Buying Guide
Getting Outside With A Baby: The Gear That Made Nature Walks Actually Enjoyable
I told myself I'd never be the mom who stops hiking because of a baby. Then I almost was. Here's what saved us.
My best friend warned me: "The first year, you become a shut-in. It's fine. You'll watch all of TV." I looked at her like she had three heads. I'd hiked a 14er at 32 weeks pregnant. I was not going to be defeated by a 7-pound human.
And then my daughter was born, and I understood. Packing for a 20-minute walk took 40 minutes. The diaper bag, the snacks, the sun hat she ripped off three times, the stroller wheels that sank in mud. I was about two weeks from giving up and joining a streaming-only lifestyle when a friend forced me on a trail walk with her and her toddler. It was miserable for everyone involved. But I saw her setup — the right gear, used well — and I realized the problem wasn't the baby. It was my stuff.
Two years later, we've done 60+ hikes, a handful of backpacking trips, and my daughter naps outside like a champ. Here's the gear that actually made it happen, with real talk on each one including the prices I grumbled about at the register.
Deuter Kid Comfort Carrier
Yes, it's $319. I know. I bought one used off Facebook Marketplace for $180 after borrowing my friend's for a month — and then my husband "accidentally" bought me a new one for my birthday because I wouldn't stop talking about it. The Deuter Kid Comfort carrier is the difference between a carrier and a torture device: padded straps that actually distribute weight, a real sun shade, and it stands up on its own so you can park it at a viewpoint without falling over. We did a 5-mile hike with a 9-month-old in this. My back was fine. My pride was not — she slept the whole way.
BOB Jogging Stroller
The $449 price tag made me physically recoil, so I found a BOB jogging stroller on Craigslist for $200. If you find a used one, check the wheels and the brake, and buy it. The locking front wheel plus big air tires means the stroller rolls over roots and gravel instead of stopping dead like a lawnmower hitting a rock. My daughter has eaten entire lunches in this thing at trailheads. It's the reason I still have a social life.
iPlay Sun Hat
We went through four sun hats before this one. Every other hat got ripped off and thrown to the ground with the fury of a tiny dictator. The iPlay sun hat has a chin strap that stays put, and the neck flap means I stopped doing the "hold my hand over the sun" walk. $12, and it survived a full summer including a small bear encounter. (The hat, not the baby. Okay, the baby was wearing it, but she was fine.)
Babyganics Sunscreen
Our pediatrician told me the cheapest mineral sunscreen is fine, but we landed on Babyganics and never looked back. It's thick, so it takes an extra 30 seconds to rub in, but it doesn't make her break out and it doesn't burn her eyes when she inevitably rubs her face. Buy the little tubes — they fit in the stroller pocket.
Thermos Water Bottle
This sounds silly, but a big insulated Thermos water bottle kept me hydrated enough to actually enjoy hiking with a baby strapped to my chest. I also fill it with ice water on hot days and pour a little over her neck when she's flushed. Worth its weight in gold on a 90-degree trail.
Bug Net for the Stroller
$14, and it's the "boring" gear nobody gifts you but that you'll be desperate for in May. My daughter gets bitten like crazy — one mosquito bite turns into a golf ball on her leg — and this stroller bug net meant we could keep walking instead of turning around after ten minutes. It fits over the BOB and most strollers and folds down to grapefruit size.
How We Actually Made It Stick
The rule in our house is simple: if it's not actively pouring, we go outside for at least 30 minutes. Not for her — for me. Every mom I know who "lost herself" after a baby stopped doing the things she loved, and every one of them told me the same thing: the first month is the hardest, and then it becomes habit.
Now when I see a new mom at the park looking like she just lost a fight with a diaper bag, I hand her my sunscreen and tell her it gets easier. It really does. And the gear helps.
🛒 Where to buy: The Deuter carrier, BOB stroller, iPlay sun hat, Babyganics sunscreen, Thermos bottle, and bug net are all on Amazon with Prime shipping — links above. On a budget like I was? Check Facebook Marketplace for the carrier and stroller first; the accessories are cheap enough to buy new.