Family pack advice

My now 10 year old has always used adult sleeping bags.

Backpack wise, I got the Porter 5400 here, and it’s huge. I would consider the weights you will be carrying and have that guide my decision.

I do simple apex quilt for my kid and use r/evolution seek outside for packraft and family trip so i could use dry bag of appropriate volume .10 day self supported this summer with my boy.55 lbs for me and 5 lbs for him.Perfect.

I recently bought a Seek Outside Fortress 6,300 which is the Revolution vs Integrated line (Unaweep). There are so many reasons I think it is an excellent pack. First, it is made of X-Pac and doesn’t have a main-bag zipper so it is waterproof.  I don’t miss having access to the main bag because there is the Talon back pouch and I chose to add a top lid and side pouches.  Everything I need is easily accessible without having to get into the main bag.

When I go on day trips or an overnight, I almost always bring my SO Fortress 6,300 because it rolls down into nothing. I also have a ZPacks Blast and a McHale SARC along with a few others. If I had to do it all over again, I’d buy the Seek Outside and use no other pack. Moreover, I haven’t used any other pack since getting the SO.

I would also get the Revolution line as it allows you to remove the bag and use the frame or other bag as a hauler of wood or other items. Otherwise, you’d be hauling wood inside your main bag which may compromise it. Also, you could get the Fortress 6,300 and then separately buy the Peregrine 3,500ci bag and swap them back and forth. The Revolution bags are removed and exchanged easily. You can do the same with the Integrated line but is more involved.

I’ve had some very nice backpacks but nothing as comfortable and as able as the Fortress/Unaweep.

I’ve used an Osprey Aether 85 for years. My youngest is 7 and has been carrying her own gear for a bit, so I don’t use the pack as much. Carried for family of 4 kids for years. The weight difference isn’t significant. Carrying all that stuff, 2 lbs doesn’t matter and it’s comfortable.

I just used my ULA Circuit and suffer.  I started when my kids were 5 and 7 carrying about 50lbs.  That was too much in a Circuit.  Now my starting weight is around 40lbs which is manageable for the distances I am covering with the kids.  Looking back though I should have bought a sturdier pack.

for sleeping bags I bought the small EE kids quilt that was 14oz  this lasted for my youngest daughter from 3-6 and thought was a good investment and is now being used by one of my friends so it will end up getting 10 years of use.  For my older daughter I cut down a 3lb synthetic bag into a 24 Oz quilt.  This lasted until she was 8.  Then I bought them adult bags.

For gear splitting I gave my 5 year old her bag, a doll and water and then add a little gear each year.  This past summer my older daughter (10) made a point of carrying all her gear, her water, and her snacks and demanded an adult pack (I went with a Gregory Maven 35)  All in she was at 13lbs.

So the amount of gear your kids carry goes up quite quickly.  I am about 40lbs to start a 5 day trip now.

I’ve been using my ancient, heavy Dana pack, but will get the SO Divide next spring.

I say getting the kid down quilt was worth it. Allowed me to carry everything for my son on our first overnighter a few years ago. Makes it easy for him to carry his own stuff now. (and my daughter uses it too, I only take one of them at a time for now).

I’ve repurposed it as a hammock underquilt (with mixed results) and plan to try it sometime as an elephant’s foot style bag combined with a puffy on top.

If I were going to do it again I’d get the smallest size EE Convert because my son wants to zip all the way up. Will go that route (or the similar Feathered Friends quilt) for him when we need to size up (soon!).