Kids & Their Camps
What Is The Difference Between Base Camp Style And Expedition Camp?
Base camp is most common in Primary school. With this style of camp you will be staying in dorms or cabins and be doing your activities around where you stay. Expedition camp requires camping in tents and carrying everything you require on your back for the amount of time you are there. These camps are more physically demanding but more rewarding in that you learn to cook your own food and set up your campsite.
What Sort Of Equipment Is Most Useful When Going Away On Camp?
Head Torch
By wearing your torch attached to your head you will free-up your hands to eat your food at night, set up your tent in the dark or even read a book in your tent before you go to sleep. LED is the brightest form of head torch, these torches allow you to see up to 63m in front of you and the bulbs never need replacing.
Polycarbonate is a very durable and almost unbreakable material. It comes in knife, fork and spoon form and can be attached together so you don’t loose a piece.
Thermal Underwear
Also known as ‘thermals,’ these pieces of clothing are designed to trap body warmth to keep you warm and comfortable. The majority of thermal wear will be made out of a polypropylene material, which is a synthetic designed to maximize heat retention. The other type commonly used is wool. Wool garments are naturally fire retardant and odor preventing. They also aid in heat transfer, which means they help to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
If you are to be going on an expedition camp for 3 days or more it would be recommended to buy hiking boots. When you are carrying 10kg in your pack and are walking on uneven terrain you will need the ankle support and good gripping sole. Dunlop Volleys are not recommended. Most likely you will be doing more than one expedition camp in high school so good quality hiking boots are an important investment.
Rain Jacket
It’s always good to be prepared with a rain jacket, especially if you are in National Parks or forests that tend to be higher in altitude and experience more rain. You can get 100% waterproof jackets or if you are going to be hiking you may wish to consider a waterproof jacket that is also breathable. This means if you are working up a sweat you will remain cooler and more comfortable as your sweat is evaporating through the pores in the jacket. Plastic ponchos are not suitable for camp as doing roping and physical activities can produce holes in them. For more information on rainwear see Wet Weather Gear in our Getting The Right Gear Section.
Water Bottle
Gone are the days of cheap plastic drink bottles, today there is a new range of drink bottles that are outstanding for any purpose. Nalgene bottles are made out of a near unbreakable material (polycarbonate), while Sigg bottles are produced from an ultra lightweight aluminum, which helps keep your liquids cool. Nalgene and Sigg bottles are very popular, and they are also taste free if you have different liquids in them, easy to wash and will last a lifetime.
Packing Your Bag For Expedition Camp
When packing for camp the rule of thumb is that your bag should weigh up to ¼ of your body weight. Sure your equipment list from school may say to bring extra clothes but you need to be realistic, wear the same clothes (with clean underwear) for a few days. You will be in the middle of nowhere- it’s not a fashion contest. The one item everyone should actually be concerned about is socks. Socks are one of the most important items in your pack due to the fact that your feet get the harshest treatment when hiking for long periods of time.
Even though your camp instructor will go over packing your bag correctly it is good to practice before you leave home. Heavy things should be placed in the middle of the pack, more in line with your centre of gravity. Medium to light weight things should be in the top and bottom areas of your pack. Equipment such as first aid kits, medication (ventolin), drinks and snacks can be put into small pockets on the outside of your pack or in the top pocket where they are easy to access.
If you need to supply your own food (e.g. Duke of Education expeditions) dehydrated food is the lightest and most effective food source- all you need to do is add hot water. There are many flavors to choose from if you are vegetarian or have dietary requirements. Tins are not recommended as they are heavy and will take up too much room in your bag and when you need to take your rubbish home with you it still takes up space. Store your food in zip lock bags, as most of the time packaging will take up 2x the space.
For hygiene purposes when you are cooking or about to eat, a new product on the market is hand sanitizer gel that doesn’t require water. It is an antibacterial gel which you only need a little dollop. Rub your hands together and it’s done- you just washed your hands.
All of these items are important for camps, but sometimes schools have illusions that parents have endless pockets. They request items such as Gore-Tex jackets and other astronomically priced pieces of equipment. The best thing a parent can do is to educate themselves on the equipment necessary for the child’s journey. We encourage parents to forget about brands and names like Gore-Tex and simply focus on the item at hand, such as a jacket, a tent, a pair of boots. Most of the time, the best way to learn about these items is to come into a shop like ours for advice. We will explain the difference between each of the items listed as well as all the available options. Then brands and specific fabrics can now be accessed.
Another handy tip to help parents save money is to ensure that the products they choose to buy their kids are going to be used over a long period of time. Because clothing in particular tends to stay the same size while the child grows in mammoth proportions, parents should look at investing in products, which they themselves can use when their child grows of them. This means that buying a more expensive and therefore better performing product is easier and better value in the long term.
We hope this information has been useful.