backpack for a young boyscout

[slbirdnerd]

Just noticed your thread. If you haven't already bought, my Scout has loved his Osprey Ace 48 the past 2 years--from age 10 to age 12 so far.

[misterfloyd]

Hello to all,

Thank you for all of your suggestions. I like the osprey ace as well, or I should say he does. It has been the most comfortable pack he has remarked. Being 48 liters my concern by the time we put a cats meow bag in it there will not be much room left. Getting another bag is not an option, would like to get a bigger capacity.

The scoutmaster is, and have been suggesting an external, and I understand why. They are easy to pack, many pockets, distribute weight evenly and you can lash sleeping bags and a tent without compromising the space in the main compartment.

I have heard all the negatives about externals as well. I have experienced them. I had a kelty that I used and loved for years. I mention externals, and people look at me like I'm nuts

I have gone to other outfitters, same brands, same answers. I have a love/hate relationship with REI, I think they have an agenda. I ask for externals and I get the same, patented answer, no matter the store, and I get pointed to THEIR passage 65 pack.

I want my son to be comfortable, and be encouraged to backpack with me and scouts.

Again, I have not bought a pack, I have tried every company, and get the same results. So I'm just listening and getting suggestions from as many people as I can. Then we will try the process again and purchase one soon.

Thank you for all your help, you have been more helpful than you know!!

Best,
Floyd

[slbirdnerd]

Floyd--Let me check my kid and his Ace 48 pack tonight and see if it even still fits him. If not, maybe I could send it your way. Got 2 years of good use out of it, always happy to pass long to another Scout.

One thing: You mention the size of it maybe not being big enough. This concerns me--I know Scouts tend to pack heavy, historically, but believe times need to change. Much larger of a pack and your boy will be overloaded. If he's packing for summer camp, it's okay to have more than just the pack, like his bedroll and tarp separate or something. Mine just tied his together with his rope and chucked them in the trailer. If they are backpacking, they need to find ways to pack lighter, especially for the younger ones. I saw a Troop on the AT in GA in June and the boys in the back, the younger ones, were loaded for bear, not having fun at all, and looked exhausted.

[Just Bill]

Floyd-
Scout Troops tend to prefer an external frame for a few reasons-
Scouts are generally behind the times but besides the crusty old woodsman's opinions, practically speaking;
External frames are easier to field repair, and the components mix and match- making the troop kit more versatile.
Many externals can swap hipbelts, shoulder straps and change torso heights- helpful with growing boys.
If a fellow scout is struggling- gear is easy to swap around or lash on.
Many boys have the same problem as your's- a huge sleeping bag and cheap foam pad- two bulky items hard to carry in an internal.

That said- no reason your son can't use an internal frame.

Using women's packs- this has been a long standing solution that is an excellent plan. While not quite as true as when I was younger- women's gear in general is easy to find on clearance racks and fits young men much better. Several lads in our troop rocked boots with pink laces, purple packs, and powder blue long undies. Embrace the women's gear, it generally comes in the best color of all (green money).

Hipbelts-
As mentioned, one thing young lads do not have in common with women is hips.

The sock trick- Use a men's calf high gym sock (ace knee wrap, compression sock, or similar work too). Cut the toes off the sock, or even the feet if it is not an old school tube sock. Slip the sock over the hipbelt, fill with cheap blue egg crate foam or what ever works. The tube sock will wear out quick, but all the dad's had plenty to "donate" but a cheap wally world pack will do the job for a few dollars a year.

Ace bandage- Like the tip above- just easier to adjust or wrap on foam square with no slip. Also might be needed on some tapered hip belt styles.

Lumbar bumper- while hard to attach or retain on some packs- adding a big thick lumbar bumper will suck up almost double it's thickness in waist length. "2" bumper will eat almost 4" of belt." Kinda like that beer gut makes your pants bigger even though your belly is above the waist.
Best cut out of rectangles of blue foamy pad. You can slip them in a sock and secure the ends to the belt once it clears the pack body. Make the bumper full width, and 3-4" tall.
This also helps for any hikers with "no ass", not just no hips.

Split the belt- full mod. Cut the belt down the center, sew on 3/4" webbing and buckles to each piece. This will give the belt more grab- creating two narrow belts- but save this for a last resort.

As fer the Cat's Meow- that's a 7or8 liter bag. A 7x21 stuff sack. Vertically it would chew space, but you may be better off getting a different stuff sack so it can pack horizontally on the bottom. A 10" diameter x 12" tall stuff sack is probably about right- but a math wiz (or junior high scout) could probably run the numbers.

Or pack everything else first and use the bag to fill in the voids. A basic top loader is best for this.

A thought- you may be slightly misled regarding volume as well. Not only is it listed poorly in general on internal frames, but likely you are loosing volume in using the small/extra small sizes. It is very uncommon to find volume listed separately by size, and even by gender. You may have a 40L that is really a 30L practically speaking. Usually though, you only loose a few liters per size.

Don't be afraid of the REI brand packs, two bonus's-
The house brand is cheap, and often has REI specific coupons that stack on sales. It is not hard to get an REI pack half off.
Membership into the cult of REI lets you return anything in a year (in case your boy grows to the star of the basketball team on fine summer day on your second trip)

You can also hit the garage sales- scoring virtually untouched gear for very cheap.

Torso length-
If a pending growth spurt has you nervous- slipping a pool noodle or similar UNDER the shoulder strap will gobble up 3-4" of torso length. This only works once the hipbelt is fitting well, but will allow a short scout to wear a taller pack as they grow into it. Picture a little guy in a pack that fits well at the hip, but whose shoulder come up several inches shy of the straps- now fill that gap in with foam (like shoulder pads from a women's blouse/jacket) and it will be serviceable enough. You don't want to thicken the strap- but fill the height gap. Think shoulder pads, not thicker strap.

[misterfloyd]

Bill,

Thanks for all the suggestions. You have came up with some I have not thought of!

I'm a member of REI, and use them often, have a good number of thier stuff as well. I just have a problem with them pushing one of their products when it clearly is too big. All of you suggestions, and from others I will keep.

Thank you for writing.

Best,
Floyd

[misterfloyd]

slbirdnerd,

Thank you for your consideration and let me know.
BEst,
Floyd

[slbirdnerd]

Floyd,

Well, the pack won't fit him much longer but he wants to hang onto it. If that changes you'll be the first to know!

Birdnerd