Daughter wants a pack & boots .......

[Scrub]

I need some suggestion for a backpack & boots for my daughter. She want to go backpacking with me an Popaw this summer, and I need to shop early to look for a good deal.

FYI she is 9 years old, but she is 5'1" and about 102 lbs., so I am fairly certain she really needs a small women's pack instead of a "kiddie" pack and she already wears a ladies' 9Narrow shoe.

Any suggestions????

BTW......someone will probably ask, her mom is 6'1" and I am 6'4" so she still has a ways to go, so it would not hurt if she has something that she can grow with as far as a pack.

Thanks!!!

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Scrub, what size shoes does she wear and what is her current torso measurement? Children have different body proportions from adults (length of torso to total height ratio) so what works for 5'1" woman may not work well for a 5' 1" girl. Little girls also do not have womanly hips, but this will change within the next three years so if you want the pack to grow with your daughter, it needs to be able to be adjusted when this occurs.

I own a REI Women's UL-45 (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8001&catalogId=40000008001&productId=48104209&parent_category_rn=22000119&vcat=OUTLET_SSHP_CAMPING_HIKING_LD). It allows for many adjustments including chest, hips and torso length making it a good choice for a child growing toward womanhood. It is on the small side as far as carry capacity (a good thing as you need to be careful not to overload your daughter's pack - she still has active growth plates that need protection in all her joints!)

[briarpatch]

My son is about the same size as your daughter (5'2" and 115 lbs). It took about a year of trying different models find an adjustable pack that my son thought was comfortable with his usual 15-18 pound load. Most adjustable packs were either too heavy or the suspension was uncomfortable. The problem was that most adjustable shoulder harnesses attach at a single pivot point in the center of the back and adjust up and down with a set of "ladder-like" loops. This arrangement was uncomfortable across the sides of his neck.

He settled on the Kelty illusion 3500. Its adjustable from 16 to 22 inches, so I expect it to last him for years. The yoke on this pack moves as a unit with a sheet of velcro for adjustment, so there is no pivot point and the shoulder straps ride further out.

The pack isn't superlight at about 3 lbs, but its lighter than the 4+ lbs that most adjustable packs weigh. Removing the top lid gets the weight down to about 2.5 lbs.

There is also woman's model that adjusts from 12 to 17 inches.

[Rain Man]

My daughter started the AT in 04 with one pack, finished it with another, and now has another she prefers.

So, my advice is... be flexible and willing to change packs as your own daughter learns for herself what works and what fits and what doesn't.

That's where a store like REI comes in so handy, since they take equipment back no questions asked if it doesn't work for her. If you don't have a store in your area, they do mail-order.

Rain:sunMan

.

[Green Bean]

i suggest taking your daughter to as many outfitters as you possibly can to try on and see for herself which pack is the best for her and fits her standards the best.

I suggest the same for boots! ~GB

[Dances with Mice]

i suggest taking your daughter to as many outfitters as you possibly can to try on and see for herself which pack is the best for her and fits her standards the best.

I suggest the same for boots! ~GBConsider trail runners rather than boots. Most junior hikers really don't need ankle support and comfort is a much more important factor.

BTW, I have two daughters, now grown. I have taken them shopping before. I can't tell you which pack to buy but I can offer other words of wisdom:

Carry a comfortable folding chair and a cooler with a case of beer with you. If you're an ultralight kind of guy, a liter of Jack Daniels might work. A book is a must-have item. If you have an MP3 player, bring it! You might consider filling out a change of address form at the post office. Since you can't count on finding a bathroom in any store, bring an empty bottle. You should consider bringing a sleeping bag and pad, or at least a blanket and pillow. But don't bring any firearms, rope, or sharp objects because the suicide rate of fathers shopping with their daughters is incredibly high.

Good luck.

[SteveJ]

I second the suggestion to go trail runners rather than boots. Your daughter probably won't be carrying more than 14 or 15 lbs - she should get all the foot support she needs from trail runners.

I started a thread about 6 months ago asking for suggestions for a pack for my 11 y.o. son. Got plenty of suggestions then:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=17942

I ended up looking at the small Golite Jam (I called Golite - their specs didn't indicate how small the waist belt would go - I actually got the guy on the phone who makes the packs - he confirmed the waist belt, at it's smallest, measures 24" - was very impressed with how responsive they were to my phone call) and the MountainSmith Seraph. Got a good deal on the Seraph (discontinued at STP - $56). He's worn it on 3 backpacking trips in the last 5 months - has worked out well. The only problem we've had with it is that it's designed to fit waists 26" and above - have been able to make it work, tho....

I strongly suggest that you try to keep the pack under 2 lbs... If you get a 3 or 4 lb pack, it's really hard to keep total pack weight under 15 lbs - and more than that, IMHO, will be too much for a 9 yr old..... I regarded it as a temporary pack that my wife can also use, but still not much out of pocket at $56! The Golite Jam is also reasonable, at under $100 ($89 at bpl right now)... and only 21 ozs!

[RockStar]

I am 5'2 adn a LOT of lbs but, my torso is very short so I wear a Small. I use a gregory Tega and in the tega b/c they run small(they are a womens pack) I use a Medium and it fits PERFECT. They come in XS-L and right now you can find them fairly often for under a hundred bucks on ebay. The Small I think is 2lbs 8 oz. Great hip belt, lots of cushion. great shoulder straps, again lots of cushion. I was fitted at an outfitter and suggest that first. Keep in mind the Tega though b/c they run small and are a lasting pack!

I keep wanting to upgrade mine but, cant find a pack that has such good cushioning and all the features mine does for the weight. :)

[jesse]

can you or that 6'1"" wife of yours sew? I made a ray way pack for my son (12). Best outdoor equipment choice I ever made. It weighs 9.5 oz. Went on a Boy Scout Backpacking trip in Jan. All the other boys had conventional packs and equipment weighing 20-30 lbs. His weighed 7.5 lbs. Many of those boys had a hard time, my son didn't.
She will never outgrow it.

http://www.ray-way.com (http://www.ray-way.com/)

[Weldman]

My wife has a REI Aries 35L, she is 5'2" and her torso is 14.5. She carries her down bag, clothes, cookware and her water - total weight is less than 15lbs.

[jesse]

15 lbs will kill a 9 yo

[Weldman]

Jessebrent,

Just using the wife's loaded pack as a example, did not mean that a 9 yo carry that much weight right away. But they are looking for a pack that she can grow into later on.

[buckowens]

My daughter who is also nine uses a Gregory Pallisade Xtra Small, and carries somewhere less than 25 pounds depending on how we split the gear. She has done 9 miles in half a day with no complaints. She is a bit of an animal, and I would not call her your normal 9 year old girl :D I am the weak link in our hiking equation...