Pearl MJS1208/CXN33 12"x8" Junior Marching Snare Drum and Carrier

I have two boys 9 and 10. I bought this 12" x 8" snare as well as the 10" x 7" version. I wanted to see which would fit them best now and the near future.These drums are not toys, which means they're not light. The harness is steel, the shells are heavy maple, and the hardware is all steel. These are designed to produce a sound that is heard over a whole band and to be durable for marching. These are not just for role-play. If a child wants to role-play, they will be much happier with a toy drum that is pleasantly light. I have some Remo kid's drums that are light, fun to play, and still sound great.The 12" x 8" snare immediately overwhelmed my boys with the weight, but after they had tried them for a while, it wasn't unbearable. Both boys are about 53 pounds and around 52" tall. At their size, the 10 x 7 is probably a better fit, but they will grow fast (hence my dilemma). In the mean time, they're expecting to march more than 2 miles with this thing several times a year for parades. They get to trade off between themselves with the snare and a bass (which is carried on a cart on which they ride).Now I heard that these things have been sold on the market for children in Japan for some time, but they're relatively new in the US market. I read somewhere that the 10 x 7 is suitable for elementary, and the 12 x 8 is suitable for middle school students. I suppose high school students are expected to carry adult-sized snares. Children come in different sizes for the same age, and those guidelines might suit some. Based on my experience with these, I would expect the 10 x 7 to be suitable for kids from 7 to 11 years old. I would not expect anyone under 7 to carry one of these. They would do far better with a stand.Kids have different levels of tolerance for suffering. My 9 year old doesn't complain about the drum as much as the 10 year old, but from another perspective, I trust the 10 year old to tell me whether the drum, the shoe, the suit or whatever fits, whereas the 9 year old just doesn't care.Both boys liked the sound of the 12 x 8 better then the 10 x 7, but I found each different and appealing. The 10 x 7 has a very sharp attack and short decay like popcorn. The 12 x 8 has a deeper tone more similar to a typical snare on a drum kit which might be a 14 x 6 (they have about the same volume in the cylinder). Of course neither of these will sound as resonant as a large 14 x 12 marching snare or those 14" deep rope-tension snares.The 12 x 8 was 6.14 pounds on the scale without the carrier. The 10 x 7 is 5.17 pounds. The carrier for either drum is the same size and model. It is adjustable for height. Bear in mind that the 12 x 8 does not feel just ~1 pound heavier. Because it is larger diameter, the weight is farther out from the body and it levers on the harness.The quality of these Pearl drums from Taiwan is very high. These are fine instruments that are the same quality construction and finish as professional drum kit in a similar price range. One would have to spend twice as much for a better snare and it would certainly not be in this size which is the only size practical for children.

My son slipped and the crossbar of the harness hit him in the throat. It was a scary few minutes but he recovered. Now I am scared to let him use it.

I didn't dislike anything.