As a boyscout, and now a leader I know how this works. The knife and lighter or matches are easy to get scouts to carry. The garbage bags and whistle are harder to get them to carry. I would bet that the mini disposable poncho would be easier to get them to carry. A compass and a whistle should be mandatory. Lanyards are easy to get scouts to wear when they are not loaded down with hundreds of gadgets. Scouts should never be out of yelling distance to camp, and should always have a buddy. Scouts wont carry the kits with them when around camp but will wear a lanyard and will ALWAYS have matches and a knife on them!


Sparky the reason that pea whistles are bad is that in water the pea breaks down and is not as loud.

Our troop had a campout this last weekend. Part of the trip was a 5 mile hike to complete some of the requirements for the lower ranks. I was pleased to see at least one scout who had a storm whistle hanging off a carbiner hooked to his belt loop.

The other side of the coin is the youth wandering through camp in the pouring rain, without any rain gear. "Where is your rain gear?" "It's in my pack / tent / left it ____." "Why did you leave your tent / where ever, without putting it on?" "I don't know." "Go get it and put it on." "grumble grumble" 29 youth in camp, at least 10 wandering in the pouring rain without protection.

Some have trouble with "Be Prepared".

Kids think that they are bulletproff. But at least they don't rust much...