Hiking with the whole family is fun and exciting but it can also be challenging. One way to keep your kids happy and healthy while hiking is by choosing the best kids hiking clothes.
It’s important to make sure your kids have the right gear, especially when it comes to clothing. The wrong clothes could leave them feeling cold, uncomfortable, and vulnerable while on the trail.
The good news is there are plenty of great options available when it comes to kids hiking clothes that will keep them warm, dry, and protected from the elements.
So if you’re looking for some new threads for your little hikers this season, then look no further! We’ve put together a list of our top picks for the best kids hiking clothes so that you can find something suitable for any outdoor adventure with ease.
Hiking With Kids
Hiking with kids is a great way to expose them to the outdoor life from a different perspective. Exposing kids even on a short outdoor hikes is great for their large and fine motor skills and overall development.
Here are some tips you might need before hiking with kids
- A kid’s basic needs are not very different from adults: keep them fed, hydrated, and dry during the hike.
- Make sure to check the gear list, these are your food, water, first aid kits, clothes, sun protection, and other necessary items that you’ll need for the hike.
- You might have checked the weather condition beforehand, but the weather can be unpredictable. Make sure that you get everything prepared in case of weather changes.
How To Choose Kids Hiking Clothes?
Happy and comfortable kids outdoors make wonderful companions during hikes. Dressing kids in the proper hiking attire is the key to making them comfortable during the hike. Here are some factors to consider when choosing hiking clothes for kids.
Fabrics
As we have said, weather can be unpredictable, one minute you’re working up a sweat and then suddenly the clouds get dark and winds become cooler. It’s important to choose the best fabric that will work on specific weather changes.
Cotton: This would be perfect for the summer season. It’s comfortable to the skin but is not recommended for active outdoor activities. It absorbs water more which in turn loses its insulating capacity. It also takes quite a long time to dry up.
Wool: This is a well-known outdoor natural fiber, it provides warmth even when wet, and its waxy exterior makes it a great water repellant. It’s breathable, fast-drying, and odor-resistant.
Synthetic Polyester and Nylon: Fast-drying fabrics and are a lot cheaper than clothes made of wool.
Durability
You must get clothes with good quality material so they won’t be damaged that easily while using them frequently during hikes.
Plus, durable materials are cost-efficient, imagine how much money you can save if you can pass down your older kids’ hiking clothes to the younger ones.
Easy to Wear
It’s a struggle to put on any clothing on a kid that won’t stay still. It’s important to choose something that you and your kids can easily wear. Go for clothes that have easy to put on features like clothes with zippers and snaps.
Cost-Effective
You don’t necessarily have to choose the most expensive set of clothes, but keep in mind that high quality clothing lasts longer and may be the best option.
To make the most out of your purchase, buy your kids hiking clothes with extra features that your kids can use to hold on to gear or that can be used for other outdoor activities or are expandable.
You can also buy clothes that are slightly larger than your kids’ size that way you don’t have to buy new ones very often.
Fit
The fit of the clothes is also important because you don’t want to put them on very large or small-sized clothes that they might be very uncomfortable with. These can also be dangerous because they might trip wearing extra-long pants or get snagged on a tree branch because of loose clothing.
What Should Kids Wear For Hiking?
Mixing and matching clothes to match the weather is a great idea especially during outdoor activities such as hiking wherein you can only bring limited sets of clothes for the kids.
Basic layering comes in three parts:
- Base Layer: The layer closest to the skin should wick away moisture, be lightweight, and fast drying.
- Middle Layer: These are the warm layers, retaining body heat so your kids won’t get cold easily.
- The outer layer: This layer serves as a protection against wind, rain, or snow. It should be made of materials that are waterproof, lightweight, durable, and breathable.
During Cold Weather Choose:
- Polyester or wool undergarment
- Fleece pants or jackets
- Waterproof and breathable jackets
For Rainy Weather Choose:
- Lightweight polyester or wool undergarments
- Fleece and/or waterproof jackets
For Summer Weather Choose:
- Synthetic or merino wool underwear
- Quick-drying shirt and pants/shorts
- Lightweight wind jacket
Bringing kids when hiking is one memorable and exciting experience, but it’s not one without challenges. Getting them ready with the proper hiking clothes is one way to make the journey more safe and comfortable for the both of you.
Best Kids Hiking Clothes
The Active Kids Convertible Pants are made of cotton and polyester which are soft and breathable. Perfect for outdoor activities like hiking or camping in the woods. It comes with a snap button closure, and clever zip at the knees make these trousers convertible, you can wear them as trousers or shorts.
Pros
- Breathable
- lightweight
- Dual purpose( can be worn as pants or shorts)
- Shrink & Fade Resistant
- Quick Drying
Cons
- Some reviewers have issues on closure button snapping off on first use.
This hiking pants for kids is made of 94% Polyester, and 6% Spandex. With zipper closure and adjustable Elastic waisted pants. It comes in different colors and can be worn as a casual wear but also great as for outdoor activities like skiing, snowboarding, hiking, mountaineering, camping etc.
Pros- Breathable
- lightweight
- Comfortable
- Waterproof and windproof surface layer
- Has a lot of pockets
- Easy to wash and machine washable
- stylish
- fleece lining keep you warm in cold weather
- Wear resistant and scratch resistant
- Some reviewers commented about inconsistent and wrong sizing of the pants.
It is constructed with a mix of Cotton, Nylon and other materials. Stretch performance fabric with Moisture Sensing/Quick time/Two-way air circulation. It has a zipper closure and multipurpose pockets for some tools and gears.
Pros- Convertible
- Adjustable waist band
- It has a lot of pockets
- Zip off legs allow for easy conversion of trousers to shorts
- Quick Drying
- Some reviewers commented that its not as durable as advertised
Made of 100% cotton making it extremely comfortable to wear for your kids. Easy to wear with a pull on style with elasticized waist and inner adjustable waist tabs for a custom fit.
Pros- Comfortable
- Easy to wear
- Easy to clean and wash
- Durable
- Accurate Sizing
- The Adjustable band inside waist helps especially for kids with thinner built
It made from 100% polyester MTR filament fleece for ultimate warmth during hiking. This best selling jacket for girls has collared neck with zippered closure and two side zippered security pockets.
Pros- Comfortable and soft fabric
- Fleece material offers optimum warmth on cold days
- Machine wash
- lightweight
- Multiple colors to choose from
- It can also fit for small sized adults
- There are Very few customer reviews commenting about getting the wrong size
This is the perfect rain jackets for both girls and boys. Its shell is made of 100% Polyester with a lining of 100% Fleece. It is designed with a fluorescent strip round pockets to provide a safe signal on low light environment or at night. It has a detachable hood so you can use it as a regular jacket.
Pros- Comfortable
- Waterproof
- Windproof
- lightweight
- Stylish
- Detachable hood
- The fluorescent strip design increases visibility
- Durable
- Some reviewer noted about faulty zippers
It is made using waterproof Hydroplus 100% nylon shell durable enough to withstand anything from drizzle to downpour at a moment's notice. Inner lining is made of fleece for extra warmth on colder weather. It has elastic details and a zippered closure as well.
Pros- Waterproof
- lightweight
- Fleece lining adds warmth on cold days
- Reflective detailing for increased visibility
- Snug fit
- Colorful selection
Made of 100% Polyester and is crafted of deep soft filament fleece to keep your little one warm. It comes with a collared neck and zippered closure for a snug fit.
Pros- Soft Fabric
- Tall collar keep necks cozy warm
- Zip hand pockets provide secure storage
- Comes in different colors and design for your kids to choose from
- Fleece material provides warmth
- Great quality
- Minor issues like slightly tight zippers
CQR Outdoor Sun Shirts is constructed for all outdoor or sports activities so its also a great hiking clothes for the kids. It has built-in UPF 50+ protection which means that its great in shielding your kids against harmful UV rays from the sun.
Pros- Lightweight
- UV protection
- Moisture sensing
- Quick drying
- Two-way air circulation
- Made of durable high-density fabric that protects against rashes and abrasions
- Non-chaffing Flatlock seamlines
- Anti-odor fabric
This is a shirt is perfect for your active kids who love the outdoors. Made of 90% Polyester and 10% Elastane, it features contrast stitching at hem and sleeve cuff.
Pros- Lightweight
- Quick Drying
- Soft on the skin
- breathable
- Durable
- Easy to wash
- Some kids doesn't like the feeling of hems on the skin
Made for ultimate protection with its UPF 50+ feature, it is able to block more than 97% of the sun's harmful UV radiation. Great for a day of fishing, hiking and any other of your child's favorite outdoor activity.
Pros
- UPF 50+ Protection from UV rays
- No zinc or chemicals are added to the fabric
- lightweight
- breathable
- Quick drying
- Soft fabric
- Zero to minimum skin irritation
Cons
- Some customer commented that its not true to its size
This cute and protective hat is designed to fit toddlers to kids and children with a head circumferences of 19-21 inches. It has an elastic buckle behind the kid's hat adjusts the head circumference of the hat, making it the most comfortable size. It also has a clever ponytail hole design so you little girls can wear them even with a pony tail.
It has a wide brim length is 2.16 inches for excellent sun protection. The children's sun hat fabric is soft, durable, lightweight, waterproof, quick-drying and comfortable.
Made of soft and breathable polyester with UPF 50+ protection that blocks 98% of UV Rays. Has a 6.5cm foldable floppy brim will help shield your kids skin and offers extra protection. It is perfect for kids ages 2-6 y/o.The mesh side vents provides for superior airflow and internal moisture wicking sweatband for comfortable fit
Built for kids for the long haul. Darn Tough's Hiker Jr. is trail ready and tough to the core. It has Undetectable seam fusion for an ultrasmooth, invisible feel. It quickly pulls moisture away from skin and is fast drying.Its no slipping, no bunching, and no blisters performance fit makes it a good choice for hiking.
The Kids will surely enjoy wearing this adjustable neck gaiter bandanas during your hiking trips. It comes in fun and cute designs that your kids will surely love.
It Adds extra protection against the sun's UV rays and provides added warmth on windy and cold days.
Fun & Cool Hiking Clothes
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Aside from hiking clothes, hydration is extremely important when it comes to hiking with kids. Get them one of these kids hydration packs so they have easy access to water even while on the move.
Make your kids hiking trip one for the books with these simple activities that will make hiking fun for the kids.