Our days of strolling down the trail as a young couple in our swimmers carrying nothing but a drink bottle are long gone. Tackling as many trails as we can with two young boys requires more foresight and packing.
Before We Go
Before we take the kids on a hike, we do a quick google on distance and difficulty to know what we’re in for. It’s also worth checking the weather forecast. If you’re out in the bush with no service, which is more than likely, we recommend grabbing hiking brochures from the Visitors Info Centres and chatting to other travellers in your campsite for advice (taking into account their fitness levels and age of kids).
The Essentials
In our experience, you don’t need to have the most expensive gear to go hiking. But there are a few things that will make it more enjoyable. Make sure everyone has comfortable and appropriate footwear. Sore feet or blisters will end your trip quicker than a seagull on a chip. And there are no bush mechanic fixes we’re aware of for a blowout in your pluggers. A good quality broad brim hat and sunscreen are no-brainers. We love our Akubra’s, and the kids have Toshi hats which have a wide brim and two drawstrings to ensure they stay in place. If you’re hiking in cold weather, layers are your friend. If you’re carrying a child like us, ensure that the carrier feels comfortable and spend the time to adjust it, so it fits perfectly. Ýou can often find carriers in excellent condition on Gumtree and Facebook’s MarketPlace because kids outgrow them before they wear out.
Water
Opinions are divided about whether drink bottles or water bladders are better when hiking with kids. I think it’s going to come down to personal preference and the age of your kids. The consensus is bladders are better for older kids who can carry their backpacks and are capable of using the mouthpiece. We use Yeti drink bottles. They’re excellent at keeping water cold and are easy for the kids to use. We also freeze one and use it as an ice pack to keep lunch cool. Then after lunch, we let it thaw out. We already owned them and used them as our daily drink bottles, so we didn’t need to invest in more gear. Their main downside is they’re heavier than regular drink bottles and water bladders but are more versatile for general use, especially when camping and on beach trips.
First Aid
We carry a snake bite kit and Personal Locator Beacon, which at first might seem excessive when you’re on your phone or computer reading this blog, but when you’re hiking with your little ones and you come across a coastal taipan who’s not happy about your arrival, and you’re a good two hours away from service and hundreds of km from the nearest medical facility, it seems like a solid investment. The snakebite kit also contains an inflatable splint, which is super versatile for sprains or breaks, the most likely serious injury to occur when hiking.
What is in the Bag?
For more extensive hikes (3hours+), one person carries the supply backpack, which contains several litres of water, lunch for four people, enough snacks to feed a football team, a small microfibre towel, floaties (for any hikes that have waterfalls or rivers), Personal Locator Beacon, Snakebite Kit, and nappy change essentials, because kids 100% guaranteed will need to go at the most inconvenient time. Oh, and our camera equipment to film for YouTube. The other person carries our youngest son James in the carrier.
Both the supply backpack and James weigh around 10-15kg, which you want to be mindful of when taking kids hiking. Only pack the essentials. Depending on the age and capability of your little hikers, you could definitely spread the load and make kids carry their own water and snacks to lighten your load and make them feel like it’s a group effort.
Food
Our favourite snacks are the kind that fills you up, give you a burst of energy and don’t squish or bruise easily. We like apples, dried fruit, muesli bars, peanut butter wraps, vegemite rice cakes, and all-important lollies.
Stop and smell the Grevillas
When we take our kids’ hiking, they often need long rest breaks and time to play. So if we see a nice shady spot, we pull up, have a snack and use the time to take photos or admire the scenery. If we get to a good swimming spot, we often stay for a while and let the kids play and the crowds pass and really soak in the scenery. This helps break the hike up, makes it enjoyable for the kids, and gives everyone a rest, making a world of difference to everyone’s attitude and overall experience.
Our final piece of advice is not to forget about yourself. If we had a dollar for every time we’ve pulled up with everything we need for the kids but forgotten something critical for ourselves, we’d be retired in the Bahamas. Okay, not quite, but you get the gist. If you’re new to hiking with kids and want to know more about how we go about it, you can watch our YouTube or check out our other blogs How We Got Our kids To Love Hiking and Hiking Games with Kids.
