After the Campout

Getting home is part of the trip. Gear that comes back dry, clean and complete is gear the next patrol can use. Work through this list within a day or two of getting back.

1. Dry everything

Mold and mildew ruin tents and sleeping bags. Set up or hang your tent, sleeping bag, rain gear and anything else damp the day you get home. A garage works if it is raining. Troop tents must come back bone dry. Step-by-step instructions for each kind of Troop gear are in Caring for Troop Gear.

2. Look after Troop gear you took home

If you are the steward for a Troop tent, patrol box, stove or other gear, you are responsible for bringing it back clean and complete.

1. Open the gear app and check My gear to see what is checked out to you or to your Scout.
2. Clean and inventory each item. The app shows a checklist for each type of gear, such as whether it is dry, has all its poles, or has a stove that is emptied.
3. Write down anything that is bent, torn, broken or missing. Use the gear's log card, and report it in the app. You will not be in trouble for reporting a problem. A reported problem gets fixed, and an unreported one gets found at the next campout.
4. Bring the gear and its log card back to the Troop's gear cage at the next Troop meeting if you can. Tents come back at the next meeting even if that is the very next day, once they are dry. If you got home late and a patrol box needs more time, the following week is fine. A leader or the quartermaster checks it in.

3. Take care of yourself

• Wash your clothes. Take your pack straight to the laundry. Sort personal gear from Troop gear before it gets mixed up.
• Put food away. Empty leftovers from your pack and any patrol box food before it spoils.
• Shower and check for ticks. Check your hairline, behind your ears, under your arms, around your waist and behind your knees. If you find one, remove it quickly with fine-tipped tweezers, following the CDC's instructions for removing a tick. If you feel sick or notice a rash in the days or weeks afterward, see a doctor and mention the tick bite. The CDC explains what to do after a tick bite.
• Watch your skin and feet. Treat blisters with moleskin. Tell a parent about a rash (poison oak, for example), a bite that looks infected, or anything that does not clear up. If you feel sick in the days after a trip, see a doctor.
• Drink water. A headache and tiredness after a trip often just mean you are dehydrated.

4. Make sure the trip counts

Check that your nights camping and any service hours were recorded. If something is missing, tell the scoutmaster in charge (SMIC) of the trip while it is still fresh. Note anything you want to work on next, such as a rank requirement or a merit badge.

5. Get ready for next time

Restock your first-aid kit, refill your fuel and water bottles, and replace anything you used up. Keep your gear in one place so the Camping Checklist is quick to run through before the next trip.