Greetings from League City, TX

[varuscelli]

Just saying a quick hello to introduce myself. . I'm in my mid-50s and I've got a 10-year-old daughter who seems to be getting really interested in camping and backpacking as part of her Girl Scout activities. I'd like to help her along in whatever way I can and hopefully revisit some of the camping activities I haven't participated in for some time.

I'm in the process of looking for a decent youth backpack for her and I've been digging out old camping gear I've got to see what she might be able to use or that we might use together.

My daughter and I like to fish together (pond and lake fishing for bass and other freshwater fish) and ultimately I'd like for us to share some time together combining a bit of backpacking, camping, and fishing on short overnight or weekend trips.

Perhaps that's enough of an intro for the moment...

Al (League City, Texas)

 

[CozInCowtown]

Welcome Al from Cleburne, Tx.
I lived in Kemah many moons ago, miss the water but dont miss Houston.
Make yourself at home and enjoy the conversation.
:welcome:
Coz

 

[Judy Ann]

Welcome to OBC! There are quite a few experts here that are involved with the Scouts and youth groups in addition to others that love to share their passion for the outdoors. Kudos for taking an active interest in your daughter's pursuits!

 

[varuscelli]

Thanks for the welcome, Coz nd Judy Ann.

Coz, I'm about a 5-minute drive from Kemah. I don't mind being on the outskirts of Houston. Not sure I'd want to be in Houston, though.

Judy Ann, I'm hoping that helping with my daughter's new activities serves to rekindle some of my old interests. I can't think of anyone I'd rather share/spend that kind of time with than my daughter, so hopefully we'll both get a lot of good from the camping related activities.

 

[Grandpa]

Welcome to OBC Varuscelli. Pull a log up to the fire and tell us about your old camping stories. Old camping gear is still great stuff unless you have to carry it. Backpacking tech has come a long way the last few years. Some of it is well worth the extra money to shed the weight and improve the performance.

Kudos to you for taking an interest in your daughters activities now. A little attention now will be repaid ten fold when she is older and the grandkids start coming along. There's nothing more important than the family.

 

[varuscelli]

Thank you, Grandpa. I appreciate the kind words of welcome.

My daughter and I started fishing together about a year ago, and I wish I had picked up on her interest in that a bit earlier (she gave me hints but I didn't hear them all until I looked back and realized what she had been telling me). We fished together all last summer....a couple of times per week. This summer, maybe we get to mix a little camping and fishing and expand our horizons a bit.

Thanks again for the warm welcome.

 

[Grandpa]

Regarding backpacks, the last few years have seen a big push for gender specific packs. I'm sure your daughter will be very pleased and proud if she knows her new pack is specifically made for ladies. You can get a good idea of manufactures and sizes from websites like REI, Backcountry, and campmor as well as others. I believe backcountry has a big sale on right now.

 

[varuscelli]

Interestingly enough, when my daughter and I started discussing backpacks, she expressed an almost immediate interest in an external frame backpack (odd for a 10 year old, I think, given all the cool looking internal frame models out there).

I took her by a local outdoors store and she almost immediately gravitated toward the only backpack with an external frame. While I didn't really like the fairly low-end seeming model at the local store, I like the idea of an external frame, and if she'd like one I think that's where we're headed. I doubt her reasoning and mine match up for why we each like an external frame, but I'm happy to try and accommodate her (while liking external frames for my own reasons) and make her happy with her reasons for liking an external frame.

In looking at a few external frame model suitable to her size, she likes the Mountainsmith Youth Scout (pretty nice looking at about $75). I lean more toward the Kelty Trekker 64 (3900), which I think will also fit her and allow her some growth. The Kelty Trekker is more expensive (and nicer), but I think with a bit of luck I can get one for a little over $100 (although it lists around $150).

I wouldn't mind more feedback on backpacks for a growing and enthusiastic 10-year-old, but maybe I need to post in the backpack subforum and see what forum members have to say.

 

[Judy Ann]

REI is having a big sale now too.

 

[oldsarge]

Hello & welcome to OBC!

 

[varuscelli]

Judy Ann -- thanks...and we have an REI not too far from us, too. My daughter and I might make a big loop through Houston today and hit the REI and Bass Pro Shop just to look at a few things in person...and hopefully find a couple of youth sized backpacks for her to at least try on for size.

oldsarge -- thanks for the welcome!

 

[SARSpecialist]

Hello and welcome from East Texas...

 

[varuscelli]

Thanks, SARSpecialist.

 

[Cupcake77]

Welcome to the board Al! I think it is great that you want to help develop your daughter's love of camping and the outdoors. This is a great place to talk about camping gear, ask any questions about outdoor activities and make new friends.

 

[varuscelli]

Thanks, Cupcake...

I'm trying not to push my daughter in any specific direction, but it's nice when she shows an interest in things that align with some of my own areas of interest (photography, outdoor recreation, fishing, etc.). Gives me a good opportunity to nurture without necessarily being a director.