Learn how to choose, use and care for essential camping and outdoor tools and equipment, including axes, knives, rope saws, maintenance and tool safety.
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: AdvancedTime: 30–60 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor woodcraft or campfire areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Axe safety, woodcraft, fire preparation, tool control, concentration Quick Answer Splitting firewood means using a suitable hand axe to divide small pieces of prepared wood into smaller sections for a campfire. For Scouts, this is an advanced practical skill…
Activity Overview Difficulty: AdvancedTime: 45–60 minutesLocation: Indoors for demonstration or a suitable outdoor activity areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Fire-lighting principles, air compression, observation, experimentation, fire safety A fire piston produces heat by rapidly compressing air inside a small cylinder. The compression causes the air temperature to rise enough to ignite a small piece of…
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 30–45 minutesLocation: Designated outdoor woodcraft areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Tool safety, woodcraft, cutting techniques, concentration, risk management A saw should be used in a clear, controlled area with the timber securely supported. Check the saw before use, keep your free hand away from the blade, use steady controlled strokes, and…
Activity Overview Difficulty: AdvancedTime: 30–60 minutesLocation: Designated axe area or suitable outdoor training areaBest for: Scouts and Explorers, with appropriate adult supervisionSkills: Tool safety, woodcraft, cutting techniques, risk management, concentration A hatchet should only be used in a controlled area with suitable supervision, a stable chopping surface and a clear safety zone. Check the hatchet…
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: EasyTime: 15–30 minutes to learnLocation: Home, outdoor shop or before a camping tripBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, campers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Equipment selection, weather awareness, camping preparation and outdoor planning Choose a sleeping bag based on the temperatures you’re likely to encounter, your size, the type of camping you’re doing…
