Our Fave Toddler Hiking Gear

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them—at no extra cost to you. These commissions help support our travel blog, allowing us to continue sharing guides, tips, and experiences from around the world. We only recommend products and services that we personally use or genuinely trust. Thank you for supporting our journey!

Is this your first time hiking with kids? Are you feeling overwhelmed by the endless gear options? Well look no further. We’ve got you covered! Over the years, we have tested out quite a few brands. From hiking boots to hiking carriers, we’re here to share some of our favorite products. Avoid wasting money and precious time and use our toddler hiking gear guide to make your life easier!

Best Child Hiking Carrier

The most important item in your hiking closet should be a solid child carrier. This will last you not only from infancy, but until about 5 years old. Depending on the size of your little one, this could potentially last you 5 to 6 years. Most weight capacity is maxed out around 40 lbs. The Osprey Poco Lt is is by far our favorite child hiking carrier and brand overall. We have tested the Deuter and cheaper Amazon finds. However, none compare to the comfort and functionality of the Osprey.

Osprey Poco Lt vs Poco Plus

In comparison, the Osprey Poco Plus and Osprey Poco Lt are fairly similar. The Poco Lt is about 2.8 lbs lighter and has 5 L less storage capacity. For this reason, it is easier to travel with and the perfect companion for day hikes. Both have sun shades, plenty of storage space, pockets for snacks and water bottles, as well as adjustment for different waist lengths.

If you plan on backpacking with your little one or pack extra equipment (such as photography gear), you may want to choose the Poco Plus. That being said, we’ve used both and love them equally. We ended up preferring the Poco Plus because we tend to carry a lot of photography gear between my camera, lenses and the drone. But for the average hiker, we recommend the Osprey Poco Lt. Here is a more detailed comparison of the two if you need to know the nitty gritty. Overall, if comfort and packing space is priority, stick with Osprey!

Best Rain Jacket

The Therm Kids SplashMagic rain jacket is actually new to our hiking ensemble. I stumbled upon this product when researching a local family in New Zealand that hikes all over the country. What I love about this brand is that it is woman-owned by a Kiwi mom (now residing in Canada). We love supporting parent companies whenever possible! Aside from the brand, the jacket is super fun. What kid wouldn’t want a jacket that has a secret magic pattern when it gets wet?! Our girls were absolutely stoked when it finally rained in Milford Sound.

Features

The SplashMagic rain jacket is waterproof, windproof and offers three types of insulation: shell, fleece-lined and a rain suit for infants. We recommend the fleece-lined for any cooler temperate hiking conditions and the shell for summer hiking. I loved not having to pack separate fleece jackets on our trip to New Zealand. This was certainly a win in my book!

Best Fleece Jumpsuit

Not only are these Reima fleece jumpsuits adorable, but they are incredibly functional. I was surprised by how much Maya enjoyed wearing the suit as well. I feel like sometimes the legs get forgotten about when packing cold weather clothing. This fleece jumpsuit keeps my little ones entire body warm, not just the torso. I love this for layering, because it easy to wear under snow gear or by itself on a chilly hike. Try to purchase this when they go on sale at Reima! (Hint: They usually have amazing summer deals on winter clothing).

Best Fleece Jacket

The Columbia fleece jacket collection gives you the best bang for your buck. I always find these on sale and they do there job. The jacket is incredibly durable and make for an excellent hand-me-down. True to their mission and at an affordable price. There are a few different types of styles and I have appreciated each one.

Best Hiking Boots

Toddler hiking boots can be challenging to acquire, especially when trying to avoid paying an arm and a leg! Let’s be real. Your child will grow out of these quickly and dropping $60 to use a handful of times is ridiculous. I adore Poshmark for this reason. I’ve bought boots on sale in the off season and gently worn on Poshmark.

Overall, my favorite, reliable brands have been Merrel and Keen. Both have proven to be comfortable, have sturdy traction and waterproof. We have used mid-ankle boots and sneakers. Depending on the terrain of your anticipated hiking should determine the style of boot. We loved the mid-ankle Keen boots for new walkers, as they provide more support.

Best Water Sandals

Water shoes are a newer addition to our toddler hiking gear, but needless to say have come in extremely handy! In Madeira, we used these almost on a daily basis. Whenever you anticipate rocky beaches or a waterfall hike, bring a pair of these bad boys (not just for the kids)! Just like the boots, I purchased ours from Poshmark and Amazon. We do not use these frequently enough to purchase brand new. So, if you can find a good quality pair used gently, I’d recommend that.

That being said, I love the Keen watershoes. My daughters found them cute and comfortable, which is a win with any toddler girl! The adjustable velcro straps and tightening string allow for the perfect fit.

I feel like a specialist on merino wool base layers as I have tried way too many brands. Ultimately, I have discovered that it’s impossible to acquire merino wool at a good cost. It is one of those items that you just need to bite the bullet and invest in solid quality. Unless you can find used base layers or on sale (which is challenging), expect to pay between $50 and $100 for decent quality.

Despite the cost, I have found the investment to be well worth it. We use the base layers not only on hikes and winter trips, but also during colder days at home. Not that there’s many in Florida, but we still have them LOL. Over time, I have found three brands that I can recommend for children’s merino wool.

For lightweight warmth

Woolino merino wool is the softest, least itchy base layer the girls have worn. I have never received one complaint in terms of comfort levels. They are also well fitted to the body so they’re easy to layer underneath other clothes without adding bulk. These are perfect for hiking in milder temperatures.

For moderate warmth

I love the Reima merino base layer set. I found it to be a bit thicker (not quite as soft), yet warmer than the Woolino. Make sure when searching, you check the thickness of merino wool. There’s many charts online to help you decide which you need.

Best Socks

Ok, I know it’s weird to post my favorite socks. But I’d be shocked if I was the only parent who has had a toddler melt down over socks. We struggle with every type of sock, however, wool socks seem to give the most push back. Needless to say, I have been on a mission to find the perfect merino wool hiking socks. Lo and behold, I have found them! In preparation for a trip to New Zealand, I stumbled upon the Lamington brand – a New Zealand mom-owned sock & tights company.

Mom-Owned Company

The socks are made from pure New Zealand wool (find her story here). Sarah’s desire to find the perfect ski sock that actually stays up on her small children is a comparable story to most mom’s. I love that her company is female-owned and committed to sustainable practices. Not only do they sell kid’s socks, but also adult sizes.

To my disappointment, these socks were hard to come across in the US. So you can imagine, I was thrilled to find them when we arrived in Wanaka, New Zealand. Luckily, these socks can be shipped worldwide. Just expect longer shipping times if you live outside NZ or Australia. The socks are incredibly soft, knee high which provide warmth and comfort during outdoor activities. I love the adorable patterns as well. Both of my girls picked out a pair and wore them almost the entire trip. If you can get a hold of these socks, it’s well worth the splurge! I honestly wish I invested in multiple sizes for the future while I was there.

Best Travel First Aid Kit

By far our favorite travel first aid kit is the MiniKit by Keep>Going. We love how fun all of the designs are from the bag to the bandages! They have all the essentials to keep your little ones safe. This should be a staple of any toddler hiking gear packed. The convenience of being able to clip it on to any bag is awesome as well. I usually clip it onto my personal backpack (Getaway Bag) for initial travel and then move it to my hiking bag the day of. We also, have the larger first aid kit for our home. Below is a list of all items included in the MiniKit. Being in the medical field, I really appreciate the necessities.