Learn how to maintain camping and outdoor equipment, including cleaning, inspection, repairs, storage and regular checks to keep essential gear safe and reliable.
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 30–45 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor equipment or cooking areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Equipment care, stove maintenance, fault checking, camp cooking, safety awareness Regular stove maintenance keeps camping stoves working reliably and helps identify problems before they become dangerous. Maintenance should include cleaning the stove, checking the burner and supports, inspecting fuel…
Activity Overview Difficulty: BeginnerTime: 30–45 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor cooking areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Stove safety, fuel handling, camp cooking, fire safety, risk awareness Camp stoves provide a controlled way to cook outdoors, but they still involve flames, hot surfaces and potentially hazardous fuels. Safe stove use starts before the stove is lit and includes…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 20–30 minutes to learn the basics; applied throughout a pioneering projectLocation: Scout campsites and suitable outdoor activity areasBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Risk awareness, ropework, lashings, teamwork, equipment care and safe construction Pioneering safety is about planning the project, using suitable equipment, constructing it correctly and…
Activity Overview Difficulty: EasyTime: 15–30 minutesLocation: Scout campsites, activity centres and outdoor settingsBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Ropework, campcraft, equipment care, observation and outdoor safety Rope identification means being able to recognise what a rope is made from, how it is constructed and what it is suitable for. Common ropes…
Activity Overview Difficulty: EasyTime: 15–30 minutes for routine care; several hours for thorough dryingLocation: Home, campsite or suitable dry areaBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, campers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Equipment care, cleaning, drying, storage and camping maintenance Good sleeping bag care is mainly about keeping it clean, dry and properly stored. Air your sleeping…
Activity Overview Difficulty: Easy–ModerateTime: 15–30 minutes for a temporary repairLocation: Campsite or homeBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, campers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Tent pitching, equipment repair, problem-solving and outdoor maintenance A broken tent pole can often be given a temporary repair using a tent-pole repair sleeve, sometimes called a splint. The sleeve is placed…
Activity Overview Difficulty: Easy–ModerateTime: 15–60 minutes depending on the repairLocation: Home, campsite or suitable outdoor areaBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, campers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Tent maintenance, repairs, sewing, problem-solving and equipment care Many minor tent problems can be repaired using a suitable tent repair kit, provided the repair is appropriate for the type…
Activity Overview Difficulty: EasyTime: 15–20 minutes to learn; ongoing during campingLocation: Campsites, woodland, hills and other outdoor camping areasBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, campers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Tent pitching, knots, tensioning, campsite organisation and weather awareness Tent guy lines are cords attached to a tent to help stabilise and tension the structure. They…
Activity Overview Difficulty: EasyTime: 10–15 minutes to learn; ongoing during campLocation: Campsites, woodland, hills and other outdoor camping areasBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, campers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Tent pitching, campsite management, weather awareness and outdoor problem-solving Tent condensation happens when moisture in the air inside your tent meets a colder surface, such as…
Activity Overview Difficulty: EasyTime: 30–60 minutes for a routine check; ongoing throughout the yearLocation: Home, garage, garden, campsite or suitable outdoor areaBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, campers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Equipment maintenance, inspection, repair, storage, preparation and outdoor problem-solving Maintaining camping equipment means checking, cleaning, repairing and storing your outdoor kit so that…
