<p>My dd plans to do the Outdoor Action trip this fall and will choose one of mid-level difficulty (ie, she's never camped, but is in excellent physical condition and up to a challenge). </p>
<p>She has her own sleeping bag and suitable gear, altho she'll buy hiking boots.</p>
<p>The website says that altho they have a limited number of backpacks which kids can borrow, but we should bring our own if possible.</p>
<p>Questions:
- do they let us know in advance if they don't have enough backpacks?
- do the borrowed back-packs fit well enough for the trip?
- is it dramatically more comfortable to have one that is the right size for you?
- other opinions and feedback?</p>
<p>As the cost of trip is covered since she has a grant, and I have a younger daughter, part of me thinks we should pay $100-$200 to have a pack. The other part of me says, there are so many variables (internal v external, capacity, etc) - that no matter what size I buy for this trip, it won't be right for another trip!</p>
<p>Thanks for any info on this subject</p>
<p>PS - do you know of any forum where kids sell their packs from past trips?</p>
<p>The packs they provide are adequate, and in recent years there has not been a shortage of them. That said, if you buy your own pack it will probably be a little more comfortable. My advice is to buy one if you think your daughter might do this type of activity again (as an OA leader for example!). If you know this is just a one time thing, I wouldn't go to the trouble.</p>
<p>Backpacks are also very useful if your daughter ever plans on backpacking through foreign countries. I've had my 5500 cubic inch internal frame backpack since I was 14, and I have more than gotten enough use out of it.</p>
<p>Then again, I am an Eagle Scout, so maybe I'm a little bit more willing to deal with rolled up t-shirts and living out of a backpack for long periods at a time.</p>
<p>The borrowed backpacks are nice and perfectly fine for the trip; you <shouldn't> have to go out and buy a big pack. That being said, if you wanted to buy a pack , it certainly wouldn't hurt. Just make sure you know the conditions of the trip before you go out and buy one. Also, if you buy one, make sure there's a little space left after everything goes into the pack; OA hikers have to also cart along food for the trip.</shouldn't></p>
<p>Buying a good backpack is much more expensive than 100-200 dollars... I got an inexpensive Osprey on sale and it was still $300+... but it's worth the investment!</p>
<p>Figures that the Princeton kids would be spending $300+ on a backpack. </p>
<p>The EMS brand is just fine. I've had my EMS pack for 12 years and love it do death.</p>
<p>Here's a good product for $140:</p>
<p>EMS</a> Trail 70 Backpack, Short : Buy the EMS Trail 70 Backpack, Short at Eastern Mountain Sports</p>
<p>Oh this is great. Completely the wrong place for this but what kind of pack would you recommend for a kid taking a backpack, bus, youth hostel trip down the Queensland coast of Australia this summer? One that would then be used on OA? And is NOT fancy because this kid may use it rarely thereafter?</p>
<p>:) <em>knowns an opportunity when she sees one</em></p>
<p>How much does the trip cost?</p>
<p>I think any of the EMS packs would be fine for that type of use. </p>
<p>I used my 5,000 cubic inch EMS pack for six weeks throughout Europe, and it served all of my purposes wonderfully. I've also gone on twelve day backpacking treks in the Rockies and Adirondacks, and the pack more than served its purpose. </p>
<p>The higher priced products tend to have more bells and whistles and are more durable for activities like mountaineering. As long as your child isn't going to be in the Brooks Range, he or she should be fine.</p>
<p>With any pack, make certain to get it properly fitted and learn how to adjust all the straps while the pack is on your body. Any reputable outdoor realtor should be able to walk you through this process.</p>
<p>I'll leave the rest to the Princeton kids.</p>
<p>Okay, I'm not a rich Princeton kid, I promise! I was mountaineering (Rainier) and needed bells and whistles. Sorry guys!</p>
<p>MomofNewP -</p>
<p>From surfing at Princeton's OA site, I see that the cost for the trip in 2007 was about $460</p>
<p>However, they made a change this past spring. It is free for anyone receiving any level of financial aid.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info!</p>