Outfitting Kids & Grandkids

With our kids gone it’s not clear what to do with my horde of backpacking gear, I probably can outfit a dozen or more.  I guess I just have to hope for lots of grandchildren (for our kids…hint, hint…).

Eric – did you actually mean the MSR Whisperlite white gas stove, or the MSR Wind Pro remote canister stove?

I wouldn’t recommend a white gas stove to young kids (or anyone these days, really), due to its weight and the “fireball factor” that often occurs when lighting.  But if you actually meant the Wind Pro remote canister stove, that’s cool.  I can totally get into the better stability and the fact that the pot will sit lower compared to an upright canister stove like the Pocket Rocket.  That would help reduce the danger that one of the boys knocks over the pot of boiling water/food and either loses their dinner or someone gets scalded by boiling water/food.

My grandson turns 7 this year. Two years ago I sewed him a synthetic quilt using 5.0z Apex.  It’s a bit on the cold side for cooler Michigan nights this time of year but works fine in summer.  I’m torn between sewing a new quilt out of 6oz Apex, or just investing in a short down quilt that would last him longer while still being light and warm.

For Christmas this year, I bought him a Deuter Climber kids backpack.  He uses a women’s MSR NeiAir XLite for a pad.  It used to be my wife’s, but she’s upgraded to the Nemo Tensor.

I was hoping we’d hit one of the local trails for an overnight this Spring, but the pandemic has quashed those plans for now.  Maybe this weekend or next we’ll have a back yard camp out.

I also ordered a cheap camping hammock off of Amazon that Spygiver discussed on a relatively recent Youtube video.  I just need to find some trees so that he and I can both play with it.