So what did he do wrong, throw a rock at a squirrel or something? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

That's not a bad looking setup, as long as its light. I cut Margaret's pad down and now that she will be carrying a pack I'm going to try and coil the pad inside like I do with mine. 20" wide might work for her, next to 28" for mine, with a little overlap. So that would make her pack 20" high. The tricky thing with converting ultralight adult daypacks is the shoulder straps tend to attach to the very top, so they hang too low. In theory, a 20"x50"x3/8" pad takes up 375ci, which isn't bad. It's the bedroll where things can get tricky. I think she will just carry a summer weight bedroll and I will provide and overquilt for the other seasons. Just a 2 pound wool blanket maybe. We have a 5'x5' wool blanket that is lightly woven and perfect I think, using the diagonal method. Very packable and versatile and works well under an overquilt. Jackets can get out of hand also unless you keep them light. I am going to try her keep a wool sweater on same as I do, and keep the rest of the clothes packable. I want to make her a rain poncho also, by just cutting one down with a nice hood.

I am converting this pack, 10oz, 1200ci, which you can get for $50 some places...
http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product/...672&ws=

So I think I need to modify where the straps attach. I think its do-able.
I could just make one of course, but I think this pack is close enough.


Let me just add things up a bit, for a 48" tall child...
sneakers: 1 pound
socks, skin layers, middle layers, windshells, hats, mitts: 3 pounds
blue foam pad, wool bedroll, nylon throw, rain poncho/tarp, pegs, cord: 3 pounds
backpack: 0.75 pounds
water bottle, mug, spoon, map, compass, mug, tealight candle stove, lighter, knife, stuff: 0.75 pound
home-made hiking staff, made along the way: 1 pound
food for 2.5 days, water carried: 2.5 pounds
=============
12 pounds, total skin out

Not bad. That would be about 23% of my daughter current weight.
I still might carry some of that myself, keep her down below 10 pounds.