What's in My Day Pack for Hikes with a Kid
The five things that are always in the bag when we hit a trail, after a season of leaving the wrong stuff at home.
I’ve packed this bag wrong a lot of times. Too much, too little, the wrong snacks, no wipes. After a season of short hikes with a kid, this is what stays in the pack permanently. Everything else gets added trip by trip.
1. Water for two, carried by two
He has his own small pack with a bladder and a bite valve. It holds about a liter, which is more than he’ll drink, but a kid with his own water drinks more and whines less. I carry the rest.
Kids' hydration backpack
Small enough that it doesn't tip him over, with a chest strap so it stays put when he runs. The front pouch holds exactly one snack and one found rock, which is the correct capacity.
2. Snacks he picks out himself
Letting him choose the trail snacks at the store cost me about three dollars and bought me an hour of cooperation. The rule is one “fun” snack and one real one. Then I pack a backup of each because the rule gets broken.
3. A first-aid kit I’ve actually opened
The compact kits are fine. Just open it before the first trip, know where the tweezers are, and add more kid-sized bandages than it came with. You’ll use those first and most.
Compact first-aid kit
Fits in a side pocket. I added a few extra character bandages, a small tube of antibiotic ointment, and a packet of baby wipes. The wipes get used every single trip.
4. A layer he’ll actually wear
A light fleece or windbreaker that packs small. Not the one he says is itchy. The one he picked. If he won’t wear it when you leave the house, he won’t wear it at the summit either.
5. Something to carry him in
For the last half mile when short legs are done. Some trips it never comes out of the pack. Some trips it saves the whole day.
Child carrier backpack
Buy this used if you can. They hold up well and get outgrown fast. Look for a sunshade and a hip belt that actually transfers weight, because thirty pounds on your shoulders alone gets old by mile two.
The pack itself
Mine is a plain twenty-liter day pack I’ve owned for years. There is nothing special about it. Any bag with a hip belt and a spot for a water bottle works. Don’t buy a new one for this.
That’s it. Five things, one bag, out the door. The less time spent packing, the more likely we actually go.
