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  1. #1
    Registered User
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    03-15-2013
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    Kalamazoo, MI
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    Default Gear List for 3-10 days (Hiker with KID)

    When I was a kid (13-19) I would hike with a poncho, poncho liner, and some food. Now I have a kid of my own and I'm far less careless (apparently). Last year she started getting really into backpacking with me (she's 6) and we go about once a month for 2-7 nights. I'd like feedback on where I can make sensible upgrades to my kit to not only make it lighter and more manageable but also more functional.

    • Backpack - Exos 58 (big enough to carry as much of her stuff as needed)
    • Tent - MLD SpeedMid
    • Sleeping Bag - Kelty Cosmic Down 20
    • Sleeping Pad - Nemo Astro Air (I'm a side sleeper)
    • Ground Cloth - Dissected window plastic
    • Stove - Homemade redbull stove
    • Pot TOAKS 750 mug
    • 3L Platy
    • 2 - Gatoraid Bottles
    • Steripen Journey and prefilter
    • 2 x REI keychain compass
    • Princeton Tec Remix
    • Gerber Paraframe
    • Cheap Walmart Trowel
    • iphone
    • Ravpower battery pack (Mom needs to talk to her each night and see pics)
    • MYOG Foodbag and hang kit
    • exotac nanostriker


    Clothing for me:
    • 3pr Smartwool lows
    • 2pr sythetic skivies
    • Merrell Proterra shoes
    • REI Endeavor Convertible Pants
    • 2 GoLite Merino T's
    • Westcomb Ozone Hoody
    • GoLite 2.5 layer jacket
    • LLBean UL850 down jacket
    • Merino Hat
    • knit gloves
    • dirtygirlgaiters


    Clothing for her (I'd like the most help here!!!)
    • Target running shoes
    • Teko merino socks
    • Marmot Convertible Pants
    • Kids cotton skivies (anyone know where I can find synthetics?)
    • Target synthetic t's
    • Columbia fleece (medium weight)
    • Marmot Precip jacket
    • UNIQLO down/sythetic blend puffy
    • Smartwool hat
    • knit mittens
    • dirtygirlgaiters (to match Dad)
    • She carries a Deuter Fox 30 with the same Kelty sleeping bag, and a Nemo Mat. She's quickly outgrowing her pack (she's really tall) and can walk 4 MPH for 2-3 hours with it loaded that way (~7.5 lbs). Anyone have any suggestions for her next pack (for next year)? I arrived at the Fox 30 based off of research on this site when I was still lurking.


    Thanks all.

  2. #2
    Registered User just dad's Avatar
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    02-07-2010
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    Sarasota, Florida
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    ULA makes a pack for kids with a 12' to 18' adjustable torso length. I wish that pack was available when my kids were smaller. We also started out with Deuter Fox 30 packs. Consider Frogg Toggs Dri Ducks rain jackets when cold temperatures are not an issue. You will save about half the weight of the Precip jacket. I put my kids in Green Superfeet insoles at fairly young ages, which made for happier feet. We dropped the fleece jacket rather quickly and replaced it with a down vest, which could be worn under the rain jacket when additional warmth is needed. Down vests can be pricy, but the switch can save 12 oz. Since you are already carrying a puffy jacket the fleece may not be necessary.

  3. #3

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    05-05-2011
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    Hard to believe a 6 yr old would outgrow any pack out there.

    My son had an adjustable ULA circuit , and in 18 mos used up the entire adjustable range of it. From 12-13.5 yrs old. Now hes my height, soon to be 4" taller than me if the Dr is correct.

    Look for some youth compression shorts at walmart or academy for underwear

  4. #4
    Registered User FarmerChef's Avatar
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    05-03-2012
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    Northwestern, VA (outside of Harper's Ferry)
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    My kids just switched from the Fox 30 to a GoLite Jam 50 as their cold weather gear took up all the space and more in their 30 and it was a full 2 pounds heavier than the 50. They are 12 and 10 though, a far cry from 6. My 7 year old son just switched up from an REI Sprig pack (perfect fit but too small) to the hand-me-down 30 whose waist belt is just too big for his skinny hips. He wound up carrying his load 170 miles on his shoulders this past trip so we had to take some of his weight off and add it to our own pack.

    Comments on your kid clothing inline below...

    Clothing for her (I'd like the most help here!!!)

    • Target running shoes - These can do but watch out for poor quality. We've had some shoes fail on just one hike (typically around 175 - 190 miles).
    • Teko merino socks - Very nice. I'd recommend at least 2 pair. We pack 3 for my son and always wish we had one more. And yes, we do wash in camp and dry on packs. He just attracts water and dirt.
    • Marmot Convertible Pants - Sounds good. Depending on the outside temps (say, above 40) my kids are usually in their shorts. For cold mornings they have light merino wool bottoms.
    • Kids cotton skivies (anyone know where I can find synthetics?) - Nope. If you do, please post back. And I'm assuming you're strictly speaking about underpants not long underwear. If it's long underwear you can probably find merino or some other in a small enough size that you could roll up the cuff.
    • Target synthetic t's - Yes. Recommend 1 to 2. They dry fast so you can often switch out to a jacket or other layer while you launder them. Then wear them during the warmest part of the day to dry or hang them out if you make camp while it's still sunny.
    • Columbia fleece (medium weight)
    • Marmot Precip jacket - Just one comment here on your layers. For cold weather, I recommend a good long sleeve synthetic base layer. Then you can build in a warm layer with a wind shell/rain shell, swapping the strength of the layer for conditions. With this setup you can anticipate weather and select the appropriate combo from your gear. In your case I would say that fleece + puffy is probably overkill. Fleece for warmer weather, puffy for colder? I also agree with switching out the precip jacket but if it's sunk cost and she's comfy with the weight there's no need to switch it out.
    • UNIQLO down/sythetic blend puffy
    • Smartwool hat - Great. Really any synthetic/wool blend hat will do. Unless you're going out in the bitter cold when a balaclava or scarf might be a better choice/addition.
    • knit mittens - Key word is mittens. Good choice. If the wind is really fierce you might want some kind of wind shell over the mitten. One trick is to bring ziploc or grocery bags and some rubber bands.
    • dirtygirlgaiters (to match Dad)
    • She carries a Deuter Fox 30 with the same Kelty sleeping bag, and a Nemo Mat. She's quickly outgrowing her pack (she's really tall) and can walk 4 MPH for 2-3 hours with it loaded that way (~7.5 lbs). Anyone have any suggestions for her next pack (for next year)? I arrived at the Fox 30 based off of research on this site when I was still lurking.


    I didn't see any rain pants on your list. Consider a set of tyvek pants for this purpose or, if it's warmer, a disposable poncho or rain skirt/wrap. Tyvek pants are cheap ($3.50) and easy. Plus they can be hemmed to fit without sewing and can be repaired with duct tape quite easily in the field.

    My kids, wife and I just finished 10 days hiking during winter storm Virgil. It was cold, yes, but the real danger/problem was wetness. Ankles and feet were always wet and sometimes a spill would result in a partially wet upper body. For the most part, the kids were warm and comfy with just merino wool base and top plus fleece, even when the wind was blowing at 30+. Wool mittens worked great but the wind still blew through them and fingers got stiff and cold (daytime temps in the low 20s to mid 30s). Otherwise, they had some great fun during the hike.
    2,000 miler. Still keepin' on keepin' on.

  5. #5

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    We were able to find synthetic underwear for our girls (ages 10 and 11) at target. Not sure where in the store my wife dug it up from, but they found both synthetic bottoms and sports bras there.

  6. #6
    Registered User
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    03-15-2013
    Location
    Kalamazoo, MI
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    Thank you all for your responses. Special thanks to FarmerChef, that was quite detailed and highly appreciated. I do have a residual question. We both pack a fleece AND a down puffy jacket. The logic is that we hike in the fleece and rest/camp in the down (or both). I'm afraid that hiking in the down will overheat us and cause us to sweat, thereby wetting out the down. Is this an irrational fear? We do not do any hiking in sub 30 degree weather but it will at times get to 30 overnight on our trips.

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