Do I have to invest buying a large rucksack for 4-days residential trip -

[Return2thebasic]

I've never had this kind of trips when I grew up, so I can't quite image how things are organised and what it is like in terms of packing the essentials.

Their(primary) school has provided a list of things to take with the top note saying "Large Holdall/ Rucksack with all of your clothes inside and small rucksack for daytime activities."

He will have to take sleeping bag and outdoor mat along with all sorts of clothes (fleece and waterproof and two pairs of shoes).

I just realised that I've binned my old large rucksack last autumn thinking there's no need for it anytime soon. (We don't have lots of space.)

Do I have to invest buying a new rucksack for this trip or how do people usually manage to pack for this kind of residential trip for their kids?

Ask on your local FB page or similar, for a loan or to buy second hand.

Regular school rucksack for day bag.

And pack many, MANY black bin liners for wet clothes and wet trainers on return.
Name label EVERYTHING.

You can often get rucksacks in charity shops. some kids will be taking their stuff in black bin bags, so I wouldnt worry too much 😂

I think you can use any large bag you have that can fit everything but they probably don’t want you to bring a hard suitcase because there won’t be much storage space for luggage.

If you don’t have any large soft bags then you might have to buy them but you can get a holdall much cheaper than a rucksack. Sleeping mat can be separate if necessary.

Take the holdall option, and buy something like this.
Rucksacks are a nightmare to find d anything in.

I would use the child's p e bag

My dc one the kids all had wheely cases

What type of accommodation are they staying in? My dd just came back from her 5 day residential where they stayed in a sort of hostel, and I would say about 85% took a suitcase. My dd took a cabin sized suitcase, but some kids had massive ones! Then just normal school backpack for her lunch/pencil case/waterproof coat etc.

We do have a large soft bag which has smart hidden extension too. But it's quite long and we usually use it to pack holiday stuff and then it goes straight into the car boot. I'm not sure if he could manage to carry it without stumbling. But good suggestion. I will see if it's practical to use that.

Rucksacks are a nightmare to find d anything in.. Good point about rucksack!

I would use the child's p e bag 😂You should see the list of essential clothes from school. There's zero chance a normal bag can fit them all in.

@LER83 , they will be staying in tents!

I would also get a small cabin size suitcase. It can be carried to tent like hold-all would so they can’t be going far if a hiking rucksack isn’t required.
And far easier as they can wheel when needed, and use in future a lot more for other trips. Easier to pry and pack as well.
You can get fairly cheap

I would do this if its something you won't get the use out of.

If they are in tents I would go for a soft holdall - wheeled if possible. Suitcases don't work in tents.

Bear in mind if you choose a rucksack you child will need to be able to carry it - and for primary aged that isn't going to be a very big rucksack unless the kid is abnormally huge! We've done DofE recently and the rule was you carry no more than 10% of your body weight in a rucksack... some of the 14yr olds could not carry a rucksack that would hold 2 days kit on that basis... yes they will carry a bit more if they're only going from the bus to the field but still...

Yeah cases are useless in tents..holdalls fold up .

Ex-scout leader. Presuming they are not hiking to the campsite? If not then do t bother with rucksack, use whatever bag you gave that fits the required clothes/shoes etc. Put sleeping bag and pillow in big black bag, tie the sleeping mat to the hold-all/clothes bag). Then they just carry the big bag on their shoulder, the plastic bag in their arms. And as PP said, lots of extra plastic bags . Make sure they know how to repack the sleeping bag etc. (ie stuff it back into the sack not try to roll it up) and get them to do it before they go. Rucksack is really only needed for carrying long distances.

Sorry about typos. Don’t/have/ etc😬

We did get a bag for the Yr 6 residential but we needed one anyway - we got a 'nearly new' holdall which could also be used as a rucksack from an army surplus website - £25. Very, very good quality and looked brand new.

Loads of the other DC took suitcases. They just need to be able to carry it by themselves.

We have used a large carry on sized wheelie bag for all the DCs’ residentials so far, but admittedly none have been staying in tents. Even so I still think that’s the best option as at least they can pull it along (might get muddy but so be it) rather than struggling with a very heavy bag. And they can open it fully to find stuff/repack rather than rummaging. Do you have a wheelie bag?

IME the packing lists are ridiculous, they only ever wear 1/3 of the clothes but the rest end up grim anyway from being stuffed in the same bag with the dirty ones, even if they use a binbag. I’m sending DD on a 2 night Brownie trip this weekend, they want 4x t shirt, 2 shorts, 1 trousers, 2 trainers plus indoor shoes … plus sleeping bag pillow sheet… insane!!! She will live in her favourite Tshirt and shorts I know…

They never wear all the things you pack, but it is easier with a rucksack. Our school residential involved a walk on quite rough terrain to get to the accommodation. They were told not to bring wheeled cases as they wouldn't be able to wheel them where they had to go.

10% on DoE? We should be so lucky. 4kg wouldn't feed and water DS!
We were limited to a quarter of body weight, but DS was somewhere between a quarter and a third.

Do you have a year group Facebook or whatapp group? If so ask on there. There will be loads of parents with older children who have already been on the trip and can say “don’t bring a rucksack - Lizzie’s was eaten by wild boars - bring a hold-all” or whatever.

Lots of kids will have recently done a Duke of Edinburgh expedition and will probably be looking to sell on / lend - try local FB group or free cycle

I recommend a blue IKEA bag for sleeping bag/ roll mat. Easier to carry and sturdier than a black bin bag.

Holdall all the way. DD had several camps and none of the organisers (school and Scouts) allow suitcases, they don't work in tents.

She now has a 60l backpack but she is 16, I doubt she would have managed it when she was 11 and she was tall for her age.

Careful with bin bags, our Scout groups don't like them as they can be mistaken for actual rubbish and then they are gone.

Get a microfibre towel, quick drying and it doesn't take space. A large IKEA bag for sleeping bag and mat.

Get down the market and get one of those cheap canvas/plastic bags - big bag zips £2-3.