I'm looking for anything to help support my dissertation (which I'm thinking will be mostly video) on lightweight backpacking in Scouting. At this point I haven't narrowed my thesis down to any particular aspect of lightweight backpacking, but my overall goal will be to enLIGHTen old-style troops or encourage non-BP troops to try it.

Of course, there's several articles and posts here. I've also collected a few books and PDFs that don't have a Scouting orientation. I wish I could attend the Leader's course in May since it would be exactly what I'm after but finances won't allow that. What else should I be looking at or that you could provide?

Michael, I gave a 1 hour talk on LW backpacking at a (mostly) adult training day we also call the "University of Scouting". I have a macintosh equivalent of a powerpoint presentation that you are welcome to, but I don't think it translates to powerpoint easily. My definition was of "lightweight" for this class was "25-30 pounds, FSO, as a place to start"

Cheers, Tim

oops, my bad, I forgot to mention gave this class last year, this year and (hopefully) next year (It's getting better every year).

Timothy,
Could you convert it into a PDF perhaps?

Tim, I'd like to see your presentation. Here is the current version of the one I've given for the past two years at our U. of Scouting:

http://wunderwood.org/Lightweight%20Course/Lightweight%20Gear%202010.ppt

If you want historical info, check out Camping and Woodcraft by Horace Kephart, 1917. He details his list of gear, complete with weights. Here is a summary:

http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/04/gear-of-horace-kephart.html

Kephart also gives weights of available tents and other gear.

This is a reprint from Boy's Life with lightweight gear.

http://dankohn.info/~scouts/boys_life_reprints/litepac_camping_equipment.pdf

Somewhere, I have the "Hiking and Camping Equipment" reprint, that includes plans for making a lightwight Jambo pack.

wunder

Edited by wunder on 05/29/2011 22:10:40 MDT.

Here is the pack, from Boys Life, March 1954. It is made with two yards of lightweight cotton, he recommends "airplane cloth, Byrd Cloth, Aberlite, or the like." Not sure how much that weighs.

http://books.google.com/books?id=oB4YsDfcXA4C&lpg=PA16&ots=yL5teOqi5S&dq=atom-wate%20pack&pg=PA16#v=onepage&q&f=false

>This is a reprint from Boy's Life with lightweight gear.

>http://dankohn.info/~scouts/boys_life_reprints/litepac_camping_equipment.pdf

That was a cool article (compilation really). Feel sorry for the kid making so much effort and still having a 72 oz tarp and 80 oz down sleeping bag because of the materials of the day, but I'm sure he was much better off than his brethren.

I see the original articles were done in 1949-50. I might have to include this in an Appendix.

The article on the Atom-Wate pack is interesting, because it mentions new pack designs from Europe, so they were clearly tuned in to the latest equipment. Byrd Cloth was a twill made from Egyptian cotton, and a high-tech choice for that time. Aberlite was a lightweight tent canvas, similar to using silnylon or cuben for packs now.

The pack reminds me a bit of the G4.

We think of Green-Bar Bill as a traditionalist, but it sure looks like he had more in common with the minimalist, lightweight approach than with the car camping, kitchen sink style.

Walter & Michael, sorry I haven't got back to you on this...I think my forum preferences are set so I don't see your replies.

I was able to convert my Macintosh presentation to a PDF. It still needs a little work (an ongoing project), but I think it is pretty good as it stands.

If you are still interested, PM me with you email addresses and I'll send you a copy.

Cheers, Tim