I'm just going by what he's carried around the house without to much trouble. This past hike was only a quarter mile and I carried most of it. He managed about 10lbs himself on this one. I have no intentions of taking him over a mile with his pack full and I'll be there to monitor him and take the full load if I have to. He's small for his age and I don't want to push him to hard. The important thing is that he develops a true love for the outdoors. Forcing him to carry an overloaded pack would make him feel like backpacking is a hassle and I want to avoid that. I do appreciate your concern. I just wish I had the money to spend on ultralite quality gear. What is the first thing I can work on towards reducing the load?