🏕️ SCOUT LIFE | 4 MIN READ

Every Scout Leader has that one item. The thing that, when you forget it, ruins the whole camp. What’s yours?

Let’s be honest. Running a Scout camp is hard work. You’re up early, you’re solving problems before most people have had their first cup of tea, and you’re still going long after the last young person has zipped up their sleeping bag. So when it comes to your own kit ,your personal, non-negotiable, this-is-mine bit of gear, you’re allowed to be a little precious about it.

And for me, that item is very clear: my camping chair!!

“It’s my must-have. I’ve forgotten it a few times and it just messes the whole camp up, it’s that simple.”

Not just any chair, mind you. We’re talking about the High Gear Vegas King, a big, comfortable, proper camping chair. Not one of those two-for-twenty-quid jobs from the supermarket that sag in the middle and leave you walking funny for a week. A chair you can actually sink into. A chair that says: I am in charge here, and I am comfortable about it.

High Gear Vegas King Camping Chair

Why comfort matters more than you think

There’s a temptation,especially among the most dedicated leaders, to rough it completely. To prove you don’t need creature comforts. But here’s the thing: you’re not there to suffer. You’re there to lead, to be present, and to support the young people in your care. And you can’t do any of that well if you’re tired, achy, and miserable from a week of sitting on upturned milk crates.

Your camping chair isn’t a luxury. It’s practically a leadership tool.

What else makes the must-bring list?

Of course, a great chair isn’t the only thing Scout Leaders swear by. Here are some other items that regularly top the “I never go without it” list:

  • 🔦 A reliable head torch
  • 🔧 A quality multi-tool
  • 🔥 A firesteel
  • 🩹 A personal first aid kit
  • ☕ A decent insulated mug
  • 🛏️ A good sleeping mat

Now it’s your turn

Every Scout Leader has their thing. That one item that, when you pull up to camp and realise it’s still sitting in the spare room at home, makes your heart sink just a little. Your chair. Your specific Camping Mug. That battered Swiss Army knife you’ve had since your own days as a Scout.

So — what’s yours?

Drop your must-have Scout camp item in the comments below. We want to know what you never leave home without and whether you’ve ever had to survive camp without it.