Pack: Hauling for Family?

I need Suggestions on a backpack for me as a Dad to carry gear for me and my 2 children,(6yo and 7yo who carry daypacks) on short trips.I carry a 5 1/2 lb tent, 3 synthetic compression sleep bags(bulky), lightweight stove,small pan, freeze dried,rain gear and the rest for 3 day trips for short trail distances here in Penn.1) External or Internal? 2) Model suggestions?.I was considering an external in a Kelty/ Jansport,(5000 cu in), but possibly considering an internal of 6000 cu in that has the ability to strap on outside.Thoughts?

Since you'll be in the higher weight ranges carrying gear for three, I would suggest an external. I personally own the Kelty Trekker 3950, and it is my favorite pack. I'm wearing it in my profile picture, and I wrote a review on it in the reviews section.

I frequently carry this pack even when I only have 20-25 lbs of gear and leave my internal at home. It's that comfortable.

Nice suggestion on the Kelty.I too like the Trekker and Tioga.Also, looking at the Jansport Carson

I would agree with east stingray. BTW, your a good dad!

It's worth it!

I'd get an 80's vintage Jansport external, then I'd get 3 down sleeping bags that were light. And make the kids carry their own bags. They're not to young to learn you have to pay to play, and as long as they're not carrying over 10-15% of they're body weight, they should be OK. And ditch the tent for a Tarptent Cloudburst.

skinewmexico said:

I'd get an 80's vintage Jansport external, then I'd get 3 down sleeping bags.... And make the kids carry their own bags. They're not to young to learn you have to pay to play, and as long as they're not carrying over 10-15% of they're body weight, they should be OK. And ditch the tent for a Tarptent Cloudburst.

I understand where you're coming from, but your suggestion sort of misses the point except for the one I asked for which is the Pack- 80's Jansport sounds great!. First, the kids are carrying more than your 15 percent "pay to play". They're carrying their water, snacks, etc, which approaches 10lbs which is 20 percent of their weight,(they weigh 50lbs).Also synth bags suffice for a barely 6yo and 8yo and for now it shows you get by fine with what you have.Tarp is cool for yougsters in the right weather,, but I've already had them out on the trail overnight this year with temps below freezing at night in a lightweight tent with snow on the ground. I challenge them but they also know I'll go the extra mile. When its young children its all about the experience and not the distance. You make the best of what U have. -though I'll consider the J-sport external pack. :)

The worst thing you can do is make a kid see backpacking as too much work. My youngest son is 10 years old, 110 lbs and will carry his pack with all his personal gear including bag, food, water etc (around 22 lbs) and never complain. My 8 year old daughter carrys a sleeping bag, her water and pad (around 11 lbs, she weighs 60) and complains. She likes the camping part, not the journey.

Keeping the miles low is smart. You can do the miles when they are home.

As far as the pack goes, I tend to like internals. Also, with the weight you will be forced to carry, you will need one that is sturdy, so no lightweight packs. The Jansports I have seen were a bit too light for the kind of weight that you will have to carry. Best bet is go to an outfitter and try bags in the 5000 to 6000 cu inch catergory.

On the internal/external debate, it kind of depends on what you're looking for here...

If you're wanting to order one online used (or even new), I've never heard someone say that an external was uncomfortable. Only bulky, unweildy, etc., but never uncomfortable.

An internal, on the other hand, you seriously need to try on with some weight in it before purchasing. So, that might be your best bet if you're going to a gear store.

Both your"s and Stingray's comments are well taken.Internal/external viewpoint is something I've been considering for months.On one hand the safe approach for me is to go with a large external because of the bulkier stuff and in Penn we have fairly stable terrain.On the other hand I think there could be potential in a large internal of 6000 cu in. Price is a consideration though. In another thread on inexpensive manufactures I asked about the Cabelas Diamond Peak series which come in 6000 plus sizes for 140.00 or less. They look like they might me made by High Sierra,Alps or somebody. Nice thing about Cabelas is that they will take back anything if you're not satisfied.Also you make great points about how children draw upon different aspects of the outdoor/backpack experience. I've found thid to be true too.By the way I use about a 2500 cu in Marmot Scree when hiking without the children.

Personally, I've found large internal frame packs like you're talking about to be very uncomfortable. That's probably because I'm tall and lanky and a pack that big invites me to carry more than my weight.

I seriously suggest that if you decide to get an internal you find a place to try them on first. Reveiws don't tell you anything about comfort on an internal. I recently checked out a pack that got stellar reviews and I couldn't wear it for more than 25 minutes with 20lbs in it... it KILLED my back. A pack that got much worse reviews fit me like a glove.

You can get a giant external (Jansport or Kelty) on EBay for next to nothing. And it will probably weigh equal to or less than a comparable internal. And I'm sorry if it seem like I was ragging on your kids, didn't mean to. I just see too many dad staggering down the trail under a monster load of gear, while their kids skip along with next to nothing. Sounds like you're doing well though. I've been having to carry my GoLite Pinnacle instead of my Mariposa Plus on Scout trips, because I end up carrying extra gear too. Here you go, best load transfer to your hips you'll ever have - [b]http://tinyurl.com/chywzt[/b] or here http://tinyurl.com/cl3zov

I didn't start my children backpacking until age nine at the youngest. I also figured in the scheduling of their sports. At the end of the sport season, that way they would be at their best conditioning. At age nine, my sons weighed between ninety to one hundred pounds therefore, they could carry a pack up to eighteen to twenty pounds. I designed and sewed their and my backpacks with this reality in mind. So my backpack was 6,100 cu. in or 100 litres. Anything else that they needed to have that would not fit into the weight limit was carried by the 'family pack mule' (aka -Dad). They carried the essentials for survival, emergency food, rain gear, etc. I carried the extras such as additional wool socks, a second skull cap, additional food to suffice for the entire trip, an extra ensolite pad, etc. I also carried the tent for the three of us. When my sons were teenagers, they split the load of carrying the tent and all of their gear. By the time my son in-law joined us, I was down to a forty pound pack! I could probably now use a backpack around 3,000 to 3,500 cu. in. for three day, two night ski touring trips.

skinewmexico said:

You can get a giant external (Jansport or Kelty) on EBay for next to nothing. And it will probably weigh equal to or less than a comparable internal. And I'm sorry if it seem like I was ragging on your kids, didn't mean to. I just see too many dad staggering down the trail under a monster load of gear, while their kids skip along with next to nothing. Sounds like you're doing well though. I've been having to carry my GoLite Pinnacle instead of my Mariposa Plus on Scout trips, because I end up carrying extra gear too. Here you go, best load transfer to your hips you'll ever have - [b]http://tinyurl.com/chywzt[/b] or here http://tinyurl.com/cl3zov

Your words well taken. I'm writting this while we are out for the 2nd weekend in a row on a Pa trail. Until I get a large external I keep the Marmot scree packed in the car with my tent, bag and bar esentials.My 6yo and 8yo begged me after school to hit the trail. Had them carry their bags 1.5 miles down the trail. Started a fire,cooked burgers, set up the tent and life is good in 40 degrees.Tomorrow morning we'll return to the typical weekend suburban kids schedule, but this is what they live.I be pursueing one of those externals on ebay.

My daughter is 6 and carries her on pack, she is always bumping her head on the metal bar on it though so if you end up buying the kids packs you might want to get them somewhere they can try them first, I am actually thinking of getting her a different one. I dont know if it is just how it fits her or it it would be like that for any kid, she has the kelty tioga. Don't let that stear you away from the kelty though, I have a kelty external frame pack, and love it, I don't have that problem. Maybe it is just how it fits her or a kid pack issue.

Joel, I don't know how the kid's packs are made, but I pulled two pins and took the top bar off of my Trekker 3950 because it was hitting me in the head. If nothing else, take a hacksaw to that baby and put some rubber caps on the frame when you're done.

Having fun while backpacking is all about making your gear work for you, in my experience.

There is a v shap that goes from a lower point in the pack up to the top bar I dont know how i would do anything with the top bar with out removing alot of bars off the pack, and I don't know if that would be a good idea, any suggestions other than buy a different pack, i guess it is one of those thing you don't think about ordering on line, not that I found a lot of childrens packs that adjusted small enought to chose from.