When you’re shopping for hiking clothes, especially for your kids, it’s important to think about which materials are best.
The best materials to wear hiking are synthetics like polyester or nylon and natural materials like wool and bamboo. These materials are moisture-wicking and will keep your kids dry and warm. During hot-weather hikes, cotton or synthetics can both work well.
There’s a lot to know about the different fabrics and materials you can use for hiking clothes, so keep reading!
How to Choose Hiking Clothes for Your Kids
When you are choosing hiking clothes for your kids, you need to consider several things
- The weather (temperature and conditions)
- The terrain
- How long and strenuous your hike will be
- The ages and abilities of your kids
- The expense of clothes
We have covered how to choose hiking clothes extensively in other articles, including how to dress your kids to hike in the cold, how to dress your kids to hike in the summer, and how to dress your baby for hiking. In this article, I am going to cover the various materials used to make hiking clothes, and which ones we prefer.
Joshua Tree National Park, California.
Features to Look for in Your Kid’s Hiking Clothes
When choosing hiking clothes, you will want to choose materials that have certain features. These features will guide you in selecting the best clothes and will help ensure that your money is well spent. Here are some of the things to look for:
- Moisture-wicking
- Lightweight and breathable
- Durability
- Snag-resistance
- Cooling or insulating properties (depending on the season)
Why Synthetics are Recommended
Synthetics are recommended as an ideal material for hiking clothes for their durabilty and moisture-wicking properties. They also aren’t absorbent, so they won’t get heavy and damp when your kids are hiking in hot or rainy weather. Because of the variety of materials that can be made from synthetics, they can be thick and fluffy, thin and breezy, and anywhere in between. Fleece is a synthetic fabric ideal for an insulating layer in winter, while cooling shirts designed for summer wear are also made of synthetics.
When (and When Not) to Wear Cotton While Hiking
Cotton is a staple in the closets of most Western countries. Cotton is cheap to make, comfortable, and lightweight. T-shirts, jeans, knit leggings, socks, and many other clothes are all made of cotton. While cotton has some advantages, it’s not ideal in many outdoor situations.
Cotton is incredibly absorbent, which means it isn’t a good fabric to use in situations where your child could get cold. Cotton absorbs moisture from the environment and from sweat and holds it close to the skin. During cold weather, this is uncomfortable and even dangerous as it can contribute to chilling and hypothermia.
On the other hand, cotton can be a great fabric in conditions that are hot and dry. Cotton absorbs moisture and holds onto it, allowing it to slowly evaporate. This evaporation is cooling to the skin and can help your kids stay cool in hot, dry areas like deserts and the western mountains of the US. It’s also fine when temperatures are moderate and comfortable.
What’s the Big Deal About Wool (Why it Might be the Perfect Hiking Material)
Wool is amazing as a material for outdoor clothes. Wool is water-resistant, and even when it does get wet it tends to be warm instead of cold like cotton. It has moisture-wicking properties like polyester while being breathable and insulating. Depending on the heaviness and thickness of the material, it’s suitable for many different temperatures and weather situations.
Historically, wool was one of the best materials to use in cold or wet weather, and it’s still great for that. However, today wool is better than ever because it’s less itchy and can be used for fine fabrics that aren’t heavy or hot. Merino wool is an excellent, high-quality fabric that can be made into lightweight sweaters, socks, and thermals.
The biggest disadvantage of wool is its cost. Wool tends to be expensive, but the quality and benefits are undeniable. For this reason, many people use wool for a few important garments and use cheaper synthetics for the rest of their clothes. Favorite uses for wool include socks, hats, and thermal layers. Sweaters and insulating layers are also great uses for wool.
Other Ideal Material Options
There are other, more unusual material options for hiking clothes as well. You might have a harder time finding clothes made of these materials, but many of them are just as good or better than the more common materials, and many are also more sustainable.
- Bamboo: Bamboo fiber can be used to make clothes that are breathable and sustainable.
- Wood cellulose: Clothes made from wood cellulose are supposed to be breathable, moisture-wicking, and comfortable.
- Hemp: Clothes can also be made from hemp fibers. Hemp clothes are more breathable and durable than those made from bamboo.
- Alpaca wool: This wool is similar to sheep wool, but clothes made from alpaca wool are warmer and softer.
What Our Kids Wear on Day Hikes
Our kids wear simple play clothes clothes for most of our hikes. Like most families, we don’t do many long, strenuous hikes or backpacking trips. Our hikes are usually medium-length day hikes around 4-5 miles in length, and we usually hike in good weather- not too hot, not too cold, and not too wet. Just right. This allows us to wear fabrics like cotton on most of our hikes.
We tend to wear clothes we already have when we’re hiking. That means our kids hike in jeans, leggings, or long pants, regular tennis shoes or sneakers, and shirts or sweaters depending on the weather. We have found that in the conditions we usually go hiking in we don’t need to worry much about the materials our clothes are made of.
If your family is similar to mine, and you tend to choose medium or short trails and hike in nice weather, you probably won’t need to go out and spend a lot of money on hiking clothes. Instead, focus on using the clothes you already have and save your money for a few more important items- wool socks, hiking boots, and a warm jacket, for example.
Here are more ideas on how to save money while hiking.
Read more about dressing your kids for hiking:
Trail Ready Kids: How to Dress for a Day Hike
How to Dress Your Baby or Toddler for a Hike
Do Kids Need Hiking Boots? Five Ways to Decide
Hiking With Kids: Can They Wear Jeans?