Woohoo - score one for the good guys!

[Fofer]

I'm sorry you wasted your money on a jet boil, after all the hype I bought one and was utterly disappointed. I'm going to go out and get anouther stove before going on my next hike. I'd return both and get your money back.

[Fofer]

(Stepping onto the Scouting Soap Box)
You were right in pulling your son out of that troop for teaching the boys that sort of lesson. But I think you were wrong for not helping him find another troop.
EVERY organization or group has a few rotten apples. (Even WhiteBlaze.net ).
The beauty of Scouting is that if you are unhappy where you're at or don't agree with how that group of leaders are "guiding" the young boys and girls (yes, there are girls in Boy Scouts) there is nothing that keeps him/her from transferring to the troop down the road.
(Stepping off the Scouting Soap Box)

Or possibly actually dosomething about it within the troop. I know when I was in Boy Scouts (A Proud Eagle Scout) we had some people who treated the troop like a babysitter then complained about everything instead of taking part in their son's experience, Boy Scouts is not just for the boys.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Fofer - my son is nearly 30 now. Boy Scouts was only for boys back then. I was active with him in Cub Scouts and as active as the good ol' boys would let me be in his Boy Scout experience. Mothers were explicitly told not to come around because it "would make the boys sissies" back then.

Please read post 48 for an example of the sort of things that were going on that lead to me deeming BSA to be an organization to be avoided. BTW, mothers who are looking for babysitters don't volunteer to go into the woods for the weekend as the camp nurse with 100+ kids.

[hikerjohnd]

Fofer - my son is nearly 30 now. Boy Scouts was only for boys back then.

I think he meant that BS is not just for the kids - it can be an experience for the parent as well.

[weary]

We need to keep these things in perspective. I went shopping earlier this week. The only nearby supermarket had "organic" whole wheat bread on a promotion for 2 loaves for $5. When I got home I discovered the supermarket had charged me $3.89 a loaf. I was tempted to go back immediately. But I was on deadline to get out a newsletter for MATC. I live a 15 mile round trip from the store (gas is selling for nearly $3 a gallon.) (I get 24 mpg) ATV battles with my town land trust are increasing, so I never DID get back -- not the first night nor two subsequent nights.

The new ads came out in the papers today. No mention of a 2 for $5 sale. I've learned from long experience with that supermarket that if I can't show them a sign on the shelf, or a specific mention in their ad, an overcharge will never be returned. I had been taken for $2.78.

Believe me, ethical or no, the next time that store makes a mistake in my favor, (a VERY RARE EXPERIENCE) I'm unlikely to tell them.

[Rocks 'n Roots]

Keep it.

I know a person who works in the outdoors equipment industry and he tosses around free samples like they were nothing. I got a pair of free top of the line Lekis and a new type of fleece bag liner that works perfectly as a lightweight summer bag. He then told me to ask him if I needed anything else. Those big store retailers shed equipment like dander.


Keep it and don't worry about it. They probably won't even notice, and turning it back in could cause more trouble to the people you are trying to help than what you are trying to fix.

[Two Speed]

I'm sorry you wasted your money on a jet boil, after all the hype I bought one and was utterly disappointed. I'm going to go out and get anouther stove before going on my next hike. I'd return both and get your money back.

Wouldn't carry one myself, but my hiking partner picked one up and I have to say if you're going to bother with one get the French press. The coffee out of a JetBoil with the press is FAR superior to the instant coffee I was accustomed to. Start with a good coffee, make it good and strong, add a little fresh milk and raw sugar . . . Yeah, the JetBoil is too heavy in my opinion, tippy, suffers from the "gee-whiz, double clutching, smoke activated, laser calibrated, chromium plated, GPS enabled, LED illuminated" syndrome, but that was one awesome pot of coffee. Made plenty, and made it quick, too. We both got two great cups every morning, so the JetBoil has it's place in the world IMHO.

Personally I think a JetBoil is a lot like a boat: you really don't want to own one, you want a best friend that does.

[Just Jeff]

Personally I think a JetBoil is a lot like a boat: you really don't want to own one, you want a best friend that does.

Haha - I don't care who ya are or where yer from, that's funny right there...

[hikerjohnd]

Personally I think a JetBoil is a lot like a boat: you really don't want to own one, you want a best friend that does.

Haha - I don't care who ya are or where yer from, that's funny right there...

Finally - something we can agree on!!! I have forwarded this to my neighbor - who just bought a boat...

[grrickar]

Because unfortunately, the "Girl Scouts" and the "Boy Scouts" are groups that serve to reproduce gender stereotypes in our society. I didn't WANT to learn how to bake f*#*ing cookies and sew! I WANTED to learn how to hike, read a compass, survive in the outdoors, and go camping!!! I'm a girl though, so my choice (back when I was 7 or 8) was the precursor to the Girl Scouts...the Blue Birds. It was a total crock of boring crap (to me), and although most boys wouldn't dare admit it (because they'd have to endure being called a sissy or ****** or worse...getting physially assaulted so they can learn how to "be a man"), there are probably a handful of boys that would rather have been in the Girl Scouts learning those things.

Gender is socially constructed (don't confuse gender w/sex here). The roles that boy/girls and men/women are "expected" to fill were constructed by society. There is no rule book stating that only men can be auto mechanics, but you sure don't see a lot of women in that job do you? And for the record...I was an automotive technician and then went on to teach it. First and only in the state I was living in at the time.

So, it's not a matter of "why would a girl WANT to be in the Boy Scouts." The issue is why is it even a question?

There is a coed group of Scouts known as Venture Scouts that do 'Boy Scout' types of activities. We were out on Roan this past week and ran into a Venture crew that had about 16 people and they were staying at Clyde Smith Shelter - at least 4 of them were girls. I think that organization caters to boys and girls aged 16-20, or something like that.

My daughter is 6, and given the choice she would much rather go on Boy Scout trips than those activities offered by the Girl Scouts (Daisy Scouts is what they are called at her age). She'd much prefer hiking and camping over that stuff...

I think it is perfectly understandable why Scouting is more popular for boys given the types of activites the troops typically go on. Venturing does give those opportunities to both, but at a later age.

[Rocks 'n Roots]

For impact and overuse purposes ATC asks groups to limit themselves to no more than 10.

[grrickar]

Jetboil responded - they gave me a UPS shipping number and they do want the stove back - it was not intentionally put in the companion cup. It hasn't been used so I suppose they will repackage and sell it.

[buzzsaw]

Jetboil responded - they gave me a UPS shipping number and they do want the stove back - it was not intentionally put in the companion cup. It hasn't been used so I suppose they will repackage and sell it.

Dirty Hippies: 1
Grrickar: 0

[RockyTrail]

Venturing is open to boys and girls ages 14-20.
Many of them hike, camp, and do high-adventure trips.

http://www.scouting.org/factsheets/02-388.html

[Rocks 'n Roots]

I'll never argue against honesty.


Good for you.

[Just Jeff]

Yep - good on ya. I'm surprised they had you send it back, though - they could have gotten as much in good press as that stove is worth. Oh well.

[Skidsteer]

Yep - good on ya. I'm surprised they had you send it back, though - they could have gotten as much in good press as that stove is worth. Oh well.

Right on. ggrickar you should've told them you are WB member in good standing for more than two years.

You might've gotten free stoves to pass out to your friends.

[RockyTrail]

If grickkar found an extra stove under the cup, think how many more must be out there.
Usually these type of things are assembled/packaged by minimum wage labor, somebody new on the job probably packaged a half days' worth of stoves before the supervisor caught wind of it and straightened them out! You did the right thing grickkar.

(its really a sales ploy to get everybody to buy a Jetboil looking for the extra stove hee hee)

[Buckles]

Good for you.