Family Gear List

[Greg F]

Below is my gear list I used last year for a 5 day hike to Berg Lake in the Canadian Rockies.  Temperature can reach freezing and snow and rain are always possibilities.

My girls last year were 6 and 7.  I had the 7 year old carrying her sleeping bag, pad and .5 L of water and any rocks they wanted and my 6 year old carried her sleeping bag a .5L of water.  This kept their weights at 7lbs and 5lbs.

My weight on the other hand ballooned out of control with 20lbs of food for the 5 day trip and a base weight approaching 25lbs.  I hadn’t gone for a hike longer than overnights before so I definitely overpacked a bit

Have a look and please make recommendations  on where to cut stuff out or replace if cheap replacements are an option.

With 50lbs the Circuit did not carry that well but after the first day of eating food and it was cold so we hiked with some layers on the pack performed pretty well.  I’d say about 43lbs was quite manageable over a 10k, 500m day (6mile, 1600 ft)

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[Greg F]

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[Jeff Patrick]

Your tent stand out as heavy for a guy and two young girls, but other than that you want them to be comfy and have fun.

Buying the girls new gear will be expensive and they’ll grow out of it. A new tent will hardly make a dent.

The most cost effective method might be a pack that can handle a bigger load. You’ll get at least 5 years use out of it given the girls’ ages. Plus this way you can justify a new toy for yourself.

The Seek Outside Divide has somewhat of a cult status and I really like mine so far. There may also be cheaper mainstream packs but i dont know what they’d be.

[Katherine .]

That’s pretty admirable!

Only thing I noted is that you could probably save a chunk of weight with a Tarptent. Rainshadow2, Cloudburst3 and Hogback could fit all three of you and are well under what you’re carrying.

Question: is one of those three Disney Princess cups for you?

[Greg F]

 

Thanks for the comments.

The tent is definitely one I’m looking at.  It is too big for what’s needed for this trip.  I had a rainshadow at one point for my tent with friends and it was too small to fit the three adults I was hiking with so I swapped it out for the go-lite.  It works for Canoe camping when I have 2 adults and two kids.  So I’m not sure I want to spend the money on a new tent.  I do kind of wish I shelled out for the Hogback though when I bought the golite.  Only $100 more for a lot less weight.

That said I am at least getting rid of the centre pole and replacing with tied together trekking poles.  That will cut 13 ounces off the tent weight.

One of the cups is for me.  I get the Minni Mouse cup.  They are so cheap and light they made it into my personal backpacking kit and are always good for conversation when you are sharing camp.

I like the heavier pack idea.  I even have an old load hauler hanging around that I use for work that I didn’t even think of using.  I’ll have to see how it carries loaded down.  I’ll also take a look at the seak outside divide.

Any thoughts on group water treatment.  The Sawyer was okay when I was at camp and could just gravity filter but squeezing litters out on the trail was kind of a pain.

[Katherine .]

Yeah my only lightweight pack is an Ohm. So when I take my son, out comes the 6+# Dana from my circa 2000 conventional gear, until I get a lightweight load hauler. I’m in the market for a SO too.

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