What you take into the field, including what you wear, can impact many aspects of your field experience.
Novice
- Brings mostly what is asked by someone else.
- Shows no significant concern for how items are transported.
- Does little maintenance (e.g., cleaning, repairing).
- Stores things haphazardly and allows items to get lost.
- Brings unneeded or inappropriate items, often to great excess.
- Shows little regard for other people's gear.
- Provides no special concern for mission-critical items.
- Creates disorder that impacts other people.
- Fails to be prepared when it is time to move.
- Requires the assistance of other people to function in new areas.
- Lacks knowledge of the environmental conditions that will be experienced.
Advanced Beginner
- Brings many of the correct components.
- Carries all items in ways that are convenient and safe.
- Shows sufficient organization that items are unlikely to get lost.
- Maintains most things so that they are ready when needed.
- Provides special attention to mission-critical items.
- Respects other people's gear.
- Functions independently in new areas.
- Knows the general environmental conditions that will be experienced.
Competent
- Brings the correct components, both in kind and amount.
- Minimizes the number of items through maintenance and multiple use.
- Acquires new items that increase reliability and efficiency.
- Helps other people improve their carrying and use of gear.
- Provides pro-active maintenance of gear.
- Uses gear that is reliable, safe and efficient.
- Offers backup support for other people.
- Monitors the environmental conditions ahead of time.
Proficient
- Repairs a wide variety of gear.
- Knows where to obtain critical items in any environment.
- Organizes groups of people so they can meet new challenges.
- Maintains a current knowledge of the appropriate technologies.
- Improvises seamlessly.
Expert
- Envisions correct solutions to the challenges of new places.
- Creates new gear.
- Defines new conditions and challenges for travel and gear.
Please Note: The skills and behaviors for this topic are under development.
