What you’ll need for camps and sleepovers

Everything your young person will need to make their camps, sleepovers and other nights away experiences as much fun as possible

Making sleepovers, camping and other residential as fun as possible

Helping you to make sure your young person has the right gear

Things everyone needs for a great nights away experience

We’ve been doing this for a long time, and our kit list has evolved over the years to become a trusty guide to help you think about the things you’ll need to have a great night under the stars. It’s not an exhaustive list and is designed to help you think about the things that your young person will need when they go on a nights away experience with Scouts.

Uniform
Sweaters jumpers or hoodies
T-shirts or polo shirts
Breathable base layer
Micro-fleece mid-layer
Trousers and /or shorts (not denim)
Spare underwear (one per day)
Spare walking socks (one per day)
Pyjamas or nightwear
Sturdy walking shoes or boots
Waterproof trousers
Waterproof layered jacket
Swimwear
Towel to dry off (microfibre preferred)
Handkerchiefs
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Personal wash kit and face towel
Teddy (maximum of one, please)
Scarf, hat and gloves
Sun hat, suncream and sunglasses
Sleeping bag (2-to-3 season minimum)
Foam roll mat
Plate, bowl and mug
KFS (cutlery: knife, fork and spoon)
Tea Towel
Small torch or head torch
Spare batteries
Personal first aid kit
Day sack (up to 20L)
Rucksack (45L to 60L recommended)
Refillable drinks bottle
Bin bag for dirty clothes

If you’re in any doubt over what to take, speak to a leader who will advise what you’ll need – especially if it’s a special camp like a Duke of Edinburgh’s award expedition, or a winter camp. For example, on camps in colder months, we would always recommend that you invest in a suitable 3-to-4 season sleeping bag and bring additional blankets.

Label your items, in case they get lost.
Put your young person's name on everything. This way, we can return lost and misplaced items as quickly and as easily as possible.

No jeans or joggers
Walking trousers or the Scouts Activity Trousers are comfortable, suitable, and will dry quickly if they get wet on activities or in wet weather.

No suitcases, haul bags or wheeled cases
Your young person needs to be able to comfortably carry all their gear on their back. Investing in and looking after a good quality 40-plus-litre rucksack will see your young person all the way through their journey from Beavers to Explorers and beyond.

Kit Purchasing Guide

We’ve done some research and have some tried-and-tested favourites

It’s important to make sure you buy the right gear for the right purposes. You don’t need to worry about buying tents, but investing in a set of good quality kit can make all the difference and ensure that you don't just enjoy going camping, but that you can’t wait until your next adventure.

Don’t forget, as a Scout or an Adult Volunteer, you’re entitled to a range of discounts at various retailers, such as GoOutdoors, where Scouts are entitled to 10% off the Discount Card price (doesn't usually apply to offers). Just take your necker as proof of your involvement, to receive your discount.

Item	Recommended Kit
Item	Beavers/Cubs	Scouts/Explorers
Nights Away Kit
Rucksack Investing in a good quality 40 to 60 litre rucksack will pay off throughout your young person's Scouting adventure, all the way from Beavers through to Explorers and beyond.	HiGear Nepal 65 (£) OEX Vallo 60+10 (££) Berghaus Trailhead (£££)
Rucksack Liner While you can buy a specific waterproof rucksack liner, a good, heavy duty black refuse sack works just as well, and costs a fraction of the price.	Black Bin Liner (£) Heavy Duty Rubble Sack (££) OEX Drysac (£££)
Sleeping Bag We recommend a good sleeping bag with a minimum 2-3 season rating and comfort temperature down to 3°C. If you're a cold sleeper, get a 3-4 season bag.	HiGear Spirit Junior 300 (£) Vango Starlight Junior 250S (££) Vango Ultralight Pro 300 (£££)	Vango Nitestar 225 (£) OEX Roam 300 (££) Vango Ultralight Pro 300 (£££)
Roll Mat We recommend a good quality, thick, foil-backed foam roll mat over self-inflating mats. Keep the ties so that it can be rolled up and stored with your rucksack.	Freedom Trail 6mm Foam Camping Mat (£) Hi-Gear Military Foam Sleeping Mat (££) Multimat Trecker Thermal Mat (£££)
Head Torch A good quality head torch will help to light the way ahead and keep your hands free to do other things. Just remember not to shine it in everyone’s faces!	HiGear Mini Evo 3 LED Head Torch (£) Coleman CXHT+200 LED Headlamp (££) Petzl Tikka Headlamp (£££)
Mug, Plate and Bowl A good, hardy mug, plate and bowl that you can bring to camp, and take on hikes away. Make sure you mark your items with your name or initials.	HiGear Plastic Bowl, Plate and Cup (£) HiGear Enamel Bowl, Plate and Cup (££) Lifeventure Titanium Bowl, Plate and Cup (£££)
KFS (Knife, Fork and Spoon) Cutlery Set Get a good quality KFS that links together (and can be wrapped in your tea towel). Asking someone to engrave your initials into your KFS is a good idea.	HiGear Heavy Duty KFS Set (£) Lifeventure Ellipse KFS Set (££) Lifeventure Titanium KFS Set Camping Cutlery (£££)
Expedition and Hikes Away Kit
Compass Once we’ve taught them how to read a map, a good quality compass will ensure your young person always knows which way they’re heading.	- not required until Scouts -	HiGear Deluxe Map Compass (£) Silva Ranger Compass (££) Silva Expedition 4 Compass (£££)
Mess Tin or Cooking Pot Set For Scouts and Explorers who are going on an Expedition or Expedition Training weekend, a Mess Tin or Cooking Pot Set will be essential.	- not required until Scouts -	HiGear Aluminium Mess Set (£) Hi Gear 2 Person Cook Set (££) MSR Titan Camping Kettle (£££)
Personal First Aid Kit For Scouts and Explorers who are going on an Expedition or Expedition Training weekend, a personal first aid kit will be essential.	- not required until Scouts -	HiGear First Aid Kit 1 (11 Items) (£) Lifesystems Trek Kit (££) Lifesystems Waterproof Kit (£££)