We live in the best part of Colorado. Within an hour, you can be hiking high mountain peaks down to desert canyon bottoms.
West hiked 500+ miles in his first year of life. Everything from short 3 mile jaunts out our door to a 15 mile day trip in Idaho. Hiking with him has always felt pretty easy. And it is by far our favorite thing to do as a family.
Hiking grounds us back to who we were before a kid, but also gives West the outdoors… perhaps the most important thing for a kid.
We are serious hikers. We hike after work, over the weekends, and plan our trips around trails. Getting on the trail feels as much a part of routine now as it did pre-kid.
One of the more substantial changes in hiking with a kid, especially one who is getting more mobile, is to allow for plenty of time out of the pack. When we got to the bottom of the Black Canyon, we pulled out snacks and let West play on the banks of the river. In most ways, I delight in this. We relaxed on the banks of the river and let the sun wash over us. Slow is almost always better in the outdoors.
It also comes with some more logistics. We plan around his naps … sort of. Only so far as to make sure he can get one in the car or on the hike. This has worked well for us and West has napped on the move since he was born.
From hundreds of miles of hiking, we have honed in on our favorites.
It’s not much more than we would typically travel with. And easy enough especially once you have your pack assembled with the essentials.
Summer day hiking kit:
- Typical first aid kit plus the addition of baby Tylenol.
- The Osprey Poco Plus. This pack is a bit bulky, but it has great storage and is comfortable for the kid. We learned that making sure it is well adjusted to your build is critical for comfort. When West got old enough, we couldn’t wait to ditch the front carrier in favor of this pack. The front carrier made rocky, steep trails where you couldn’t see your feet tricky. The pack feels like our more typical setup from days pre-kid.
- The Skip Hop Pronto Travel Changing Station
- Wide brimmed sun hats. Sunday Afternoon Play Hat is a real winner, because the back of the brim is softer so it doesn’t knock the hat forward.
- The kids Hydro Flask 12 Ounce Wide Mouth with a straw. This is our alternative to the plastic sippy cup. We have a no plastic rule and while this is a bit heavier, West managed it from eleven months on.
- Clothes
- A backup outfit.
- For sunny warmer days, I have become a big fan of Patagonia’s Baby Capilene Cool Daily.
- A fleece bunting is a great layer to have on hand. Once again, I like Patagonia’s. I know Patagonia is expensive, but all their baby clothes run large and West has worn most of his Patagonia clothing for a year. Plus, you can sell them back through the Worn Wear program and get credit.
- A warm coat no matter the weather.
- Snacks-Annie’s Bunnies, puree pouches, pb&js, animal crackers, and fun treats.
- Sunscreen
- Baby shoes. We don’t have him wear them in the pack, but they are good for crawlers and rockers on rocky surfaces.
NOTE: Some of the products and services we recommend contain affiliate links that give us a small commission at no cost to you if you make a purchase.
