| NATIONAL PARKS QUICKLINKS |
Backpacker Magazine – February 2007
How many miles, and how heavy a pack, can your kid handle? Plus, big tents, first aid, and newbie adults.
| Age | Pack weight* | Mileage | Beta |
| 3-4 years | nada | 1 mile or so | The ultimate exercise in patience |
| 5-6 years | 5 lbs. | 2-4 miles | Expect lots of rest stops |
| 7-11 years | 10-20% of body weight | 5-7 miles | Keep the candy handy |
| 12 years and older | 20-25% of body weight | Up to 7 miles | They can physically hike more miles, but keep it mellow. You want them to have fun right? |
The Big Top
Invest in a family-size tent
Bunkroom, portable playroom, dressing room, bug and rain refuge. It's impossible to over-emphasize the beauty of a big, comfortable, weatherworthy tent. A good bet: the Big Agnes Big House 4. It's roomy enough for two adults plus three little kids (or two big ones), yet light enough to haul into the backcountry (10 lbs. 8 oz) when split between two adults. Plenty of mesh keeps things cool, two doors ensure ample access, and a built-in welcome mat reminds kids to leave muddy boots at the door. The three-pole configuration is easy to set up and results in a palatial 5 3/4 feet of headroom. bigagnes.com.

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READERS COMMENTS
My 4 year old is averaging over 10 miles a day in Colorado with an Osprey Jet pack, Big Agnes Little Red sleeping bag, NeoAir, headlamp and two 16 oz Nalgenes. Plus, He's the one that wants to keep going when we need breaks. I think he just blew your stats out of the water.
Hi! I've seen the famous Big Agnes Big House 4 about 2 month back. Impressive, I liked it and so did my Dad. About the kids part and how much they can handle? We, three girls, where out camping with Mom and Dad a lot back then. We never carried anything we dind't want to. We loved it and still do.
We got a site just like yours over at http://campingsupplydiscount.com, move on over and say Hi if you want!
Patty D.
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