You’ve put in the hard yards, your children have succeeded on short walks, carrying their own gear and persisting, even when they are tired. You’ve become versed in telling stories, singing songs, and staying positive in the wake of whinging. Now you’re ready to tackle your first overnight family tramp. It’s just a matter of getting packed.
If only it were so simple. It doesn’t matter how long the trip, packing and preparation tends to take me at least five hours. There is the matter of gathering all the gear and supplies, planning and shopping for meals and snacks, and packing these in such a way that they are convenient to access, protected from damage, and waste is minimised.
Lastly, there is the double check. Even, and perhaps especially, experienced trampers forget things (I’ve forgotten toilet paper and on a recent trip with the kids, we only realised our camping stove was broken once we reached the hut).
I took my two children, Dan (6) and Sadie (4) on a two-night tramp. Here’s what we took and how we carried it.
The kids each carried:
Sadie’s pack weight: 2.04kg
Dan’s pack weight: 2.81kg
I carried:
My pack weight: 15.62kg
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