Boy wants to hike with me.

[crazyonelost]

My 9 yr old son has taken up interest in hiking and even took a 4-h project on hiking.

The prob I have is I have really no equipment for him,pack,boots,sleeping bag ,boot and etc. So I was thinking of using a decent size school backpack and have him carry the basic stuff like his own water,first aid kit,a change of clothing,rain poncho and his own meals.

Since this would be his first overniter in a Backpacking enviroment. I was thinking of doing a 5 miler hike,maybe more if he not too tire and head to a shelter in Raccoon Creek S.P. and maybe show him and little hands on.

Any ideas suggestion and advice are appreciated. He wants to go out a.s.a.p.

Ron
West By God Virginia

[Mountain Wildman]

Could be the beginning of many wonderful adventures for you and your son, I would definitely do it without hesitation.
Just use what you or he has for now and if he enjoys backpacking and wants more after this and any other trips then you could start investing in his own gear, Perfect for many upcoming birthday and Christmas gifts as well.
Some hikers just wear sneakers anyway and the first ones from decades ago didn't have the goodies we have available to us. One Thru-Hiker carried a pink Hello Kitty backpack.
Walmart has many real cheap camping type items and you could get some basics if needed. A 20 dollar tent is still a shelter. And better than nothing.

[crazyonelost]

I did and will go cheap at first to see if he really wants to go and do this. I gave him mu old compass and a gps extrex someone just gave me and am planing on showing him map reading/compass bearing and LNT techniques.

So just hope that I am on the right track with him

[Mountain Wildman]

I did and will go cheap at first to see if he really wants to go and do this. I gave him mu old compass and a gps extrex someone just gave me and am planing on showing him map reading/compass bearing and LNT techniques.

So just hope that I am on the right track with him

I was invited by a friend to go camping with him and his girlfriend and I was hooked, 25 plus years and I can't count all the trips I've taken. In 30 years all but 2 vacations were camping and day hikes.

Anything you teach him will be with him forever, At first just use what you have at hand, A blanket and a little extra clothing is fine if you don't have a sleeping bag for him, Especially if you have a tent for him, For his clothing try and pack nylon or polyester type clothes and wear as well, Cotton would be last resort except for sleeping, But if that's all he has, so be it.
I'm getting all excited about your trip and I wont even be there!!!

Happy Trails!!!

[Gray Blazer]

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/2/1/7/bardin_booger_woods_147.jpg (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=21813&original=1&c=member&imageuser=6217)

[thelowend]

sounds like you are on the right track. i love when kids are exposed to this stuff.. it really helps them understand the world better, i think and is a good way for them to grow up. i was in the outdoors 99% of my childhood and wouldn't have had it any other way.

if you end up deciding to invest in stuff for him, im not sure if you know about all the little great cottage companies that sell lightweight gear but a few companies such as ULA, Tarptent, Gossamer Gear, etc will make his pack a lot lighter, leading to more enjoyable hikes and more miles hiked. have fun, i hope he has a good time.

[Wise Old Owl]

You will do fine, the more fun you make it... the better it will be.

[Deadeye]

My first few trips with Dad, I carried little more than my own sleeping bag and clothes. Turned into a lifetime pursuit, and at least one summer job (I'm not dead yet!).

[Feral Bill]

A 9 year old can carry more than a token pack, unless especially small or fragile. I suggest a kid sized "real" pack, possibly used. The 5 mile trip sounds like a good plan. I would get the boy a couple of pairs of decent wool socks, to avoid blisters.

Be prepared for when, a few years from now, he won't hike with you because you are too slow.

[LIhikers]

Don't forget to let him stop and play if he sees something that catches his intrest, rocks to climb, water to play in, bugs to examine. That sort of stuff will be more inportant than covering miles.

[crazyonelost]

Thanks all, Keep them ideas coming. It all looks good. I am planning the short miles just so he can do what kids his age does. He was watching cookie and paul CDT video and he loved what he saw. Too bad it bedtime for the youngin.

I wanted to take him this weekend but couldn't find a sitter for my older girl,who doesn't want to go with us. so it looks like in maybe a week or two from now.

[East Coast Alex]

So I was thinking of using a decent size school backpack...


Wal-Mart has a pretty cool aluminum internal frame pack in the camping aisle for only $30 (I think) called the Skyline 8.0 (made by Outdoor Products). Weight 28oz, Capacity 38L 2320cu. in.

Maybe consider getting that for your kid, instead of a generic "school" style backpack which tends to be a bit heavy, and not especially good as a backpackers pack, per se.

I was eyeballing it myself, because I need a "medium" sized pack between my 700 cubic-inch day pack, and my larger 3200 cubic-inch pack, and I liked the fact that it has an internal frame, which I look forward to trying, to see if an internal frame really helps carry the load better.

Being that he is only 9 years old, an internal frame may help him better carry all the gear he needs, because we have to remember a kid basically needs to carry the same amount of stuff as an adult does... only they have to carry all that load on their kid body.



Just throwing that out there.... figured it might be better than a school pack. And it's from WalMart... so should be easy to get.

[Don H]

Try to borrow or buy a decent lightweight sleeping bag and a foam sleeping pad. The bag, a change of socks, small flashlight and water bottle is all he really needs to carry in the bag, tie the pad outside. You get to carry the rest. This should fit in a large daypack or school backpack. A rule of thumb is a boy should not carry more than 20% of his body weight. If you ask around you could probably borrow some of these items.

As a Scoutmaster I know it's real important to make sure kids have a good time on their first backpacking trip. Extremely difficult terrain, pushing to far or too fast, or carrying too much weight can turn a young kid off to hiking and backpacking. Take it easy and have fun. If he gets into the outdoors thing maybe you could find a Scout troop nearby that does a lot of hiking and backpacking. Sign him up and you can volunteer and get to go too.

[Marta]

My kids used their LL Bean book bags on their early hikes. If he's not carrying a lot of weight, his normal book bag should work.

Lots of snack food is important. Especially when a kid is excited, he/she can forget to eat until suddenly they crash and get very negative about everything. I used to stop at the store on the way to the trail and let the kids choose foods that were normally forbidden at our house (junky and expensive), and bring them on the trips.

And, most important of all, his own pocket knife, preferably tethered to his pants or his pack, so he won't lose it.

[Adayak]

And, most important of all, his own pocket knife, preferably tethered to his pants or his pack, so he won't lose it.

I was going to say that! You already gave your boy an old compass. Time to get him a little pocket knife - he'll love that stuff. And if you really want to get him hooked, teach him how to properly start a camp fire.

[crazyonelost]

You all have good ideas and plan on checking some of the stuff out. I did ask my wife(she works at Wally World) and they didn't have that internal pack at that store, maybe I'll check a few more wally over the weekend.

The site rocks. I been to other sites and they tend to be a little snotty and won't aknowledge that I was there. Can't wait for the trip now. maybe next weekend or two from today.

[beakerman]

My 9yo daughter went with me and my son over Easter weekend. We covered right around 5 miles a day at a rather leisurely pace and stopped early to hang out and just relax.

I had her carrying a tent i borrowed from my boyscout troop, her sleeping bag, sleeping pad, clothes and water. The pack was a cheapy external frame pack from Academy...one of the ones wtih the plastic frame. She carried it like a trooper and never complained about anything except for the skeeters and my snoring the first night.

[crazyonelost]

This trip, We are using one of the BP shelters at Raccoon Creek State Park/Pa so thats one weight issue we can leave a home. But since it warmed up pretty good lately. I was thinking of using his bed fleece blanket and a cheap self inflating sleeping mat I found on another trail( couldn't find the hiker) def will get him some light weight hiking socks .

I love your ideas

[Doctari]

A few years ago I met a family in the Smokies. 5 YO girl had her own pack & was carrying: sleeping bag, water bottle, the day's snacks for her & her favorite doll. She had a nice looking (I think homemade) "Real backpack" & was doing well. The family was only going 3 miles in & then spending the next day at the campsite. I met them at about the 2 mile mark for them (I was coming out) & she was having a great,,, no make that GREAT, FANTASTIC, WONDERFUL time. Dad said this was not her first trip, but was the first time she carried her own pack. Mom lead, but 5 year old set the pace, & as suggested, she was allowed. even encouraged to stop & look at stuff.

I was a bit upset that my boys never really wanted to go with me. Both now say they don't know why they did not. (ages 23 & 28 now) Maybe I should have encouraged them more, but I didn't want to push.

[LIhikers]

Since you don't plan on using a tent, it might be too cool to sleep under a simple fleece blanket this time of year unless he has some nice warm sleep clothes (including a hat).

[peakbagger]

Not sure what your level of experience is in the outdoors, but a real good resource is the Boy Scout Fieldbook. Note what you want is the FIledbook not the handbook.

[crazyonelost]

Can you find the Boy Scout Fieldbook in a bookstore or online. Why I ask is I found out sometimes only certain clubs/org have their own library and you have to order through them and sometimes I have problems finding addy and such.

I might do some compass/map reading with him today. I know he might understand it all but hopefully some info will stay with him. Of course he might catch on pretty quick,since he seems to outsmart me on alot stuff.

Love those ideas and thanks alot.It really is helping in planning this trip.

[dzierzak]

Boy Scout Fieldbook

http://scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/ItemDetail.aspx?cat=01RTL&ctgy=PRODUCTS&c2=BOOKS_LIT&C3=BOYSCOUTS&C4=&LV=3&item=33104&prodid=33104^8^01RTL&

or, if the link doesn't work -

scoutstuff.org and then search on fieldbook. Currently, $9.88

ed

[Sierra Echo]

Is it just me, or does it sound like Tarzan named this thread?

[K2]

No that would be, "Boy want hike with me. Jane stay home. Monkey see, Monkey do. K2

[Sierra Echo]

That sounds perfect!

[reddenbacher]

my two girls started camping at 3 yrs old.they carried their clothes. at 9 they should have their own pack,booots and foood.dont overload them but the can carry most of their own stuff.

[crazyonelost]

I wanted to go over this weekend,but the weather people saying some severe tstorms and Tornado watches are popping up. So to play it safe,stay home and enjoy the a.c.

You guys crack me up.

[Feral Bill]

[QUOTE=crazyonelost;1020189]I wanted to go over this weekend,but the weather people saying some severe tstorms and Tornado watches are popping up. So to play it safe,stay home and enjoy the a.c.
QUOTE]

Good lesson for the boy. Safety comes first. My kids got plenty mad a couple of times when we aborted trips, but we are all still alive.

[crazyonelost]

I finally got my boy on the trail at Raccoon Creek State Park/Pa on the Heritage trail over the July 24th on his First Overnighter. We started about the half way point around the 3 mile area and was supposed to go west toward Rt 18 then hit Forest Trail (past the Rangers Station) to the sioux BP shelter. But as I thought I knew the park like the back of my hand and end up walking about 8 miles.

I showed him my favorite spot of the pine trees groves and a section of huge ant hills and the whole time kept thinking something wasn't right and we kept going till we got to the trail head and I realized what I did.

The weather was 92 hot/muggy with a heat index of 105 and I had half of liter of water and two 20 oz water bottle with me and he he had 2 20 oz of water with him and had my water filter for just in case we needed more water to filtered. He had his school pack with his own first aid kit,bag os snack crackers, banana chips and several slim jims and his rain gear and extra socks and clothing and i had everything else.

The trail had very little elevation gain and only one huge down hill drop of about 1500 ft(?) at the end. We took many breaks and drank plenty of water and enjoyed the breeze when one blew by. After my little mistake(remember even been to some place many time always refer to a map) had to call the wife,lucky she was close by and dropped us off at our BP shelter. We set up camp and got fire wood gathered up for a little fire, made supper and bear bagged our food and other smelly stuff and made a fire and watched it till dark.

The rain held off till about 10 and then it rained and a few T storm rolled through,but he never stirred till morning.

The next morning we broke camp, had our breakfast of oatmeal or grits and walked 1 mile downhill to the Ranger Station to met the rest of the family,lucky for us the rain held up till we got in the car and then it downpoured.

I am still amazed of how he handled the walk and actually remembered the LNT and proper trail procedures and he asked alot of very intellgent questions about nature and trail reading. He has even want to go again,so I think I got my a hiking buddy

Sorry for a long post,but I am darn proud of him

[Feral Bill]

Sorry for a long post,but I am darn proud of him

As you should be. Thank you for sharing.

FB

[Erin]

Have fun. There are some nice boy scout backpacks for a young guy. Might be more comfortable than a school backpack and he will feel like he is packing and it will distribute his weight better and he can carry his own water more easily. They are exterior frame and can be adjusted as he grows. Our town, which is smaller than yours, has a Scout store with them. They are made for children and pretty reasonable. I suggest this because it sounds as if he is going to pick up your enthusiasm for backpacking and might want a real pack as opposed to a book bag which while functional is not very comfortable.

[crazyonelost]

I agree with you there. I did look at a few Day packs at wally world and didn't see no external frames but I do have a cabelas almost next door,which I will check out.

I didn't like how the book bag seem to just sagged down when he was walking,but that all I had at the moment for him. But am seriously looking for a proper fitting pack for him.

[TexasEd]

Congratulations!
I am happy for you.