How much gear to bring?

[Jamie]

I was wondering what your take was on this. I have never planted before and the company I am working for said I am mainly going to be working out of bush camps. I have worked at fire camps and I know what gear to bring and not to bring. My problem is we were either driven right out to our sites or flown there and I don't know how it works with tree planting. If I have to haul my camping gear in for a long distance it is pretty damn heavy. Should I be really concerned about weight?"

[Scooter]

Yes and no. Planting will be like working in fire camps. You would probably never have to pack your gear in long distances ... you will almost always be able to drive right into camp, and when that is not possible there will be rolligons or helicopters taking you right into camp. So technically, no, you don't have to worry about weight.

However, having said that, you'll obviously want to use some common sense. Since you've done the same sort of camping thing before, you'll know that cutting back on what you bring with you is critical. Don't leave things at home that you'll definitely need, but at the same time remember that whatever you bring, you will have to take care of all summer, and this includes times in town when you're between contracts. My basic rule is that if you can't fit everything you own into two hockey bags, you've got too much stuff. It's amazing how quickly the pickup trucks fill up with planters' personal gear when moving camp. The less you have, the less you are likely to use. By the way, hockey bags ARE a great way of carrying gear around, and they are sturdy.