Testing Everything Takes time
While we test gear in the field for these categories, check out some of our favorite guides below!
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Kelty Wireless 6 — Family Camping Tent Review
Our backyard tent, and the one the kids are allowed to wear out. It pitches fast and costs about half what premium tents do. Just keep it to fair weather.
NEMO Aurora Highrise 6 — Family Camping Tent Review
It stayed pitched in sandy soil through a desert river thunderstorm, and the family in it had never camped in wind like that. The catch: getting it back in the bag.
The North Face Wawona 6 — Family Camping Tent Review
A front porch with a tent attached. The Wawona 6 swallowed our bikes, chairs, and toys during a rainstorm. Just practice the setup at home before your first trip.
How to Hike With a Toddler and Actually Enjoy It
A toddler’s version of hiking is not a smaller version of your hike. It’s a different activity that happens to use the same trail. Here’s how to plan for the one you’re actually going to get.
How to Dress Kids for Snow and Cold Weather: A Layering Guide
A kid melting down outside in the cold is almost never a tolerance problem. It’s a layering problem. Here’s the system that actually keeps them warm, dry, and willing to stay outside.
6 Things We Love That Make Car Camping With Kids Straight Bougie
Six things that make car camping with kids feel less like survival and more like glamping: a kids’ picnic table, a durable light-up vest, a sand-free mat, the ultimate cuddle chair, an anywhere-hammock setup, and waterproof solar string lights.
Best Hiking Shoes and Boots for Kids 2026
We tested six kids’ hiking shoes on lava, slickrock, and lakeshores across five states. The Salomon XA Pro V8 Waterproof won, the Salomon Speedcross is the one our tester actually reaches for, and the $60 KEEN Newport H2 outlasted everything.
Salomon XA Pro V8 Waterproof — Kids’ Hiking Shoe Review
A five-year-old hiked all of Delicate Arch in these and never once said his feet were hot. They’re waterproof, grippy, and our top pick. The toe box is the catch.
Salomon Speedcross — Kids’ Hiking Shoe Review
The shoe our five-year-old reaches for every single morning. Light, grippy, and he can put it on himself. Just don’t make it the only pair.
KEEN Newport H2 — Kids’ Sandal Review
Seven months, a water park, the Painted Hills, and one very hard-on-shoes five-year-old. They still look close to new after a wash. Just keep the hikes short.
KEEN Targhee IV Low Waterproof — Kids’ Hiking Shoe Review
We told him not to walk into the water in these. He walked into the water. His feet stayed dry. The most protective low shoe we tested, with one stiff trade-off.
The North Face Fastpack II Mid Waterproof – Kids’ Hiking Boot Review
They look like moon boots. That turned out to be perfect at Craters of the Moon. The most protective boot we tested, and the heaviest.
