Beg and barrow what you can. You can mortgage your home and still need the next best thing.
I raised 3 boys and all hiked Philmont Scout Camp in New Mexico and small portion of the Appalachian Trail when in high school.
Wait to see if they will enjoy it before you spend big money.
You are not far from Bankhead national forest and Cheaha Mountain.
You do not have to buy a North Face 0 degree down bag to start.
Or an REI personal tent.
Eureka used to make a good 2 man tent that you could split that tent apart and let 1 boy carry the tent and another boy carry the poles and fly.
On long trips I ended up with a fly and walking stick.
Our troop used these alot cause you could buy replacement parts for most items.
Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro, AL was another place you could pick up items cheap if you knew what you were looking for.
Young kids do not need an air mattress. Just a foam pad will do.
Same thing for backpacking stoves and mess kits.

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Posted by Sparty3131

Baton Rouge

Member since Feb 2019

886 posts

Posted on 10/6/25 at 2:03 pm to ccard257

quote:
backpacking pads

Yes! Get a sleeping pad. I have one that "blows up" with a bag that you use to catch air. I get way too uncomfortable to sleep on a foam pad alone.

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Posted by TU Rob

Birmingham

Member since Nov 2008

13332 posts

Posted on 10/6/25 at 2:08 pm to NoMoreKnees

quote:
NoMoreKnees

Thanks for all that. I'm definitely not the type to splurge on something that will only get used sparingly. We bought a 5 man Magellan tent from Academy last year. I think I spent under $60 on it, and we've used it maybe 10 nights so far, and it is great for 3 season camping. But it weighs around 12 lbs and is bulky when packed up. I've also got an ancient 2-man popup tent, but it is more suited for backyard camping or car camping. It folds up into a disc, but is about 30 inches across when folded.

Realistically, my oldest is 12 and will likely only be involved in the troop for another 3-4 years, but his little bro is 7, so I'm thinking ahead. There will probably be 2-3 trips a year with the troop where we are hiking and doing primitive camping. And always nice to have another option instead of the big bulky one. When we do a big troop campout with all ages of boys, the older boys all bunk in together, and the younger ones sleep in a tent with their dad. So if I don't feel like hauling the 5-man tent, if I get a 2-3 person backpacking tent, I can take that on pretty much any campout we'd go on, and keep the 5-man for when I take the boys camping outside of any troop campouts.

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Posted by NoMoreKnees

Pulaski, TN

Member since Jan 2017

438 posts

Posted on 10/6/25 at 8:41 pm to TU Rob

Years ago I was in Sam’s and there was a clearance table with a 3 compartment tent that supposedly slept 12 for $50. I bought it and used it when we traveled from Hartselle to New Mexico. Due to travel limitations we had to camp twice both ways. In stead of putting up 6 2 man tents we put it up that monster. I turned it over to the troop and it made 4 and maybe 5 trips. Best $50 I ever spent!

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Posted by cadillacattack

the ATL

Member since May 2020

9624 posts

Posted on 10/8/25 at 5:54 pm to Sam Quint

Most of these 3-season tents have a “bathtub floor” that prevents water from entering the tent. The waterproof floor extends about 4” to 6” up , all the way around the circumference tent.

A good item to have in your kit, especially when camping with kids or a dog, is a small roll of Tenacious Tape. Great product for repairing everything from air mattresses, tents, hiking poles, even first aid …..a variety of uses.