Scouting Skills Day, Additional Notes

Extra info I researched from the experience on that day.

Hammocks & Tarps

UNASHAMINGLY I have a dormant Amazon Associate account, so the pictures are all from there and you can buy them too! 
A quick way to make me rich beyond my wildest dreams!

Hammocks and tarps
Keith our instructor mentioned DD Hammocks, a one stop shop for all hammock and tarp you need. He was not joking!

Find them at www.ddhammocks.com

Tautline Knot

We used many knots but it is easy to forget how and why we used them so here is a list for reference:

Sheet Bend - Connects 2 ropes together. Learn
Timber Hitch - The "Head" side of the hammock. Learn
Round Turn & Two Half Hitches - The "Legs" side. Learn
Tautline knot - Slide and hold, for guy lines and the tarp! Learn

Remember we had few variations, the taut line was a temporary and a permanent finish, (leave a handle) and the round turn working part came back over the main line for pulling power.

The Learn links above will jog your memory!

Fire Lighting
Lighting a fire is as simple as stricking a match or using your lighter. But that's boring!

Fire nest & Stick

The exciting thing is to try new things and we did!

We used two fire starters, the Cotton with vaseline and the charcloth.
Scouting Magazine has an interesting article on how to make your own charcloth.

Cotton buds and vaseline is as it says on the tin, rub some vaseline on cotton buds and they will go light up with one spark and stay alight till you make your little tinderstick pyramid over it.

Using a firesteel and keeping your firestarting kit in a small tin box, preferably water tight, is a cool idea!

Make your charcloth and keep it rolled in there too!

The Scouting Magazine Article is here!

Cooking Stoves etc.
Trangia Stoves, where were they all my life? We had the 25 model which is larger than the 27, for those who can see it working as their family stove when out and about! I found them cheaper on Amazon with the amazing methilated spirit bottle!


The spirit bottle made sense! I think the 500lt one made more sense for backpacking rather than the 1lt one. Mine is at home right now, arrived today and I can't wait for the weekend to try it out, best to try it out home and play with some recipies rather than the outdoors when hungry and without many options!


The Kelly Kettle! I loved this! it is a very clever and back to roots way to boil a cup of tea! They are a bit pricey but what a piece of kit to have and use with your troops and or at the BBQ, when it adds to the whole outdoors feeling!

I bought those as soon as I discussed it with the chief! so I am so excited we are gonna use it thsi weekend! Plus we are going camping this year so they definitely come with us...

Foldaway Oven! wow, I never knew this existed! Try to search for Coleman Oven, I think that's the brand we had there. And also we had the Dutch oven, Definitely on my scope for the near future!