How to Select a Childrens Backpack and Encouraging Them to Hike

I have enjoyed hiking and rambling since I was a young boy. However now I am a Dad and I of course have brought up my two boys to also really love hiking. I was looking forward to buying my kids their hiking gear and in particular - a childrens backpack. However I had a problem of encouraging them to get off their computer games and go on a ramble or hike carrying a heavy childrens backpack, being very tired and having aching feet? We know this as the spoils and challenges of a hike.

However I wanted my kids to want a childrens backpack rather than just giving it to them and selling the positive points of hiking . I did a bit of promoting by suggesting hiking was fantastic fun. You had to be grown up to hike and wear a childrens backpack. Also it was the BIG boys that like to carry the backpack. Not only did I try to verbally encourage them but also what also helped was to be a great example and hike myself. I took them on small local hikes in the area (although it was flat). I found that planning small hikes is the key to ensuring your kids grow with the pastime.

The reason I am writing this is because I have seen so many times on hiking forums that encouraging your kids to hike and wear a childrens backpack is a problem for the best hikers I know.

I also made sure they were involved with outside groups like scouting for boys. My eldest is 10 years old and has just finished a 12 mile local hike with the local scouts. He loved it
I found that by putting all the above into action we not only bought a childrens backpack for him but he cannot put it down and nearly went to bed wearing it – which was of course very amusing. Now of course I am being pestered by my youngest to buy a childrens backpack as well. It will not take a lot of arm twisting to get him a childrens backpack

Also last year I took my kids up the Ben Nevis mountain which is the highest point in the UK. They achieved this being at the ages of 9 and 5 and yes with a childrens backpack. This year we travelled to the Lake District and climbed Scafell Pike and we loved ever moment of it

So if you want to get your children involved and enjoying hiking I suggest

* Positively encourage your children,

* show by example and get them involved slowly.

* This will lead onto more adventurous things

Very quickly you will be proud to buy them a childrens backpack and being as proud as I am even if they have never shown any interest at all. Have a great Hike!

How to Pack Your Backpack Gear

Now you have all of your backback gear all ready to pack. All you want to do is to get out to the countryside and start hiking. The only thing left is to pack your backpack gear. What do you need to consider? How do you do this? What things do you need to look out for?

Initially this can look quite confusing. However when you pack your backpack gear it is relatively simple and please don’t be blinded with science by all the so called experts on some internet sites.

So just before you start packing, lay all of your gear on the floor or table so you know how much to pack – the same way you pack the trunk (boot) of your car. You can see the scope in front of you that you need to pack.

So you need to make sure that your backpack gear is kept dry. To do this I still put a large plastic bag (or rubbish bag) in my backpack and pack everything in this. I have done this for years and have found that this keeps everything in the plastic bag dry. This is simple and if you get your rubbish bags free then this is free as well.

Also you need to ensure there is as little air as possible in your backpack after it is packed. This is to ensure you get the most packed in the space you have available. I recommend using fold dry bags. These are great as they are small bags where you can pack individual items and then easily draw the air out. Of course you can get these bags from any camping store or even online, Your backpack gear then consists of pre-packed dry bags. This also helps to keep your gear dry. Also these fold dry bags enable you to keep things organised, dry and pack well as your backpack gear. Believe me these are very useful.

Another important point is how you distribute weight when packing backpack gear. I go against the grain a little and put the heavier items nearer your body (i.e. spine) and nearer the top of the backpack. I find this helps to keep the weight to your centre of gravity. Other so called experts say that you should have heavy items at the bottom. I would hate to do this to my back! I also make sure that I keep the backpack balanced so the backpack and backpack gear is not pulling you on one side.

The next important point is to ensure you have easy access to the items you need in a hurry. For example when it is raining you need to have easy access your rain gear so you can change into this gear quickly when it starts to rain. Your rain gear needs to be packed to the top or a side pocket again easy access.

So some important points to consider when packing backpack gear. So hopefully you can see that it is not a complete science

So when your backpack is fully packed and you are ready to go - have a great hike!

Where to Backpack in America and on a Low Budget

I am a keen hiker and rambler together with writing articles on the subject. I love the great outdoors, the countryside and really great scenery. I also realise I am no "spring chicken" - heading toward my fifties – but not totally past it yet and still enjoy the odd hike.

However what really lights my candle is when I read about kids that have barely left high school but planning to backpack America. I suppose it is a important and difficult time in their lives where they are discovering what they want to do with their young lives. I would be proud if my kids wanted to do this around Europe or Backpack America. I think it is great that these young people are so adventurous and ambitious.

These young people (I like to call them young people rather than kids) come across 2 problems when they backpacker America. The first is money (no prizes for guessing this one) and the second is where to go. So I have been using a little experience and by surfing the internet I have been looking for answers to these all important issues and hopefully this will help when young people backpack America.

When you backpack America you are probably on a low budget. Therefore you will obviously need to stay in cheap accommodation. Hostels are the most likely and are all round and varied and more importantly cheap. So really it is not that difficult to find one at a reasonable price, at a fraction of the cost of a hotel. The other option is a tree under the stars which is completely free (although check out the safety risks first).

The buses services are quite good for travelling between locations. In particular the Greyhound is a good point to get prices especially booking a few weeks – say 2 to 3weeks in advance. For example can can find some really cheap rides from Los Angeles to San Francisco via a Chinatown bus for a relative cheap price when you backpack America.

Where are the good places to visit when you backpack America? Some suggestions for you:

1. The West side is good. This side of the country is good to Backpack America. Try and Start in Vancouver for example and get a bus down to San Francisco then via Yosemite National Park. Take a bus down to Los Angelos then through the red rocks - desert and onto the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is not far from Las Vegas however take my advice and stay clear of Las Vegas unless you want to lose your money. In my view Las Vegas is a place for spending cash and is not a place to backpack America on a budget.

2. The other option I have seen is Florida. South Beach in Miami is a lovely place especially if you like to meet some famous people. It is also great in Tampa Bay and Orlando when you backpack America.

3. The other favourite is backpacking in South America. I would recommend that a good place to start is Quito (capital of Equator). From Quito travel the gringo trail (as the route through Central and South America is known). There are la number of places to visit and lots to view whether you are doing the Caribbean beaches in the North or trekking and hiking in the Patagonian wilderness in the South.

So where ever you go backpacking I take my hat off to the young kids that want to adventure and discover themselves. Have a super journey, do not lose your shirt in Las Vegas and return home safely when you backpack America.

How to Select a Childrens Backpack and Encouraging Them to Hike

I have enjoyed hiking and rambling since I was a young boy. However now I am a Dad and I of course I have brought up my two boys to also love hiking. I was looking forward to buying my kids their hiking gear and in particular - a childrens backpack. However I had a problem of encouraging them to get off their computer games and go on a ramble or hike carrying a heavy Childrens Backpack, being very tired and having aching feet? – the spoils of a hike.

However I wanted my kids to want a Childrens Backpack rather than just giving it to them and selling the positive points of hiking . I did a bit of promoting by suggesting hiking was fantastic fun. You had to be grown up to hike and wear a childrens backpack. Also it was the BIG boys that like to carry the backpack. Not only did I try to verbally encourage them but also what also helped was to be a great example and hike myself. I took them on small local hikes in the area (although it was flat). I found that planning small hikes is the key to ensuring your kids grow with the pastime.

The reason I am writing this is because I have seen so many times on hiking forums that encouraging your kids to hike and wear a Childrens Backpack is a problem for the best hikers I know.

I also made sure they were involved with outside groups like scouting for boys. My eldest is 10 years old and has just finished a 12 mile local hike with the local scouts. He loved it

I found that by putting all the above into action we not only bought a childrens backpack for him but he cannot put it down and nearly went to bed wearing it – which was funny. Now of course I am being pestered by my youngest to buy a childrens backpack as well.

Also last year I took my kids up the Ben Nevis mountain which is the highest point in the UK. They achieved this being at the ages of 9 and 5 and yes with a childrens backpack. This year we travelled to the Lake District and climbed Scafell Pike and we loved ever moment of it

So if you want to get your children involved and enjoying hiking I suggest

1. Positively encourage your children,
2. show by example and get them involved slowly.
3. This will lead onto more adventurous things

Very quickly you will be proud to buy them a childrens backpack and being as proud as I am. Have a great Hike!