Patrol Box Thread
With the warmer weather rolling in, many are thinking about going /out/doors and I thought it might be a good idea to do a patrol box thread, as there’s still plenty of time to build one before the season starts.
A patrol box (or camp kitchen) is a Boy Scout term for a free-standing wooden (though some are metal) box with removable legs that has shelves and bins inside for conveniently storing cooking and camping gear, and which also acts as a counter top or table for preparing meals or simply someplace to put your stuff.
A patrol box is also useful in the off-season for storing your outdoors gear.
>>707335
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>>707391
Will posts more pics as I get around to it.
>>707335
This thread takes me back OP.
My scout troop had some sweet patrol boxes. Being old as fuck was just part of the charm.
>>707842
Yeah, our troop’s patrol boxes were all the same design and kinda old but we brought our patrol box home after one campout and repainted it.
The “Men’s Patrol” box on the other hand, was a one-off custom design, narrower but taller with an additional hinged back panel that swung up to increase the working surface area, plus it had internal details like a spice rack and built-in drawers and was stained and varnished instead of painted.
>>707891
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>>707899
These are so fancy, where I live patrol boxes are just fucking massive metal things with no legs that you dump all your camp shit in. You make a table normally.
>>707335
>(though some are metal)
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>>707387
This is what my troop had. When our troop was disbanded, we ended up finding one that belonged to the "Knights" patrol. A patrol none of the leaders had heard of in their time.
None of these designs incorporate the legs as carry handles when removed.
Boyscouts are dumb.
The envy of every jamboree...
For a tacticool alternative you could get a field desk on eBay.
Some are very similar to these.
>>708283
>None of these designs incorporate the legs as carry handles when removed.
Then again, it's not like you have to carry it very far.
>>708659
Oh hell I remember having to carry those from our trailer. I was like 11. Fuck you OP you triggered my outism.
>>708659
It's not about how far you are GOING to take it, it's how far you CAN take it and still be comfortable.
You know it would be awesome to be working out of some 100+ year old box that has been with a troop forever and these things look sturdy enough to go the distance.
But as a non-scout in 2016 they look a bit lulzy. Like the heaviest possible solution to a problem.
>>709073
>It's not about how far you are GOING to take it, it's how far you CAN take it and still be comfortable.
Any place you'd use a patrol box, is going to be accessible via pick-up truck so it's not like you'd ever need to carry it any kinda distance.
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>>709082
> Like the heaviest possible solution to a problem.
Despite all the claims here on /out/ about camping on Mt.Everest with only a pair of Speedos and a Mora, the vast majority of campers do “car camping” where weight isn’t an issue, so it’s not really question of solving any kinda gear transporting problem, as much as simple convenience.
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>>709363
As all these patrol boxes are one-off, hand-made, custom designs, you can make them as big or small as needed.
>>709382
in my troop we didn't set up stoves on our patrol boxes, they were for food prep. We had tables that attached to the outside of our trailer along with a multi-port gas line so we just had two 40lb propane tanks on the trailer and we'd hook stoves to that.
>>709883
>in my troop we didn't set up stoves on our patrol boxes, they were for food prep.
Same here, we cooked on the campfire and the patrol box was storing our cooking and other gear.
I dunno, maybe I'm just out of the loop... What's the benefit to using one of these? I usually just toss my food into a bag and store it in my truck with the rest of my cookware. The design of these don't seem very portable... and the majority of campsites I've been to have picnic tables to do your food prep on.
>>710719
I don't know, maybe when you have to cook for thirty kids?
Seriously, tucker boxes are great when you are cooking for more than three or four people. Even better when it is an expedition and you are setting up in a different location every night.
>>710719
> What's the benefit to using one of these?
What’s the benefit of having cabinets and counter tops in your kitchen?
Why not just scatter your pots and pans all around the living room floor?
A patrol box is the camping equivalent of kitchen cabinets and counter tops and make cooking easier and more convenient.
Now if you’re an eXtreme camper who prefers squatting in the mud while huddling around an alcohol stove heating up freeze-dried twigs and bugs, a patrol box may not be for you.
>>709364
>, the vast majority of campers do “car camping”
"Car camping" is to camping as Candy Crush is to gaming or walking to the liquor store is to hiking. Patrol boxes are /diy/ not /out/.
>>710923
Four kids carry the tucker box on poles during hikes.
They change off every two k.
The food is spread out in everyone's packs. It is surprising how much you can carry when you only take ingredients and not pre made food. The ingredients for a loaf of bred take up less space than a sandwich. Just add water, skill and a bit of time.
>>710923
>Patrol boxes are /diy/ not /out/.
>Patrol boxes are not /out/.
You're an idiot
>>711023
>Making Bread on the trail
You wot?
>>707335
So, you reckon a 2500HD can haul that sunbitch out to the campsite? If you can bring that, I'll bring the propane truck. Mike's gonna bring the fridge.
>>711238
>picnic tables are ubiquitous around campsites you'll be able to access with a patrol box.
Not necessarily true, we've hauled our chuck box down many 4WD roads in the back of our Jeep. It's really nice having a camp kitchen to prepare fresh food without having to squat on the ground. I also have a small version of a patrol box that I carry in my canoe when we're going to be camping in the same spot for several days.
>>711238
>That's a false analogy, and you know it.
Not at, though clearly you don't know that.
I've been camping / hunting in the Huron National Forest for 30 years now and there ain't a picnic table anywhere, yet anywhere we go is still (more or less) accessible by truck and thus, a patrol box can be easily brought along.
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>>711781
Okay, I will defer to you that in a minority of cases, you will find truck accessible spots without picnic tables. Nice straw man bro
>>711793
>What's the yellow tank?
Dunno, just a pic I found on-line?
>>707335
How many ounces does this way? You can't take it backpacking.
I'm am an eagle scout and I've never heard of these.
>>710719
>What's the benefit to using one of these?
Going from the pictures in the last thread about these every single scout is overweight. If you have too cook enough to feed ten little obeselets you probably want a decent kitchen.
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>>711424
You mean you don't make bread while out?
It's called expedition.
You know, go into the woods, camp, explore for a few days, move on.
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http://www.powertank.com/
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>>707335
>Patrol Box
Patrol Box shitting will become a thing if I ever find one.
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>>707348
That's a good idea having the sides fold out too.
>>718038
> That's a good idea having the sides fold out too.
I couldn’t find a pic of a similar one, but the “Mens Patrol” box when I was in Boy Scouts had a rear panel that hinged up, (with two support struts underneath to hold it in place) more than doubling the top working surface area of the patrol box.
Personally, I think the legs for most of the patrol boxes are too tall and that it’s better to use the sturdier top of the box as a work surface, then the hinged down front panel.
This also allows the now shorter legs to be stored inside the patrol box when it’s packed up.
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>>713729
>go into the woods
>Four kids carry the tucker box on poles during hikes.
Pick one.
I do approve of bannock though.
>>718903
> Why aren't you utilizing the lid for some other purpose?
Just a pic I found on-line but I agree, it’s wasteful to use a hinged lid like that, which also weakens the overall structure of the patrol box and as I mentioned up-thread, better to make the top of the patrol box counter height (36”) and use that as the working surface instead of the hinged doors.
>>712735
Being an eagle scout makes you some sort of authority then? If you don't have a contribution to make to the thread then fuck off
>>712150
Not that guy, but are you seriously going to stick with the argument that anywhere in /out/ accessible by a truck has a picnic table?
>>719748
What's funny is that his comment shows that he's only been camping in commercial camping spots - if at all...
>>710923
There is literally nothing wrong with car camping.
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>>712735
Where were you a scout?
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>>718363
>going to all this effort to enjoy the great outdoors
>then ruining it with faggy salad dressing
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