If you’re working on earning your Backpacking merit badge, you’re in the right place! In this guide, I’ll be providing you with all of the answers that you’ll need to Backpack safely and complete your merit badge worksheet. In the process, you’ll also learn how to prepare meals for treks, pack properly, and coordinate backpacking adventures of your own!
You’ve reached part 2 of my ultimate guide to the Backpacking merit badge! If you’re new to ScoutSmarts, you should first check out part 1 for my explanations to requirements 1-7 of the Backpacking merit badge.
If you’ve just come over from part one, congratulations! You’re more than halfway done with the knowledge requirements. Once you finish this badge, you’ll be 100% prepared to survive in the outdoors with just the gear you’ve prepared in your pack. BTW, great job making it this far! 😀
It’s time to get back into it! Take a minute to closely review and think through requirements 8-11 of the Backpacking merit badge:
What Are The Backpacking Merit Badge Answers?
- Do the following:
8a) Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of backpacking stoves using at least three different types of fuel.
8b) Demonstrate that you know how to operate a backpacking stove safely and to handle liquid fuel safely.
8c) Prepare at least three meals using a stove and fuel you can carry in a backpack.
8d) Demonstrate that you know how to keep cooking and eating gear clean and sanitary, and that you practice proper methods for food storage while on a backpacking trek. - Do the following:
9a) Write a plan that includes a schedule for a patrol/crew backpacking hike of at least 2 miles.
9b) Conduct a pre-hike inspection of the patrol and its equipment.
9c) Show that you know how to properly pack your personal gear and your share of the crew’s gear and food.
9d) Show you can properly shoulder your pack and adjust it for proper wear.
9e) While using the plan you developed for requirement 9a, carry your fully loaded pack to complete a hike of at least 2 miles. - Using Leave No Trace principles, participate in at least three backpacking treks of at least three days each and at least 15 miles each, and using at least two different campsites on each trek. Carry everything you will need throughout the trek.
- Do the following:
11a) Write a plan for a backpacking trek of at least five days using at least three different campsites and covering at least 30 miles. Your plan must include a description of and route to the trek area, a schedule (including a daily schedule), a list of food and equipment needs, a safety and emergency plan, and a budget.
11b) Using Leave No Trace principles, take the trek your have planned and, while on the trek, complete at least one service project approved by your merit badge counselor.
11c) Keep a daily journal during the trek that includes a day-by-day description of your activities, including notes about what worked well and thoughts about improvements that could be made for the next trek.
Requirement #8: Stoves and Cooking
While on the trail, you’ll likely have to cook multiple meals. It’s much easier to pack dry ingredients or MREs rather than packing full meals, as fresh food tends to spoil or get smashed in your pack. However, to prepare great food you’ll need the right tools and know-how! 🙂
In this requirement, we’ll be going over three different types of stove fuel, learning how to use a backpacking stove, and demonstrating proper safe-handling methods. If you’ve done a lot of camping, this should be pretty easy for you! Backpacking just involves smaller, more portable stoves.
8a) Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of backpacking stoves using at least three different types of fuel.
There are three main types of stoves that could be used on a backpacking trip. These are the canister, liquid fuel, and wood-burning stoves. Each offers a different way to cook your meal and would be used for different reasons, which we’ll get into below (Source: REI):
| Stove | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Liquid Fuel Stove | Burns extremely hot Liquid fuel bottles are refillable Works in all temperatures | Heavier than most backpacking stoves Requires regular maintenance and priming Fuel leaks |
| Canister Stove | Extremely small Easy to use Lightweight | Canisters are more expensive and not refillable Too small for many larger pots and pans Gas can clog at very cold temperatures |
| Wood-Burning Stove | Don’t require packed fuel Big enough to hold large pots | Can be banned due to fire restrictions Fuel must be found on the trail |
There are plenty of other types of stoves available, but these will be the most common ones you’ll use on the trail. As you can see, each has distinct pros and cons, making stoves very situational. Before you go, check the conditions of your hike and speak with your Scoutmaster so you know what stove to pack.
8b) Demonstrate that you know how to operate a backpacking stove safely and to handle liquid fuel safely.
While wood-burning and canister stoves are pretty straightforward, liquid fuel is not. If not handled safely, fuel can leak causing fires, injury, and even death. This is why the merit badge requires that you know how to properly use one of these stoves before you get out on the trail.
If you’ve already completed your camping merit badge, you’re probably familiar with using a liquid fuel stove. They are extremely useful stoves and fantastic for any sort of camping meal. For a detailed explanation of how to use them, check out the stove section of my guide to the camping merit badge!
8c) Prepare at least three meals using a stove and fuel you can carry in a backpack.
Now it’s time to prove that you know how to operate your stove. While the requirement doesn’t require that you do this on the trail, you can knock out a couple of requirements by completing it on a trek! For this, you’ll want three meals that you can pack, as well as your trusty stove.
For inspiration on easy meals you could prepare, check out this article on 17 simple and nutritious backpacking meals!
If you’d like to come up with the perfect meal of your own, check out my Scout cooking tips article. Here, I give a detailed description of how to plan balanced outdoor meals. For backpacking, you’ll want to go with dry foods, preferably non-perishable that can be easily cooked on a small stove. Good luck Scout!
8d) Demonstrate that you know how to keep cooking and eating gear clean and sanitary, and that you practice proper methods for food storage while on a backpacking trek.
Sanitizing your cooking gear on the trail is basically the same process as at camp, except that you’ll have to pack in all of your sanitation equipment. For this, you’ll want some hot, soapy water, some cool water with bleach or similar sanitizer, and some clean water for rinsing. While backpacking, no food should be tossed out — eat everything you cook!
Food storage is a little trickier. Since you may be on the trail for several days and carrying around a cooler is too much weight, you’ll want non-perishable foods such as rice, beans, or pasta. These can be easily rehydrated and served. At night you’ll want to store these away from animals in something like a bear bag (here’s an example of a bear bag — affiliate link).
Requirement #9: Packing For Backpacking
Before you make it out on the trail, you need to double-check that everything is in order. People forget things, it happens. However, that’s why there should always be checks in place to ensure that everyone is prepared for a fun and safe trek!
In this requirement, you’ll be creating a schedule for a hike, inspecting everyone’s equipment, demonstrating how to pack your backpack, wearing it properly, and then taking it out on a hike. These are essential steps in any backpacking trip or campout.
9a) Write a plan that includes a schedule for a patrol/crew backpacking hike of at least 2 miles.
A good trip begins with the planning phase. In order to have a fun hike, you’ll need a good, detailed plan to help guide your crew through the backcountry. While planning shouldn’t be difficult, it should be handled with caution, keeping in mind hazards, who’s going on the trek, and so on.
Below, I’ll be walking you through the essential steps of planning any backpacking trip to help guide your decisions when planning for your trek:
- Where?
- This is probably the most obvious step. First, you’ll need to find where you’re going to be hiking. Once you’ve found a suitable area, you need to narrow down your trail. For this, you’ll have to consider elevation change, potential campsites, and how weather events may affect the trail. You should also check local regulations before leaving.
- Camping
- As I said before, you’ll need to find good places to camp on your trail. Sometimes, designated campsites will be marked, and other times you’ll have to find some on your own. Plan your campsites ahead so you have a general idea of when you need to stop and set up camp.
- Gear
- In order to have a successful hike, you’ll need to pack the right gear. When determining what gear you need, check the weather conditions, temperature, and meal plans. Based on these factors, let your crew know who needs to take what.
- Roles
- Everyone should have a specific role on your trip. Whether that be carrying food, navigation, or carrying medical supplies, you should set these roles up in advance.
All of this preparation is necessary to have a fun trek. While it can seem like a lot, it is absolutely essential. When making these preparations, you should meet with your crew so that you’re all on the same page and can consider each other’s suggestions.
9b) Conduct a pre-hike inspection of the patrol and its equipment.
A pre-hike inspection is a simple but essential part of every hike. Before you head out onto the trail, make sure that everyone is properly equipped for the trail ahead. This will include checking for camping equipment, food, first aid, mess kits, and anything else you deemed necessary in your plan.
9c) Show that you know how to properly pack your personal gear and your share of the crew’s gear and food.
Properly packing your gear is essential for a great trek. There’s a perfect balance between packing as many useful items as you can into your pack, while still keeping things light and comfortable. In my experience, the trick is to pack the things you’ll need sooner towards the top or front, and the things you’ll be needing at night toward the bottom.
If you’re not great at this right off the bat, don’t worry — this is a skill you’ll improve at after getting a few treks under your belt. However, to save you some time and headaches, here’s a great video (6:13) demonstration of packing your backpack from REI:
Before embarking on your next trek, I’d recommend taking the time to practice packing your backpack. This will not only familiarize you with the layout, capacity, and weight of your pack, but also give you the opportunity to experiment with different packing strategies.
Once you’ve practiced packing, you’ll get a better sense of what you have and where it goes, ensuring that all of your gear is easily accessible and organized for the trek. Also, keep in mind the weight distribution of your pack. For stability, make sure to store your heavier items low in the pack and as close to your back as possible.
9d) Show you can properly shoulder your pack and adjust it for proper wear.
Properly adjusting your backpack is really important if you want a comfortable and easy trek. Too loose and the backpack will pull you backward, too tight and the straps will rub your armpits raw. Each backpack is different, and everyone’s version of what’s comfortable is subjective.
My suggestion is to practice wearing and adjusting your backpack after you’ve practiced packing it. Since your backpack will likely be different from everyone else’s, it’s up to you to find what you’re comfortable with. Try walking around with your pack and adjusting accordingly.
9e) While using the plan you developed for requirement 9a, carry your fully loaded pack to complete a hike of at least 2 miles.
Now that you’ve planned your trek, it’s time to hit the trail! Before you leave, remember to inspect everyone’s equipment to verify that everything needed is packed. Two miles won’t take you too long, but it’ll be good practice for the next requirement.
Once you’re finished, take note of points in the hike where your backpack felt uncomfortable. Make some pack adjustments, redistribute weight, and try to make things comfortable for your real trek!
Requirement #10: Backpacking
10) Using Leave No Trace principles, participate in at least three backpacking treks of at least three days each and at least 15 miles each, and using at least two different campsites on each trek. Carry everything you will need throughout the trek.
While most of this merit badge has been pretty straightforward and easy, requirement 10 asks a lot of you. In order to complete this requirement and the merit badge, you’ll need to participate in at least three trips that are three days and 15 miles each.
For this, you’ll need to get together with your troop and hop on the next few backpacking trips. This requirement will take some time, so make sure you plan for these trips in advance so that you can complete this badge as quickly as possible. You’ve got this Scout! 🙂
Requirement #11: Your 5-Day Trek
We’ve reached the last requirement of the Backpacking merit badge! Congratulations!! I know this has been a lot of work, but you’ve done great. Let’s finish out strong so you can get one more badge under your belt. This requirement will be similar to the last one you did, so make sure you plan ahead.
In requirement 11, you’ll be required to plan a 5-day trek, take the trek, complete a service project on the trail, and keep a journal of all that you completed while on the trail. This requirement is a lot but you’re prepared for this now! Let’s jump right in.
11a) Write a plan for a backpacking trek of at least five days using at least three different campsites and covering at least 30 miles. Your plan must include a description of and route to the trek area, a schedule (including a daily schedule), a list of food and equipment needs, a safety and emergency plan, and a budget.
Here, you’ll show everything you’ve learned in this merit badge. In order to successfully complete this requirement you’ll need to make a plan for a trek, make sure everything is packed, budget out your trek, and go over your emergency plan.
This is all information that we just covered, and I know you’ve got it down. If you need some refreshers, I suggest going through these requirements to find out what you need more work on and a reminder of what to plan for. This won’t be too hard if you’ve already planned trips in the past.
11b) Using Leave No Trace principles, take the trek your have planned and, while on the trek, complete at least one service project approved by your merit badge counselor.
While you’re out on the trek you planned, you’ll have to complete a service project. This is required of everyone who goes on the Philmont high-adventure trek. Remember, this service project needs to be something approved by your counselor before you start working on it.
An easy project that helps preserve the backcountry is by offering to build or fix trails. Many backcountry areas, including Philmont, need help constructing paths — and who better to do that than a bunch of Scouts! Trail reconstruction is a lot of fun if you’re working on it with your Scout buddies, and isn’t nearly as difficult as it sounds.
11c) Keep a daily journal during the trek that includes a day-by-day description of your activities, including notes about what worked well and thoughts about improvements that could be made for the next trek.
While on your trek, keep track of everything you do on the trail. This can include sights seen, challenges faced, fun stories, or whatever you think is appropriate. Among what you write, add some possible improvements for the next trek and what you’d do again next time.
With that finished, you’ve now completed one of Scouting’s most difficult and rewarding merit badges — Backpacking! 😀
Congratulations on Finishing the Backpacking Merit Badge!
Awesome work! You now have the essential skills and knowledge necessary to safely backpack and enjoy the great outdoors. From selecting the right gear, to planning a trip and understanding Leave No Trace principles, this merit badge has taught you everything you’ll need to make some great backpacking memories with your troop.
If you found this post helpful, I’ve also written guides to many of the other Eagle-required merit badges. I’d definitely recommend checking out my comprehensive difficulty rankings for every Eagle-required merit badge if you haven’t seen it already!
As you continue on your Scouting journey, I’d encourage you to put your new skills to the test by planning and running troop backpacking trips. Remember, it’s up to us all to support newer Scouts in learning valuable skills and having a great time in Scouting! 🙂
Once again, fantastic job, Scout! You’ve just learned everything necessary to answer each of the requirements in your merit badge workbook and earn your Backpacking merit badge. I hope you found my guide helpful and, until next time, I’m wishing you the best of luck in your Scouting journey.
(Click here to return to part 1 of my guide to the Backpacking merit badge!)