31 March 2009
What’s the Fit Fuss?
Posted by admin under: Equipment .
My daughter is right at an awkward stage of backpacking development. She’s getting taller and stronger and wants to do more high adventure hiking. So, do I get her an adjustable backpack, a backpack fit for her current size knowing it will be obsolete soon (maybe, probably), or do I wait and possibly ruin this transition period? Ack. Well, at least dualscoutmom is thinking about the same subject and the importance of backpack fit.
First and foremost, go to a qualified dealer and be properly fitted. This means everything in how well you will manage the weight you carry. What do I mean by a qualified dealer? Well, to me, that is going to be a store that doesn’t just stick you in a backpack, or worse, leave you on your own to figure it out. This isn’t a purchase I would make at Academy (sporting goods chain available in Houston). I would go to a store that employs the very people who use the equipment most. One of our favorites is REI. When you go in there, be sure to find the wall of pictures that displays their staff in their own adventures. In fact, most all the REI employees I have encountered have either been in a scouting program or parented a child who was in it.
At Powder Horn, we were introduced to Whole Earth Provision Company and we quickly became big fans of this store that is located in Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and online. Two representatives, of distinctively different builds, came to talk to us about backpacks as well as a lot of the newest trek equipment. I know it seems odd that I would mention their sizes, but it is important. It afforded us an easy point of reference to the fact that you can have four perfectly great backpacks and each has different features that attract people for different structural reasons. I’m not sure if that was the intent, but through their candid reviews, it became clear. They showed key slipups that people make in adjusting their packs that make a big difference in their hiking pleasure.
The current website for Whole Earth doesn’t inspire me with a lot of confidence in their backpacking ability, but I wasn’t at the presentation so I’ll have to take her word on it. In any case, I’ve still got a lot to ponder with my daughter’s backpacking future at stake.
- Boys’ Life Backpack Video
- REI Tent Review
- DualScoutMom Posts on Positive Peer Pressure
- Backpack Indexing
- Duct Tape Merit Badge
2 Comments so far...
Walter Underwood Says:
1 April 2009 at 12:28 pm.
When my son bought his own backpack last year, we spent over two hours in REI, trying on packs with weight and walking around. It was like buying a prom dress.
He settled on a Gregory Z55, a really comfortable pack that is reasonably lightweight. Not adjustable, but he was spending his own money and considered that. When he grows even more, he’ll probably sell it to someone else in the troop.
Remember to keep it light. If you load a 100 pound youth at 20% of body weight, shaving 2 pounds off the pack weight is a full 10% of their carrying capacity.
The only downside to REI is that some salespeople will recommend an external frame pack if you say you are a Boy Scout. Politely say “no” to that.
dualscoutmom Says:
18 April 2009 at 6:48 pm.
I agree about their website not being overly inspiring. I think they could stand to upgrade it a bit because the two young men who came out had a lot of new toys that brought glee to even the rabid hikers in our group. Both were avid hikers themselves, so maybe that’s what really shined the most.
