Things Scouts need (Christmas present suggestions)

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

DS will be moving from Cubs to Scouts in November, I was wondering if there were any useful bits and bobs I could buy for Christmas, things for taking to camp etc, any suggestions?

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

Camp blanket? (Do Scouts have them? Guides do).

[BackforGood]

We got all of our dc a penknife for their 11th birthdays - they have loved them.

Good socks
Camp blanket (although this is then followed by lots of sewing on of badges)
a buff
my dc all like anything luminous (as in luminous hoodie or shorts)
waterproof trousers
a decent roll mat
a "manly" washbag
rucksacks (depending on what you have to spend) - a large one for all camp kit and/or a 'day sack'
dry bags
a survival bag
a lantern (like a wind up torch, but you can then hang it in the tent or put it on the ground and you have 2 hands free to do whatever you need to do)

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Thank you, blankets would be a good idea, DD is a Brownie too and I've got the old Rainbow and Beaver uniforms with all the badges so I could transfer those, if I get going now they might even be done by Christmas.

I'll have to think carefully about pen knives, Ds has dyspraxia and isn't terribly competent with sharp kitchen knives yet. We've got a decent rucksack and roll mats, but some of these other suggestions are great, I've got a buff, never thought of getting them for the DCs. Manly washbag is also a good idea, DS has a polka dot one at the moment which I had been thinking i must replace before his Yr 6 residential. There's a huge camping shop near here which also does Scout and Guide stuff, think I'll take myself off down there with a list.

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

Before you go to the camping shop, have a look at the Scouting and Guiding online shops. Keep the money in the movements, rather than spending at random camping shops!

[EduCated]

Decent head torch
Roll mat/sleeping bag

There's also lots of scouty gifts in their online store - a scout onesie, perhaps?

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Just been having a quick google, there's a Scout shop in the neighbouring district which has some good kit lists on their website. He's got all the big stuff (sleeping bag, karrimat, rucksack etc) from doing Cub camps and family camping, but an inflatable pillow, better headtorch (ours are a bit crappy) and a few other small bits would be good. Good point about buying from the organisation, I'll try that first.

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

Thanks WhoKnows. I'm a Brownie Leader and I'm constantly asking parents to buy direct from Guiding. If you have a local shop, that's even better than shopping on line. Any profit will go directly to your local region or county rather than to Scouting UK (at least that's the way it works in Guiding).
The shop will have loads of stuff you might like to buy, not only camping stuff.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I'm on the Executive committee of our Scouts, so I should have thought of this myself, but I don't think the leaders really push the Scout Shop angle (perhaps because there isn't a shop in our district and the nearest one shut down a while ago). However this one I've found today isn't far away, only problem is very restricted opening hours.

The other thing is I don't want to buy too much stuff specifically Scout branded until I see how he settles in, he has been fine at Cubs but this is going to be a big step up as he has Asperger's Syndrome as well as dyspraxia and I worry that he might not cope with it. But I worried when he went up from Beavers and after a few bumpy weeks he was fine.

[TheFantasticMrsFox]

Bit late to this thread
I am a scout leader and DS has just gone up this past year.
This years stocking will contain (amongst others) a spork, a metal cup with a carabiner on, a small compass, a fire striker and a decent head torch.
He is also having an Opinel knife as a bigger present and is hankering after a set of waterproof matches :)

[AmeliaPeabody]

I'm buying a blanket for a scout (badges to sew on!)

Will also borrow a couple of ideas for stocking from here, too

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

bumping to put this back onto TIO, need to get cracking if I'm ever going to do the camp blankets!

[iScout]

I really rate the Duracell Head tourches and they are quite reasonably priced as well.

[myotherusernameisbetter]

Paracord bracelets make a good stocking filler.

Mine always take along one of those little tripod stools to camp as it keeps their backsides of the wet grass and it's handy for sitting whittling bits of wood with your scout knife whilst looking like Bear Grylls :o

[stargirl1701]

outdoor.tiso.com/search?w=Scout&null=search

[myotherusernameisbetter]

www.amazon.co.uk/Survival-Paracord-Bracelet-Starter-Scraper/dp/B00NFCX5RA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1417302851&sr=8-4&keywords=paracord%20bracelet&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[myotherusernameisbetter]

www.amazon.co.uk/SUMMIT-Lightweight-Folding-Camping-Shoulder/dp/B00BIIM808/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417303306&sr=8-1&keywords=camping%20stool&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21