1. FEATHERWEIGHT SHELTER BIG AGNES COPPER SPUR HV UL4
Trekking with Tykes
$700 | 5 lbs. 11 oz. You’ve already got more than enough extra weight to contend with when backpacking with a preschooler. Thankfully, the Copper Spur HV UL4 is one of the lightest four-person tents on the market, weighing in at only 1 pound 4 ounces per occupant and packing down to the size of a rolled-up yoga mat. With 57 square feet of floor space and 50 inches of headroom, sleeping four adults is a bit tight, but it was plenty for two adults, a 4-year-old, and an 80-pound labrador. The tent’s 12 interior pockets swallowed water bottles, phones, and even a cribbage set. The Copper Spur’s PU-coated ripstop nylon fly, 7-inch-high tub floor, and prebent aluminum poles stayed strong during a torrential thunderstorm near 10,000 feet at Firehole Lakes in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains. On sunny days, the trekking pole-assisted vestibule awnings make for an ideal front porch. And thanks to a full mesh canopy, your kiddo can fall asleep while stargazing on clear nights.
Heading into the wilderness with your hiker-in-training? This gear will make the trip as fun for you as it is for your little one. BY CHRISTINE PETERSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTHEW STACEY
2. ULTRALIGHT QUILT ENLIGHTENED EQUIPMENT ACCOMPLICE 2PERSON 20°F
1
$480 | 2 lbs. 5 oz. (regular) In my hunt for the lightest, most comfortable childsnuggling sleep system, the Accomplice quilt is a major score. Weighing just over 2 pounds and packing down to the size of a small bear canister, the 850-fill down quilt is a lighter, more compact carry than bringing two sleeping bags or one double bag. Even without zippers, we stayed toasty on spring nights near the Accomplice’s temperature rating. An enclosed toe box kept our feet cozy while a snap-top, cinchable neck blocked drafts. One of the main benefits of quiltsleeping with a kiddo is the freedom of movement. It was easy to throw open one side for more ventilation and the included pad straps keep people, pads, and quilt in place. The 10-denier, DWR-finish nylon fabric is sturdy enough for a rambunctious kindergartener. Ding: The price. Sizes: regular, long, extra-long
3. ROOMY PAD EXPED ULTRA 3R DUO $300 | 2 lbs. 9 oz. (long-wide) This 51-inch-wide mega-mat is so spacious that it sleeps two adults and a small child if your little one has nightmares. (The 72-inch-long, 41-inch-wide medium pad is still roomy with one adult and child.) Thanks to a tapered design that’s 40 inches at the foot, this pad packs down to the size of a bread loaf and weighs just 2.5 pounds. With an R-Value of 2.9, the three-season Ultra 3R Duo proved plenty warm in temps just below freezing when we took a trip to Glendo Reservoir in central Wyoming. Separate inflation valves for each half offer individualized firmness, and neither myself nor my daughter felt the other move at night on the three-inch-thick pad. While the lightweight, recycled 20-denier ripstop polyester held up fine to child-related shenanigans inside the tent, we wouldn’t trust it as an outdoor loungepad. Sizes: medium, long-wide
2
4
4. PORTABLE GAME NIGHT OUTSIDE INSIDE TRAVEL BACKPACK CRIBBAGE BOARD $18 | 7.4 oz.
3 64 Backpacker
| SUMMER 2022
When you’ve got nothing but time, you’ll be extra grateful for bringing along this half-pound travel cribbage set. The 13- by 3.3-inch board is light, durable, and folds in half to keep a deck of cards secure. It’s exactly what you and your partner need when heading into the tent with a sleepy child at 8 p.m. The board
