Welcome to Western Edge Gear, builders of kids' backpacks

[robby denning]

Please give a welcome to Western Edge Gear, owned and operated by Steven Rude of Dickinson, North Dakota--on Rokslide as Nodakian.

He's a long-time gear junkie and father who's filling an important niche by building backpacks for kids. He's been at it for over a year now and is ready to help get your young 'uns into a pack that's built for their size. From frames, to belts, to bags, he's got you covered. You can see all he offers and more here

 

[realunlucky]

Welcome. I agree that there is a need in the market for these sounds like a great opportunity for a new business.

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[nodakian]

I figured my kids would be willing to spend more time in the field if they could carry loads as comfortably as we do with our adult packs. We have to carry all our water when we hike here in the ND Badlands (no Rocky Mountain spring water here), so when we couldn't find suitable packs on the market, I decided to build some. Now my kids carry more gear than they need because it's so easy--sound familiar?

My website is a work in progress. I'll add more pictures and products in the next few weeks. If you want other colors or products, PM or email me.

Steve Rude

 

[amp713]

Awesome! Something I've been trying to figure out for my kids as they grow....

 

[Cant hit em]

Looking amazing, are you able to change out the 18” for the 20” as they grow ?


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[nodakian]

You bet. The backboard and belts can be swapped out independently, as well as the bags. Only the shoulder straps stay the same.

My kids are 4'6"/13" torso/80 pounds/skinny waist and 5'1"/15" torso/110 pounds/thick waist, so I wanted these to work until they can graduate to adult gear.

We just added some "action" photos to the website that show these on different size kids, and we're working on more over the next few days.

 

[Ross]

Welcome to Rokslide

 

[sr80]

Great idea there, packs look great.

 

[loggerchas]

Glad to see these out there. I have a wife and daughter who are vertically challenged (5'0") and another adult daughter who is 5'2" but only weighs 100#. Finding gear that is "fun sized" yet durable is a challenge and bad gear makes for bad experiences (for everybody!). It's been easy to modify stocks and find clothing but accessories like this have been limited to the "best" kids packs that Walmart has to offer. Kudo's for finding and supporting this niche market.

I made the same promise to my family my father made to me and my mom: you will have the same quality gear as I carry. If we want to bring up additional generations of outdoors-men/women and be inclusive of our families, selections like this will definitely aid quality experiences.

Time to start saving some pennies again...….

Blessings - Chas.

 

[bmart2622]

In the photos it looked like there was a tri zip bag but I didnt see that as an option to buy. Is that just a prototype?

 

[nodakian]

The tri-zip is a MR 3-Day Assault one of my kids' buddies owns. Those four guys are good at putting on the miles.

 

[nodakian]

Thanks all for the welcome, and we're glad to be along for the ride. Folks on Rokslide are top notch and share my philosophy that good gear is good value. We've all suffered poor quality, uncomfortable, heavy gear, but we're now in a golden age of innovation thanks to Patrick Smith, Dana Gleason, and others.

I understand anyone's hesitation to pull the trigger on a new-to-market item. Therefore, we'll be happy to send a pack to you for try-out. If you don't like it, send it back (clean, of course) within 30 days for a refund. We value your satisfaction above all else.

 

[TravisIN]

Man I was just searching for something like this two days ago. They look great.


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[zeroforhire]

Awesome! I'll be placing an order soon.

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[nodakian]

Glad to see these out there. I have a wife and daughter who are vertically challenged (5'0") and another adult daughter who is 5'2" but only weighs 100#. Finding gear that is "fun sized" yet durable is a challenge and bad gear makes for bad experiences (for everybody!). It's been easy to modify stocks and find clothing but accessories like this have been limited to the "best" kids packs that Walmart has to offer. Kudo's for finding and supporting this niche market.

I made the same promise to my family my father made to me and my mom: you will have the same quality gear as I carry. If we want to bring up additional generations of outdoors-men/women and be inclusive of our families, selections like this will definitely aid quality experiences.

Time to start saving some pennies again...….

Blessings - Chas.

These would probably work for them. We could probably even find some Muddy Girl camo Cordura if they want.

 

[nodakian]

Awesome! I'll be placing an order soon.

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We look forward to working with you. PM me before you order, and we can discuss options.

 

[nodakian]

Pictures for comparison

We shot a couple pictures showing the differences between bags and how they fit different size kids.

The first shows the Mud Butte Scrambler on a 20" frame/5'1" kid and on an 18" frame/4'6" kid.

The second shows the Bullion Butte on a 20" frame/5'1" kid and the MBS on the 18" frame/4'6" kid.

 

[nodakian]

Based on feedback I've received, we're adding two common loops so a panel or similar accessory can be attached.

View attachment 77336

 

[deerhunter628]

Finally. The kids can pack out the elk.

 

[nodakian]

Finally. The kids can pack out the elk.

You got it. Anything to make them earn their food.