Planning a 3-day backpacking trip, need gear advice

Mar 26·1 min read

Taking my oldest (12) on his first real backpacking trip in a few months. We're thinking about doing part of the Appalachian Trail. He's got decent fitness but I want to make sure I'm not overloading him. What weight should a 12 year old realistically carry in their pack? Also any good budget tents that won't completely fall apart after one trip? We're not trying to drop $400+ right now.

3 comments201 views

Comments(3)

RRob H.RegularMar 28

How many nights are you planning? And is he the type to complain about being away from his phone? That's been my main concern with thinking about this for my two. Don't want to spend three days listening about missing his friends online.

BBrandonRegularMar 26

This is awesome. I took my 11yo on a similar trip and honestly it was one of the best bonding experiences we've had. For gear, I'd say invest in a good backpack that actually fits him properly - the cheap ones wreck their shoulders. Also bring way more snacks than you think you need.

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GGarrettRegularMar 27

Nice! My oldest is 13 and we did our first real backpacking trip last year. Game changer for us. What region are you thinking? My best advice is don't skimp on the sleeping bag and make sure his pack doesn't exceed 15-20% of his body weight or he'll hate you by day two.