“You have a tent, sleeping bag, mat and cooker.  What would be the 1 extra thing you wouldn’t camp without?”

I asked a question to Scouts and Explorers (age 11-18) and to Leaders (aged 18 +++) who were at  camp in this weekend, it resulted in some fun chats so I thought I’d share here.

Leaders: oil-lamp multi-tool paracord curry head-torch map proper mug fire lighters beer pillow book comfy chair knife signal mirror binoculars cafetiere hip-flask paracetamol hat first-aid-kit more-beer hipflask Jura book

Kids: Phone charger internet sweets GPS teddy rope cards uno dog uber-eats fishing-rod mascara guitar YouTube phone friend van s’mores crisps hammock axe cool hat kite football bike telescope

I generally asked the question whilst my interviewees were held captive as I removed bloated ticks from their legs. Is it gross that I found it satisfying, especially making a small heap of them on the grass? A motivating visual tally of replete wiggly arachnids next to my (comfortable camping) chair.

When I asked the question to the adults they all took it strangely seriously. Evaluating the pros and cons and seemingly considering that there may be a value judgement being placed on their answer. I mean, I guess, there sort of always is but my moral high ground was non-existent given that my choice of item was G&T in a tin. Not one adult asked for anything electronic; though everyone I asked had a phone in their hand…

The tooled-up Scout leaders in freshly pressed shirts with a badge for everything could hardly say out loud they want the internet. For one thing they were already formidably armed with every pocket bulging and didn’t have designated quiver space for tech. So, they mostly opted for knives, flares, string and firelighters.

Prioritising survival over fun.

For the adults the idea of having digital support seemed to be the antithesis of outdoor adventure.  The physical map is king. (Well, apart from the fact that we all used ‘what 3 words’ to find the camp in the first place.)

Most spent a few minutes rummaging about in their minds for that one item that will save them come the apocalypse. It was only when I clarified that this wasn’t an end-of-the world scenario that the grownups chilled out a bit, then discarding their original choice of a 40 year old uncalibrated compass they got as cubs, and opting for a whisky, a comfy chair and some beer.

The kids immediately started negotiating.

“Can I swap my sleeping bag for a McDonalds?”

There was some amazing hustling going on whilst I tweezered out blobby grey parasitiforms from their legs. One tiny and pristinely turned out Girl Guide said:

“If I have my phone I can just order in an axe if I need to catch and hack apart my dinner” What kind of dinner? I ask.

“I dunno, someone’s horse or something!” she skipped off, briefly stopping to check

“Are you gonna be paying me for my answer?”

A few asked for YouTube which I assumed was for watching YouTubers doing stuff, talking about stuff, playing stuff, talking about playing stuff, but they actually wanted it “’cause there are bare survival skills on it.”

Bear? I hadn’t seen many in Cirencester Great Park.

“Bare as in loads” they withered back at me.  Assumptions firmly put to bed.

“Why do you want a ‘cool hat’” I asked “So I look cool, in a hat, even if I die of starvation.”

Most kids asked for food or their phone. Their phone providing them with compass, maps, light, videos, emergency help, music, first aid advice, access to a friend, GPS…

Their answers were so cheerful and instantaneous and made for a fun sounding camp. They took a short-term view; not worrying particularly about the impending bear attack or nuclear fallout requiring emergency bow saw. One (obviously not one of my Explorers) said they wanted to take a leader with them! How sweet! Why?

“Well, they will have done a risk assessment so its their fault if it all goes wrong. And they usually have chocolate. Plus they have lived longer and we need to survive so… maybe we could eat them?”

Food, friends, games, cannibalism and bare survival skills. Sounds good to me! Then again, so do the comfy chair and campfire beers.

What are your essentials?