The Ultimate Backcountry Packing List

Gone are the days of rushing out the door without thinking twice. You’re a parent now! And with that, comes a little more planning and a lot more packing - Especially when it comes to backcountry activities. However, do not fret! We’ve compiled a list of must-haves for your next backcountry camping and/or hut trip with your little one:

For dressing yourself:

• Sports bras

• Underwear

• Base layers

• Hiking shorts/pants (depending on the season!)

• Hiking t-shirt/long-sleeved shirt (depending on the season!)

• Hiking jacket

• Rain gear (if the forecast looks even slightly rainy!)

• Fleece pants

• Fleece sweater

• Down jacket

• Warm hat

• Sun hat

• Socks 

• Mitts

• Hiking footwear

• Comfortable footwear (i.e. sandals, hut booties)

• Bathing suit (depending on the season and destination!)

For dressing your baby:

• Shorts/pants (depending on the season!)

• T-shirts/Long-sleeved shirts (depending on the season!)

• Base layers

• Fleece layers

• Down suit/jacket

• Rain suit (if the forecast looks even slightly rainy!)

• Warm hat

• Sun hat

• Socks

• Mitts

• Hiking footwear

• Quick-drying footwear (if playing near water or if conditions are rainy)

This is a general picture of clothing worth packing for yourself and your baby. We’ll leave it to you to decide both the quantity and the types of outfits to pack, depending on the length of your trip and the weather forecast. Make sure to bring a little extra, just in case!

For sleeping:

• Sleeping bag

• Inflatable pillow

• Headlamp

• Extra batteries

• Sleep props (i.e. portable white noise machine, book, soother)

• Sleeping equipment for baby

  For tips on age-appropriate baby sleeping arrangements in the backcountry, click here.

For feeding:

1. If formula-feeding:

   • Formula

   • Bottles

   • Distilled water

   For tips on formula-feeding in the backcountry, click here.

2. If breastfeeding:

   • Yourself (of course!)

   For tips on breastfeeding in the backcountry, click here.

3. If eating solids:

   • Bib

   • Baby cup (i.e. straw cup, sippy cup) 

   • Cleaning cloth

   • Food

   For more tips on BLW-friendly meal/snack ideas on-the-go, click here.

For health/hygiene/safety:

• Baby medications (i.e. Tylenol, Advil, Benadryl)

• First aid kit

• A multi-tool

• Diapers

• Wipes

• Trash bags

• Hand sanitizer

• Sunscreen

• Bug spray

• Bear spray

• Toothbrush

• Toothpaste

• Deodorant

• Toilet paper

• Water bottle

• A satellite communication device

For camping, specifically:

• Camping cookware

• Camping dishes/cups/utensils

• Camping stove

• Propane

• Lighter

• Water filter

• Tent

• Lightweight tarp and rope

• Sleeping pad(s)

Now, I know what you’re thinking: That’s an extensive list! How the heck are you supposed to stuff all of that into your pack and carry a child? It’s a matter of partnering up, getting creative and embracing the exercise.

1. Always try to backpack with another adult, whether it be your partner, a family member or a friend. It’s way easier to carry the load if you divvy up the big ticket items (i.e. tent, cookware, food).

2. Load up what you can into your backpacking pack and/or hard-structured child carrier, and use a smaller pack for the rest. You can try creatively attaching the smaller pack to your bigger one (making sure it fits snug and doesn’t dangle!), or you can carry it on your front. Chesa highly recommends the latter, as it’s what worked for her family backpacking trip to Laughing Falls in Yoho National Park.

3. No matter what, the weight will be heavier… So just accept the fact that you’ll get a killer workout and come out jacked on the other side. There’s truly no one stronger than a mama!