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?

[RequiresUpdating]

I gave DD a large North Face duffel/backpack which was a bit too large for her but the only bag we could fit all the shoes:sleeping bags etc in. She could still wear it as a backpack but instead of carrying it, she dragged it and put several holes in the end.
I'd go for a backpack and small bag or sleeping bag separately or tied to the backpack (even if they said one bag only). Don't give something too long!

[CentrifugalBumblePuppy]

Ex Guider & teacher. Great advice from the ex Scouter above!

Best advice is to make sure your DS helps you to pack his kit, so he knows everything he has in there! Copy the kit list & stick it to the underside of the holdall flap so when he packs up his kit, he knows what he’s taken with him.

Label everything, even socks & pants!

If his sleeping bag is in a stuff sack, practice taking it in & out of the bag with him. Don’t try to roll it to fit it in (as it was when you purchased it), it fits far better & easier if it is stuffed in - stuff it into the stuff sack! One to hold & one to stuff works best, so he can buddy-up to help each other pack their sleeping bags.

Don’t forget black bin liners for wet wellies/clothes, and a few pedal bin liners for dirty clothes, then you can see straight away what may need to dry (wellies, wet weather gear) and what can be popped straight into the washing machine (browse for odds & bods of string/tissue/twigs first, obviously lol).

Hope he has a brilliant time!

[RequiresUpdating]

(As in i gave it to her as it was the only non wheels suitcase we had. It's DH's and he still doesn't know about the holes 😳)
Most kids had a wheely hard case suitcases and sleeping bag on top.

[Fandabedodgy]

www.gooutdoors.co.uk/16538032/eurohike-nepal-65-rucksack-16538032

This is only £25. We have one and it's great quality

[mindutopia]

Unless they need to carry it some distance over rough terrain, just use a wheelie suitcase. Dd just got back from residential with a similar sounding packing list (it was for camping and outdoor activities). She took a normal ish size rucksack (what she'd take for a sleepover or camping) and a big reusable shopping bag with sleeping bag/mat/coat/shoes in it. Or look for everything on Facebook marketplace or borrow from a friend if you don't have anything suitable available.

[Foxesandsquirrels]

My DDs school said this to us in Y6 and I got a soft holdall just for the residential. 99% of the kids turned up with suitcases. I wouldn't stress OP.

[NotMeNoNo]

Do you not have any holdalls for weekends away etc ? Those sort of things are always useful later, I think a bit more versatile than a big rucksack.

[OutsidInInsideOut]

Ds and his mates used smaller roller case

[Heckythump1]

DD went on camp recently and instead of a bin liner for dirty clothes (as said above, can be mistaken for rubbish!) I sent her with an old pillowcase labelled with her name! Was dead easy to just shove the whole lot in the wash :)

[EduCated]

Agree that suitcases are a pain in the arse in tents - there’s no space to lay them flat to open up, they take up a set amount of space (holdalls and rucksacks are much squashier) and handles/wheels can damage the tents if you’re not careful (which Y6s don’t tend to be).

If you are buying something, this style of holdall is great - has short hand straps but also backpack straps: https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15986994/eurohike-transit-65l-cargo-bag-15986994

[FatAgainItsLettuceTime]

When DD did a residential the other year the kids showed up with all kinds of bags/suitcases and armloads of extras that didn't fit like sleeping bags, pillows, teddies.

They don't really have to move the stuff far, as long as they can get it from class to coach then coach to bunk and back again it doesn't really matter what it's carried in. It's not like when you go on an abroad holiday and have to be able to handle everything through the airport and transfers.

[Budgiegirlbob]

 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!!!

That doesn’t sound insane at all, that’s a pretty standard kit list for a weekend away if they’re doing adventurous activities. If they get wet or muddy, they’ll need extra top/shorts/trainers etc. Nothing worse than having to stay in wet clothes/trainers because they didn’t have spare with them. And most residential places will require indoor shoes.

Of course, she’ll still probably come home in the clothes you sent her in, but ‘be prepared’ and all that.

OP, if you don’t want to get a rucksack, a cheap hold-all will work well - the sort that you can take laundry in are good for camping/residentials. Suitcases just don’t work in most confined spaces.

[Budgiegirlbob]

They don't really have to move the stuff far, as long as they can get it from class to coach then coach to bunk and back again it doesn't really matter what it's carried in

I agree to a point, but suitcases really aren’t suitable in most situations. It’s very different from going on holiday and unpacking when you get there - the kids will live out of their bags, and suitcases take up too much room for this.

[Quisto]

My 11yr old has the Eurohike Nepal 65 for scout camps, he can manage it over the short distance from car to camps. I think he used a 50l rucksack and separate bag for pillow/sleeping bag on his residential last year.

[SomersetBrie]

@LittleOwl153

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...

Derailing slightly, but what happened to the kids who could not hold two days' kit, could they not go?
There is no way my DS could have managed with 4.4 Kg of stuff - his water almost weighed that!

[reluctantbrit]

@Budgiegirlbob

They don't really have to move the stuff far, as long as they can get it from class to coach then coach to bunk and back again it doesn't really matter what it's carried in

I agree to a point, but suitcases really aren’t suitable in most situations. It’s very different from going on holiday and unpacking when you get there - the kids will live out of their bags, and suitcases take up too much room for this.

Exactly. DD. only took suitcases when she was sleeping indoors. Even in the larger tents they sleep 4-6 in one, so imagine they have 4-6 suitcases instead of 4-6 holdalls they can squish in every available corner.

[Budgiegirlbob]

DD. only took suitcases when she was sleeping indoors

Even that can be quite problematic. Sometimes kids can be sleeping 6 or more to a room, with minimal floor space - no space to store or open suitcases - holdalls or rucksacks that can be opened from the top, and squashed down to go under beds are more practical, and safer as they can be tucked out of the way. 6 suitcases in a small room would be like having an obstacle course in there

[TheFormidableMrsC]

I bought a really cheap large hold-all on eBay. It was less than a tenner. I agree with labelling everything and also putting in a roll of black sacks for the dirty stuff. I bought a sleeping bag from Decathlon which was rolled into its own bag and that was clipped to the outside of the hold-all. Pack clothes you don't mind getting ruined and old trainers. They get absolutely filthy. I hope he has a ball!

[TheFormidableMrsC]

@Doggymummar

I would use the child's p e bag

Surely you're joking? Have you seen how much they have to take on these trips??

[Blanketpolicy]

ds's school said rucksack/large holdall for their 4 night PGL activity trip.

So we used a large holdall we already had. On the day nearly everyone else had wheely cases! ds said when they got to the place the bus parked at the bottom of a huge steep hill/pathway and he had to carry the holdall up it while everyone had wheels, he was not impressed 🤣

[LittleOwl153]

@SomersetBrie

Derailing slightly, but what happened to the kids who could not hold two days' kit, could they not go?
There is no way my DS could have managed with 4.4 Kg of stuff - his water almost weighed that!

As noted above it was 25% not 10%. And the ones who couldn't carry a rucksack because of this were given the option of a holdall which was transported for them.
And water was not included in that as they were refilled at checkpoints - as they were out in the full heat of the last few weeks!

[LittleOwl153]

@CatsOnTheChair

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.

Yes 25% not 10%!! Still caused problems for some though.

[Return2thebasic]

Thanks, everyone. So much informative suggestions and tips!

I will try to pack his stuff in the holdall bag (100L) we have tomorrow first - together with him. If it's too big to manage, I wouldn't mind investing to get a slightly smaller one from online. They are not expensive as rucksacks and can be stored flat. Very useful too, so I'm sure there's other opportunities to use them too.

And thanks for all the other tips too. As I said, I had no experience in similar things, so it's really helpful to hear from all of you. 😁