First, take a look at pages 200-210 and 224-231 in the Boy Scout Handbook. Everything else below is just to help clarify the material on those pages. One important point is that you don't have to buy a lot of special gear to have a good time backpacking.

THE ESSENTIALS:

• Boots. Must be broken in. Should be intact, so that brief contact with water will not get your feet wet. No other special requirements. Sneakers are a real bad idea.

• A pack. Needs to be able to carry your sleeping bag (either inside the sack part, or mounted to the frame) in addition to the rest of your gear. Internal frame vs. external frame is no big deal - use what suits you. 2000-3000 cu. in. is about right for most people. Using a bookbag or daypack with a sleeping bag tied on to it is a real bad idea - uncomfortable, awkward, possibly dangerous. There is nothing wrong will putting your sleeping bag inside your pack, instead of outside. If you are new to backpacking, borrow a pack before buying one.

• A sleeping bag. I strongly recommend one rated for 20 degrees F or below. Many "family style" sleeping bags are NOT adequate. I recommend a compression sack (available at camp stores) which squeezes the air out of your sleeping bag so that it takes up less space. If you intend to mount your sleeping bag to a frame, then a waterproof sack for your sleeping bag is ESSENTIAL.

• A tent. Either bring your own 1-2 person tent, or split the pieces of a larger tent among partners so that no one is carrying more than about 5 pounds of tent gear.

• Water. 2-3 plastic bottles is a good idea. Disposable bottles are fine - a canteen or fancy plastic bottle is not necessary. But don't skimp on water itself - most people need at least a couple liters of water a day to get by - don't assume you will find water along the way. This is the one thing you cannot take too much of.

• Clothes: Don't overpack. Better to bring extra socks and underware and fewer (or no) changes of shirts and pants. Wool socks are a real good idea.

• Cold weather clothing: Layers of clothing (e.g., a t-shirt + a flannel shirt + a hooded sweatshirt + a windbreaker + a poncho) is much better than a single heavy coat. You will get warm when you are backpacking, and a heavy coat will be miserable. Bring gloves and a knit cap.

• Trash bags. Bring a couple at least. They have 101 uses.

• Flashlight. A "maglite"-style unit using AA's is a good choice - small, lightweight, low cost. Bring extra batteries.

• Duct Tape. Has 101 uses.

• Toilet paper. Unspool a few days worth from a roll and carry in a zip-lock bag to keep dry.

• A small towel.

• First aid kit. See your scout handbook - don't take more than what will fit in a sandwich-sized ziplock bag.

• Small stove to cook food. A good idea is to share with your buddy - he caries the stove, you carry food, for example. Sterno stoves are a nice low-cost beginner stove. Don't bring a "grill"-style camp stove or similar big item.

• Eating utensils - don't assume plastic-ware will be available.

• Cook kit - the $6 Coleman kit from Wal-Mart or Target works fine.

• lighter (or matches if you prefer).

• A small pocket knife.

USUALLY NOT NECESSARY: The following are "luxury" items which should only be considered if you don't mind lugging the extra weight:

• Air mattress. Most people sleep fine on the ground without a mattress. However, if the ground is very cold, you may want to bring along a thin, low-mass pad of the foam or self-inflating type. Don't bring a family-style air matress.

• Camp chair. Sometimes it's nice not to have to sit on wet things. A decent tripod-style camp chair costs about $15 and weighs a few pounds. Don't even think about bringing a folding chair.

• Pillow. Don't bother - you can make one by stuffing your sleeping bag sack with your clothes. A real pillow is dead weight and wasted space.

• Electronics. Backpacking is a great way to loose or damage your Gameboys, iPods, cameras, boom boxes, laptops, etc. Don't bother with these.

FINAL WORD: A common problem is to overpack. If you are not sure you will need it, don't take it. You're only going to be gone for a day or two!