This is one of the only high-quality first aid kits we have seen that was clearly designed with kids in mind. KEEP GOING's first aid kit comes with charming fabric bandages sporting bright colors and animal patterns that can help take the sting out of an injury on the trail. The kit has a tick remover tool, a finger splint, and moleskin pads, all of which can help with other common hike-related maladies. It has all the antibiotic and antiseptic wipes and creams you'd expect in any good first aid kit alongside comfort items like lip balm and stickers. And extra thoughtful items include a disposable thermometer, nosebleed plugs, and a decent little first aid guide booklet.

These are some of the most durable hiking poles we’ve ever used. Light enough to be strapped to a running pack but sturdy enough for mountaineering use on rock, snow, and ice, the Range 2.0s are a great choice when you’re not sure what the terrain will throw at you, but you are sure you want to be able to lean into it. Blended cork and foam grips provide comfort and traction even when you’re sweaty or it’s raining, and the large adjustment range makes them suitable trekking poles for an adult of just about any height.

To be clear, a full-sized adult can lean into these poles without fear they will bend or break, they just happen to be lightweight and adjustable to a short enough length to make them great trekking poles for kids. Each Cressida pole can be used when collapsed down to just under 36 inches of length and each weighs just eight ounces. Cork handles and an extended foam grip provide plenty of surface area for hands of any size, while durable carbide tips at the bottom of these hiking poles will find traction on any terrain, from snow to gravel to solid rock.

Spring hikes can start in darkness and end that way too, so the mere 2.8 ounces of gear weight this BioLite headlamp adds are well worth it. It’s a rechargeable device with a four-hour runtime on its brightest 425 lumen output mode, and an impressive 60-hour battery life at its lowest brightness setting. The primary light can be used in beam or flood settings and a red light setting, while at the back of the headband, a second red light is built into the battery pack that can help make you more visible from behind.

Small, lightweight, and easy to use, these compact kids’ headlamps are nonetheless real pieces of gear that can serve a little hiker well out on the trail, not to mention back at the campsite or in the basement during playtime. Their primary output is a 40 lumen white beam that shines out to about 30 feet, plenty for brightening the way ahead but not so blinding that the kids will ruin your night vision every time they turn their head your way. The Kidled2 can be set to a soft red light output much like mom or dad’s light, and it can also be set to a blue light that’s not entirely practical but is entirely fun.

Smaller than many of the classic multi-tools out there but with all the tools you could need in the field, the compact, 6.7-ounce Suspension NXT from Gerber is a great hiking multi-tool precisely because it’s a bit smaller and simpler than bulkier options. It features everything from a sharp knife to good scissors, a can and bottle opener to solid pliers, and much more.

Things can go wrong out there in the backwoods — preparation is the difference between said things being a situation instead of a problem. With a VSSL Ready Kit tucked into your pack, you’ll be ready to jury-rig a pack with a broken shoulder strap, saw up some wood for an impromptu campfire, and even navigate your way back to camp thanks to the built-in compass. This rugged little tube keeps cordage, cutting tools, and more close at hand.

This is our go-to bug spray for family hikes in all three buggy seasons and for three good reasons: First, it is completely kid-safe. Second, it’s odorless, which sensitive noses appreciate. Third, it can safely be reapplied multiple times a day, a benefit when you and the gang will be sweating on ever-warmer spring trails.

The need to poop while you hike, camp, or climb is traditionally one of the least pleasant parts of an outdoor adventure. When you bring a PACT Outdoors Bathroom Kit, you can have the most pleasant possible outdoor bathroom experience, though. That's because these compact kits include a little shovel to dig your latrine, wipes that come compacted into little discs that expand with a few drops of water, mycelium tablets you drop onto your waste before covering it with dirt, said tabs helping the waste rapidly biodegrade, and with hand sanitizer for when you're done. In other words, a PACT bathroom kit has everything you need to poop outdoors, all you need to do is find your way a few feet off trail.

The sun doesn’t care that it’s spring, not summer: you can easily get a burn in any season. And in fact, for every 3,000 feet of elevation you gain, the strength of UV rays increases by more than 10%. So while you may not need to constantly re-slather everyone’s arms and legs and all, you still need sunblock on sensitive spots (like necks and faces) when hiking in the spring. This SPF-50, non-greasy, light, and easily applied sunscreen is a great choice for hiking in any other season, too. And for use at the beach, of course.

This compact carabiner belongs on the belt loop or backpack of everyone who wants to be properly prepared out there, and not just because carabiners are handy for clipping supplies onto packs or gear lines. And not only because this carabiner has a little blade built into it that’s perfect for cutting cords or fishing line and such. What really sets things apart here is the fact that the Firebiner from Outdoor Element has a flint and wheel set into it that can create a shower of sparks, helping you get a fire going out there in the field.

The height of elegant simplicity (and surprising affordability), Opinel’s folding knives have been prized by generations of outdoor adventurers. And by woodworkers, fishers, cheese enthusiasts, and more. The razor sharp blade is secured in place when opened and closed thanks to a locking ring, while the smooth beechwood handle is curved for a comfortable grasp. The knife weighs just 1.5 ounces and once you get used to having it on hand, you’ll never want to be without it again.

If you’re only going to bring one water bottle on a trek, consider making it this one. That’s because this may be just one water bottle, but it’s a multi-functional piece of hardware that also features a built-in cup that screws onto the bottom and a lid with a recessed compartment that can be used to store medicine, protein powder, or a little trail snack. The cup allows for easy sharing among the family (or even an impromptu pet bowl) while the vacuum-insulated bottle itself keeps beverages cold (or warm) for hours.