Keep your kit fit
You’ll need
- Pens or pencils
- Scrap paper
- Adventure or expedition kit
Before you begin
- Decide on some sets of equipment for the group to examine. It could be all the kit you’d need for a weekend camp, or everything you’d need to cook a meal for the group. This’ll help you explain what to look for when checking the kit, so that anyone can spot things that aren’t as they should be.
- This activity is ideal to run before an activity, adventure or expedition where the group will use the kit you’ve been examining. This will help everyone see the benefits of a thorough kit check first-hand.
- Choose whether to include any broken or unsuitable kit in the set of equipment. You could also remove an item, or a part of an item, like a lid or buckle. Don’t forget to replace anything you removed at the end!
- This activity could be run as one of a number of bases for smaller groups, so that everyone has equal opportunity to examine the same set of equipment.
Check it out
- Explain to everyone what activity, adventure or expedition they have coming up. This can be real or made up. Ask everyone what kit they think they’ll need for it from the stores.
- Everyone should head to where the relevant equipment is stored and try to retrieve the items they need. They need only bring one complete set of equipment, depending on what you have. See how easy the group finds it to get everything they need.
- See what everyone expects to find when they unpack the kit.
- Explain that each time we use equipment, we should check it before and after we use it. The groups will now be looking at some simple steps that they can run through to complete the position, function and condition checks below.
- Once you’ve completed the check, if any problems resulting from neglect or general wear and tear of the kit can be resolved easily in the session, get stuck in and do it!
- When you’ve finished using the equipment and it’s time to return it, carry out the same checks again to make sure that nothing has been damaged or lost during the session.
- Recap the fundamentals of managing the group’s equipment. ‘Position’, ‘function’ and ‘condition’ should all be checked before and after using any of the kit.
First, think about where the items are kept and how they’re kept. Make notes on some paper about how the equipment retrieved looks and consider the following:
- Items used regularly in meetings might need to be kept somewhere easily accessible, like a drawer, whereas items used every now and then, like tents, could be stored somewhere out of the way. Sharp tools should be kept somewhere secure, like a locked case, so that they can’t become dislodged and injure someone.
- The group should consider whether they were able to find what they needed for their activity, adventure or expedition, and whether there were any missing parts or instructions.
- An inventory list is a great way to keep track of what you’ve got and where it is. Each item on the list should have details like its size, brand, detachable parts and location mentioned. So, for an archery activity, you might be looking for: ‘3x Quicks 48inch training bow with string removed in case’, or for cooking: ‘2x 30cm diameter stainless steel billy cans with matching lids’.
Once everyone’s checked the kit is as it should be, with all its parts and instructions, they should check that it works properly and isn’t broken. Make notes on some paper about how the equipment functions and consider the following:
- With something like a billy can, does the handle seem stable and does the lid fit? With bags or harnesses, do the buckles or clips work, or are they broken?
- If the equipment is broken, you should always let a leader know as soon as possible so that it can be repaired or replaced.
Once everyone’s checked that the equipment works, they should now check the condition of the kit. This involves checking the equipment for general wear and tear not caused by neglect, but simply by prolonged use over time. Make notes on some paper about the condition of the kit and consider the following:
- Plastics can become brittle and flake apart with age. Metal can corrode or rust. Wood can rot or get woodworm. Fabric or rope will fray or fade.
- Catching these things early means you can deal with them, and in some cases even reverse the damage. But if you leave it too long, the material will be compromised and the equipment becomes unsafe.
- Remember, this kind of damage shouldn’t affect how well the item does its job, so be wary when testing anything, especially with safety equipment. A small dent on a pan might not be a problem, but lots of small dents might still stop the lid from fitting. A small crack in the edge of a climbing helmet might look minor, but it could stop the helmet from protecting your head as well as it should, so this would need to be replaced.
Reflection
Tidying and maintaining things can seem like the least enjoyable part of anything but both make it much easier to get on with enjoying the activity itself. If you spend half an hour looking for something only to find that it is broken or not ready to use, that is half an hour that you can’t spend using it. By taking care of our own equipment and more importantly the equipment we share with others, we are being responsible. It is especially important to check these things when using adventurous activity equipment as even minor damage can affect the ability of the equipment to keep you safe.
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
- Manufacturer’s guidelines
All vehicles will be different so always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Mix in some damaged or problematic kit and see if the group can find all the faults with their checks.
This may be easier to demonstrate by showing the difference between perfect kit and damaged kit, using examples of both.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
Why not revisit your inventory as a group to check out all of your kit and build an accurate picture, then together agree how you’ll all look after it as a group?
Encourage everyone to take the lead on caring for kit, sharing what they’ve learned with younger members of the group (and friends and family) to make sure that equipment is cared for and valued by everyone.