Recommendations for a large rucksack for a small person please!

[ErrolTheDragon]

DD is doing her bronze DofE (will probably want to do silver too in due course) - we want to get her a good rucksack suitable for her size. By the time she does it she'll probably have topped out at the same height as me - 5'1" so she'll need something short enough in the back for the hip straps to work properly - we had a walk today with her carrying the picnic in DH's big day sack which is what prompts this question now!

Obviously we can try some instore but not all shops stock everything so it'd be helpful to have a clue before trying locally or further afield.

The ones recommended on the DofE website are Vango - Contour, Sherpa or Pumori. I'd hope one of these would be suitable for a small teenage girl but would be good to hear if anyone has experience of them or if there's any other good option.

Thanks!

[bruffin]

Osprey are good. My ds is tall so no idea if suitable for smaller but the shops will mould the back support to fit your shape.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Looks like they do a women's 65L which is available in short back length so that sounds like it'd be worth looking at - thanks!

[Reincarnatedpig]

Dd1 is small and skinny though a couple of inches taller. She used a lower alpine women's fit for her DOfE and also World Challenge. At the first shop we went to, the (male) assistant said she was too small for an adult backpack! We went to another branch and were served by two women assistants who were extremely helpful and loaded possible packs with ropes etc to simulate the actual weight.

I think the shop was Cotswold but can't quite remember. I would recommend going into a few until you get good service. We ended up buying the stuff at different places.

[MrsExcited]

You get a discount at cotswold outdoor as part of dofe, they will talk you through the fitting and make sure it fits properly.

I have found their service very good.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Cotswold is one of the DofE recommended retailers, and we've got one locally so we'll start there.

[Quoteunquote]

You need to go to a proper climbing suppliers, when it is quiet,

You need to take all the upper kit you will be wearing, fleeces, jackets , waterproofs,

you need some professional guidance,

try different sacks on, with decent weights in them , a decent shop will have bag weights to do this with, and wouldn't sell to you without you going through this process,

try the sack on with gear on and with gear off, it has to be really comfortable for both,

anything that is slightly uncomfortable will be totally unbearable after ten miles,

weight is really important, carry ten ounces thirty mies it feels like a stone,

make sure it has a decent cover sack,

I have quite a few sacks, using a Deuter at the moment mostly, but even when you have a favoured brand, the styles differ enormously, and fit is key, if it a perfect fit, you will have an amazing fun time, and fall in love with the hills, if it's not you will hate the whole experience.

I've been taking groups out for thirty years, it really worth spending time getting kit right, take time, get experience fitting help, it makes a huge difference to the overall experience.

It doesn't have to be more expensive getting the right kit, but never buy a sack without going through the process of elimination but actually trying them all on.

If you are in the south west, go to the "Moorland rambler" bottom of Exeter high street, they offer a fitting service from experts, so will help you get the right sack, then help you adjust your sack so it sits correctly, and teach you to do so, most people do not have their sacks correctly set, it can/will cause injury, and it is much harder work. It takes quite a bit of time to set your sack correctly.

[ErrolTheDragon]

We're in the North west, so if the local Cotswold doesn't have what we need we can get up to the Lake District. Thanks for that advice - and confirming that this is something worth making an effort over.

I do feel sorry for kids who set off on expeditions with boots and/or rucksacks loaned from the school - I'd guess generally they'll be the ones who don't go walking regularly anyway. Can't help feeling that for some them the DofE may put them off for life.

[bruffin]

My dd had the cheapest boots in Go and she was the only one of her friends not to get blisters.

[bruffin]

Meamt to say they all had expensive boots.School only loans bags not boots.

[bruffin]

My dd had the cheapest boots in Go and she was the only one of her friends not to get blisters.

[ChippyMinton]

My small for age scout DSs have Osprey Kestrels from Cotswold, in the smallest size and fitted in store. Expensive but would get them through scouts, d of e, gap year etc. Ask for a discount.

[invicta]

In mountain Warehouse, they do rucksacks with adjustable backs. Take your DD in and get one fitted. Also, you get discount for doing DoE - take evidence with you to get discount.