Thanks Wandering Daisy. That's really good perspective.

My kids are carrying gear already, and the lightweight bags we bought for backpacking are serving well as carryons as we have adventures around the rim of the Middle East. I'm going to need another kids' pack soon (for the oldest) and a sleeping bag for the youngest. I'm tempted to sew a brick in my oldest son's pack to slow him down a bit.

We'll be in Misawa, Japan in about a year, so I'll probably buy the tent as that gets closer, and spread the rest of the stuff out over the year as well. Lightweight tents won't do well out here in Bahrain on the rock and in the blowing sand.