Backpacking - How much should my 8 y/o carry?

Question

I saw a body-weight to pack-weight ratio for kids somewhere. Does anyone know what that is?

Answer 1

This was actually in the most recent issue of BACKPACKER (Feb 07). An 8 yo should carry 10-20% of their body weight. You should also limit the hike to 5-7 miles. I recommend picking up the issue of backpacker, it has a lot of great ideas and activities for hiking with children. It should still be on shelves at Borders or something like that.

Answer 2

I believe the previous answerer meant 1/4 his son's body weight, not 3/4. It depends on a couple of factors including the child's fitness level. I would say that (20 pounds) is a little heavy for a child that size unless he had a very well-made internal frame pack with a padded waist belt. If the child is carrying a soft day pack I would limit the load to no more than 10 to 12 pounds. With a good pack and walking fairly level terrain in sturdy supportive shoes (not sneakers), 1/4 (or 25%) of the child's weight is OK though an adult can handle 1/3 of their weight comfortably.

Answer 3

If you want your child to hate backpacking for the rest of his life then saddle him with 20 lbs of gear including multiple changes of clothes, his own 5 lb dome tent and a 5 lb backpack. I've taken a few kids camping and they usually get pretty cranky if they have to carry very much or go very far, or if their backpacks are cheap hand me downs.

If you want him to learn to love hiking, backpacking, and nature then let him carry a daypack with some food, water, a jacket and some emergency gear weighing no more than 5-10 lbs total (including pack) and you carry the extra. Assuming he shares a shelter with you, or it won't hurt him to sleep out on a plastic sheet, unless it's raining.

With this light weight he won't have any need for heavy boots and will hike just fine, comfortably, and more surely, in regular running or cross training type shoes, laced up properly.

Or if you don't have room in your pack, just have him carry water and his own sleeping bag (which is the bulkiest item) in a very light frameless backpack (1 lb) with shoulder pads, again weighing no more than 5 -10 lbs total.

This article explains so much more about Lightweight Backpacking with Young Children: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/00177.html

I'd wait until he's a least 11 (Boy Scout age) before expecting him to carry 10 lbs of gear, including pack, +/- 5 lbs food/water.

Answer 4

i did this with my son when he was about 9 and he carried just over 3/4 his body weight he was about 75 lbs and he carried about 20 lbs and he was ok with that but it really depend on your son

Answer 5

doctors recommend that children should carry no more than10-15% of their body weight in backpacks, or else they risk spinal fractures and muscle pain...

hope this helps!!!

Answer 6

I didn't see the ratio but I would rent a donkey or mule if you go on mule trails.

Answer 7

he should carry as much as he needs to but not excess.