The ultimate gear guide for hiking with kids. This post may contain affiliate links.

One of my family’s favorite activities is hiking.  We love exploring the outdoors with our two kids in tow and luckily they love it too.  If you came across this post it’s likely that you enjoy hiking with children too.  In this guide I will cover all of the recommended gear for hiking with kids.  Gear that will ultimately make your family hikes more enjoyable!  Whether you hike the High Peaks in the Adirondacks or a flat 1 mile trail down the road from your house you will benefit from this kids hiking gear guide. If you haven’t yet starting hiking with your toddler or children, I hope this post answers all of your kids hiking gear questions and inspires you to explore more together!

Here are my recommendations for the best hiking gear for your family.

1. Hiking Boots
A good pair of hiking boots will be what makes any hike enjoyable or not. Wet feet, blisters, and uncomfortable shoes are all reasons a kid will stop in their tracks and your hike will be over. A sturdy and reliable pair of hiking boots are a must for all family members. You only need one pair per family member, but if you tend to live an active lifestyle you might find yourself with a few different pairs for different types of hiking. I love my Merrell boots for those High Peak hikes, my Adidas for hikes where I won’t encounter any mud or water and my Bogs for winter hiking because they are waterproof and insulated. We also use the Bogs in the winter when we are snowshoeing and they’ve worked out great for us. Here are our favorite hiking boots for kids and adults:

2. Wool Socks
Without a doubt, Darn Tough Socks are our absolute favorite hiking socks. They are wool socks with incredible durability, so much so that they actually come with a lifetime guarantee. They keep our feet dry and comfortable on all hikes. They offer many different options for kids and adults from more lightweight to thicker, cold weather socks. Since being introduced to Darn Tough over the summer we will never go anywhere else for our wool socks. I recently noticed they sell a snowboard sock with extra shin and heel padding and I can’t wait to try them out this winter.

3. Backpack
If you’re hiking with kids you know you’ll need a backpack for the many snacks you’ll likely be carrying with you. For longer hikes a backpack is necessary for a water bladder, first aid kid and other supplies you’ll find that you need. We are loyal to the Deuter brand, we’ve found their products to be some of the best on the market in terms of durability, style and price. My husband also recently started using a Cannae backpack and he loves it. He uses it for more than just hiking such as when we travel or he goes hunting. It’s an awesome all in one bag. Each of our children have their own Deuter backpacks and they love filling them with their binoculars, nature journals, snacks and water. Giving children their own hiking gear helps them feel a sense of responsibility which leads added excitement for them. Here are the packs that our family uses:

4. Hiking Poles
Hiking poles are a great option for longer hikes. I find them useful while wearing my 3 year old on my back, the extra stability they provide helps to keep us safe on steeper or rocky hikes. We recently tested out Panda Poles and we love them! They are bamboo poles so we love that they are environmentally friendly. They look great and are very durable too. The only downside is that they are not collapsible, so for longer hikes we recommend the metal ones below. These will collapse and can be hooked onto your Deuter backpack when you need your hands free.

Infant and Toddler Carriers
This is one of the most important considerations when hiking with young children. I carried our 3 year old in my Ergo carrier this past summer and anticipate doing the same with him this summer as well, at least on any long or steep hikes. I’ve found the Ergo to be the overall best toddler carrier. My 5 year old hiked without any assistance all summer and did great! You know your child best, but if they are 4 or younger and you’ll be doing a multi mile or steep hike it’s likely that you’ll need a carrier for them at some point. We have tried them all and I personally love the Ergo Baby carrier the most. It is a soft carrier that weighs barely anything and is super comfortable for both me and my child. The structured carriers work better for my husband and the upside to them is that they offer a sunshade that doesn’t lay directly on baby’s head and they have plenty of storage, but with that comes quite a bit of extra weight. I encourage you to go into the store and try each carrier out to find what will work best for you, but having an Ergo on hand is great for both hiking and everyday use.

6. Cold Weather Gear
I was recently introduced to two, new to us companies, Reima and Turtle Fur for our outwear needs. The Reima onesie jacket pictured above has been a favorite of both of my boys. The quality is amazing and the fact that neither of my boys have once complained about being cold in it is a victory for me. They’ve been wearing them skiing, hiking and just playing outside. This is a great option for winter hikes and keeping little ones warm. Turtle Fur offers high quality hats, gloves and neck warmers at a reasonable price. I love their options for kids and adults and the bright colors they offer for some of the kids items work perfect for us, since I like a little color on my kids so they are easier to keep track of. 😉 Remember to dress infants and toddlers who are in the baby carrier in one more layer than you are wearing. This is because they are not creating any extra warmth for themselves while being carried. When it comes to kids and hiking in the cold, it’s best to start with many layers and undress as needed. All of the extra layers can easily be packed into their backpacks for the rest of the hike, or when they might be cold again.

It’s important to familiarize yourself with the proper way to layer your hiking clothes in each climate, you can read a great, in-depth guide by clicking here.

7. Overnight Gear
If you’ll be doing backpacking trips with toddlers it’s unavoidable that you’ll be carrying a decent amount of extra gear, but thanks to some great companies overnight trips have gotten much easier and the gear more compact. Venture 4th is one of our go-to’s for sleeping pads. You can see in the photo above just how tiny the self inflatable pad gets and it weighs almost nothing at all. We also bring along their travel charger which not only charges your phone on the go, but converts to other outlets when you’ll be hiking in other countries. It’s an awesome all in one charger and converter. One of my biggest worries is keeping our phones charged in case of an emergency. Most of the time we are hiking in places without cell service so that drains batteries quickly, so it’s important to always be prepared.

8. Accessories
There are a few accessories that I consider an absolute must on any hike, with or without children. A map and compass are a necessity, especially on longer, backcountry hikes. A travel first aid kit is important as well, I can’t begin to tell you the number of people we’ve come across while hiking that have bloody cuts all over them from slipping on rocks or tripping over a stick. They sure are thankful to come across me with my bag full first aid supplies! We always bring a flashlight or headlamp with us, even if we don’t anticipate hiking in the dark. You might have an idea about how long your hike will last, but you need to be prepared if you’re out there longer than you planned for. We also pack a small, quick drying microfiber towel for all of our hikes- this is great when the kids spill water on themselves or get too sweaty.  We even use the big size and bring them in our suitcases when traveling!  They are so much better than ‘regular’ towels and we will never go back. If you don’t plan to bring a water bladder, check out this post about the best water bottles with filters.

9. Bug Spray
If you’ll be hiking in warmer weather chances are you will need some type of bug repellent. I’m always hesitant to use any chemicals on or near my kids, but I recognize the dangers in not using bug repellent. I do like the herbal blends made for kids and for times when we need something extra strong we turn to the Sawyer brand of repellent. Wearing long sleeves and pants can help reduce the risk of bug bites, but sometimes they are just unavoidable without repellent.

For some serious hiking inspiration check out this article about hiking Mont Blanc (the highest mountain in Western Europe) as a family.

I hope you’ve found this guide helpful. Did I forget anything? Leave a comment below. Pin this post for later then scroll down for more of our favorite gear in action.