Quality gear for kids

[Ac338]

My daughter turns six next september and I plan to bring her on the first day or two of my elk hunt and want to start acquiring gear for her little by little. We will be sleeping overnight so I want her to have the same quality of gear that I have. Does anyone know if any of the top brands make packs, sleeping bags, clothing, and boots for kids that small? I didnt see anything on feathered friends, wm, or Enlighted equipment. For packs any exo, sg, kifaru, or seek outside. Thanks in advance.

 

[Felix40]

EE does make a kids quilt. I decided not to get one for my 5 year old because it’s borderline big enough and I’d hate for him to tear holes in it. I ended up getting him a kindercone from rei. No complaints and I won’t be out $250 when he outgrows it

As for packs...a little kid isn’t going to be able to carry much of anything so I don’t see much point in a top tier frame pack.

 

[Ac338]

EE does make a kids quilt. I decided not to get one for my 5 year old because it’s borderline big enough and I’d hate for him to tear holes in it. I ended up getting him a kindercone from rei. No complaints and I won’t be out $250 when he outgrows it

As for packs...a little kid isn’t going to be able to carry much of anything so I don’t see much point in a top tier frame pack.

Valid point on the pack I didn't really think about it like that. All she will have in it is food, sleeping bag, clothes, and a bladder. Thanks.

 

[mlgc20]

Deuter makes a very good kids pack. Extremely adjustable to grow with them. My daughters were able to use theirs from age 5 to 12. I ended up getting my daughter a women’s Mountain Hardwear Phantasia sleeping bag. That thing is awesome. Zero degree bag. 800 fill down. Only 2.6 pounds. Packs down to nothing. Not cheap though.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I just get my kids cheap stuff...they will out grow it by next season..plus some years they only wanna go a couple times due to other activities...I always get em good boots and a decent pack..luckily I have 2 boys so that stuff gets reused..my boys are now 13 and 8...YMMV

 

[Ac338]

Deuter makes a very good kids pack. Extremely adjustable to grow with them. My daughters were able to use theirs from age 5 to 12. I ended up getting my daughter a women’s Mountain Hardwear Phantasia sleeping bag. That thing is awesome. Zero degree bag. 800 fill down. Only 2.6 pounds. Packs down to nothing. Not cheap though.

Thanks. That deuter fox 30 or 40L looks like it would work perfect. Price is pretty good as well.

 

[mtnrunner260]

At 6 they dont need a pack. It will just make it hard on them.
They need snacks and to stay warm.
I take treats and those hand warmer things and my big puffy all the time. They can put puffy on and its basically a sleeping bag.

 

[Seth]

I have used Big Agnes kids sleeping bags for years. When they outgrow them, they get passed on to cousins. Well made, right size, and we’ve had no issues with getting cold.

 

[Ac338]

Thanks for the responses. Looks like I have some good places to start. I'm skipping the pack until shes older thanks to @mtnrunner260 . I'll stick with decent clothes,boots and a sleep system until she decides if she wants to get more into hunting or not.

 

[Decker9]

I just set my 7 year old girl up for her first sheep hunt with us this year. A few things we picked up...

Deuter climber 22L pack, I contemplated the 30L, after receiving this 22L, I’m glad we didn’t go bigger. She’s a tall slim 7 year old, and the 22L fits her perfectly.

Also picked her up Marmot rain gear, gortex pac lite minimalist rain jacket, and precip echo rain pants. The jacket feels identical to my sitka cloudburst rain gear, at a fraction the price. The pants, are thin, I can see them getting toasted in her first balsam patch.

For boots we got her a pair of Zamberlan quantum GTX boots. They fit great right from the box, we went 1 size bigger then her regular shoe size which worked out perfect.

This is all new gear, but first impression on it all is quite positive, besides the pants, I don’t see them as a very tough pant.
She does have the sitka Celsius jacket also, and I have to say, it’s her favourite piece of clothing. Super warm and comfy, we highly recommend it if a person see’s cooler temps.

 

[Yellowknife]

My kids have been doing long hikes for several years. My middle daughter has been pulling off 30+ mile trips since she was 6. Started her out with a tiny day back for snacks and water, and now (at 8) she carries all her own gear.

My gear recommendations:

Sleeping bag - REI Radiant. It's one of the very few down bags made for younger kids and it packs down tiny.

Pad - The kids all like the foam Z-Lites. They don't need the padding from the inflatable kind, and tend to slide off in the night. Foam stays in place better (and is really light). I cut a couple down to kid length.

Packs - I agree with the other guys. Stick with a small day pack for age 6. They need water and snacks and their favorite toy and that's about it. At 8 or so, they can carry their own gear, and a Dueter is my pick also.

Raingear - Marmot works for breathable, but gets trashed pretty fast. We have actually use a mix of rubber raingear also. The kids don't sweat like adults, and seem to generally prefer it.

Boots - Just don't do it. Kids need light on their feet and breathable. They DON'T need ankle support. Both my kids have turned in 30 mile trips in nothing but Keen sandals and they have hated every pair of boots we have gotten them. The compromise that works well are Solomon trail shoes. Either the XA Pro or the Speedcross. The come in kids sizes and are identical to the adult ones. My 5 yr old has racked up quite a few miles in hers this summer. Unless you are doing glaciers or steep scree, that's all the shoe they will need.

None of the kids have been at all concerned about getting their feet wet, so we skip the GTX.

Biggest piece of advice is just to get them outside ahead of time to the maximum extent possible. If they are used to minor discomfort, then camping is no big deal and they will be fascinated by everything. They really don't care what kind of "gear" they have. If they aren't used to it, then it might be tough.