Required Field Team Gear

The Northwest Service Academy provides members with gloves, hardhat, tools, rain gear and project-specific protective equipment.   Members need to bring the following items with them:

• All leather boots in good repair, with 8" minimum top.* (Please note: Hiking boots or boots with some areas covered in nylon and some in leather are not acceptable. Boot is measured from bottom of heel to top of boot.)  Boots do not have to be steel-toed.
• Sturdy work pants (i.e. Carhartt or Arbor Wear)  
• Long and short-sleeve work shirts
• Sleeping bag (sleeping pad recommended for warmth and comfort)
• Backpack for multiple-day projects
• Day pack
• Tupperware, 1 - 2 water bottles, thermos - anything to aid in packing your lunch.  We recommend you show up with Tupperware, as you will need them to pack your lunch during training!
• Warm clothes (whatever will keep you warm: hat, gloves, long underwear, sweater, wool socks – wool and synthetics are recommended over cotton)
• Backpacking Tent , at least 3-season

*8” Leather Work Boots:  some popular brands include Danner, Red Wing, Cabelas, La Sportiva, and Timberland.  Remember to budget well for these – a new pair can cost $150 - $250.  Also look for used boots at your local Goodwill or thrift store, Craigslist, eBay, etc.

—http://www.sierratradingpost.com and http://www.rei.com/outlet have great deals on wool socks, long underwear, and outdoor gear.  Other gear sites include www.campmor.com, www.rei.com, www.cabelas.com, www.mountaingear.com, and www.backcountry.com

Recommended Field Team Gear

• Headlamp and extra batteries (preferred by most campers over flashlight)
• Alarm clock (battery operated that you can take into the field)
• Winter hat / sun hat
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Mosquito head net.  Seriously.  This can save your sanity.
• Additional rain gear.  You will be issued heavy-duty rain gear from the MAC, which is, indeed, heavy.  Lighter weight gear can be nice.  However, it will take a beating, so this is not the place for ultralite, ultra-expensive gear.  You’ll probably at least want your own rain gear for your off-time.
• Casual clothes and shoes for evenings and off days
• Bedding including sheets, blankets, pillows and pillow cases (you can use your sleeping bag year-round if it’s your preference)
• Towels
• Personal bathroom items
• Musical instruments
• Craft, sewing, and knitting materials and supplies
• Bicycles and other sports and recreation equipment
• Cassette or CD player and music / iPod / portable speakers
• Books (casual reading, cookbooks, manuals, how-tos) 
• Boot dryer (useful if you are at a home base with electricity)
• Water filter, stove, etc. for personal trips (we provide these for work trips)
• Camera

Please note: If you are on a team with a home base, you will be expected to take all your belongings with you following orientation.  If you are on a PCT team, we can store some of your belongings at the MAC while you are out in the field.  PCT team members won’t have dedicated rooms when they are away from the MAC, but will likely share one room to store personal belongings.

Gear Buying Guide and FAQs

What kind of personal gear is appropriate?

These are tough questions to answer, as so much of it is personal preference. But here’s what we generally recommend. First of all, make sure that the items you buy are durable. Ultra-light things are sweet for backpacking, but don’t tend to hold up over a season working trails. During your time here, you may experience rain, snow, mosquitoes, hot temps and serious wind. Generally, supplying yourself with things that can be used in multiple seasons will be the most affordable option.

Sleeping Bag: 

If you tend to “sleep warm,” a Temperature Rating of 20-40 degrees will probably be sufficient. If you “sleep cold,” you may need a bag with a Temperature Rating of 0-15 degrees.  Summer nights may be warm, but it is very likely that some teams will be camping in freezing temperatures and some snow earlier or later in the season.  Down bags will keep their loft longer and are lighter and more compactable than Synthetic, but are useless if they get wet and can take a long time to dry.  Synthetics are less expensive, easier to clean, and dry quickly, but tend to be bulky and break down faster. 

We also recommend a lightweight sleeping pad.  It will make you more comfortable at night and insulate you from the cold ground (this can really make a difference if you are usually cold at night when camping).

Tent:

A durable three-season backpacking tent will be fine.  Don’t forget a rain fly and ground tarp. A single-person tent is nice because it’s lighter, but if you’re living out of it for multiple days, having a two-person tent is nice for the extra space. If you are trying to decide on a tent, we suggest that folks go with the more durable rather that the lighter. Weight is not nearly as important in the trail-work world as it is in backpacking.  Ask yourself this question: Will the extra two pounds really matter hiking in on day 1, knowing that you will still be dry/warm/safe on day 8?

Backpack:

Many people are willing to hike with a bit of extra weight for two days out of an 8 to 10 day hitch for the creature comforts like an extra pad and pillow or a few pounds of chocolate, though not all backcountry hitches get the assistance of being horse packed.  So that leads me to recommend a 4500 – 5500 cubic inch (cu.in.) expedition backpack that can hold 35 – 50 pounds of gear.  Most importantly, purchase a pack that is comfortable and built for your height and body.  When in doubt, go to a gear store and try on packs before making your decision – even if you plan to purchase from the internet. 

We also recommend having a day pack for work days. You will use this everyday, so make sure it is durable (broken zippers on the trail are the pits).

Do we get pro-deals? What if I don’t have everything I need by the time I get to the MAC? Should I get my boots now?

We have limited pro-deals which aren’t available to you until you arrive. The advantage to using the pro-deals, obviously, is discounted gear. The downside, however, is that you can almost never return items and you might not find what you are looking for.  The bottom-line is you will need your gear when you arrive, and you won’t be able to use pro-deals until after you arrive.

We like to suggest discount sites like www.REIoutlet.com and www.sierratradingpost.com (which has a great return policy). You may also want to get an REI membership and buy gear there.  A trail season is going to work your gear hard, and if it breaks, you can get a replacement pretty easily. The nearest REI is 90 minutes away in Portland, and there are REI’s all over the west (convenient if you are a travelling team).

Regarding boots, buy them before you come and start breaking them in.  Make sure they are comfortable to hike in, and if you are trying to save money, do it elsewhere -- your boots may be the most important purchase you make.  We don’t recommend steel-toed boots because they aren’t as comfortable in cold weather, though it’s fine if you already have a pair with steel-toe. Remember that the 8-inches is measured from the bottom of the heel to the top of the boot, and they need to be all leather. 

How much storage space is there at the MAC?

Bring the outdoor equipment that makes you happy, including bikes and boats. As a general rule, if you can fit it in or on top of your car, you can bring it. If you feel like to need to rent a trailer, think again. Computers are welcome -- including desktops (though not necessarily convenient unless you are on a team with more of a home base).  If you are on a team with a home base, you will be expected to take all your belongings with you following orientation.  If you are on a PCT team, we can store some of your belongings at the MAC while you are out in the field.  PCT team members won’t have dedicated rooms when they are away from the MAC, but will likely share one room to store personal belongings. If you have a question about a specific item or are still unsure, feel free to ask.