Kids pack possibility

[silverbullet555]

I bought one of these alps packs for my kid to see if it will carry him a few more years until he can fit into a small full featured pack. I don't know how it will work out, but with their coupon, it is only $70.

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[JMDavies]

How old is he?

 

[silverbullet555]

How old is he?

He's 12. Also have a younger one coming up.

 

[JMDavies]

I've got a 15 year old that's been hunting since she was 12. (tough little shit) I'd stick with the pack you got the good deal on. She's just started to be helpful with packing meat. Until now, all she could really handle was her own gear. Binos, water, extra ammo, rifle, etc etc

 

[silverbullet555]

I've got a 15 year old that's been hunting since she was 12. (tough little shit) I'd stick with the pack you got the good deal on. She's just started to be helpful with packing meat. Until now, all she could really handle was her own gear. Binos, water, extra ammo, rifle, etcView attachment 166809View attachment 166809 etc

That's kind of the position we are in. I just want him to be able to handle his own gear for now. If the pack gets us 3 years I'll be happy.

 

[JMDavies]

Have a great time this coming season. I'm still new to hunting with my kids but I gets me more excited each year I do it.

 

[OkayestHNTR]

I’ve been looking into kids pack too. Here’s a suggestion the came from Hunt Back Co podcast.

Sanitas 34

Keep tradition alive with the Kelty Sanitas 34 Kids Backpack. With external frame for easy carrying, great ventilation and places to tie gear, young adventurers will be smiling.

www.kelty.com

 

[BackcountryBloodline]

That's kind of the position we are in. I just want him to be able to handle his own gear for now. If the pack gets us 3 years I'll be happy.

Don't overload them but definitely don't underestimate them, it does a lot for them both physically and mentally to know they pulled their weight and then some. My son is 10, he's been packing his own sleep system and a bit of personal gear for overnight backpacking trips since he was 8, sometimes that even included 600+ page Harry Potter books. Last year when he was 9 he wanted to help me pack out my spring bear, I didn't want things to be an absolute suffer fest for him and just gave him a bag with both backstraps and tenderloins. He looked at me like I had to be kidding and told me to throw a big ol' rack of bone-in ribs in his pack too. I was skeptical at first and he did need a couple short breaks on the way down but he made it out 1.5 miles with 50% of his bodyweight on his back, he was also fine the next day according to him...meanwhile I was wrecked for about 3 days after that one lol, I did have a significantly higher percentage of my bodyweight in my pack but I still think he's tougher than me pound for pound and my pack would have been even heavier if he wasn't such a champ.

This is me at 12, everything but the kitchen sink in there and none of it ultralight. No idea how much that pack weighed (if I had to guess probably close to 35lbs) but I did a 4 or 5 day backpacking trip with it that year averaging 3-6 miles per day in steep coastal PNW terrain...walking under weight was a huge part of my mental development in my opinion. Awesome to see other kiddos getting after it!