Finding Wilderness

Archive for the ‘Ultralight Methods’ Category

Multi-day backpacking with kids should not be undertaken lightly. It’s serious business committing your family to the vagaries of mother nature with only the items on your backs to keep you warm and dry for multiple days. But kids can be kept warm, dry and happy by applying a few basic principles:

Full coverage rain jackets, pants, and rubber rain boots.

Full coverage rain gear, including rain boots

“Oversized” backpack covers that cover your head and shoulders, in addition to your pack.

Oversize pack covers

A large, lightweight tarp that shelters your tent and provides a place to cook, eat and to take off and store wet items.

Large, lightweight tarp

A good knife to split wet wood down to its dryer center – sometimes the only source of dry wood.

Good quality knife for splitting wood

The oversized pack covers and the tarp are made from silicon impregnated ripstop nylon – a light, tough fabric that is ideal for the purpose. You can make them yourself inexpensively. I order my silicon nylon from Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics in Boise, Idaho.

Simply Living Smart carries the ideal knives for this purpose.

Click here for a longer photo essay that details these and other techniques for keeping kids warm, dry and happy in wet weather.