How to dress your kids for a day hike

The plan was a one hour loop. Three hours later, you're sitting on a rock, one kid is inspecting a beetle with total commitment, another one has found the best stick in the world, and the view is far too good to leave. 

This is the secret of hiking with kids: the walk is never really the point. It's the detours, the snack stops, the "what's over there?" And the best way to say yes to all of it is to start the day dressed for it. 

Start with the sun 

In Australia and New Zealand, a day hike often means spending hours under strong UV exposure. Even if the forecast looks mild, sun protection needs to be part of every outdoor adventure. 

While sunscreen remains essential for exposed skin, UPF clothing provides protection across covered areas throughout the day. 

Kathmandu's UPF 50+ sun protection clothing is designed to block 98.2% of harmful UVA and UVB rays, giving kids reliable protection while they explore.

Top: long sleeves and a hood. The Kids' SUN-Stopper LT Hoodie is made for exactly this. It's lightweight, stretchy and breathable and the hood gives adjustable cover for the back of the neck when the sun is high. It's also quick to dry, which helps when the creek crossing turns into a paddle.

Bottom: cover the legs, keep options open. Kids run hot, then cold, then hot again. Kids' EVRY-Day Convertible Pants are UPF 50+ pants that zip off into shorts, so you can adjust on the go without a change of clothes. Zip them off for a warm climb, zip them on for the shady, scratchy bit through the scrub. Hiking pants also earn their keep against ferns, gorse and scraped knees.

The EVRY-Day Kids Sun Hat gives UPF 50+ protection through its wide brim and also has a toggle to secure to a little head. It's foldable, so easy to pack away when the weather changes.

Think in layers 

A day hike can span three seasons before lunch. Dress your kids in light layers they can add or shed themselves. 

•   Next to skin: a light, moisture-wicking top that dries fast.

•   Middle: a warm fleece or light puffer in the pack for rest stops, summits and the walk back in the shade. 

•   Outside: a packable rain jacket. Weather changes quickly out here, and so do moods when someone's wet. 

Don't forget the feet 

Sturdy closed shoes or trail runners with grip are the main thing. Wear them in before the big day, because a blister at kilometre two ends the adventure faster than any weather. Pack spare socks. 

Pack a little backup

•   Sunglasses (kids' eyes need cover too)

•   Sunscreen for any skin that isn't covered: face, hands, the back of the knees

•   A water bottle, plus snacks. More snacks than you think. 

•   A spare layer and a plastic bag for wet clothes 

Let the day take you further 

The best day hikes are rarely the ones that go to plan. The trail runs long, lunch stretches into the afternoon, and somebody refuses to leave the view.  

Kid's sun protection clothing – Kathmandu NZ