View Full Version : kids packs
Tha Wookie
11-12-2007, 22:46
Does anyone have any advice for a 6-year old boy's backpack?
The gear's a bit different from when I was that age.
This is for a friend looking to purchase. I don't think money is an issue.
Any thoughts? links?
totally Boagus
11-12-2007, 22:57
try this site.
http://www.upsideover.com/
My youngest uses a REI Comet. You would be welcome to borrow it.
(You still at UGA?)
Egads
Hi, Tha Wookie.
Recommend to your friend that as he's looking, he also look at women's lightweight packs. I bought Scott a new pack last year, and was frustrated that there weren't lightweight options in youth packs. Doesn't make sense if you think about it - youth shouldn't be carrying much more (if not less) than 15 lbs - you don't need a 4 lb pack to carry 15 lbs! I was about to get him a Golite Jam (I talked with the product manager at Golite who confirmed that the waist belt would fit his small waist - was impressed that I could get the information I needed from the guy who designed the pack - all on one phone call), when I found a Mountainsmith Seraph on sale. Pic here:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=17778&catid=member&imageuser=6309
the waist belt is a little large, but he's able to take the belt out of a loop and make it work. I forget the exact weight - but seem to recall that it's a little under 2 lbs.
fun stuff!
Daddy Longlegs
11-13-2007, 09:54
At that age I would just let the kid use a regular school pack. Cause all he needs or should carry are his clothes and a few small toys. Everything else should be carried by an adult that way you do not load the kid down and he will have a much more enjoyable time.
Campmor has a whole section just for children. They appear to be running specials on children's gear all the time as well.
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=68745&catalogId=40000000226&storeId=226
For parents on a budget, it could be a good place to look.
I am thinking of getting my friends a gift certificate for their child next month as they make sure their son is active in the outdoors already. As a surrogtate uncle, I approve. ;) Campmor has gift certificates...
six is kinda young to carry anything IMO. I took my 5y/o grandson on an overnight trip to the Cohutta this summer. My son and I carried everything. Shortly after my son joined scouts, I made him a 9.5oz ray-way pack. He was 11. Best decision I ever made. Now I don't have to look for an adult pack, when he turns 14 next year.
Tha Wookie
11-13-2007, 12:03
Thanks for all the great info. I was tending to agree with the simple backpack/bookbag idea.... but wanted to know what else is out there. We at least wanted to get something his sleeping bag and a few clothes will fit in, and not be too heavy or bulky. I'll pass these suggestions along and let him decide.
Keep 'em coming if you have any other thoughts.
THANKS!!!!:)
Deuter Fox pack. Designed for kids and it will take a beating.
At 6 my son was hiking 10+ mile days and yes, carried his share of the gear.Unless the kid is severly out of shape or very tiny, they can and do like carrying their items. Going UL is always a good choice though with them.
Ford carries his pack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, clothes, cup, spork, jacket, camp shoes and toys. He also has two water bottles, one full, one empty and snacks. Starting this year he also had his Ursack bag and his food added in (he is 10). Before that, I carried his food weight. At 6 he had about 7-9 lbs on him. That is fine weight. Nowdays at 10 he is carrying more like 11-15 lbs.
Better to put a young child into a well fitting pack than throwing on a kids school pack. Their bones and muscles will thank you.
As for the Deuter pack, it has lasted a couple years for Ford. This year he outgrew it, but he wears it as a daypack now. For kids 6-9 it is great. And affordable as well.
I agree on the Deuter Fox 30. It is a great pack that is sized just right for the jr hiker.
I got mine from http://www.upsideover.com/Fox-30-p/dtr-fox30.htm My 5 year old loves it. Not only is it functional with an adjustable torso, it looks like Daddys pack and has the cool factor. The price is not bad either.
My daughter is 8, but only weighs 48 pounds and many six year olds are bigger. I don't have her carry anything yet, but I am able to get a lot of miles out of her. The key at that age/size, I think, is a good choice of clothing, very light and unencumbring, and don't have them carry too much more. It would be different if we were only going camping, but we put in some good mileage. Carry the extra layers for them when they don't need them. Have them carry a gadget, like a whistle/compass/thermometer. If they want more gadgets have them make some sort of a pouch. Perhaps a very small water bottle also, like a 250ml PET bottle. Nothing heavy. I think they are still too small at that age even to carry much more than that if you want to get any miles out of them.
It is not just the weight but the encumbrance. She has enough trouble keeping up as it is. Her walking pace is too awkward for me, so she does a sort of walk walk trot trot when she is holding my hand. That's awkward enough without any decent sized bag. I try to have her spend as much time ahead as doddling behind, so I can see her. I don't mind stopping to let her explore, and she doesn't seem to mind me coaching her along either. It's a compromise. I will have her make herself a pouch though, so she can carry more if she likes. But at that size, one pound of stuff is more than enough I think. I try and put a lot of mileage on my girl. That's the thing. Pockets help also. For maps and mittens and things.
Personally I think the Deuter Fox is too heavy, even for me.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
11-13-2007, 13:25
A 6 year old is pretty small (about 50 lbs) and not really able to carry much weight. Overloading them not only makes them miserable It can damage the growth plates in their joints.
IMO, a child-sized mesh pack - the kind you can find at places like Target, WalMart, Sears for use as school bags - is the best option for most children under about age 7 - 8. While the Deuter Jr 30 is an excellent pack and I certainly recommend it to anyone hiking with an older child, it is overkill for a child carrying under 15 lbs IMO. YMMV
dixicritter
11-13-2007, 13:34
When our youngest first started hiking with SGT Rock, he was 6 years old I believe and on those first couple of trips he carried a school type backpack with very little in it.
He now has what for an adult would be a "day pack" that we found on sale a couple of years ago at Sundog in Damascus. I forget what brand it is and I'm too lazy right now to run downstairs and look...lol.
Creek Hopper is now 9 years old, weighs approx. 48 pounds soaking wet, and carries his own gear and clothing. His brother (now 18 and much bigger than him) carries their food in his pack.
YeOldeBackpacker
11-13-2007, 14:15
I agree on the Deuter Fox 30. It is a great pack that is sized just right for the jr hiker.
I got mine from http://www.upsideover.com/Fox-30-p/dtr-fox30.htm My 5 year old loves it. Not only is it functional with an adjustable torso, it looks like Daddys pack and has the cool factor. The price is not bad either.
I agree for the money the Deuter Fox is a great kids pack.
When our youngest first started hiking with SGT Rock, he was 6 years old I believe and on those first couple of trips he carried a school type backpack with very little in it.
He now has what for an adult would be a "day pack" that we found on sale a couple of years ago at Sundog in Damascus. I forget what brand it is and I'm too lazy right now to run downstairs and look...lol.
Creek Hopper is now 9 years old, weighs approx. 48 pounds soaking wet, and carries his own gear and clothing. His brother (now 18 and much bigger than him) carries their food in his pack.Margaret is also 48# and just short of 48". It would be nice if they made kids daypacks lighter and less stiff, and smaller for smaller kids. I picked up a Patagonia daypack in Freeport that weighs only 10oz or so, which I was going to modify into a front pack, but I've decided to keep as a daypack. I tried it as a pack for Margaret but I can't make it fit. It the right weight of material, but just too wide and tall. We will eventually make something I think. That is the main reason I finally just bought a good ultralight pack and daypack for myself, so I could maybe put some energy into making something for her, and just getting out there until I do.
I was wondering if this style might work for a child, as long as you made it their size and didn't load much more than 1-2 pounds.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NIKE-Bags-Carry-Gear-Team-Gym-Bag-Navy-Blue-NIP_W0QQitemZ200172051887QQihZ010QQcategoryZ52359Q QcmdZViewItem
Personally I think the Deuter Fox is too heavy, even for me.
I won't disagree that the Deuter is heavier than some adult packs, but for kids packs it is one of the lightest models (yes, many "kid's" packs weigh over 4 lbs!!). It is also one of the few ones that has an easily adjustable torso, and goes down to an 11" torso as well.
Here is my take: with kids, no matter how much or little they carry, they need it well balanced. We as adults can take ill fitting packs much easier. Kids cannot. We need to make sure that they have good fitting shoes on and a pack that holds everything where it should be.
Ford in his Deuter (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/Ford/Ford-1-28.jpg).
I'll say this about backpacking and hiking with young kids: you have to completely change your view about being out there. Kids are trainable and can come to love it. With good gear and great campsites life can be divine indeed. I am happy indeed that since my son was 4 years old he has been hiking alongside me (http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/Ford/). :banana
Frolicking Dinosaurs
11-13-2007, 15:08
Margaret is also 48# and just short of 48". It would be nice if they made kids daypacks lighter and less stiff, and smaller for smaller kids. .... I can't make it fit. It the right weight of material, but just too wide and tall. We will eventually make something I think. This is why I recommend the mesh book-bag / backpack for smaller children. Very few true backpacks will fit a tiny child (the shoulder straps are too long and too wide - the pack bag is too wide - and no amount of adjusting is going to make these fit a tiny child correctly) JAK, I would suggest starting with a child's school backpack for parts (shoulder straps, etc.) plus to determine the correct dimensions for a child's pack - and then 'downsize' a pattern along the lines of Gossamer Gear's G-4 UL Scout pattern (http://gossamergear.com/gossamergear/images/myog/G4_Scout_instructions.pdf) to make your daughter a pack.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
11-13-2007, 15:15
I was wondering if this style might work for a child, as long as you made it their size and didn't load much more than 1-2 pounds.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NIKE-Bags-Carry-Gear-Team-Gym-Bag-Navy-Blue-NIP_W0QQitemZ200172051887QQihZ010QQcategoryZ52359Q QcmdZViewItem
I have one of these (a gift). It is fine for going from the gym locker room to the car and back, but I sure wouldn't want to carry it on a trail. The string straps slip around a lot.
I think you are right SARBAR that if you luck out and it fits well, even it does weigh 2.4 pounds or whatever, and you don't overload it with too much more, and the kid loves it like yours obviously does..., well, can't argue with that.
Margaret keeps picking up sticks to use as hiking sticks. I have no idea where she got such an idea. I keep telling her she doesn't need them. One of these days I've got to learn to shut the heck up. Never look a gift horse in the mouth I think the saying goes.
Awesome link. Thanks FD.
Great Christmas idea, but could also be fun to do with her.
I think you are right SARBAR that if you luck out and it fits well, even it does weigh 2.4 pounds or whatever, and you don't overload it with too much more, and the kid loves it like yours obviously does..., well, can't argue with that.
Margaret keeps picking up sticks to use as hiking sticks. I have no idea where she got such an idea. I keep telling her she doesn't need them. One of these days I've got to learn to shut the heck up. Never look a gift horse in the mouth I think the saying goes.Next time she stops and picks up a hiking stick I'm going to stop with her and we will both search around and then make one for each of us. She has been playing with rocks lately also. Breaking them and stuff. I wonder how much of this is instinctive and we lose it as we grow older and depend more on what we learn from society.
Margaret keeps picking up sticks to use as hiking sticks. I have no idea where she got such an idea. I keep telling her she doesn't need them. One of these days I've got to learn to shut the heck up. Never look a gift horse in the mouth I think the saying goes.
Lol....two weeks ago on a trip one of my friends brought his 10 year old daughter. She saw Ford's hiking poles and conned him into "lending them to her", and he fell for it...:rolleyes: She plied her found stick-o-wood onto him. When tired she then told him he could carry both his poles and her stick. Methinks that girl has training for being a teen or something:rolleyes:
When Ford was little there would be times we walked maybe 1/2 a mile an hour. He always saw stuff I never saw..bugs, lizards, slugs. Some of my best memories are when he was 3 and we had started doing actual hiking out of the backpack and jogger stroller. Nature trails was it, but the memories? Ones I wouldn't trade!
Tha Wookie
11-13-2007, 23:50
I won't disagree that the Deuter is heavier than some adult packs, but for kids packs it is one of the lightest models (yes, many "kid's" packs weigh over 4 lbs!!). It is also one of the few ones that has an easily adjustable torso, and goes down to an 11" torso as well.
Here is my take: with kids, no matter how much or little they carry, they need it well balanced. We as adults can take ill fitting packs much easier. Kids cannot. We need to make sure that they have good fitting shoes on and a pack that holds everything where it should be.
Ford in his Deuter (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/Ford/Ford-1-28.jpg).
I'll say this about backpacking and hiking with young kids: you have to completely change your view about being out there. Kids are trainable and can come to love it. With good gear and great campsites life can be divine indeed. I am happy indeed that since my son was 4 years old he has been hiking alongside me (http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/Ford/). :banana
Ha! He DOES look like his dad!!
Don't forget the cool factor with kids.
Function is secondary to them it seems.
Pennsylvania Rose
11-14-2007, 11:45
Tough Traveller has a great internal frame kids' pack. REI's kids' external is nice, too.
Those really are awesome pics SARBAR.
Gotta get me some of those while I can.
Local East Coast versions of course, but that's not what matters.
Jak, I so agree.....some of those photos date back to 2002, 2003. He is 10 now...and growing up fast :( While it is easier the older he gets, well.....I miss the Mom & I trips when he was 6 & 7.
copythat
11-14-2007, 21:59
when my littlest was about 6, she carried this:
http://www.firsttreks.com/ViewProduct.asp?ModelNumber=PA221
perfect for her then. just enough room for "baby baby" and a fleece and some toys and two small water bottles. (regular bottled water bottles, 'cause they're as light as it gets.)
i carried her bag and pad.
but then she was a real peanut. she's now 10 and uses a small golite jam. fabulous. light (19 oz?) enough and space for her sleeping bag and pad and a fleece and some toys.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
11-14-2007, 23:08
Thanks for finding this pack, Copythat. That looks like the perfect pack for the tiny hiker - small enough, light enough and has the cool factor covered.
copythat
11-15-2007, 00:43
Thanks for finding this pack, Copythat. That looks like the perfect pack for the tiny hiker - small enough, light enough and has the cool factor covered.
it was very popular in my home. :)