Best Hiking Backpack For Kids
Best Hiking Backpack For Kids, ranked from aggregated owner ratings and reviews, not first-hand testing. Real pros, cons, and who each pick is best for.
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In plain English
A kids' hiking backpack is a small, light backpack sized for a child's back. Young children usually carry water, a snack and a jacket, while a grown-up carries the heavier things like extra water and the first-aid kit.
The biggest rule is keeping the pack light. A child's body is still growing, and a heavy bag tires them out and makes the hike less fun. Doctors' groups give a simple guide: the backpack should weigh only a small share of the child's own weight. For a 50-pound child, that means a few pounds at most.
Fit matters too. The pack should sit in the middle of the back, not sag down to the bottom, with both shoulder straps on. A small chest strap keeps the straps from sliding off narrow shoulders. And a whistle clipped to the strap gives a child a way to call for help.
Our Top 3 Picks
Quick Comparison
| Shell | Extras | Buy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IVYGREEN Small Kids Hiking Backpack for Camping or Short TripTop Overall Pick | 14–18 L | 10 oz | Polyester | — | View |
| 2 | Nepest Kids Hydration Backpack with 1.5L Water Bladder for CyclingBest Value | 5 L | 26 oz | — | Hydration | View |
| 3 | Osprey Jet 28L Kid's Hiking BackpackBest Ultralight | 5–28 L | 21 oz | — | Hydration | View |
| 4 | Ivygreen Kids Hydration Backpack for HikingBest Hydration Pack | 5–8 L | 15 oz | — | Hydration | View |
Choosing a kids' hiking backpack comes down to matching torso length and load capacity to what the child can comfortably carry, not to liter size or character branding alone.
What size backpack does my child need for hiking?
Most young kids need a small daypack, sized by measuring torso length from the C7 vertebra to the iliac crest rather than by age, height or shoe size. Deuter advises that preschoolers carry no more than about 2 pounds and elementary-school kids up to about 7 pounds, so a small pack holding little more than water and a comfort item is enough for the youngest, while an older child carrying a real share of the ten essentials needs a little more room.
What features matter most on a kids' hiking backpack?
The features that matter most are a light overall pack weight, buckles and zippers a child can operate independently, a chest strap to keep shoulder straps in place during scrambling, and a hydration sleeve if the child will carry a reservoir. A structured hipbelt matters less on a young kid's daypack than on an adult pack, since loads stay light enough that the shoulders can reasonably carry most of the weight.
- Pack weight: as light as possible empty, since every added ounce competes directly with the child's own load allowance
- Closures: buckles and zipper pulls sized and shaped for smaller hands
- Chest strap: keeps shoulder straps from sliding off narrow shoulders during scrambling or stream crossings
- Hydration compatibility: a reservoir sleeve and drink-tube port for kids old enough to manage a bite valve
- Reflective trim or a whistle: small safety features that don't affect fit but add visibility and a way to signal if separated from the group
Daypack or hydration vest for young kids?
A simple daypack suits most young hikers carrying only water, a snack and a layer, while a hydration vest — a minimal harness built around a reservoir with little to no storage — suits very young kids who need almost nothing else on their back. Vests weigh less and interfere less with arm movement, but they can't hold a rain shell, first-aid kit or extra layers the way even a small daypack can.
How much should a kids' hiking backpack weigh empty?
A kids' daypack should weigh as little as possible empty, since a heavy empty pack eats directly into a young child's already-limited safe load. Frameless or minimally framed construction is standard at this size for that reason, unlike adult daypacks where a frame is often worth the added weight for comfort.
What safety features should a kids' pack have?
Useful safety features on a kids' pack include reflective trim for visibility on shaded trail or near roads, a whistle built into the sternum-strap buckle for signaling if separated from the group, and a chest strap that keeps the pack secure during scrambling or creek crossings. None of these substitute for supervision, but they're reasonable, low-cost additions worth checking for when comparing packs.
Honest trade-offs when choosing a kids' pack
The honest trade-off is between a pack a child will actually want to wear — often driven by color or character branding — and one built with the lighter weight and better-fitted suspension that makes hiking comfortable. The best outcome usually comes from narrowing choices to packs that fit correctly and weigh little, then letting the child pick among those rather than starting from appearance and hoping the fit works out.
Full Ranking, Reviewed
Best for Kids' Hiking backpacks
- 14–18 L capacity
- Polyester shell
- 10 oz empty
- Made of water-resistant polyester fabric
- Low carry weight pays off on big-mileage days
- Reflective accents add visibility in low light
- At 14–18 L it is best kept to shorter outings — it fills up once you add layers, lunch and water for a full day.
- The fabric is water-resistant rather than fully waterproof, so a pack liner helps in sustained rain.
Verdict: This 14–18 L daypack keeps things refreshingly simple, making it a strong choice for Kids' Hiking Backpacks.
Best for Kids' Hiking backpacks
- 5 L capacity
- 26 oz empty
- Hydration-ready
- Mini Hydration Backpack
- Set up to carry a reservoir for hands-free sipping
- Ventilated back panel cuts sweat on long climbs
- The 5 L capacity is snug for anything beyond a half-day on the trail.
Verdict: This 5 L hydration pack pairs a breathable back with room for a bladder, making it an easy shortlist pick for Kids' Hiking Backpacks.
Best for Kids' Hiking backpacks
- 5–28 L capacity
- 21 oz empty
- Hydration-ready
- Hydration Compatible
- Routes a hydration bladder and hose without fuss
- Breathable mesh back keeps air moving against your spine
- Check the size and colour options on the live listing, as availability shifts.
Verdict: This 5–28 L hiking pack pairs a breathable back with room for a bladder, making it well worth a look for Kids' Hiking Backpacks.
Best for Kids' Hiking backpacks
- 5–8 L capacity
- 15 oz empty
- Hydration-ready
- Small size
- Hydration sleeve keeps water within easy reach
- Low carry weight pays off on big-mileage days
- At 5–8 L it is best kept to shorter outings — it fills up once you add layers, lunch and water for a full day.
Verdict: This 5–8 L hydration pack offers room for a bladder, making it an easy shortlist pick for Kids' Hiking Backpacks.
How much weight a child should carry: the guidance disagrees
The page mentions hipbelts becoming useful near 15 to 20% of body weight. It helps to know where each number comes from. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that a child's backpack weigh no more than 15% of body weight.1 Nemours KidsHealth gives a range of 10 to 20%.2 A 2022 research review goes lower, saying children's total load should not exceed 10% of body mass,3 and the UK National Back Pain Association concluded in 1997 that students should carry no more than 10%.4
The authors of one study on students suggested even a 20% upper bound may be too high for younger children.5 So 15 to 20% sits at or above the AAP's limit, and a cautious parent can treat 10 to 15% as the working target. Most of this research looks at school bags carried daily, not trail packs, and the evidence is mixed: one study of 8 to 10 year olds found no significant link between backpack weight and pressure pain threshold.6
Deuter gives absolute limits instead of percentages: no more than 1 kg for preschoolers, up to 3 kg for elementary-school kids, and 4 to 5 kg for under-12s.7
Water, capacity and what the adult carries
Water dominates a small pack's weight. A liter weighs about 1 kilogram, or about 2.2 pounds.8 A 1.5-liter reservoir alone is half of Deuter's 3 kg guide for an elementary-school child, before snacks and a jacket. Letting the child carry a small bottle while an adult carries the refill keeps the child's load within those guidelines.
Deuter's capacity guidance is broader than the page's: very small packs of no more than 5 liters for ages 1 to 3, 11 to 22 liters for school-aged kids, and 30 liters or more for kids 8 and up depending on height.7 A bigger pack is not a reason to fill it, though. Nemours advises that a child's pack rest in the middle of the back and not sag to the buttocks,2 and the AAP says children should use both shoulder straps, since carrying on one shoulder can strain muscles.1
Teaching a child what the whistle is for
A whistle on the sternum strap only helps if the child knows the plan. The National Park Service advises that a lost person stay put unless there is an immediate threat to life, because moving makes it harder to be found, and notes that a whistle helps rescuers find you and saves energy compared with yelling.9 The Park Service also says bright clothing makes you easier for search and rescue to see,10 which is a practical reason to choose a brightly colored pack.
In mountain lion country, the Park Service advises keeping children close, especially at dawn or dusk.11 Pack features never replace supervision, but a whistle, bright colors and a practiced plan give a child real tools if they get separated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size hiking backpack does a 6-year-old need?
Most 6-year-olds fit a small kids' daypack, sized to torso length rather than age. At that age the pack typically holds water and a comfort item more than real trail gear, so weight and comfort matter more than storage capacity.
Do kids' hiking backpacks need a hipbelt?
Not usually — young kids' loads stay light enough that the shoulders can carry the weight comfortably without a structured hipbelt. A hipbelt becomes more useful once a child is carrying a heavier load, which typically happens in the pre-teen to teen years.
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