Overland track with kid - advice!

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Overland track with kid - advice!

Postby webscience » Tue 07 Feb, 2023 7:02 pm

Hey All,

Just managed to grab a spot in April to do the overland track with my 10 year old son. I'm just starting to do a bit of logistics research and primary concern is the weight of packs as he probably shouldn't really carry much more than 8kg total. I weigh 62kg so suspect I'll be having to try and deal with 20kg+ pack for all the food / some of his gear at least for the first few days.... does anyone have any advice on best way to approach pack weight when going with a smaller travel companion? (I've just bought kids sleeping bag which will help with some weight reduction)

I'm fortunate enough to have the choice between my bike-packing tent (Copper Spur HV UL2) or a Durston x-mid2... I was leaning towards the Durston as its lighter/packs smaller and we'll be taking hiking poles anyway but wasn't 100% sure how well the Durston is going to pitch on the tent platforms (it also has a fairly big footprint vs the fixed frame Copper Spur). I did see some advice on taking cup hooks and/or tent anchors but wasn't sure if would just be easier to suck up the extra weight of the Copper Spur for ease. I've got a decent amount of 'lightweight' gear from climbing/bikepacking that I can probably re-purpose for this trip but really want to ensure the little guy has a bit of comfort as it will be his first 5+ day hike and carrying a bit more weight so any tips/hints from others who have done the father/son overland would be appreciated!
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Re: Overland track with kid - advice!

Postby WestcoastPete » Tue 07 Feb, 2023 10:45 pm

I can help with this! A bit anyway. Last week my 7yo boy and I walked to Scott Kilvert Hut, then Waterfall Valley the next day and we camped there in our XMid 2. It was quite easy to set it up on the platform. I used 2 cup hooks but could've gotten away without them. I've shared a post on the setup here. I'd definitely take this tent over anything heavier.

My boy carried his quilt (7-800g?) and all his clothes, which were the bare essentials, plus 600mL of water and the PLB etc. I carried everything else. I have a dehydrator which is super handy for weight reduction. Discussing it with my little fella, we reckon he'll need to carry a bit more yet before we can walk the whole track. I'd also really need to think carefully about meals and would focus on that to keep the weight down. I'm pretty happy with my base weight, using a ULA pack, quilt, lightweight mat, XMid, simple cookset etc.

On meals, my only other tip would probably be to make sure you have a really decent breakfast and a bit of diversity in the snacks. Also setting expectations around what's going to be available and recognising when you need to eat. The only low points on our walk were relieved quite easily with food.
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Re: Overland track with kid - advice!

Postby Baeng72 » Wed 08 Feb, 2023 9:52 am

I did the Overland in Nov. 2019 with my then 9 year old son.
This is from memory, but might be useful.
I carried the bulk of the weight, tent, all shared gear.
Son carried his junior synthetic bag, some snacks, drinks and clothes, etc. I'd say he never was above 7kg at most and he was a big lad for his age.
I was carrying 25kg or something like that, before bag got saturated, which added some more weight.
I was new to bushwalking really, so apart from a light tent (Lanshan 2p, which we only used first night at Scott Kilvert, and huts after that), my gear wasn't the best.
I had full size synthetic bag (1.6kg), homemade down quilt for son (1kg) - I didn't want him getting cold and he never complained being cocooned in bag then a quilt, and lots of other heavy or unnecessary gear.
I was very cold the night at Kia Ora when it snowed and was iced over just after dark, son slept through cozy and warm, other nights were fine.
Food is a big weight when you pack for 6 days for 2 plus extra in case you get stuck.
I had mostly dehydrated/freeze dry meals, but still heavy.
At the time, Waterfall hut was closed for renos, so you climbed up to the Cradle Plateau and down to Scott Kilvert day 1, then back up to the plateau edge, and on to Windamere day 2. Hard work.
He flew down the track first 4 days, and I struggled.
We switched that leaving Kia Ora hut, I found my legs and the walking became easier (maybe lighter pack?), and he struggled.
I think he was a bit over the slog by then and his motivation dipped, also he fell at Du Cane? Gap and hurt his knee, nothing permanent but in pain a bit, which I think sealed his displeasure after that.
It rained and snowed (Tassie) a bit after first day as well, so fair enough.
But he stuck at it and enjoyed a few burgers at Lake St Clair cafe.
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Re: Overland track with kid - advice!

Postby headwerkn » Wed 08 Feb, 2023 1:03 pm

I've set up hiking pole-supported tents dozens of times on platforms, a handful of small (18mm) screw in hooks weigh almost nothing and make it a doddle versus using the chains, nails or trying to jam pegs into the gaps. Crucially, they give you flexibility to position your tent wherever you like on the platform, makes it easier to fit everyone in when things are busy, which they usually are on the OLT. Contrary to popular opinion, they do little to no damage to the platforms themselves; a tiny 3x6mm disappears when the timber swells up in the rain. I try and find an existing crack, as it makes hand cranking them in easier.

Can't really give first-hand advice (will have to wait for grandkids, and see if they're interested in bushwalking) but I can only imagine the importance of expectation management (wet socks/boots are a thing, it will rain/be cold, no you can't take your iPad/Switch/SteamDeck etc.) and ensuring there's no lack of good, encouraging snacks to keep the energy and enthusiasm levels up ;-) Money can make most things lighter, of course, but obviously just go through your packing list ruthlessly to remove unnecessary items and combine multiple items into one multi-use item. Simplify cooking gear and meals wherever possible, you'll save weight and time. Water should be plentiful on track by April, so no need to carry more than 1L at a time unless you're going up Ossa or other peaks. Clothing's a tough one: his tolerance for damp/smelly clothing will likely be less than your own. April can be quite lovely weather, or it can be horrid. Like anytime of year here. I ran the Overland on Saturday - ten and half hours of cold, rainy, slippery Type-2 fun. Sunday was clear and pushing the mid-20s C.

Sounds like your son is already well versed in overnight bushwalking, but any major changes to your combined gear setups would be worth putting through a 1-2 night shakedown walk at least a few weeks beforehand to ensure it all work and you're both comfortable before subjecting it to 5-6 nights. Make sure his pack in particular is correctly fitted and he's had some time to get used to the weight. Day 1 starts with a pretty substantial climb after all!

Best of luck with it. What an awesome experience for your son!
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Re: Overland track with kid - advice!

Postby webscience » Thu 09 Feb, 2023 10:06 am

Thank you all for the positive feedback & advice. Definitely planning a few trial runs with gear to test out new kit and see how he goes with weight... then will optimize as we go. I've put together most of it on lighterpack (few items still need weighing) and think I'll be coming at at a total of about 22kg (including worn items - boots, hiking pants, etc etc). For the little guy I've got him coming in around 7kg but I might be able to take a bit more off him (or at least as we eat thru the 7-8kg of food I can lighten his load as we progress).

The weather is a big one - not much we can do about it apart from be prepared for it as best we can! If its truly awful we'll switch to using the huts to try and stay a bit drier and if we really aren't enjoying things then depending where we are I guess we can always backtrack and call it a day early. He has so far had an awesome attitude to hiking, outdoors and recently ran 10k in a pretty good time so I think endurance wise he'll be ok if he is comfortable. We did mt solitary when he was 8 which was 16k each day and some pretty serious scrambling and he absolutely loved it (proud dad moment was when he bought home a bit of school work where he talked about the best thing he had done in his life and that trip was what he had talked about months after we did it so its left an impression!)

I'll finish up the gear selection and do a few trials and fingers crossed we have a great experience. Happy to hear the xMid will work as its a bit lighter but the fact it doesn't have any poles just makes it so much easier to stuff in the pack - be my first time using it on a multi-day but sounds like plenty of others have had good experience with it so glad it'll get a proper outing/field test!

Little dude has a new osprey pack with hip belt that I think might also help with a little bit more weight (previously he has mostly just had a daypack with snacks & water and I've carried everything else but I think he will def need to at least carry his bulky items (sleep system, down jacket).

Planning to mostly use a grayl water filter so we can just take small amount of water and frequently top up as we hit water sources which sound pretty abundant on the track. Main problem with the overnights we've done has been lack of any water sources so not having to carry 5l-6l of water will be a good weight saving)
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Re: Overland track with kid - advice!

Postby headwerkn » Fri 10 Feb, 2023 10:15 am

Unless you or your boy have particularly sensitive stomachs, filtering water *really* isn't necessary on either the OLT nor anywhere else alpine/elevated in Tasmania. Trackside streams (on the high side of the track) are perfectly fine if they're flowing. Biggest risk point are the tank taps at the huts, simply from humans being less clean/careful that they should be. Give water there a quick boil if you want but I've never had an issue over the years. Use plenty of hand sanitiser after using the toilets/handwash tap, of course.
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Re: Overland track with kid - advice!

Postby Son of a Beach » Fri 10 Feb, 2023 11:01 am

headwerkn wrote:Unless you or your boy have particularly sensitive stomachs, filtering water *really* isn't necessary on either the OLT nor anywhere else alpine/elevated in Tasmania. Trackside streams (on the high side of the track) are perfectly fine if they're flowing. Biggest risk point are the tank taps at the huts, simply from humans being less clean/careful that they should be. Give water there a quick boil if you want but I've never had an issue over the years. Use plenty of hand sanitiser after using the toilets/handwash tap, of course.


I agree with this, except to add that I reckon just about any surface in the huts is also a risk point. Door handles, tables, etc.
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Re: Overland track with kid - advice!

Postby north-north-west » Fri 10 Feb, 2023 12:29 pm

headwerkn wrote:Unless you or your boy have particularly sensitive stomachs, filtering water *really* isn't necessary on either the OLT nor anywhere else alpine/elevated in Tasmania. Trackside streams (on the high side of the track) are perfectly fine if they're flowing. Biggest risk point are the tank taps at the huts, simply from humans being less clean/careful that they should be. Give water there a quick boil if you want but I've never had an issue over the years. Use plenty of hand sanitiser after using the toilets/handwash tap, of course.


Except Pelion Gap. Given the frequency and duration of sidetrips from there and the subsequent toileting issues, it is not a good place to collect water.
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Re: Overland track with kid - advice!

Postby Son of a Beach » Fri 10 Feb, 2023 1:16 pm

north-north-west wrote:
headwerkn wrote:Unless you or your boy have particularly sensitive stomachs, filtering water *really* isn't necessary on either the OLT nor anywhere else alpine/elevated in Tasmania. Trackside streams (on the high side of the track) are perfectly fine if they're flowing. Biggest risk point are the tank taps at the huts, simply from humans being less clean/careful that they should be. Give water there a quick boil if you want but I've never had an issue over the years. Use plenty of hand sanitiser after using the toilets/handwash tap, of course.


Except Pelion Gap. Given the frequency and duration of sidetrips from there and the subsequent toileting issues, it is not a good place to collect water.


Yes, in general, it's good to have some idea of what might be going on upstream on any stream being used as a water source. But the vast majority of the others should be OK.
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Re: Overland track with kid - advice!

Postby headwerkn » Mon 13 Feb, 2023 8:59 am

Probably should Douglas Creek downstream of New Pelion Hut to the list, due to the historical long drops and no doubt other inappropriate toileting used in the area prior to Parks installing closed-loop systems. Would be interesting to know if the mining activities in the area have any lasting effect on the surrounding water quality too.

Mind you I've consumed water there (before knowing any better) and still take water at the top of Douglas Creek and Pinestone Valley and have never had a tummy bug. Growing up on tank water, evidently, has its advantages. YMMV ;-)
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Re: Overland track with kid - advice!

Postby Son of a Beach » Mon 13 Feb, 2023 9:03 am

headwerkn wrote:Probably should Douglas Creek downstream of New Pelion Hut to the list, due to the historical long drops and no doubt other inappropriate toileting used in the area prior to Parks installing closed-loop systems. Would be interesting to know if the mining activities in the area have any lasting effect on the surrounding water quality too.

Mind you I've consumed water there (before knowing any better) and still take water at the top of Douglas Creek and Pinestone Valley and have never had a tummy bug. Growing up on tank water, evidently, has its advantages. YMMV ;-)


...and of course a lot of people swim in Douglas Creek when the weather is hot.
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