all of your clothing. I personally prefer merino wool because it is odor absorbing, to highlight some of its many attributes. Merino wool can be expensive, so synthetic blends can be an excellent choice as well. Here's another rule of thumb-we are not styling on the trail! I do not claim to be a fashion barometer- not by a long shot, except perhaps when I wear my down beanie, but you'd be surprised at what you may already have or what you can find at a deep discount at Target, TJ Max or Ross! The third tip-convertible pants are the hardest workers in your clothing kit. I suggest watching for these on sale and buying two identical pairs. That way, with the lower legs zipped off, you have two pairs you need for your hiking layer, but in cool-to-cold weather conditions, you just zip on the lower legs to whatever pair of shorts you have on. This trick enables you to also have long pants for certain program activities without carrying a dedicated pair of long pants. Please do not buy convertible pants with a mesh liner! You will be cutting it out because it will chafe the absolute daylights out of you! Shop for seconds, too, particularly regarding socks and underwear. No one will know and no one will ask, so be smart and save! With regard to silk undies, Terrimar brand seconds can be often be found with a little persistence. I highly recommend silk thermal underwear, silk undies, and silk sleep layers. Silk is very lightweight, comfortable, and dries much better than cotton! Hiking Layer This is by far the most utilized layer of your clothing systems. This layer includes your underwear and your socks. If you remember from the first clinic, I recommend two pairs of liner socks and two pairs of your more thicker, cushioned primary socks. If you are not allergic to merino wool, I would recommend that you go ahead and get wool socks because wool is odor absorbing. Two wicking tees and your convertibles will round out this layer, along with a hat for sun protection and two bandanas, the only cotton you should bring. Cool Layer The cool layer is a long sleeve shirt and your convertible legs zipped to a pair of your convertible shorts. This will often be what you will change into before supper when it starts to get cooler, or when you get up in the morning. Cold Layer Your cold layer includes a lightweight pair of thermal underwear, a light fleece or insulated jacket, a beanie, and a pair of liner gloves (waterproof if possible). Fleece is a little bit bulkier than, say, a more compressible insulated jacket, but if you already have a nice, lighweight fleece jacket, I am not suggesting that you get an insulated one. Liner gloves will take the edge off your hands getting cold. They will help them warm up, though, when strenuous activity begins. Some folk may elect to drop the insulated underwear to save weight. I was glad I had it in 2010 as it was cold in the Baldy country, but did not use them in 2013. I was glad to have them just the same, though. You can't have them shipped to you Fed Ex on the trail. Layering up your hiking and cool layers too with your cold layers can help combat the cold on a chilly morning like when we start climbing Baldy at sunrise! Sleep Layer Remember, the dedicated sleep layer, a top and a pair of gym bottoms, for example, that you ONLY wear during slumber? Your thermal underwear can be your dedicated sleep system as long as you do not eat in them or worse, spill something edible on them! We carry a dedicated sleep layer as part of our bear protocol so that we do not become bear bait by sleeping in clothing we have had on and spilled stuff on during the day. There you go, I hope that this information on our clothing system is helpful to you in strategizing on exactly what clothing you will bring on the trail. That's it for this installment of News You Can Use! Mr. Brown Dear Parents and Trekkers,
Saturday, March 12th is the date of the next REI Members Only Garage Sale! This is when REI passes on substantial savings on gently used returned items to Co-Op members. I could not begin to tell you what will be in the sale as it varies from from sale to sale as it is based on returns. I do know this-it is one of the best times to find a fantastic sale on a pair of hiking boots! Many times I have picked up a great pair of boots in excellent condition to read a return tag that said "Worn once-did not like the fit!" Garage sales are not for the faint hearted. They are like a Black Friday sale, only REI customers behave for the most part. It is also a great time to find rain gear, apparel, etc. for the same reason! If you go, bring a chair and a cup of coffee and plan to be there early, like 7am or earlier. I promise you, you will have company. While I can't guarantee you will find exactly what you are looking for, but if you do, it is likely for a fantastic price! Items like tents, sleeping bags, and packs go fast. An update on the REI Dash 2. They seem to be sold out on line, BUT several are still at the REI Charlotte store, so if you want to take advantage of this sale, I would call the store immediately and have a tent and footprint held for you to purchase. If they have sold out, then call direct sales and see if there are any at other store locations. Do not tarry! Last of all, I am packed and ready to deliver what I hope you will find to be a most informative clinic for you Tuesday! Let's go Hiking! Mr. Brown Dear Parents and Trekkers,
One of the most important investments to make towards an epic Philmont adventure is a good pack that can take on what Philmont can dish out. All your worldly possessions for ten days will go into your pack and then some! Philmont recommends a 70-75 Liter pack with a load rating of 50 pounds or more. The load rating is an important factor to consider. If you use a pack with a lower load rating, say 30-35 pounds, you may find the weight does not properly distribute to your hips and goes to your shoulders instead, especially if your pack weight when fully loaded, exceeds the load capacity of the pack. When full of your personal gear, everyone should have at least a basket ball-sized space at the top of your pack for our grub and crew gear for the trek. We start out with 3-4 days of food, and will replenish our food supply every three-to-four days while on the trail. These pack sizes are what Philmont recommends and this has born itself out from observation and experience on the last two treks I went on with Troop 777. Also, if you look at packs on line, you will see listings for pack sizes ranging from Extra-Small to Large and sometimes Extra Large. This does not refer to the volume of the bag but rather to torso length. Correctly measuring your torso length is very important. This is done from an line across your back to the left and right iliac crests of your hipbone and then measuring upward to your C7 vertebra, located at the top of your shoulders. A youth pack will NOT cut it at Philmont. For starters, youth packs are for youth of approximately 14 years of age or younger. the torso length of the pack frame or stay can be adjusted as your torso grows up to 14ish years, which is when your torso generally stops growing. Secondly, youth packs typically lack ample padding on the shoulder straps or hip belt to make for a comfortable ride when loaded and are often not rated to carry a Philmont-sized load. Most adult sized packs, for both men and women, have a range of adjustment of generally 4-6 inches of torso length to "fine tune" the fit. A proper fitting pack makes for a more comfortable carry for your days on the trail. Once you get your pack, regardless where, I am happy to adjust the fit properly for you. Also, when choosing your pack, take a look at its static weight or the weight of the pack itself. Load hauling packs generally weigh four to five pounds and that's without anything in it. While the lighter pack can be the better choice, buying a pack can be like buying a pair of shoes-what delivers a great carry for you ma not deliver the same comfort for someone else. That's why trying on a pack can be an important option BEFORE you buy. If you buy on line, make sure you are good with their return policy. The last piece of advice is NOT to wait until days before our first training trip in April to pull the trigger on your pack. What if REI, for example, does not have the pack you like in the correct size and it has to be ordered? Here's a suggestion-come down to the Charlotte soon and just try on packs. This will give you a good idea on pack size and which packs might be more comfortable to you. The folk in the Camping section know the drill on how to properly fit you in a great pack. They also know what is needed for Philmont. If you buy on line, please read the pack reviews! If customers generally rate the pack high, then it is most likely could work well for you. Now to pass on some great savings I found on packs on the Campsaver.com site! Check these out:
Again, if you have any questions about how to select your pack, please respond to this email, give me a call or even better, come see me sometime at REI. Week nights when I am working are best. Pack testing and fitting can take a while, but it can be well worth it! Yours in Scouting and All Things Philmont, Mr. Brown Dear Trekkers and Parents,
I wanted to pass on a savings opportunity from REI. For every $100 spent from now to March 8th, you will receive a $20 gift card redeemable March 10th through the 17th. The redemption period will be just in time for a Spring Clearance 3-Day Sale which will run March 12th-14th. All clearance products will be 25% off, excluding Garage Sale items, which is on March 12th. Sale and redemption opportunities will be both at the Charlotte store and the on-line store. I hope that this is news you can use to leverage savings! Mr. Brown Dear Fellow Trekkers and Parents,
We are in the formative stages for planning for our first training event at King's Mountain State Park (SC) on Saturday, April 16th and Sunday, April 17th. Please mark your calendars. This event will be extremely important as it will literally cover a host of invaluable information, trail procedures, techniques, and protocols on how we will roll that we will be practicing for the remaining training trips to follow when we will actually be backpacking. This will be your first full-on introduction to "the Philmont Way". Although not backpacking per se, we will be training out of a central location where we will be hiking and camping overnight. Our time will be fun, packed, fast-paced, and in perpetual motion at least until we have a serious camp fire after Saturday supper! More details to follow, including costs, which I hope to have to you well in advance of our second Philmont Basics trekker/parent meeting on Tuesday, March 8th, so we can collect payment then. For now, I need a solid head count for who is going. Please let me hear back from all of you by no later than Sunday, February 28th. You can just confirm by replying to this email directly back to me. I hope that the count is a full 24, because training events, and this one is no exception, are perhaps the most important thing we do to prepare for our Philmont adventure together. Your attendance represents commitment-to you and your fellow crew members. Once we have confirmed our head count, then we can determine the trip cost per person and other trip logistics. Thanks so much and...Let's go hiking! Mr. Brown Dear Trekkers and Parents,
For those of you that have been bitten by the backpacking bug and are use to making multiple stream crossings on any given hike in these parts, when we are at Philmont, you will have to be challenged by the notion that water is a precious commodity on the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristos. Not only can it be a scarce commodity, it is a shared resource-shared with a host of wildlife, cattle, horses and livestock, and other adventurers like yourself. For this reason, I recommend starting your hike each day at Philmont with at least four liters of water, whereas in our Carolina mountains, two liters is usually plenty. Carrying four liters of aqua fria means an additional load of 2.2 pounds per liter, so you will start your day carrying and finish you hike consuming almost nine pounds of the stuff! So water is heavy right-we've established that fact; so what about the containers? I carry two, 1 liter, wide mouth Nalgene bottles in the side pockets of my pack and two liters in a hydration bladder in my pack. A one liter, plastic Nalgene bottle with the attached wide mouth and lid weighs 3.5 ounces. The harder, Lexan plastic version of the same 1 liter bottle weighs almost double that at 6.2 ounces. Personally. I prefer the lighter plastic 1 liter, wide mouth Nalgene bottles so I won't be carrying over a whopping 1.5 pounds of plastic alone if I carried four bottles! There are other great reasons for carrying 1 liter , wide-mouth, plastic bottles- they do what they do really well! First off, the wide mouth bottles are easy to fill. You will really appreciate this when you are on water detail before supper for your crew and you have about 30 bottles to fill. Secondly, since you are now picturing yourself on the evening water detail bonding with your fellow crew members' water bottles, you will appreciate the simple fact that you can stand up each bottle and drop in the one tablet per liter per bottle through the wide mouth opening-I might add, and you can see what it takes to purify your and your crew's water. Another nifty, yet priceless advantage of the wide mouth Nalgene bottle is that the lid is connected to the bottle so it will not become a crisis when your lid gets perminently separated from your bottle somewhere in the Philmont wilderness, and mark my word, it will-but not if you use a wide mouth/ lid combo! Nice! For the peace of mind and thoughtful consideration of you and your your fellow crew members, if you are not sporting wide mouth, one liter Nalgenes or its kindred, please seriously consider making the switch. Consider two in conjunction with a two liter hydration bladder or four bottles. This will handily do the trick to carry your almost nine pounds of water. At Philmont and during our training, we will be using Katadyn Micropur purifying tablets. Each tablet is wrapped and sealed individually in its own foil packet. This is the same technology used in municipal water supplies-no wander the BSA chose this purification method for Philmont! These tablets are effective against a whole host of water born nasties-viruses, bacteria, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium. In fact, these tablets destroy bacteria and viruses in just fifteen minutes and Giardia in 30. Cryptosporidium takes a little longer at four hours, but the real gastro-catastrophy is Giardia. You might have had a serius stomach bug before, or put another way, you just think you have been sick. Whatever you had pales in comparison to the nemesis Giardia! Take my word for it! All told, purifying water for a large group like a crew is really pretty easy when done right using the Katadyn Micropur tablets. And now a word about hydration bladders. Along with trekking poles, using a hydration bladder was an absolute game changer for me. Think about it-water on demand! Water on demand means that you ware more likely to remain hydrated during the course of the day. When choosing a hydration bladder, look for one that has a large opening for adding water. Not only does this make it a breeze to fill, but it is easier to clean too. My personal favorite is the Platypus Big Zip. Check it out and you'll see why I like it so much-t it delivers what you need easily. Hydroflask also makes a new hydration bladder that is worth checking out as well. I hope that you have found this information on stying hydrated news you can use. As always, if you have any questions, please contact me anytime. Mr. Brown Dear Trekkers and Parents,
I would be remiss if I did not give you some good advice on selecting the right backing boots for our Philmont adventure! We discussed this information at our first clinic, but I want to provide this information to you in writing. First off, please let me say that you may find me referring to hiking boots as a general term for what I really mean, and what I really mean is backpackinging boots. More on that below. Here you go! Hiking Boots range from mid to high cut for increased ankle support and are intended for hiking and weekend backpacking with a light load. Generally the soles of hiking boots flex easily, indicating that they lack the support needed for carrying a backpacking load for an extended trek like Philmont. Backpacking boots are what we are after. Backpacking boots are designed to carry you and a backcountry load for extended trips. Most backpacking boots are high cut, extending above the ankle to provide excellent support. Think of the stiffer midsole of a backpacking boot as its heart and soul. It is the stiffer platform that will deliver the support you will need. The boot uppers or the part above the sole, impacts the weight, breathability, and water resistance of a boot. Full grain leather offers excellent durability and water resistance for extended trips but require a decent amount of break in time and can generally heavier as a rule. Nubuck leather is also a full grain leather that has been buffed to resemble suede. Split-grain leather is often paired with synthetic fabrics to lighten weight and increase boot breathability. Although this boot composition could certainly be a good choice, these boots generally are not as water and abrasion resistant. Many modern backpacking boots have a synthetic or composite upper, creating boots that are generally lighter, dry faster, and break in more quickly. “Waterproof” boots generally feature upper construction that includes an waterproof/breathable membrane such as Gore-Tex of eVent to keep your feet dry in wet conditions. Although recommended, the downside to waterproof boots is that this same membrane decreases the breathability of he boot. The boot's midsole is the component that provides cushioning from impact, and determines the boots stiffness. A stiff boot midsole is what you need for Philmont. While this may not sound so good, it is a stiff midsole that delivers the support needed for long hikes on rock, uneven terrain and will deliver greater comfort and stability. Most midsoles are EVA which are generally cushier and lighter in weight. Midsoles can vary in density to provide firmer support where needed. Polyurethane midsoles are generally firmer and more durable and are usually found in backpacking boots for extended trips. Other boot components that deliver support are shanks and plates. Shanks are inserted between the midsole and the outsole and add load bearing stiffness to the midsole. They can vary in length. Shanks are a desirable feature in a backpacking boot. Plates are thin, semi-flexible inserts between the misdsole and outsole and provide an extra measure of protection against roots and rocky terrain. I am not going to say much about a backpacking boot outsole, only that their aggress lug patter delivers traction in rocky conditions. Perhaps the best known outsole are made by Vibram. Now for some tips in selecting the right shoe for you:
Warmest regards and happy hiking, Mr. Brown Dear Trekkers and Parents,
Rain gear for Philmont can be one of your most important gear decisions, so let me help you out. First of all, Philmont REQUIRES a rain jacket AND rain pants as your rain gear ensemble. This is because of the severe drops in temperature that often come with rain,sleet, or even hail conditions. I have experienced all three and was thankful that I was packing both. It will be this simple-show up without and you will be purchasing them at the Tooth of Time Traders before we hit the trail! Way too risky! Another great piece of advice if you already have rain gear that you might use at Philmont-make sure it is just that-rain gear, and not a wind jacket, and make sure before you go. A fine young man had to purchase a set at a backcountry commissary on our 2013 trek. he learned, sadly, the hard way, when it counted. We were just grateful and amazed that the option even existed and even presented itself at his critical time of need! Secondly, please make certain that your rain gear is both waterproof and breathable. Sounds silly I know, but true as many rain gear makers coat their garments with a water repellant application that can require replacing from time to time. For mine, they just slam wore out and I had to replace them earlier this year. Why not a poncho, Mr. Brown, you say? The Dickens, I say! Ponchos do not give you the severe weather protection you will want, trust me on that! Secondly, along with the rain and a dramatic drop in temperature, comes you guessed it-WIND! Wearing a poncho is like setting sail! Another piece of advice when selecting rain gear, look for a rain jacket with pit zips and rain pants with full or 3/4 zippers on the sides of the legs because you will get toasty in strenuous activity wearing rain gear, even though they "breathe". A great alternative to more expensive rain gear are Frog Togs rain suits. Not so durable, and sporting no pit or leg zips, they should likely last for the entire trek, yet are inexpensive, lightweight, and breath well. A lot of thru hikers on the AT carry these. That tells you something. They can be had at Wally World, Bass Pro, Dick's, on line and perhaps a host of other places. Great deals can be also found for decent rain gear on the outlets. No need to shop full retail, but I do recommend sticking with proven performers like Marmot, REI, Outdoor Research, and Sierra Designs just to name a few. Be sure to read reviews before you plunge. Personally, may I recommend the Marmot Precip rain jacket and pants? These are the ones I just replaced after years of proven and dependable service. I have heard great things about the Outdoor Research line as well. Besides the REI outlet, my favorite outlet to find a wide selection of rain gear is Sierra Trading Post. Again, please sign up for their Gear Mail feature to receive additional coupons for an even better deal. This is one piece of gear you will want to nail down before our first training gig in April. Remember April showers bring.....don't let it bring misery! Lastly, timing is everything as they say. It is indeed true with your gear purchases. First off, PLEASE do not rush out and buy everything on the gear list! Put another way, For Heaven sakes, spread it out through the spring and summer. For our first training experience in April, we will be training at an overnight location that we will drive to and from and will use as our base. We will not be backpacking, but we will be hiking, so you may want to consider purchasing your hiking boots by then. Since we will not be backpacking, so you do not have to purchase your pack by then, but don't let a great deal pass you by. I do recommend that you have decent rain gear by the time of this trip. Trekking poles, a 2 L hydration bladder, a day hike bag, might be some other good gear choices for this trip, but not absolutely necessary. We will be using liquid fuel backpacking stoves, though, and will chow down on a freeze dried supper and other backpacking fare, so you can get a good taste of it, pardon the pun. This fall, you will need to be more fully equipped, as on our fall training trip, we will be backpacking! Yay! I hope that you find these tips on selecting rain gear news you can use. As always, if you have any questions, please do not help to contact me. Mr. Brown Dear Philmont Adventurers and Parents,
Some might say that trekking poles are an optional gear item, and I would say correct, but let me tell you, you will be missing out! I have been using trekking poles since 2009 and for me, they were absolute game changers! Trekking poles take about 40 pounds of thrust off your knees with each step. Overall, trekking poles can reduce the impacts to your knees and ankles by as much as 25 percent. There are even more positive benefits-trekking poles bring added stability to hiking situations such as stream crossings or rocky trails, and provide added momentum to your gait while hiking. Trekking poles are invaluable for checking downward momentum on steep downhill slopes and can give you extra "umption" to "dig in" and accelerate up steep uphill climbs. For a trail klutz like me, trekking poles are essential! There are lots of poles out there, so here's some advise to help you navigate. First off, there are great values in trekking poles to be found on the outlets at substantial savings. Trekking pole designs have not changed much over the past several years, so no worries there. The three best pole makers out there to me are Komperdell, Leki, and Black Diamond. Komperdell and Leki are both European manufacturers, while black Diamond are made in the USA. REI trekking poles are branded by Komperdell. You can find the same Komperdell poles on the REI outlet, where in the REI store, have the REI brand is on them, not Komperdell. Next most trekking poles are divided into three pole sections which slide into one another and are locked in place by either a cam or twist locking mechanism. The industry is trending to cam locks, but there is not a thing wrong the twist locks, just consumer preference is driving the change. Secondly, the next thing to consider is the material used in the pole sleeves. Aircraft aluminum is the most prevalent, while carbon fiber poles are a lighter and often more expensive option. Next consider the hand grips. There are generally three types of hand grips found on trekking poles- cork, composition cork, and foam rubber. All three are excellent choices. There are poles out there that have a hard rubber grip. While they can certainly deliver the benefits, I personally do not recommend them because the hard rubber gets hot and makes your hands perspire. Not so with the others. There is another style pole worth mentioning because they are generally lighter and more packable. These are referred to as rigid poles. They have a four section design where the ends of each section connects to the next one. This design aspect generally makes them a lighter, more packable option due to the length of the pole segments when traveling. Since we practice Leave No Trace during our camping and backpacking experiences, please purchase rubber hiking tips for your poles. These can reduce the erosive impacts the sharp tungsten carbide pole tips, when uncovered, can have digging into the trail surface with each step. It is because of these impacts that Philmont asks that you use them. For these of you that have not used trekking poles, let me tell you, they are awkward starting out, but only at first. I would encourage you to go on line to either the REI, Leki, or Komperdell sites at watch a training video. Using trekking poles is like spitting and chewing gum at the same time. Put it this way, it I can, you can! In about ten minutes or even less you'll be using them like a champ! Right now there is a decent selection of Komperdell trekking poles on the REI outlet. If you have any questions, or you are not sure that trekking poles are for you, you are welcome to try mine on our April training trip! Also REI has a great selection at the Charlotte store where you can see the different styles of had grips, locking mechanisms, aircraft aluminum versus carbon fiber, etc. I hope that this is news you can use. If you have any questions, just give me a call or respond to this email. Glad to help out! Mr. Brown Dear Philmont Trekkers and Parents,
We talked about sleeping pads at our first clinic earlier this month, but here's a refresher. One of the most important gear choices you can make, if you do not have one already, is your sleeping pad. You pad is almost as important as your sleeping bag and can really make a difference in the quality of sleep you will get while on the trail. Pads come in all shapes and sizes and in different styles too, so it's good to do your research before you purchase. First off, sleeping pads fall into two categories-inflatable and self inflatable. The self inflatable aspect of a pad is a little bit of a misnomer. These pads are insulated with closed cell foam, so when you set up your tent, pull out your pad, open the valve, and a few minutes later, just a few puffs will make the pad nice and firm. Usually inflatable are more bulky and heavier than their cousins, the inflatables. Inflatables take lung power to inflate, are generally lighter and less bulky in weight. Inflatables typically have more loft too, which for me equates to a good night's sleep.The warmth of a pad, or it's ability to check the cooler ground conducting your body heat through the pad, is called the pad's R-Value, kind of like the insulation within the walls of your home. The higher the R Value, the warmer the pad. An R-4 pad is a four-season pad, while an R-2 pad is just a summer pad. No another twist, there are male-specific and woman-specific pads. The difference is length. A regular length can vary from 66-72 inches and a long pad is 78 inches. Pads also come in different lengths-20 inches for a standard pad and 25 inches for a wide pad. It doesn't stop there, either, pads are either rectangular shaped or mummy shaped. For Philmont, I would suggest standard widths and lengths with an R Value of 3.2 or greater. A pad with a lesser R-Value may be cold at night. My favorite pads are inflatable because they generally are less bulky, weigh less, and have more loft than their brethren. Here are several pads that I suggest you consider for our trip: 1. Big Agnes Q-Core SL- This is just the Sealy Posturepedic pf pads! 2. REI Flash Pad- All the attributes of a lighter pad and a reasonable price 3. Big Agnes Insulated Air Core 4. REI Air Rail 5. Thermarest ProLite Plus 6. Sea To Summit Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad 7. REI Stratos Sleeping Pad I recognize and appreciate that cost may be a factor, so the pads recommended take this into consideration. Since selecting a pad is first and foremost about comfort, come down to REI and spend some quality time checking them out! Then research you preferences and shop for the best value/price you can find! I hope that you will find this to be news you can use! Mr. Brown Dear Trekkers and Adventurers and Parents,
While at the grocery getting the obligatory bread and milk in advance of another Snowmageddon pandemonium, I thought I would take a quick moment when I got home and pass on some helpful advice on tents. First off, as we discussed in the clinic last week, the MSR 2-person Thunder Ridge tents are provided by Philmont. While these are excellent tents, you will still need backpacking tents for training. The question here really is will we bring our personal tents to Philmont to use? While this post will really not address this question, I did want to give you some points to ponder regarding your tent selection for training and possibly the tent you will also be using at Philmont. Here are the best general guidelines in tent selection I can give you before you pull the trigger:
Here are some excellent tents to consider from the REI Outlet:
Blessings, Mr. Brown Dear Philmont Trekkers and Parents,
I hope you found our first parent/trekker meeting informative. It was really a pleasure to see everyone last night and especially to meet several crew members and their parents that I have not had the pleasure to meet before. If you missed last night's important clinic or cannot attend our second clinic on March 8th, please let me remind you that you are obligated to attend the Philmont Basics clinic at the Charlotte REI on Thursday, March 17th from 6:30 to 8:30. Thanks to those of you that have spoken to me about this obligation already and have registered for the REI clinic. Last night we discussed one of the best pieces of advice I can give anyone going to Philmont-shamelessly look for bargains and sales on great gear at reasonable prices and deep discounts. Many online stores like REI , Sierra Trading Post, MooseJaw, and others have outlets where substantial savings can be had. Now is the time to shop gear outlets too, when gear companies are introducing new versions of already excellent gear, often with last year's products at clearance prices. Many outlet items found at excellent prices are often priced only because the manufacturer is changing colors for the 2016 line. Two if my favorite outlet sites to watch for great deals and sales are Sierra Trading Post and the REI Co-op Outlet. If you sign up for Sierra Trading Post's emails, they will send you links for coupons to additional markdowns for already low-priced, high quality gear. Their return policies are excellent as well. Another great way to save is to take advantage of being an REI Co-Op member. REI Co-op members will frequently receive on line coupons for use in the Charlotte store, their online outlet, and their online store. Nonmembers often cannot take advantage of these additional discounts. As a member, every full price purchase receives a 10% dividend that is returned back to you annually in April for other purchases. Members receive last year's dividends just in time for REI's biggest sales event of the year, the April Anniversary Sale. REI also has Members Only Garage Sales on gently used items with 30-60, and even 80% savings on gently returned items. The next one will be on Saturday, March 18th. Ask me how to become a member if you are not-its both easy and a lifetime membership only costs $20. The dividends you receive over the next year or so can easily offset your initial cost of becoming a member. If you become a member at the Charlotte REI, please let the frontline folk know that I told you about the Co-Op! One of the many things we discussed last night was sleeping bags and sleeping bag selection. If you need a 20 degree bag, which is what I recommend, two excellently priced bags to consider are the Sierra Designs Zissou 23 and the Kelty Cosmic 20 degree bags. Last year's closeout models can be found on several outlet sites including Left Lane Sports and the REI Outlet. In the case of the Kelty Cosmic, the fabric colors are changing this year. Both bags are excellent bags and can be found at great price points. If you are an REI member, watch for "take an additional 20% off" coupon on the on-line outlet. These coupons will appear periodically for Co-Op members. If you remember from the clinic, down insulation is more compressible and generally weighs less than a synthetic bag. Look at the fill rating of the down. The higher the fill rating, the more compressible the bag, and generally it is lighter in weight. The down insulation in most down bags are now hydroponically treated with a water resistant coating as is the case with these two suggested bags. Lastly, there is no appreciable difference between duck down insulation and goose down insulation, other than it originates from two different birds and duck down is generally less expensive due to its market availability. Remember, a 30 degree bag can work fine, but you may want to have a bag liner to provide a little more lower comfort range to your bag. Bags are also rated for comfort using a very technical testing system called the European Normal. I will not go into depth here, but you may want to read more about it as the ratings are different for women specific versus men specific bags. As always, if you have any questions, by all means, contact me. I hope that this is news you can use! Yours in Scouting, Mr. Brown Dear Fellow Trekkers and Parents,
Our Philmont trek will most likely be the experience of a lifetime and for many of you, the capstone of your Scouting career. For many of us, part of preparing for our trip over the next year-and-a-half will be carefully selecting the right gear for your Philmont adventure. It is important to make solid, well thought-out choices-the right choice, and once, that will positively impact the quality of your Philmont experience for yourself and for others. That's one focus of our upcoming clinics,-to help get you thinking about these important choices and why Philmont recommends certain gear. Understanding the "why" certain gear items are recommended and understanding and even embracing "the Philmont way" derived over decades of high adventure experience at Philmont, will help you with these choices. Informed choices are often the best-made choices, whereas impulse choices are often much less so. We all have been in Scouting long enough to recognize that gear can be expensive. I want to not only help with the "why" and the "informed"part, but point you to bargains and savings opportunities, particularly with regard to key pieces of gear. One of the best pieces of advice I can give anyone going to Philmont is to shamelessly look for bargains and sales on great gear at reasonable prices and often at deep discounts. Cheap can be just that-lousy gear on occasion, or "you get what you pay for", but it certainly does not have to be that way at all. Here's a great tip for clothing items for example-you would be amazed what you can find at Goodwill, Ross, T.J Max, and Target if you know what to look for. A great performing, wicking tee shirt, for example, might be found at Ross or even Good Will at a fraction of the price you might find a similar piece of performance clothing or gear at REI. Many online stores like REI, Sierra Trading Post, MooseJaw, and others have outlets where substantial savings can be had. Now is the time to shop gear outlets too, when gear companies are introducing new versions of already excellent gear, often with last year's products at clearance prices. Many outlet items found at excellent prices are often priced only because the manufacturer is changing colors for the 2016 line. Nobody expects you to have all the gear you will carry on the trek, not tomorrow or the next day. Most of us have seen the phrase, "Wait for it...wait for it, right? Well, patience and timing can be a be a virtue when it comes to catching great gear bargains in addition to knowing just where to look. Two if my favorite outlet sites to watch for great deals and sales are Sierra Trading Post and the REI Co-op Outlet. If you sign up for Sierra Trading Post's emails, they will send you links for coupons to additional markdowns for already low-priced, high quality gear. Their return policies are excellent as well. Another great way to save is to take advantage of being an REI Co-Op member. REI Co-op members will frequently receive on line coupons for use in the Charlotte store, their online outlet, and their online store. Nonmembers often cannot take advantage of these additional discounts. As a member, every full price purchase receives a 10% dividend that is returned back to you annually in April for other purchases. Members receive last year's dividends just in time for REI's biggest sales event of the year, the April Anniversary Sale. REI also has Members Only Garage Sales on gently used items with 30-60, and even 80% savings on gently returned items. The next one will be on Saturday, March 12th. Ask me how to become a member if you are not-its both easy and a lifetime membership only costs $20. The dividends you receive over the next year or so can easily offset your initial cost of becoming a member. The last piece of advice I can give is do your research. Google and the world wide web is your friend in this quest. Reading reviews can also be infinitely helpful. Lastly you can always give me a call, drop me an email, or ask my opinion on gear items before pulling the trigger. Rest assured, I am glad to help anyway I can, especially when it comes to savings and making well informed purchases. My hope and prayer is that information like this will be immensely helpful to you as we journey together! Yours in Scouting, Tim |
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