The Best Hiking and Camping Gear for Moms

If you’ve been following our family for a while, you know that hiking together is one of our favorite ways to see what nature has to offer. When COVID-19 hit, we decided to make hiking our primary escape from quarantine too.

Given how much I’m on the trails, I wanted to share some of my favorite hiking gear. Each of the items listed below has been worn by me this past year. We aren’t sponsored by any of these companies, although we’d love to be. These items are the gear I use every single day, and I use it a lot! Side note: I’m big on durability, washability and function (waterproof, etc.). Bonus if it looks cute too!

Photo Credit: Radianthem Media

On my feet

I have two pairs of shoes I wear almost every day when we’re camping and hiking. I wear my waterproof Keen hiking shoes and my Topo Trail Running shoes. My kids get up pretty early, and I can’t stand when my shoes are wet all day because we hiked through some dewy grass. So I usually lace up my waterproof hikers first thing. We’re also training for an aquablaze race next spring, and my Topo trail runners are so perfect because they have a 3mm drop and wide toe box. If that means nothing to you, just know that they are super comfortable. I do add an insole to support my flat feet.

Cute and comfortable, yes, please

I own quite a few pairs of hiking shorts, capris and pants, but nothing beats my Columbia brand gear (and one other pair of pants I’ll share).

I own three pairs of these short, and I wear them on and off the trail. They are slightly stretchy, water resistant and so comfortable.

I’ve been hiking, rappelling and rock scrambling in these capris, and I’m totally in love! I’m going to get a second pair next spring.

I have two pairs of winter hiking pants, one unlined that I wear with another layer, and one lined for those cold winter hikes. The Free Soldier pants are quick dry and have a nice belt for when you need it.

My true winter hiking pants are from Arctix and they are rated for -20 degrees Fahrenheit. They keep me warm and toasty no matter the weather.

For shirts, I’m all over the map. I usually hike in a sweatshirt with a t-shirt underneath to remove a layer if I get hot.

On my back

I hike (and go to the grocery store) with a backpack. It leaves my hands free for my three Littles. We also hike with a hydration pack and tons of snacks.

I don’t use a traditional hiking backpack because my husband’s old laptop bag is perfect for us. It has lots of pockets for all of our stuff, and it is really comfortable when it is full and heavy.

Originally, we used individual water bottles when we hiked, but that got heavy, annoying and we usually ran out of water on a long hike. Now, we hike with a hydration pack. It is a game changer.

We never leave home without a ton of snacks. I couldn’t justify all of the single-use plastic bags we were using. We switched to Ziparoos reusable bags and never looked back. These bags are durable and a fraction of the price of other brands I’ve found (free shipping too!). Also, I love supporting this mom-owned small business close to where we live.

I usually throw in my portable charger just in case. I’m always worried we’ll get stuck on a trail with a dead phone battery.

I think that covers what we bring with us. Let me know if you have any questions about any of our gear or anything I missed.

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