Camping
The requirements for Camping merit badge were revised effective August 1, 1996.
- Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses that could occur while camping,
including hypothermia, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, frostbite, dehydration, sunburn,
insect stings, tick bites, snakebite, blisters, and hyperventilation.
- Make a layout of a typical patrol campsite. Show cooking spots, dining fly, latrine, and
at least three two-man tents. Explain how and why weather, season, and water supply are
considered when choosing a site. Explain what care to take with regard to safe water,
sanitary facilities, and emergencies.
- Make a written plan for getting to and from a camping spot on foot or by vehicle.
- Make a chart showing how a typical patrol is organized for an overnight campout. List
assignments for each member.
- Prepare a list of clothing you would need for an overnight campout in:
- Summer
- Winter
Discuss the kinds of footwear for different kinds of weather. Explain care of the feet.
- Describe four kinds of tents. Cite their good and bad points.
- Prepare for an overnight campout with your patrol by doing the following*:
- Make a checklist of personal gear that will be needed.
- Prepare a camp menu that is right for the time of the year. Give recipes. Make a food
list for your patrol. List foods you can get from your grocery store. Supplies should be
lightweight, though some canned foods may be used. Plan two breakfasts, three lunches, and
two suppers.
- Pack your own gear and your share of the patrol gear and food for proper carrying.
Protect it against bad weather. Show that your pack is right for getting what's needed
first, and that it has been assembled properly for comfort, weight, balance, size, and
neatness. Explain how the rest of the patrol gear and food is divided among members.
- Show the right way to pack your full gear in your pack. (Explain the principles of
packing in external and internal frame packs.)
- Complete the following while on an overnight campout:
- Present yourself with your pack for inspection. Be correctly clothed and equipped for an
overnight camping trip.
- Working with another Scout, pitch a two-man tent. Consider weather and terrain. On this
campsite, where allowed, make a latrine for your patrol. (Where not allowed, as in state
parks, etc., describe how to build it.)
- Make a comfortable ground bed. Use it for 2 nights. Use ground cloth and padding of
clothing, pack, grass, leaves, or straw.
- Where it's allowed, build up a fireplace area of nonburnable soil. Show proper use of
woods tools in getting and preparing fuel for a cooking fire. Show how you would get,
prepare, and protect your wood on a rainy day. Show how you would prepare a meal properly
when it's raining.
- Build three kinds of top-of-the-ground fires. Use charcoal for one. Show how to put out
a fire properly. (Where open fires cannot be used, show how to build the fires, but don't
light them.)
- Show the right way to protect your camp including your food and gear, against animals,
insects, and wet or bad weather. Discuss how you would protect yourself against all kinds
of weather if caught out on the trail with only a pocketknife.
- Strike camp. Fold or roll your tent for packing. Pack all gear. Leave a clean camp. Show
the right way to get rid of garbage and rubbish.
- Show experience in camping by doing the following:
- Camp out a total of at least 20 days and 20 nights. Sleep each night under the sky or
under a tent you have pitched. (You may use a week of summer camp as part of the 20 days
and 20 nights.)
- On one of these camping trips, hike 1.5 miles or more each way to and from your
campsite. Pack your own gear plus your share of patrol gear and food.
- Serve as one of the cooks for your patrol for at least five meals prepared in camp.
- Discuss how the things you did to earn this badge have taught you personal health and
safety, survival, public health, conservation, and good citizenship.
* May be part of a troop trip.
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