Hiking With A Baby Or Toddler: All The Gear!
We’ve been hiking with Noah since he was 6 weeks old + it’s our favorite activity to do as a fam. Spending time outside in nature, good convos, + a happy babe! I wanted to share a list of our favorite hiking gear — so you can feel confident spending time in the outdoors with your baby/toddler, too!
Our fav hiking gear:
#1] Carrier: Osprey Poco Plus Child Carrier
We love this carrier!! IMO, it’s the best carrier for hiking for a toddler. Super comfortable + has a lot of storage room. You can use it until your child is 4 years old. We started Noah in it when he was 10 months old, but they can start in it as early as 6 months (whenever they can support their neck + sit up straight). Prior to that, he was in an Artipoppe or the Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier Free. We preferred Baby Bjorn for longer hikes.
As you can imagine, YES, wearing your child on your back as they get older is heavy… + especially if you are also carrying a lot of water/snacks. If you’ve ever been backpacking, that’s *kind of* what it feels like. The furthest I’ve hiked with Noah in it is 7 miles. Isaac carries him 99.5% of the time, + he loves it because it’s an “extra workout” for him lol.
#2] Poles: REI Co-Op Traverse Trekking Poles
We didn’t intentionally get this for Noah, but as soon as he noticed Isaac using them on a hike… *he* wanted to hold them… + never let go of them. Now he squeals whenever he sees the trekking poles + insists on holding them the entire hike. It’s freaking adorable. He also learned to walk with them!
#3] Sun Hat: FURTALK Baby Sun Hat UPF 50+ UV Ray Sun Protection
#4] Long Sleeve Outfits: We’ve found Wee Woollies to be our favorite brand for outdoor adventures… but anything long sleeve works!
#5] Sunscreen: Babo Botanicals Baby Skin Mineral Sunscreen — we started using this after 1 year.
6] Snacks: Dates, Squeeze Packs, Chomps, etc. He’ll have whatever we have typically, too! Also, LOTS OF WATER! Babies need to drink water, too! We will either bring a water bladder or the Hydro Flask with a straw lid, since Noah knows how to easy drink from those!
*Don’t forget extra diapers + wipes + a change of clothes for your babe if you think that might be necessary 😉
Noah’s been walking for 1.5 months + surprisingly, he’s still super content in the carrier + knows that it’s his “hiking time” — rather than wanting to get out + walk alongside us. I’m curious how that will evolve over time, but for now, we are soaking it in!
Any other hiking gear you love for your baby/toddler? Let me know!
Love,
Elisabeth