The 5 Best Hiking Backpacks for Kids in 2026, by Age and Trip

Our verdict

Our Top Picks

We chose 5 hiking backpacks a child wears that were in stock on Amazon US on November 12, 2026, none priced above its maker’s own list price: a 5-liter toddler pack, a hydration pack, two 18-liter day packs and a 40-liter overnight pack. Most pages ranking for this search mean packs a child wears; a few mean child carriers, which an adult wears with the child inside, and those are not covered here.

Compare the picks

Compare the 5 Kids’ Hiking Backpacks

From maker pages and Amazon US listings, November 12, 2026. “Not confirmed”: Osprey’s site refused our requests. “None given”: the maker lists no figure or feature.

How We Chose These Five Packs

What we required

• A pack the child wears, sold new and in stock on Amazon US, with an item price not above the maker’s own list price for the same color.
• Fit data in the maker’s words: age, back length and body height where the maker gives them, quoted rather than estimated.
• Hiking features in the maker’s or listing’s words: sternum strap, hip belt, hydration, reflective details.

Sources and what we left out and what parents said on r/Ultralight

Sources and what we left out

Osprey’s website refused our requests, so its Jet 18 details come from Osprey’s Amazon listing and the text Google shows for Osprey’s pages. We dropped the Osprey HydraJet 12 because we could not find Osprey’s price for the linked color, and the Osprey Ace 38 because the Fox 40 fills the overnight role with a maker page we could read. For school-day packs, see our kids’ backpack guide.

What parents said on r/Ultralight

In an r/Ultralight thread started March 7, 2026, a parent asked for a pack for an 8-year-old. Replies named Deuter’s Junior, Climber and Fox, Osprey’s Jet and Ace, and Decathlon packs; we quote them below.

Detailed Reviews

Osprey Jet 18, Top Pick

Evidence: Independently reviewed, previous generation. Tales of a Mountain Mama: Jet 18, 2020 version.

Osprey’s Amazon listing, sold by Amazon.com, describes “a wide, easy-access opening, a ventilated AirScape backpanel and popular exterior stretch mesh pockets”, an “Adjustable sternum strap with safety whistle” and a “reservoir sleeve sized to accommodate a Hydraulics 1.5 L reservoir (sold separately)”. The text Google shows for Osprey’s Jet 18 page lists “Padded hipbelt wings” and a “LOAD RANGE” of 5 to 15 lb.

Tales of a Mountain Mama’s review, published May 1, 2020, covers an earlier Jet 18: its specs give 1.14 lb and 18.11 inches tall, where Osprey’s current figures, as indexed, are 1.11 lb and 19.1 inches. The reviewer wrote: “Lightweight, simple, and comfortable, this backpack is perfect for long days on the hiking trail, or an afternoon spent riding singletrack.” and “It fits my 53″ tall 7 year old son perfectly.” Their 10-year-old “loved it for hiking, but said it felt uncomfortable when she wore it on biking. The waistbelt was digging in a bit while she rode.”

In the r/Ultralight thread started March 7, 2026, a parent who had used an earlier Jet 18 wrote: “I liked the osprey jet 18 but it looks like the newer models don’t have the hip belt pocket and don’t have the back elastic so not as good anymore”. Osprey’s indexed page lists “Padded hipbelt wings”; we could not read whether the belt has a pocket.

Specs (linked: Osprey Jet 18, 18 L, Euphoria Purple)

• Capacity: “18 liters” (listing)
• Ages: “Ideal for ages 5-13” (listing)
• Torso range: not confirmed (Osprey’s site refused our requests)
• Hip belt: “Padded hipbelt wings” (Osprey page, as indexed by Google)
• Sternum strap: “Adjustable sternum strap with safety whistle” (listing)
• Hydration: sleeve for a 1.5 L reservoir, “sold separately” (listing)
• Material: “100% recycled 100D high-tenacity nylon, DWR treatment made without PFAS” (listing)
• Weight: 1.11 lb (listing; Osprey page, as indexed)
• Size: 19.3 x 10.6 x 10.2 in (listing); 19.1 x 10.4 x 10 in (Osprey, indexed)
• Seller: Amazon.com

CamelBak Mini M.U.L.E., Hydration Pack

Evidence: Independently reviewed, previous generation. Tales of a Mountain Mama: Mini M.U.L.E., 2020 version.

CamelBak’s page says it is “Designed with kids and compact-framed people in mind” and gives no age or torso range. It lists an “Adjustable Sternum Strap”, reflective “high‐shine” areas and a “Safety Whistle”.

Tales of a Mountain Mama’s review, published April 21, 2020, covers an earlier version; its specs list a torso fit of “30-40 cm/12-16 in (2+ years old)”, a figure we did not find on CamelBak’s current page. The reviewer says they “received” the pack without naming who supplied it. They called it “an excellent light-weight hydration pack for little explorers” and wrote of the shoulder and sternum straps: “At 3.5 years old, my son (who is slim but tall) wears both on the tightest settings possible when he is wearing just a t-shirt, and we loosen them up a bit to accommodate a coat or layers.” On the downside: “While the back panel is nicely padded, it would be nice if it had air channels or vents for comfort in warmer weather.”

Specs (linked: CamelBak Mini M.U.L.E., Blue)

• Reservoir: Crux 1.5 L (50 oz), included (CamelBak)
• Cargo: “3.5L Cargo Capacity” (listing); none given (CamelBak)
• Ages and torso range: none given (CamelBak)
• Hip belt: none listed (CamelBak)
• Sternum strap, whistle and reflective areas: listed (CamelBak)
• Material: “recycled 200D Poly fabric” (CamelBak)
• Weight: 390 g (CamelBak); 7.05 ounces (listing)
• Seller: Amazon.com

Deuter Junior, Lower-Priced Day Pack

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. Tales of a Mountain Mama: Junior, version not stated.

Deuter’s Junior page lists a “2-way adjustable sternum strap”, “Reflective name lettering”, “Reflective details”, stretch side and front pockets, a “Zippered lid compartment” and its “Airstripes back system”. Its kids’ backpack page calls the Junior “perfect for young mountaineers’ first forays into the mountains”. Its product page rates its ideal usage “Kindergarten (5 of 5)” with no hiking line. Deuter’s feature list names no hip belt or hydration sleeve. A reviewer on Deuter’s page wrote on January 8, 2026: “Raincover and waist belt would have been nice.” Under an April 23, 2025 review, Deuter replied in German that the Junior comes without a rain cover and named its Raincover Mini as the one that fits.

The listing disagrees with itself on age: the Amazon bullet says “Ideal for children/youth ages 7 + and up”, while the description calls it “the first mountaineering backpack for children aged 5 and above”. Deuter’s kids’ page converts the 130 to 168 cm body height to “5’ 3” and 5’ 6””; 130 cm is about 4 ft 3 in.

Tales of a Mountain Mama’s roundup says: “Our younger kids use this for hiking and introductory backpacking to carry a few necessities.” It lists “Best For: Ages 5-8” and does not say which version it used.

Specs (linked: Deuter Junior, Maple-amber)

• Capacity: 18 liters (Deuter)
• Back length: 32 to 44 cm; body height 130 to 168 cm (Deuter)
• Ages: “aged 7+” (Deuter); “aged 5 and above” (listing description)
• Hip belt and hydration sleeve: none in Deuter’s feature list
• Sternum strap: “2-way adjustable sternum strap” (Deuter)
• Rain cover: not included; Raincover Mini fits (Deuter’s reply)
• Reflective: “Reflective name lettering”, “Reflective details” (Deuter)
• Material: “600D PES”, “210D PA RECYCLED” (Deuter)
• Weight: 400 g (Deuter product page); 404 g (Deuter kids’ page); 390 g (listing)
• Size: 41 x 23 x 20 cm (Deuter); the listing’s 7.87 x 7.87 x 9.06 in field does not match
• Seller: Sporty Side, fulfilled by Amazon

Deuter Pico, Toddler Pack

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. Tales of a Mountain Mama: Pico, version not stated.

Deuter’s Pico page lists a 20 to 23 cm back length and a body height of 92 to 98 cm, a “2-way adjustable sternum strap”, “Reflective name lettering” and a “Comfortable, soft padded back panel”. It rates the Pico’s ideal usage as “Kindergarten (5 of 5)” and lists no hiking line.

Tales of a Mountain Mama’s review, published April 21, 2020, does not say which version it covers. The reviewer wrote: “The Pico is a perfect intro pack.” and “My 2.5-year-old daughter is rarely willing to leave the house without her ‘owl back-ack’.”

Specs (linked: Deuter Pico, 5 L, Blossom-dahlia)

• Capacity: 5 liters (Deuter)
• Back length: 20 to 23 cm; body height 92 to 98 cm (Deuter)
• Ages: “aged 2 +” (Deuter)
• Hip belt and hydration sleeve: none listed (Deuter)
• Sternum strap: “2-way adjustable sternum strap” (Deuter)
• Reflective: “Reflective name lettering” (Deuter)
• Material: “600D REC PES” (Deuter); “Super-Polytex; Waterproof PU coating” (listing)
• Weight: 200 g (Deuter); 7 oz (listing)
• Seller: The Mountain Air or Montaro when we checked, fulfilled by Amazon

Deuter Fox 40, Overnight Pack

Evidence: No independent test; owner reports. r/Ultralight parents: Fox 40, version not stated.

Deuter’s Fox 40 page says the Fox “offers the same technical design and the same high functionality as our backpacks for adults” and “grows with them too, thanks to the VariQuick back length adjustment”. It lists “Pull-forward hip fins”, “Stabilizer straps”, a “2-way adjustable sternum strap”, an “SOS label”, a “Main compartment with zip-out divider” and “Hydration compatible (up to 3L)”. Its kids’ page says the Fox suits kids “from age 8 all the way through their teenage years”.

We found no independent review of the Fox 40, and Deuter’s page shows no reviews. In the r/Ultralight thread started March 7, 2026, one parent wrote: “My kids have used Deuter Fox 40’s for years, maybe 5, they are 10 and 13 now.” Another commenter wrote that they were “5’1 with a small frame and loved my Deuter Fox 40” and “wore it on the largest of the adjustable sizes.” Neither names the version.

Specs (linked: Deuter Fox 40, Wave-nightblue)

• Capacity: 40 liters (Deuter); “40 + 4 L” (Amazon brand chart); “42 liters” (listing field)
• Back length: 32 to 46 cm; body height 130 to 170 cm (Deuter)
• Ages: “from age 8” (Deuter kids’ page)
• Hip belt: “Pull-forward hip fins”, “Compact hip fins” (Deuter)
• Hydration: “Hydration compatible (up to 3L)” (Deuter)
• Recommended load: 3 to 6 kg (Deuter)
• Material: “600D PES”, “210D PA RECYCLED” (Deuter)
• Weight: 1,260 g (Deuter)
• Seller: The Mountain Air or Montaro when we checked, fulfilled by Amazon

Fit and Sizing in Each Maker’s Words

Deuter sizes its packs by back length and body height (see each review’s specs). Its kids’ FAQ says: “School-aged kids (5 or 6 years and up) can shoulder an 11-to-22-liter pack, and kids ages 8 and up can even handle 30 liters or more and a pack height of 60 cm, depending on your child’s height.”

Osprey sizes the Jet 18 by age in the text we could read: “Ideal for ages 5-13” on its listing.

CamelBak gives no age, torso or height range for the Mini M.U.L.E.

The AAP’s backpack page, written for school backpacks, says: “The backpack should go from waist level up to about 1-2 inches below the shoulders.” Our suggestion: measure your child’s height before ordering and check it against Deuter’s body-height ranges.

How Much Should a Child Carry? What the Sources Say

We give no carry-weight advice of our own:

• American Academy of Pediatrics (school backpacks): “Backpacks shouldn’t weigh more than 15% of your child’s body weight. This means a child who weighs 100 pounds shouldn’t have a backpack that weighs more than 15 pounds.”
• Deuter (kids’ FAQ): “Preschoolers shouldn’t carry more than one kilogram (or 2.2 lb.). Elementary school kids can handle up to 3 kilograms (6.6 lb.). Generally speaking, kids shouldn’t carry more than 4 or 5 kg (8-11 lb.) before age 12. Teenagers up to age 16 should limit their packs to 7 kg (approx. 15 lb.)”
• Maker load figures: Fox 40, 3 to 6 kg (Deuter); Jet 18, 5 to 15 lb (Osprey, indexed).
• Parents on r/Ultralight: one heard “something like no more than 20% of their bodyweight”; another advised “limiting them to about 15% of body weight for the total amount they carry”; a third wrote: “I often hear people say keep it under 20-25% their body weight… in practice I found the number is closer to 10-15%.”

Ask your pediatrician about your own child.

Which Pack for Which Child

Our suggestions, within each maker’s stated range:

Toddlers: the Deuter Pico, which Deuter makes for ages 2 and up. CamelBak gives no age range for the Mini M.U.L.E..

A 5-year-old: the Osprey Jet 18, within its listing’s “ages 5-13”.

Kids who want a water bladder: the Mini M.U.L.E. includes one; the Jet 18 takes one sold separately, and the Fox 40 is “Hydration compatible (up to 3L)”, per Deuter. For bottles, see our big-kid water bottle guide.

Overnight trips: the Deuter Fox 40, with our family camping tent guide. For footwear, see our kids’ hiking boot guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Of the five packs in this guide, the Osprey Jet 18 is our pick for day hikes, the Deuter Fox 40 for overnight trips and the Deuter Pico for toddlers.

Besides these five, Tales of a Mountain Mama recommends REI’s Tarn packs and the Gregory Nano, and Wild Bee Outdoors recommends Decathlon’s MH500 packs. Our Amazon search found no listing for the Tarn or the MH500.

In the r/Ultralight thread, a parent recalled a kids’ pack guideline of “something like no more than 20% of their bodyweight”. The AAP’s school-backpack page sets 15%, and Deuter gives limits in kilograms by age (see the load section above).

This is often a child-carrier question. For a pack the child wears, Deuter says children “as young as 1 or 2 years old can carry a small rucksack” of no more than 5 liters, and makes the Pico for ages 2 and up.

The bottom line

Final Verdict

For day hikes, buy the Osprey Jet 18 (check price). Choose the Deuter Junior (check price) for a lower-priced day pack, or the Deuter Fox 40 (check price) for overnight trips.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.