Advice on beginner backpack for kids?

[g8trh8tr]

Now that my 13 year old son has proven that he truly enjoys hiking I am going to buy him his own backpack and I am looking for input/feedback on what to get. I currently am looking at the Jansport Scout pack(link below) but I am still open to ideas as long as it is a decent price. Any thoughts?

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/st...productId=9084

[general]

coleman peak 1

[Just Jeff]

Depending on how much weight your son is carrying, you might consider a well-made non-framed normal old school backpack. It'll probably cost less, and give him a good motivation to keep his packweight down. My son finds his more comfortable than the external frame we got him, anyway.

Besides, a 4 lbs pack on a kid is like a 7 lbs pack on an adult...and I wouldn't carry one of those!

http://www.tothewoods.net/HikingWithKids.html[/URL]]
Backpacking packs for kids are almost always overbuilt and too heavy. Before I knew better, my older son got an Outdoor Products Dragonfly (2780 ci, 3 lbs 10 oz) for Christmas, and it can probably hold 50 lbs safely (if not comfortably)...no way could my son hike with that!

Also, try finding a kids backpack under 4 lbs...there are a few, but not many. Try the Deuter Fox 30 (1800 ci, 2 lbs 7 oz) or the <A href="http://www.kelty.com/"">Kelty Jr Tioga (2050 ci, 3 lbs 3 oz).

Fortunately, many cheap-o school backpacks from stores like Walmart are more than adequate for a kid's hiking pack. For example, my son always leave the Dragonfly at home and takes a cheap pack we won at a community center party because it's lighter. It weighs about 18 oz and only holds about 1000 ci, but that's enough for his rain gear, quilt, water and snacks, and his pad straps to the back with a shockcord daisy chain.

[neo]

here are a few pics of my boys in action on the trail,they are 10 and 12 now neo

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...imageuser=3462


http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...imageuser=3462

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...imageuser=3462





http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...imageuser=3462


http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...imageuser=3462


http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...imageuser=3462



http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...imageuser=3462


http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...imageuser=3462


http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...imageuser=3462


http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...imageuser=3462

[theurbansuburban]

When I started out as a kid i had a used jansport scout. It did me fine for quite a few years untill I needed a biger pack. The last forever, I think my is on its fourth user now.

[verber]

The most important thing is to find a pack which is comfortable for your son that will hold the appropriate amount of stuff. This is best done by going to an outfitter and tried on the packs with the gear that you son is planning to carry.

My daughter tried the jan sport scout and didn't like it's feel. She found the kelty long trail junior better, and the Fox 30 the best. For a few other packs to check out see http://www.verber.com/mark/outdoors/gear/pack.html#Kids

[Ridge]

Go to the new Charlotte REI store. They give pointers and have a big selection. Catch one on sale.

[stupe]

Neo, I always enjoy your pictures. But what the heck is going on with "Logan Practicing"? Is that a rock climbing practice wall? It looks like a huge rock in somebody's office.

[g8trh8tr]

Charlotte for some unknown reason doesn't have a REI store. I will check out Dick's Sporting goods and have him try a few on there. We have Jesse Brown's Outfitters but they are more of a high end specialty shop. I will follow up on all of the input here, do some more of my own research and let ya'll know what I come up with...

[Jaybird]

Now that my 13 year old son has proven that he truly enjoys hiking I am going to buy him his own backpack and I am looking for input/feedback on what to get. I currently am looking at the Jansport Scout pack(link below) but I am still open to ideas as long as it is a decent price. Any thoughts?[/URL]

JANSPORT is a good, inexpensive brand to start with...& not too heavy.(i use a small Jansport for DAYHIKES)

make sure the weight in the backpack doesnt equal more than 1/3 of the kid's body weight.

good luck with your hike!

[neo]

Neo, I always enjoy your pictures. But what the heck is going on with "Logan Practicing"? Is that a rock climbing practice wall? It looks like a huge rock in somebody's office.

it was a climbing wall that used to be at rei in nashville neo

[neo]

my boys use golite day packs now,when i started them backpacking 8 years ago they use childrens packs made by coleman that i bought at target. neo
here is a pic of logan and his golite day pack,he carried his hennessey hammock,sleeping bag,pad cloths and every thing he needed to camp in his hammock in the mid 30's,he is 9 years old in this pic neo
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...65&userid=3462

[Pennsylvania Rose]

We've had success with REI's junior size external frame (I can't remember it's name, and they don't seem to carry it anymore, but it's the equivalent of Kelty's Junior Tioga), and my daughter loves her internal frame from Tough Traveler. You might want to keep in mind, however, that boys your son's age have a tendency to grow A LOT in a short amount of time. My
14 1/2 year old has grown 10 inches in the last 18 months. If you get a junior size pack, don't spend a lot of $$$.

[Ridge]

Charlotte for some unknown reason doesn't have a REI store....

REI
120 Rhyne Rd, Charlotte, 28214 - (704) 394-1979

[g8trh8tr]

For sure there are no REI stored in Charlotte.

Cary
255 Crossroads Blvd
(Crossroads Plaza)
Cary, NC 27511
(919) 233-8444 Hours, directions, events and more.

Raleigh
4291 The Circle at North Hills
Raleigh, NC 27609
(919) 571-5031 Hours, directions, events and more.


Durham
6911 Fayetteville Road
Suite 109
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 806-3442 Hours, directions, events and more.
Then I searched for REI withing 50 miles of Charlotte and here are the results:
We're sorry, there are no REI Stores within 50 miles of "charlotte, NC."
Please broaden the range using the drop-down menu at left and try searching again. To view stores by state, feel free to click on the map.

[vipahman]

Golite Dawn. 14 oz. He'll love it. It's about $60 on froogle. At the least, you should load it and check it out.

[sarbar]

Depends..what does your kid carry? How much weight is his base gear? Is he physically strong?
My son has been in a Deuter Fox 30 the past year-but it isn't a large capacity backpack. At an age of 13, you might look into a lightweigh internal framed pack. Ladies packs work well as the torso goes down small enough for shorter torsoe'd kids.

Jansport is HORRIBLE. Once they went offshore in the late 90's their product has suffered tremoundsly! Let's put it this way-they sell Jansport packs at some Walmarts nowdays. Back in teh day, they were considered a "good brand".

Also...ask your kid what he/she wants. Externals are dorky and doofus'ey looking. Kids want to look like everyone else-and internals are the way now. I had my son Ford in an external for his first year backpacking-until I realized this:
He wasn't comfy in it.
It weighed too much!
He couldn't go off trail in it.
He wanted a pack like mom's.
His external pack didn't fit in the tent at night very well.

So I rigged him up a pack using a womens internal frame mtnering technical daypack of 1500 ci. Worked great until I got him the Deuter.

Try on, try on. And ask them what they want. 13 is to old to say "here's what ya get"

[Creaky]

Do at least take a look at Tough Traveler. Has for a longtime been one of the few companies that makes good internal frame packs for youngsters. American made, sturdy, and worth the money if they look like what you and your son want. We finally went with an REI external for our daughter (for reasons I can't remember anymore!), and it worked fine for her for a number of years. She's grown now (and buys her own packs), but there's still nothing I like more than heading for the hills with her...we're walking in the Alps this summer.