I think a lot of people are surprised when I tell them that my 18 month old baby girl loves to hike. Yep, and so do the rest of us. There's nothing better than being out on a great path, viewing nature as it happens and answering every little question a 4 year old can ask. We like to get outside and camp, hike, kayak, rock climb, bike, ski/snowboard and do pretty much anything that involves enjoying the outdoor woods. We live in a state that enjoys each of the four seasons so getting the kids to have fun with each new season is also a priority and a challenge at times. We do what we can when we can and darn it, we try to have fun while doing it!
Before I start getting into the nitty gritty details of our adventures, I'm just going to preview a few things that I find essential on the trail as a hiking momma.
- First Aid kit. For obvious reasons a good First Aid kit is essential. We keep a well packed one in the car for day hikes as well as carrying a smaller one for bumps, scrapes, and bites along the path. You can get a good idea of what should be in the First Aid kit here. You don't have to purchase the fancy kit if you're able to get the same types of "ingredients" elsewhere. The Husband is a certified first responder and therefore has a full trauma kit. He often finds a lot of medical items at Army surplus stores for much cheaper than you can buy in a regular store. I think the most important things are band aids and gauze, antiseptic wipes or a bottle of rubbing alcohol, a splint, aspirin (Bayer to be exact) and Ibuprofen (for swelling). I was once hiking with a group of friends and one of the guys started having chest pains. Unfortunately all anyone had was Ibuprofen which was of no use. Luckily everything turned out alright in our case, but having some aspirin is a good idea when doing a bunch of strenuous activity.
- A Camelback or other means of transporting lots of water. It's extremely important to stay hydrated on the trail so we often will fill two Camelback bladders plus carry a bottle of water for cooking. You could also purchase a water purifier, but the quality one that the Husband has his eye on is still out of our price range at the moment! The typical rule is to drink a liter of water per mile, more if you're hiking in strenuous conditions like uphill or in high temperatures. If it's really hot, plan on bringing much more water than you think you'll need. If it's cold or chilly you still need to make sure you're getting enough water even if you don't feel thirsty. You also need to make sure the kids are getting enough water too! As a momma, I make sure that we stop about every 15-20 minutes to hydrate. I recommend a Camelback with some ice cubes because of it's quick access to water and it usually will stay cool in hot temps. It's also fun to drink from for kids and even the Wee one was able to drink out of it by about 6 months.
- Good child backpack with a frame. For long hikes this is absolutely essential if you have young kids. We hiked for a few years with our first child with a generic front pack and it was painful and exhausting. We were constantly having to shift it and the baby and whoever was carrying the baby (ehem, me) would have a sore back for days. I also don't recommend a front pack for mountain hiking as it wouldn't be good to fall and land on the little tike! That is also why it's important to get a framed pack in case of a fall, the child is somewhat protected. Ours is a Kelty backpack that is about 3-4 years old (think the equivalent would be something like this.) We found it on clearance at Sportsmen's Warehouse (I'm not sure if they are still in business, at least not here in Minnesota!) They are pretty expensive if you pay full price, but you can usually find last season's version for a lower price or used ones on-line, it's worth the money if you plan to hike a lot.
- Radios. We use the two-way radios all the time to stay in communication with each other. Often we find that the Husband and the Boy will want to take a different more difficult path than I or the Wee one would like so it's always a good idea to have some way of communicating where you are or if there's a problem. These are also very important if hiking in a group for the same reason.
- Lots of good-for-you and fun snacks/food. We usually like to bring fruit leathers and granola bars for snacks. They pack well, won't spoil in warm weather and they taste good. We also are fans of GORP, but it can get old if you hike as often as we do. The sweets (like M&Ms and such) are good for long hikes and are also a great incentive to keep the kids moving. "If we can make it to the next rock, we'll stop for treats!"
Also, if you're planning on a full day hike it's very important to re-fuel your body. We like Mountain House freeze dried meals for lunch. They're easy to make on a backpacker stove and they are usually pretty tastey. We find them at Wal-Mart for the cheapest, but they have very limited variety. You can also find them at REI or other mountaineering stores or on-line. I'm experimenting with making my own meals and I hope to share some of the recipes here in the future. - Appropriate clothing. There's nothing worse than complaining kids, so we always make sure that they are dressed appropriately for the weather and the hike. I'm talking a tank top or tee shirt layered with a long sleeve shirt and a sweatshirt or light jacket. We also always bring rain gear, especially in the mountains where the weather can change in an instant. You get it.
You don't have to invest in super expensive specialty clothing for the kids or yourself. Just make sure you wear synthetic materials that are breathable and light in color. The 50/50 blends are good for breath-ability and drying quickly. This would be a good item for summer hikes. Winter hikes, polypropylene is the best. The only thing that I would recommend putting some money into is hiking boots. There's no quicker way to dislike hiking that to come home with blisters and sore feet. It's also important to make sure the kids have good quality shoes, though hiking boots aren't essential. A good fitting sneaker works best for young feet. We are always looking at Gander Outlet or even REI Outlet or end of year sales. I don't know that I've ever paid full price for any sort of specialty item that I own. You can usually find them for 50-75% off at the end of the season. - Another essential is sunscreen and bug spray. We live in Minnesota wear the unofficial state bird is the mosquito and deer ticks are a plenty! We typically like to spray shoes and hats before we put them on to minimize the actual spray on sensitive young skin. Then we use a family friendly spray on bare skin and light clothing. When the Wee one was much wee-er, we used the OFF fan which worked really well. I would clip it somewhere on the Kelty pack and we wouldn't be bothered much at all. I would recommend one to add to your bug arsenal. Also, be sure to read the labels of some of your hiking clothes! Bug spray and sunscreen spray may damage specialty clothing and usually that stuff is expensive. We apply sunscreen before we spray the bug spray. Also I carry a Benedryl spray for any bites. My kids have really sensitive skin and bug bites seriously swell up on them so if I can catch it early it's much better. ALWAYS check for ticks if you have them in your area as soon as you get home or back to the car. Here's some more info on ticks.
- A quality multitool or pocket knife is also a good thing to have. The Husband always carries one, but when we hike I carry one and we have even given one to the Boy. It's a good item for unexpected things that you can't plan for.
- A compass and a map. We usually like to know where we're going, but in the event that you wander off onto an unmarked trail, it's good to have a map and a compass to find your way back. Now-a-days everyone has GPS or a cell phone with apps that show you where you are. However, in the event your phone/unit runs out of batteries or you drop it off the edge of a cliff, a good ol' fashioned compass could save your life.
- Emergency supplies. The Husband always carries emergency supplies whether we're going on an hour jaunt or an 8 hour trek. In his supplies he carries waterproof matches, the first aid kit, a small hatchet, batteries, headlamps, flares, the backpackers stove/accessories and rope. Also, you should be aware of the kind of wildlife in the area you'll be hiking. If there are bears around bring bear spray, if there are other wildlife you could also bring whistles or bells to avoid surprising a wild animal. When you're hiking it's never a bad idea to be too prepared.
Not necessities, but good-to-haves:
- Binoculars, these are a great tool for fun and function.
- Bird/rock/flower books, we were constantly wondering what kind of bird, flowers, plants, rocks etcetera that were dotting our adventure so we finally bought a few guide books for the wildlife and fauna in our state. They are just pocket guides and are easy to either bring with you or you could leave them in the car (like we do) and consult later.
- Camera. It's always fun to document your trips especially with the young kids. The Husband and I are both fond of photography so it's always a contest to see who can get the best pictures. I hope to share some of our pics here soon.
I've listed a lot of stuff here, but for the most part it's all very important. I'm also no expert so be sure to make the right decisions for you, your family and the area you'll be hiking in!! This list is also not all encompassing so if it's important to you, by all means add it to your list of essentials!
Another important note is to not carry too much stuff. Always test out your pack before you leave your house to make sure that you'll be able to carry the burden for a long period of time. Make sure to read the instructions on how to properly wear the pack that you have to reduce the soreness and eliminate any potential back problems. Don't bring anything that you won't need while hiking, less weight is always better.
Always, always, always tell people where you're going and when you expect to be back. Text a family member or friend, or post something on Facebook if you have to. If something terrible does go wrong, at least people will know where to start looking for you. In addition, you should always plan out your trip and stick to the plan. Keep maps of the area or trails on your person and maybe even an extra copy in your pack.
