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My son is 8 1/2. He has expressed an interest in going hiking with me. I am curious about any advice concerning available backpacks and other gear for kids. I have found two Mountainsmith packs and one Kelty pack. I have also found various kids items at REI. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.
Just Jeff
05-17-2006, 10:59
We got an external frame pack for my son when he was about 8. It sits in the garage and he takes a small school pack that we got for free at some kids function. It's much lighter and the capacity is enough for him to carry his quilt, raingear, water, a bit of food, and a small toy or two.
Here's some stuff I had on my "hiking with kids" page:
Ron Bell of Mountain Laurel Designs (http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/index.php) posted on this BPL thread (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/1681/index.html?m=mDHmVPzB6KN1tr8V2U__CEQ) that he plans to have a kids line out by Spring 06. It should be "scaled down versions of the Prophet 30, Superlight Bivy and Devotion bag" that weigh a total of a pound or less. 'Bout time someone did it!
Outdoor Products Dragonfly (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=14470847&memberId=12500226) (2780 ci, 3 lbs 10 oz)
Deuter Fox 30 (http://www.kidssource.com/backpacks.htm) (1800 ci, 2 lbs 7 oz)
Kelty (http://www.kelty.com/) Jr Tioga (2050 ci, 3 lbs 3 oz)
A few sources for kids' gear:
Kids Source (http://www.kidssource.com/)
Outdoor Kids (http://www.outdoorkids.com/)
REI Kids (http://www.rei.com/category/4500007.htm?cm_re=toc*12*allkids&vcat=REI_SSHP_KIDS_CLOTHING_TOC)
Campmor Kids (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=68745&catalogId=40000000226&storeId=226)
BackCountryOutlet Kids (http://www.backcountryoutlet.com/outlet/cat/100000008/Kids.html?id=eXDY3u7U)
Squeaky 2
05-17-2006, 11:21
Brian at ULA is you man for the job. his packs are custom made and he can easily make a smaller version of anything he makes. great guy, phone him or mail him and see what he can do!
www.ula-equipment.com
Alligator
05-17-2006, 11:25
Have you measured the child's torso length?
Small kids aren't going to carry much weight. Mine's only 2, so he's not carrying anything, but I would guess that 10-15% of body weight is a good figure? Anyway, it'll be under 10 lbs for a while, which immediately suggests some kind of ultralight pack. If adults are carrying 20 lbs in sub 2 lb packs, then it stands to reason that a child's pack could come in under 2lbs easy. I'd aim for 1-2 lbs. Given the light load, heavy duty suspension is probably not necessary.
Just Jeff's pack list sounds well thought out. Those are the basics I'd want the child to have in case of getting lost. Warmth, raingear, some food, and water.
sum41punk91
05-17-2006, 11:25
i woudl recomend a jansport technical pack, its about the size of a regular backpack but its got a plastic frame sheet hipbelts and chest belt with great padding enough room and hydration compatible check out jansport.com and then go to campmor.com to find whichever pack you like for cheaper
Just Jeff
05-17-2006, 12:06
If ULA makes you a pack, be sure to post pics back here - I'd be interested in how it turns out.
My kids also carry a pad strapped to the outside. I just got a full-length CCF pad and cut it in half. 36"x24". Then I trimmed one to 19" wide for the younger one. And always a whistle hanging on a shoulder strap.
cannonball
05-17-2006, 13:11
I bought my boy, 11, a kelty tioga jr. External frame so that the frame can be "scoped" in lenght so it can be used for a few years as he grows. Hopefully this will last him until he is mostly grown and ready to move into an adult pack. My thinking was try to avoid buying a new pack every year or 2 as he grows.
BTW< he will be using said pack as he and I head out this weekend to hike a section of the Fl. trail along the suwannee river.:D
Tatonka and Deuter make packs for kids.
http://www.sailgb.com/c/childrens_backpacks/
Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-17-2006, 13:32
I suggest you get in touch with Anchor and Troll at TrailJournals. They can likely answer this question as they thru'ed with their 10 yo son in 2005.
sum41punk91
05-17-2006, 13:48
i met anchor and trolls in shanendoah virginia last june they were very kool people including there sonbut they said in his pack he had 1 pair of shower shoes a sleeping bag a sleeping sheet of some kind that added about 5degrees and his clothes and pad and his pack weighed near 15 pounds or so?
Pennsylvania Rose
05-17-2006, 15:45
I wouldn't buy a pack until you're sure he'll stick with backpacking. Borrow a pack or use a day pack. You want to carry most of the weight anyway. Just give him enough gear to carry on his first trip to feel that he is contributing.
If he wants to go again, then buy a pack. I'd check out the new ultralight packs, although my kids have used both REI's version of the Tioga Jr. (external), and Tough Traveller's internal frame packs. We've had luck with both, although I prefer TT's products. My baby carrier from them has been through FOUR kids.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-17-2006, 15:55
My younger grandkids have gone with us a time or two. We let them use our mesh daypacks with a sleeping mat as a frame - similar to how some of the ultralighters do it. 10 - 15% of body weight is about right - and for your average 9 yo that is less than 15 lbs - so the mesh day pack would be adequate for the weight. Unless your son will be going with you frequently, he will outgrow a pack before it is even broken in good.
bigcranky
05-17-2006, 16:07
Our daughter started with a tiny frameless daypack, in which she carried a fleece pullover, a water bottle, and a stuffed animal. She was four years old. Byt the time she was eight, she had an REI Long Trail Jr., which was an external frame pack similar to the Kelty mentioned above. She could carry her sleeping bag, some clothing, snacks, and a Ridgerest 3/4 pad. I think the total weight was maybe 12 pounds. The nice thing about the kid's external was that the torso length could be adjusted over a very wide range as she grew.
If it were me, I wouldn't spend a huge amount of money on a custom internal-frame pack for an eight-year-old. He shouldn't be carrying much more than 10-12 pounds total at this point, so almost any frameless ruck will do. You might be able to borrow something from a friend, or rent from a store that caters to Scouts. If he really loves it, Kelty makes several internal-frame packs aimed at kids and very small adults. Our daughter (trailname Lilac) uses a Kelty Coyote, and loves it. Yes, it's 5 pounds empty, but she has used a lighter pack and still wants the Kelty.
Have fun, and be prepared to carry lots of stuff and not hike very far. With kids, the journey IS the destination, mileage is irrelevant, and food is crucial.
--Ken
Just Jeff
05-17-2006, 17:15
Gummies travel well and work wonders with cranky kids.
cannonball
05-17-2006, 17:37
Gummies travel well and work wonders with cranky kids.
gummies, one of lifes biggest cure alls:D
The kelty has a bladder sleeve. My boy loves sucking the bladder tube while hiking. Its all about the "way cool" factor right now.
Just Jeff
05-17-2006, 19:27
Haha - mine, too. They don't have a bladder, but when I'm carrying mine we have to stop every so often for them to ignore their water bottle and drink from my Platypus. Kinda defeats the purpose of having a bladder, no? :p
StarLyte
05-17-2006, 19:49
My son is 8 1/2. He has expressed an interest in going hiking with me. I am curious about any advice concerning available backpacks and other gear for kids. I have found two Mountainsmith packs and one Kelty pack. I have also found various kids items at REI. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.
Rainman-
I purchased the following backpack for my 8 year old granddaughter-NOTE that it ONLY weighs 1.2 lbs. and it's pretty cheap. I have adjusted the belts and she fits it perfectly. She'll be trying it out Memorial Day weekend on an AT hike so I'll let you know for sure how it goes.
SOLOMON RAID RACE 200 BACKPACK, 1200 CU IN
Marsha
My son is 8 1/2. He has expressed an interest in going hiking with me. I am curious about any advice concerning available backpacks and other gear for kids.
Most of my suggestion will be repeating what others have suggested. I would suggest having your son use a basic daypack for your first outing. Focus on making it fun and giving him a sense of accomplishment. An easy way to do this is have him carry all his stuff (except the high volume items - sleeping bag and pad) in a daypack, and you carry the sleeping bag and pad for him.
If it looks like this is going to be an ongoing activity, then thing about a "real" pack. My daughter really loved her Dueter Fox 30. For a variety of suggestions (maybe already listed in this thread):
http://www.verber.com/mark/outdoors/gear/pack.html#Kids
Thank you everybody for the great input. My son has been a Cub Scout now for 2 years and loves it. I believe his hiking interest will be long term, but it is hard to say. I plan to start out easy with some overnight trips in the Ocala National Forest. He keeps insisting that he can't understand why he can't go back to Vermont with me this summer. Some day I hope he will hike the LT with me. Then he'll understand why he didn't go when he was 8.
I'll check out all of the suggested sources and let you know what we get. I have suggested he use his daypack/bookbag from school. He definitely is not interested in that. He has a kids hydration pack from JanSport but there is no volume for even clothes after filling the bladder and adding some snacks. I think the key for him is that he wants a pack that looks more like mine (currently a Mountainsmith Auspex). I do want to keep the weight down to 12-15 lbs.
Thanks again and I'll keep you posted.
cannonball
05-18-2006, 10:29
Rainman, Ocala is a great "kids" hiking area. The Fl. trail runs through it. In Fact the Fl. trail is ,IMO, the best kept secret in Fl. Lots of sects and even thru hike capabilities. I use it to hike with my kids as they are not old/phys. able, to do AT secs.
I agree that keeping your boys weight down is crucial. If they carry to much it turns into being too much like work.
I generally stuff my boys sleeping bag in his main compartment with out a stuff sack. Fills the whole compartment with about 3 lbs. and gives the illusion of having a whole pack.
Lastly, of course your boy wants a pack like yours. You are his compass of what a male should be.
FWIW, done cub scouts 5 years with my boy, was even Cub Master for 2 years. MY Boy graduated into boy scouts this spring, thats when it really gets fun.:banana
vipahman
05-22-2006, 09:27
I bought a Kelty Grommet for my 4 year old. He carries a WM Highlite, change of clothes, food, water in it. Pack weight 12.5 oz. Total weight 5 lbs. His weight 34 lbs. He hiked up Bear Mtn with it. It costs only $18 and has a 1000 cc capacity.
tlbj6142
05-22-2006, 10:34
My girls are now 5.5yo and 8.5yo (2.5yo boy hasn't gone with us yet, but he will). I'm quite the gram weenie so I don't have a problem carrying quite a bit of their gear in my Dad-the-packmule pack (GG Nimbus Ozone). And, I want reduce chances of whining while hiking. So, I have them carry very little (though the 8yo might start carrying her own bag on the next trip).
Here's what they carry in a small $9 book bag I bought from Target.
Rain jacket
Hat/Gloves
Sleeping pad (BMW TorsoLite, I love the small package)
Fleece
Bowl and cup
Small gorp bag
Lanyard with whistle (always worn on neck except when sleeping)
Personal stuff (small coloring journal, ~8 crayons, thin book[I read it to them before they go to bed], small comfort item, waterproof Uno cards)
Sandals
Small 8-12oz water bottle.Obviously, some of the #8 stuff will lessen as they get older, but for now its great to have on rain camp days (which always seem to happen).
I own a Fox 30, which is probably what I'll have the 8yo use on our next trip, when I have her carry her own bag. Besides, I need to slow her down. She almost runs down the trail. You'd think she was a seasoned thru-hiker they way she moves once she warms up.
As someone who has hiked with young children, I will tell you that you need to be prepared to carry all of their gear. It doesn't take much to break some their spirit (long climb followed by a slip and a smashed knee or a tendon issue in their foot (quite common in young children when they walk long distances), etc.). I can easily lash the small book bags to the outside of my pack.
Just Jeff
05-22-2006, 10:56
My kids' packs have a haul loop - when I need to carry them, I have a mini-biner to clip the haul loop to the bottom of my shoulder strap. It slides down to where the strap attaches to the pack and hangs by my hips. It's relatively comfortable for short distances, is quick and easy, and doesn't weigh much.
There's a picture at the bottom of this page:
http://www.tothewoods.net/HikingPicturesBigSur.html
cannonball
05-22-2006, 11:38
I had my boy out this weekend for his first 10 miler. I thought I would try him out with more weight than usual. Sure enough half mile in were unloading some of his pack into mine:-? Even so I wonder if I am the first to carry 2 tents just so my boy could sleep in his own tent?:rolleyes:
My son Ford is 8. He has been backpacking with me since he was 5 or so. (And hiking since he was born).
From his first trip, he has carried a pack. The first trip was long-he did a 15 mile rt in the Olympic Mts overnight. So I kept his weight down, and pack momma carried most everything. Ha! I think not.
I learned from that. Bucky was gonna carry his personal gear, and learn to do it. Since that trip I have NEVER carried his gear. Not once. I pack his pack like mine-everything is weighed, and I keep charts. We only carry what we need.
Having said that, he carries a Deuter Fox 30 pack. Another great chocie is the Kelty Squall. Both are carried at REI.
Now, those two packs are a bit heavier you might say....but they are both well built. Kids like internals more than externals-they like what they percieve as "cool". That and the internals fit better on skinny kids.
Give a kid a well fitting pack, with excellent pack suspension, and that kid is more likely to want to come backpacking with you! Kids bones need a good suspension. This isn't the time to saddle a kid with an 8 ounce mesh bag or school bag that has 13 lbs of gear in it-maybe you can do that, but they don't have well developed muscles!
Buy the best you can for kids!
Do you sleep on a cushy pad? Well, so should they! Do you wear Smartwool socks? Get them those! Do you wear special boots? Well, they deserve to not wear Walm-Mart cheapies that are plastic! Do you have a good sleeping bag? Well, get them at least a North Face Tigger bag. Down jackets? Yes, if you hike in the off season.
Ford has smaller version of almost every piece of gear I have-from crampons to clothing to snowshoes :D
Simply put, if you want your little buddies to be your hiking partners, treat them well :) Last summer Ford exceeded over 30 trips in his life-and did his first X/C hiking trip up at Mt. Rainier NP. Kids can do most of what we do-if we give them a fair shake first.
To me there is nothing better than waking up in the tent with Ford in the morning. That is when life is right.
PS:
If you want to see an overly spoiled child, see this:
http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/Ford/
Train 'em well enough..and you can go do stuff like this:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/Ford/Ford-1-2.jpg
Ford is in the middle :D
That is some great advice Sarbar.
So far he has a Thermarest Prolite 3S, Wigwam Ultimax hiking socks x2, Base Colour convertible nylon hiking pants, a Columbia Sportswear Grinder II technical t-shirt, Medalist Skinetics Microfiber top and bottom (for sleeping), a Marmot Precip, and HiTec Vantage Low Cross-Training shoes (I cleaned up at REI's spring online sale). He does not like sleeping bags because he does not like to be confined. When we car camp he sleeps with a fleece blanket. We will likely use that. We will sleep in my Tarptent Cloudburst.
The only thing I need now is the pack. I had checked out the Deuter Fox 30 after a previous post. That is my pick for now. I did not know about the Kelty Squall until your post. It is larger and heavier. I will show both of them to him and see what he thinks. The smaller lighter Deuter will most likely hold his gear and a few Star Wars Attacktix. I note your son carries the Deuter Fox and has a Kelty Squall. Which doe he like more?
I had planned to carry most of the food and share my Jetboil. I was going to have him carry only his daytime snacks. Do you think he should carry all of his own food? It will likely depend on the weight. I want to keep it to 12-15 lbs.
Thanks again for the great input.
Rainman,
With the food/water, I have my son carry his snacks and one bottle of water (or a 1 liter bladder). I carry the main food since it is always in an Ursack. I figure it is fair that way..lol! When we eat, we either split a meal, or we each have whatever we want-but it is always where all I have to do is boil 3 or so cups of water, and pour the water into a freezer bag. So one stove works for us perfectly. I am also a bit paranoid about him usinga stove on his own...lol!
Btw, while I am no fan of Wal-Mart, you can great kids outdoor clothes such as shirts and pants for very little. They carry Starter shirts. For about $4-8 each!
Ford has the Deuter currently, I am getting him the Squall as he is getting much taller these days (he is 8 and is 4 1/2 ft tall already....). I tried the Squall on him, and fitted him. He loves it. I just have to wait a month money wise ;)
mtnbums2000
05-26-2006, 17:29
First of all what a great experience and a lifetime of memeories that you and your son will have. I have two kids (13 and 14) and they started backpacking at ages 3 and 4. Those days they only carried small daypacks but they were both screaming for real packs. So the next year we bought them both Kelty Jr. Tioga's which they used for many years.
Two years ago at 11 and 12 we bought Tyler(11) a granite gear vapor trail (small) and a go lite gust (small) for Courtney (12)which shortly after turned 13. My son is now 13 and he is small for his age and he loves his granite gear pack and it only weighs 2 lbs. I'm not sure your sons torso size but if he is bigger than average he may be able to fit into an adult small. Measure his torso and compare the measurements to some small sizes.
The kids loved their external packs but they didn't care to much for the bar that was constantly banging the back of their heads. That was the only complaint that they ever had about their external packs. They both now love their lightweight internals and they both carry an average of 15 lbs on most of our hikes. Which consits of all of their gear, shelter for the two of them and some food depending on how long we are out.
I hope this helps you out some...have fun with your lil one on the trail. My family is going to hike the JMT this August and next year my son and I are hiking the A.T. It's so great to meet other families who love taking their youngsters on hiking trips!
Happy Hiking http://www.trailjournals.com/mtnbums/
Thanks for the encouragement MtnBums! I started hiking with my kids as soon as they could walk. I have not done any overnight trips yet, partly because my wife was nervous about it. I think she has a bit more faith in my outdoor skills now than she once did.
The other reason we have not done any overnights is because I got some resistance form my son on the longest hike he has taken. In the summer of 2004 we were vacationing at Unicoi State Park in GA. We drove to Anna Ruby Falls and hiked in from the parking lot. I noticed a sign and blazes indicating that there was a trail from the falls back to the state park.
By that time I was already planning my LT trip for 2005 so I told my wife I wanted to take the long way back. James asked to go with me. I warned him that it would be a long way and hard work. My wife took the two girls back to the car (they were three and four at the time) and James and I started down the trail.
He did great for the first couple of miles, but then just sat down in the middle of the trail and refused to move. I carried him some but that soon wore me out. I ended up having to "push" him a bit because it was getting dark. This episode indicated to me that he was not really ready for a long hike.
Of course, now he is two years older and on an overnight I would be more prepared. If he got tired, we could just stop. That is a different situation than having a couple of .5 liter bottles of water and snacks.
I think I have learned quite a bit about long distance hiking since then. Having more confidence for myself gives me more confidence in bringing him along.
Well that's the story. The advice you all have given, plus the Ray Jardine article I read on Backpackinglight.com, has educated me more. I think I will be more prepared for him to come along mostly because I have adjusted my attitude about what I can reasonably expect from him.
Thank you again for all of your comments. Please keep them coming. So far I still like the Deuter Fox 30. I also have found the Kelty Lynx, but I think that is for kids a little older. James is small. I have not measured his torso, although I will before ordering a pack. My guess is he is about 11-13 inches.
See you out there!
mtnbums2000
05-27-2006, 17:18
Rainman that story reminds me one of our trips back in 1998 Tyler had just turned 5 and Courtney was 6. Up until then we had limited our trips to under 5 miles a day. We decided to do an overnighter leaving out on a Saturday morning and finishing up Sunday afternoon. We planned on an 8 mile day and finishing up with an easy 4 mile day out to the rode where I would hitch a ride back to our car.
The first day which I was worried about went great w/out a single complaint. We made camp earlier then I expected so we set up camp and played hide-go-seek. My son learned how to use my msr whisperlite(i no longer use...i have an alcohol stove now) and they both picked my head about all of my solo hikes that I had done on the A.T. The night ended great and my wife and I were so happy on how much fun they were having.
So of course all good things must come to an end at some point right? Well the next day started out good we got up around 8 and cooked up some oatmeal and by 9 or so we were on the trail. I forgot to mention that the hike in was mostly level and downhill and on the way out the trip started with an up-hill climb and then we picked up a spur trail which was a graduall climb out to the road. The kids started out with a good pace but Tyler wasn't digging the up-hill and he let us know by stopping in the middle of the trail and screaming I hate this!! I tried to explain to him that we only had to go half as far as we did yesterday but he just turned 5 and that logic didn't make any sense to him at all. Only thing that mattered to him was the present day and that climb in front of him. My daughter on the other hand was doing fine and she wanted to leave Tyler with his mom so we could hike on in peace. So on Courtney and I went...we got to the road and we sat around for about a half an hour or so. Of course as time passed I started to get worried. So we decided to go back and look for Tyler and my wife(tracy). We got about a mile into the trail and we could here them talking...so we thought it would be funny to hide and scare them. As they got closer to us we got excited but then I noticed that Tyler didn't have his backpack on...my first thought's were they he just threw it off the mountain. And then I see Tracy with his pack on the front of her body. It was a funny sight because it was an external pack and the bar was right under her chin. We laughed a bit and I convinced to Tyler to carry his pack the rest of the way out .
Two weeks later Tyler and I go out on a two day trip the first night (Friday) we put on the trail and hiked in the dark until about 11pm. This was Tyler's idea because after our last trip all he could talk about was going on another trip and he wanted to hike at night. This hike was one of my favorites cause I could see that Tyler was really enjoying hiking and all he could talk about was wanting to hike the whole A.T. It was a great trip and I will never ever forget it. Oh yea we slept cowboy style the first night next to an old down tree which Tyler thought was the coolest thing ever.
Both of my kids put in at least 200 miles or so a season and on that day back in 1998 I figured Tyler would never even put a pack on his back again. I think he was about 8 or 9 when we did a 9 day trek on the PCT and JMT and we both laughed about the day his mom carried his pack for 3 miles for him.
The best advice I have about hiking with kids is to let the kids be involved in everything from picking the trip to help setting the miles to do in a day. We always plan our trips around a destination that has oppurtunities for day hikes away from camp. I use to always set low miles and make sure I had a back up plan if we got to camp really early. Unlike us kids don't want to just hang out at camp and do nothing. We always bring cards and play silly card games and we always play hide-go-seek cause even adults love that game. Nothing worst than getting to camp and having your kid say what do we do now and you have no answer. On some trips we take a Nerf football and frisbee(which can double as a plate) to play with.
I hope some of my advice is helpful to you. We used to live in Georgia and then in North Carolina and your story about leaving Unicoi S.P and hiking to Ann Ruby Falls brought back some fond memories. We used to spend alot of time in that area back in the day. Have fun with your son and keep me posted on your trips!!!
Happy Trails
bigcranky
05-28-2006, 20:42
When our daughter was about 4 or 5 we were dayhiking in Shenandoah, a very short little hike out to Blackrock from the parking lot. The hike out was fine, and the views were great, but on the way back she had a meltdown. My wife (her mother) ended up carrying her back up the trail all the way to the car. I can still hear my daughter screaming, at the top of her lungs, "I WANT MY REAL MOMMY!" the whole way back.
It's funny now <g>.
Last summer, we backpacked with my then 8 and 10 year olds and they used their school backpacks. It kept their loads light, but was not very comfortable for them. All the weight hung from the fronts of their shoulders and they were sore and red. We used extra straps to try and shift some of the weight and fashion a 'front strap' across the chest. We also used extra socks and bandanas to pad the sore spots.
This year, I found 2 different kids' packs at REI for about $85 each. One is an REI Lookout (my favorite), and the other is a Deuter Fox30. They are both internal frames, and the Deuter adjusts to the childs torso length, thereby providing some growing room. Surprisingly, they don't hold much more than the school packs, which I guess is OK because I don't want to overload them anyway. They are way cool and we can't wait to try them out!
Good Luck!
Cheetah
betic4lyf
06-23-2006, 18:33
when i started out as a youngsterish, i was 12-14 i got a kelty tornado, which i would recomend if it was still made. one of the cool parts for a parent, is that it has an adjustable torso.
betic4lyf
06-23-2006, 18:35
just an adition to what i said before, maybe do a bunch of dayhikes first. thats what my dad did with me, and it was more fun that way
My younger cousing started doing day hikes with me when he was 8 or 9 and he just used his school backpack to carry a small load. For his first overnight trip he agian just used the small school pack and carried his clothes and his sleeping pad. I also had him carry a little bit of trail mix and some water so I would not have to stop to hand him snacks all the time. It is important that when you take a younger person for thier first trip that you don't over stress them. Make the trip fun and memorable. Otherwise they will get turned off to backpacking and the outdoors in general.
OK, finally, here is my trip report. I ended up buying my son James (now Windwalker) an REI Comet (http://www.rei.com/product/733276). It is a 2,250 cu. in. (37 liter) full featured pack that weighs 2lbs. 8 oz. He loves it. James is now 9+ years old and weighs 58 lbs. The fully adjustable harness is a great feature and it is presently set to the shortest possible torso length, which means he has room to grow into it. The hip belt is also adjustable just like an adult pack and we cinch it down as tight as it will go.
In preparation for his first walk on the AT, we took a two day, one night shakedown hike on the Croom loop of the Withlacoochee State Forest about 60 miles west of Orlando, Florida on Highway 50. Both boy and pack performed beautifully.
On May 24 my wife dropped us off at the parking lot below the peak of Clingmans Dome. The whole family walked up to the observation tower and then at around noon James, a friend of mine named Chuck, and I started SOBO. We hiked about 10 miles and stayed the first night at Derrick Knob Shelter. We then took two easy days to Spence Field Shelter the second night and then Mollies Ridge Shelter the third night. On the fourth day we hiked out 10+ miles to Fontana Dam.
He started out with about 15 lbs. in his pack (which of course decreased as he ate his food). He carried a North Face Tigger bag stuffed into a granite gear compression sack to save space, a Bozeman Mountain Works (BPL) Torsolite pad, a contingency change of clothes, the technical long underwear referenced earlier in this thread to sleep in, a generic fleece jacket from Target, a Marmot Precip kids jacket in case of cold rain, all of his own food consisting mostly of Cliff bars and Tuna foil packs (which I let him pick out), and a 1 liter hydration pouch from a Kelty hydration pack. He also carried two empty 1 liter Aquafina type bottles for use in camp, his own headlamp, a back up photon type light, and a few miscellaneous toys for playing in camp (he had so much fun he never even got them out).
I couldn't be more proud of his performance. On the second day out we passed a group of NOBO Boy Scouts preparing for a Philmont Trek. James was going at such a good pace that the adult leaders with the scouts couldn't believe when I told them he was nine and this was his first real backpacking trip. James passed them going up Thunderhead Mountain with the wind at his back like he was being pushed by a sail. That's when I named him "Windwalker." There is another Windwalker on WB who has not posted since 2004. I am hoping the system let's me register James as Windwalker also.
Well, I guess that's about it. Happy hiking!
whoo-hoo! Great trip report - go Windwalker!