Clothing and Gear Check
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Clothing/Gear Check
Educational Goals
There is nothing worse than arriving at your destination missing a key piece of equipment or finding that a participant forgot a sleeping bag or hiking boots. Very simply, this lesson is done to ensure that you have what you think you have- both program equipment-wise and participant equipment-wise.
Key Points
Have a master gear list for all the equipment you need and/or are checking out of the OEC. Have a “gear guru” who is charge of final check-offs making sure it REALLY made its way into the van/trailer/duffle.
The more neat and organized you are the less likely you will forget something.
The more time you have the less likely you are to forget something.
Duffle Shuffle:
Prior to departure, you should do a “duffle shuffle” with your participants. This refers to the shuffling of personal gear from their own pile (duffle) into our piles (either duffles, backpacks, or portage packs). Here again, a list is helpful. There are two models for doing this:
1. Stand in the middle of your group and read off an item (like 4 pairs of socks). Then have everyone show that they have the item before putting it into the “checked” pile. Advantages: you are doing it all together. Disadvantages- can be inefficient if students have lots of questions. Can be embarrassing to students to display items in public.
2. Divide your instructors into number of students. Have students organize all of their items based on the gear sheet that they have. Then go around to each individual student on your list and check through their items. Advantages: can be more efficient and personal. Avoids the public displays of underwear, etc. Disadvantages: more instructor intensive. All instructors must be on the same page about gear choices and expectations.
