What I Packed for a 4 Day Multi-Day Hike With a Toddler

When you’re multi-day hiking with kids, packing suddenly becomes a very different game.

You’re not just thinking about your own clothes, food and hiking gear. You’re thinking about nappies, toddler clothes, sleep setups, entertainment, snacks and ALL the different weather scenarios.

In June, we completed the Thorsborne Trail on Hinchinbrook Island over four days and three nights with my toddler.

I carried my toddler in an Osprey Poco Plus carrier, along with some of our gear, while my friend carried the rest. Our packs were 25kgs (including my toddler) and 22kgs.

What I packed for my toddler

We took:

• Osprey Poco Plus child carrier + raincover

• Two sets of daytime clothes

• CAPE zip-off hiking pants and shorts from Anaconda

• Kathmandu long-sleeved top for sleeping

• Sleep sack

• Fleece from Kmart

• Mountain Warehouse rain jacket

• Crocs

• Socks

• Hat

• Nappies (she only uses them at nighttime so I packed one per night + one extra one)

• Wipes

• Dog poo bags for carrying out dirty nappies

• Kids' digital camera

Our Osprey Poco carrier

The Osprey Poco Plus carrier was probably the most important piece of toddler gear we took. My toddler didn't walk much of the Thorsborne Trail, so she spent our hiking days riding in the carrier. That meant I had to think about her comfort as well as mine, particularly when we were hiking for hours at a time.

She was surprisingly happy to get back into the carrier each morning and napped every day while we were walking. Of course, carrying a toddler also makes your pack VERY heavy.

This is something I'd seriously consider when planning any multi-day hiking with toddlers. It's not just about whether your toddler will tolerate the carrier. You need to be comfortable carrying that weight over rough terrain, too.

Toddler clothing

We kept her clothing fairly simple. She had two sets of daytime clothes, including zip-off hiking pants that could be converted into shorts.

For colder weather we had a fleece and rain jacket, while her sleep setup included a long-sleeved Kathmandu top and sleep sack.

The Thorsborne Trail gave us rain, sunshine, humidity and cooler nights, so having layers worked really well. Her Crocs were another easy addition. They're lightweight, easy to put on around camp and can get wet without it becoming a drama.

The toddler item I'd definitely pack again

One of my favourite things we packed wasn't really hiking gear at all. Her little digital camera. She loved taking photos along the trail, particularly of the orange trail markers.

It gave her something to do while she was sitting in the carrier and the photos she captured from the trip are SO cute.

And next time? I'd bring more lollipops. They keep her busy for up to 2 hours and I could have really done with some more entertainment on those long days in the backpack.

What I packed for myself

Once the toddler was sorted, I had to somehow fit my own stuff in too. For four days on the Thorsborne Trail, I kept my clothing fairly minimal.

I packed:

• Zorali merino T-shirt

• Running shorts

• Icebreaker merino long-sleeved top for sleeping

• The North Face hiking leggings

• Gore-Tex rain jacket from MEC Canada

• Zorali Camp Fleece (ended up being my pillow because mine got a hole in it)

• Teva sandals for camp

• Altra Lone Peak trail runners

• Two pairs of socks

• Bikini

My hiking clothes

Merino was a big part of my clothing setup because it can be worn repeatedly without getting too gross. And yes, when you're hiking for four days, wearing the same clothes repeatedly is very much part of the experience.

My Altra Lone Peak trail runners were another choice I was really happy with. There are plenty of creek crossings on the Thorsborne Trail and we regularly had wet feet.

Instead of spending my day desperately trying to keep hiking boots dry, I could walk straight through the water and let my trail runners dry as we continued.

My toiletries and medical supplies

I kept toiletries fairly minimal too:

• Toothbrush and toothpaste

• Good Riddance mosquito repellent and anti-itch cream (the mozzies and sand flies are no joke on the island)

• Children's paracetamol

• Children's antihistamine (both in glass bottles with syringes, they are heavy but necessary)

• Moisturiser

• Sunscreen

At some campsites, the mosquitoes were so annoying that we ended up retreating into our tents ridiculously early just to escape them.

Our camping and hiking gear

Our camping and hiking gear included:

• MSR Hubba Hubba 2-person tent

• Summer sleeping bag (borrowed from my Dad)

• Alton sleeping mat for my toddler  (borrowed from my Dad)

• Klymit sleeping mat

• Survival Hiking First Aid Kit

• Inflatable pillow (that had a hole so I used my fleece instead)

• MSR 1-person stove

• Mug

• Sea to Summit cup for my toddler, she also used it as her bowl

• Snow Peak titanium spork

• Headlamp

• Battery pack

• Mosquito coils

• Garmin inReach

• Towel

• Kula Cloth

• One hiking pole

Our sleep setup

We used an MSR Hubba Hubba two-person tent, which gave my toddler and me our little home for the three nights. For sleeping, my toddler had an Alton sleeping mat while I used a Klymit mat.

She absolutely loved tent life. After a full day on the trail, she'd often be asking to get into bed by around 7pm. Turns out exhausting your toddler by carrying them around all day is apparently possible.

Safety gear for hiking with a toddler

Safety was something I thought about a lot when planning this trip. The Thorsborne Trail is remote, so we carried a Garmin inReach as our satellite communication device.

We also carried a hiking first aid kit and medications for my toddler. Taking a toddler into a remote environment meant I wanted to feel confident that we had ways to deal with minor injuries and illness, and a way to communicate if something more serious happened.

What did our packs weigh?

This is where backpacking with a toddler gets interesting.

At the beginning of the Thorsborne Trail, my pack weighed around 25kg including my toddler.

My friend Alana's bag weighed around 22kg, because she was carrying a large amount of our gear. Including our tent, food and clothes bag.

We definitely felt how heavy our bags were, every morning our backs would be unhappy with us but they would soon warm up.

The rough terrain of the Thorsborne Trail also meant we moved much slower than we normally would on a hike. Rocks, roots, scrambling, creek crossings and swampy sections all take extra time when you're carrying that much weight. This is something I'd factor into any future multi-day hiking with kids. Distance alone doesn't tell you how difficult your day will be. Terrain, elevation, pack weight, weather and how your toddler is coping can completely change your pace.

Would I go backpacking with a toddler again?

Of course! Completing the Thorsborne Trail on Hinchinbrook Island with my toddler showed me that multi-day hiking after becoming a parent is possible.

It just looks a little different. The packs are heavier. Alot more bribery is required. Your hiking pace is slower. And apparently a digital camera and a packet of lollies can be just as important as some of your fancy hiking gear.

But that's all part of the adventure.

If you're thinking about multi-day hiking with toddlers, start small, work out what works for your family and build from there.

And if you want to read what actually happened when we took all of this gear into the wilderness, check out the full blog of Hiking the Thorsborne Trail with a toddler on Hinchinbrook Island.