Tips for Organizing Gear on Family Hikes with Kids

HikeHarder

I’m pretty new to planning family hikes and I could use some advice on gear setups. I’m thinking about taking my spouse and two kids on our first extended hike, and I’m not quite sure how to manage everything. How do you organize your gear when hiking with kids? Do you use separate packs or a shared one for communal items? I’d love to hear what kind of gear setups have worked well for you, any must-have items for keeping the little ones comfortable, and tips for keeping the overall load light. Thanks in advance for your help!

TrailStitch

One trick that’s helped me is to have a small shared pack for communal items like snacks, extra water, and first aid, while giving each kid a lightweight personal pack with just a few essentials like a water bottle and a snack. This way, the heavy stuff stays centralized and the kids feel a bit more involved. Also, consider lightweight trekking poles to give everyone a bit more stability on uneven terrain.

WindChaser

Also consider how you distribute extra clothing and rain gear. I’ve found that pre-packing a weather-specific communal bag saves time—each person then only has to dig for what they need, and it keeps the extra weight centralized. It’s all about finding that balance between independence and shared responsibility.