Gear advice needed from women

[Jose]

Hello, just joined and did a search for this but no results. All who read this, please excuse my lack of knowledge in concerns to this particular area, I was raised with 2 brothers. I have a 12 year old daughter that has recently started to develop in ways that make me extremely uncomfortable to talk about but I need to know these things in regards to our outdoor excursions. Is she going to need any specialized equipment or gear in regards to that while we are on our prolonged trips? I feel like a fool to have to ask on here but her mother is not in the picture and none of my female friends do anything outdoors for longer than a few hours. My daughter loves to go on prolonged trips and I am not going to deny her due to my ignorance in the matter. Any help would be appreciated in this matter. Thank you.

 

[ponderosa]

Her cycle will probably not be very regular for the first year or two, so she should be prepared, just in case, on every trip. There are ways to know in advance when a period should be expected, but it requires some body awareness that she will probably not have for a while, or until someone explains to her what to watch for. Some wet wipes will be useful if you're camping away from a shower. Otherwise, she should just bring whatever products she uses at home. Since this makes you quite uncomfortable, I hope there is an adult woman (a family friend, teacher, someone) who can help her know what to expect and how to handle it. If you have other questions, feel free to send me a private message (click on my name and then the "start a conversation" tab) if it makes it a little more comfortable for you. I've been camping/hiking/backpacking my entire life.

 

[Grandpa]

Ponderosa is definitely the best advice giver for this topic. For specialized gear, other than clothing, backpacks and sleeping bags made and cut for women are essential, or so says my granddaughter. After a few years using my old stuff she finally got her own backpack and was amazed at the difference. Same with mummy sleeping bags. Those cut and sized for the ladies fit much better and give a better nights sleep.

 

[Jose]

Thank you both for your help in answering some of the questions I have. I know I need to be less embarrassed by this and I truly am trying. I just want to provide her with the best trips we can have while ensuring that her health and comfort are taken care of. She loves the outdoors and so I need to become both comfortable and competent with these changes that are happening.

 

[Pathwacker]

Started the girls off young to the camping life. First daughter was one and bought a popup. Second daughter got this one