Category: Gear

Style in the Wild Kids GIVEAWAY

Last week I posted 6 Tips for Having Style in the Wild as a Mom. This week it’s the tots turn! 
I have a range of fashion feelings with my kids. Big E could care less what he wears while Little G will change her outfit three times a day to find that perfect fashion combination. These pieces have the whole family covered. Plus you have a chance to win a pair of Real Kids Shades or a Fawn and Foal shirt in this GIVEAWAY!  

There is nothing so cool as kids in shades, and these sunglasses are the best I’ve tried. Real Kids Shades offers sunglasses for kids using flexible, shatter resistant materials that really stand up to kids use and abuse. 
The flexible frames are kid proof, easily bending but still bouncing back to their original shape. They’re durable and the elastic band for sizes 0-2 keeps them on baby L, even when she’d like to rip them off. I love these sunglasses. Unfortunately my kids don’t. 
When Real Kids Shades gave me these sunglasses to review, I was sure my kids would be overjoyed. At first they were, especially Little G who loves to accessorize. But after the newness wore off, my opinionated kids refused to wear them, except Baby L who didn’t have a choice. 
Even though Real Kids Shades offers 100% UVA and UVB protection, Big E decided he wouldn’t wear them. All winter long I tried to get him to wear sunglasses or ski goggles on the slopes. Sun glinting off the snow can really strain the eyes, but he wasn’t interested. And if Big brother E doesn’t want to do something you can be sure Little G will be quick to follow. I offered, bribed, may have even begged. But forcing them to wear sunglasses, even cool ones, wasn’t worth the fight.
Maybe it’s a matter of setting a better example. My own sunglasses broke a while ago – they didn’t have the same flexible frames that Real Kids Shades have – so I’ve gotten used to not having them. When I get around to replacing them for the summer, maybe Baby L and I can set the fashion standard for the whole crew. C’mon Big E and Little G. If you’re cool, you wear sunglasses! 
This summer I hope to put Real Kids Shades to work. Prices range from $14.95 to $29.95 but if you order before April 30th you get 10% off your whole order! They just launched their new line for Young Adults and You have a chance to win a pair in the giveaway below! Enter by April 13th!
  

Fawn and Foal Textiles

Someone in Utah loves Big E. I’ll give you a hint – it’s the woman who birthed him. Last summer I was introduced to Fawn and Foal Textiles at Outdoor Retailer. Walking by their trendy booth I wasn’t even going to stop because owners Juliana and Ben McLenna seemed way cooler than me. But then I saw an adorable onesie and since Baby L was strapped to me I had to stop and check it out.

I’m so glad I did! It turns out they have so much more than just baby clothes. Fawn and Foal Textiles is a small screen printing business based out of Boise, Idaho. They print state shirts made in the USA as well as cute designs related to the outdoors. Every state in the union is available in their ‘Someone in ‘your state’ Loves You’ line, with sizes for the whole family from baby onesies to adult.

Fawn and Foal sent me a shirt for Big E to try out and he loves it. The other day I took it out of the dryer and handed it to him. This is what he said:

E – Yes! This is my favorite shirt! (Pulled off his other shirt and put this one on immediately)
Me – Really? Why?
E – Because it’s so comfortable!

It’s odd to see my otherwise fashion oblivious son suddenly care about what shirt he’s wearing. But I get it. Fawn and Foal shirts are made from soft cotton, comfortable, durable and machine washable. Prices range from $18 to $26. And they’re obviously easy to move around in.

Now you have a chance to win your own! Adult and Baby sizes for Giveaway available only in grey. Enter the giveaway below before April 13th for a chance to win a shirt from Fawn and Foal. Go ahead. #BeTheSomeone.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I contacted the companies above to ask for items to review unless otherwise noted. I chose those companies because I thought their products were uniquely designed for outdoor families and relevant for you, my readers. My opinions of their products are my own. This post includes affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you purchase something by clicking through these links. 

6 Tips for Having Style in the Wild

Camping doesn’t always make me feel beautiful. In fact it’s usually the opposite. It’s hard to feel stylish while your roughing it, smelling like campfire and miles away from a shower, but it is possible.

This post lists my top six tips for having Style in the Wild. Over the next few days I’ll be highlighting some of my favorite outwear brands for moms and tots, but it all comes back to this post. You can have fun outdoors and still feel beautiful.

1. Always pack warm clothes. Even in the middle of summer.

Last fall we took a camping trip to the High Uinta Mountains in Utah. I thought I was prepared for the cooler temperatures higher up in the mountains, but weeks of warm summer days made my body forget what cold really felt like. Spoiler alert – it sucks.

At one point this was my outfit. Pakems pink camo boots, red fleece pajama pants, a multicolored skirt, fleece sweatshirt, my 6 year old’s fleece vest and a winter hat I found under the seat in the truck. I was still freezing.

Now I plan for weather that’s 20 degrees colder and wetter than expected. I make sure to bring warm socks like these Mariposa Adventure Cross Terrain Wool Socks from Fox River or Farm To Feet’s wide array of wool sock offerings. And I won’t be caught without my new favorite sweatshirt – the Stonewear Designs Haze Hoody which I won from the Outdoor Retailer Trade show.

2. Wear jewelry.

I’m not talking about your Grandma’s pearls. But I make a point to wear a simple necklace and earrings that I wouldn’t be heartbroken over if they got lost or destroyed. Why? They help me feel pretty and are much easier to manage than makeup.

When water is a luxury and dirty hands inevitable, makeup and contact lenses aren’t worth the hassle.

At night I always clip my earrings into fabric of some sort – my pants pocket, the bottom of my shirt, even the tent mesh. It helps me find them in the morning.

3. Hats are helpful.

When I’m away from a shower for days at a time it’s not a pretty sight for my hair. Instead of bothering with brushes and shampoo on my greasy locks, I’ll just cover it with a hat. In summer it’s great because you get shade. In winter it’s great because you stay warm. Don’t be afraid to wear fun ones, you choose your own style!

4. Skirts Rock.

Some people may think skirts are just for Sunday but dresses and skirts are perfect for camping! They’re easy to throw on over leggings, shorts or swimsuits. They let others know that you care about your appearance, plus they can double as a towel or cloak for a child. I always wear shorts or leggings under my skirts.

I particularly like the new Spring line from Stonewear Designs. They sent me their Women’s Liberty Capri Tights and Cruiser Skirt to review. The skirt is made from their Mini Stripe performance fabric. It’s a stretchy material that’s great to move in. My favorite feature are the side pockets – why don’t more skirts have pockets? The fabric is super soft and comfy.

The Stonewear Designs Women’s Liberty Tights could be worn alone for yoga or running but I like them under the Cruiser Skirt. At capri length they’re a great summer choice with midweight material that’s not too hot. I love the thick waistband and hidden pocket.

5. Color is your friend. 

What I wear makes a statement about who I am. Wearing bright colors makes me smile, especially when I feel dirty from being outdoors for several days in a row or when I’m trying to have fun in cold or wet weather. For this reason I choose bright colors when I can like this red polka dot rain jacket I bought on a trip to Alaska. It rained most of the trip but my bright jacket made the bad weather a little more bearable.

Pakems packable shoes have a unique take on color. Not only do they offer great color selection for their Adult shoes (I love the pink camo), their kid’s boot comes with markers to decorate yourself!

6. Don’t forget the feet.

Keeping toes warm is a must while in the outdoors. I spent all winter snowboarding and skiing and I was so pleased to try out Farm to Feet Women’s Park City Midweight Ski Socks. Added cushion in the shin, heels and toe box kept me warm and made my ski boots more comfortable.

I also really liked their hiking socks The hexagonal weave in the heel and toes protects against excessive wear while the ridges on the top allow for ventilation. Made from Merino Wool, these socks wick away sweat while staying nice and warm.

Farm to Feet prides themselves on being 100% American Made. Their wool supply and manufacturing are all American, which is something I can definitely support. Plus their socks are beautiful and warm!

I’ve already mentioned my Pakems Pink Camo Boot but couldn’t have a section on feet and not mention them again. So often my sandals or shoes get wet or dirty with the days activities so slipping into something warm around the campfire is a must.

The tall boot has warm fleece on the inside but still pack up flat into the included carry case. The short version is great for a quick slip on. These shoes would be good for backpacking or skiing too when your feet just need a break from the clunky hiking or ski boots you’ve worn all day.

Those are my big six tips. Next time you’re adventuring in the outdoors don’t forget to feel beautiful. How clothes fit or what they look like is not nearly as important as how they make you feel. Are you comfortable? Confident? Warm? Cool? What you wear can help you feel beautiful, but really being happy does that a lot more. And you know what makes me happy? Being in the outdoors.
I contacted the companies above to ask for items to review unless otherwise noted. I chose those companies because I thought their products were uniquely designed for outdoor families and relevant for you, my readers. My opinions of their products are my own. This post includes affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you purchase something by clicking through these links. 

Get Outside with Burley’s We! Ski Kit

The rest of the country may be ready for spring but around here I’m clinging to winter with everything I’ve got. Sure I like warm weather and pretty flowers as much as the next person, but the advent of spring means snow will melt away fast. No snow means no skiing or snowboarding!

I’ve loved snowboarding on my own this season and skiing with Big E and Little G. But Baby L got none of the winter sports love. She was always left with a babysitter.

As any breastfeeding mother knows, it’s hard to get out with a baby in tow. At eleven months, Baby L can’t even walk yet, let alone ski, snowshoe or sled. That’s why I was so thrilled to try out the We! Ski Kit and D’Lite Bike Trailer that Burley sent to review. It meant that I could finally get outdoors with the baby and share what I love most with everyone in the fam.

Certain gear opens up a whole world of opportunities. That’s what the We! Ski Kit is for us –  a ticket for outdoor freedom.

Wrangling Equipment

The We! Ski Kit is compatible with Burley’s D’Lite, Cub, Encore and Solo trailers. Skis attach as easily as the wheels, with a quick push of a button. Lightweight poles connect the trailer to a padded waist strap the skier wears.

Wrangling equipment is a huge hassle on any outdoor adventure. Scratch that, any outing ever. I feel like I’m constantly hauling stuff in and out of the car, but certain features of the D’Lite and the We! Ski Kit  made this headache a little easier. 

All Burley trailers fold down easily, although sometimes setting it back up takes some upper body strength. Attachment poles disconnect at the midpoint and the waist band for easier storage. Plus they’re surprisingly light. I could barely feel them when I strapped in.

Even with all of those features the set up, strapping in, connecting and securing takes time. Baby L hates it. She cries while I frantically buckle, zip and cover her then clip in, connect and adjust myself, but once we’re on the snow it’s a whole new experience. Cries are replaced with sounds of contentment and eventually she’s lulled into a calm sleepiness.

I Am Not a Horse

Using the We! Ski Kit made me feel a little like a horse pulling a carriage. I’m okay with that. At least horses get out of the house and away from doing dishes all day. 

The waist strap felt comfortable and surprising light, but pulling that much extra weight is not easy. Adding 65 pounds of children to a strenuous workout made for a lot of huffing and puffing. It was much easier when I just took the baby instead of both Baby L and Little G.

While skiing with the We! Ski Kit I had a little problem with physics. When I started sliding too fast down a small incline with the weight of the trailer and kids pushing me I couldn’t stop. I’m an intermediate cross country skier at best, being out of practice with last season’s pregnancy and this season’s infant. So it wasn’t a huge surprise to me when I fell.

But it did surprise Little G.  Little G, who is not all that little anymore, couldn’t buckle right with her bulky coat in the way. I have since figured out how to do this (Note – spend some time with the equipment before heading to the trail) but at the time I fell, so did Little G. Almost out of the carrier.

Burley folks are probably rolling their eyes at me. It says in no uncertain terms to buckle your child and put the cover on to avoid just this scenario. Luckily we were going slow enough that she didn’t get hurt, even when I fell again ten feet later. But she did walk the rest of the way back to the car.

Pros of the We! Ski Kit

  • Lightweight
  • Easy ski attachment
  • Simple installation
  • Light feel when connected
  • Freedom to get outdoors

Cons of the We! Ski Kit

  • Price $199
  • Cumbersome set up
  • The front of the carrier plunges when not connected to the waist making loading kids tough.

I love the freedom the D’Lite and We! Ski Kit has given me to get on the snow. We need the outdoors on a daily basis around here and Burley has made it much easier to get outside. 

 

 
This post includes affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you purchase something by clicking through these links. Also, Burley sent me the D’Lite and We! Ski Kit to review. I love them for it.
 

Peets Dryer Review

Part of our 2016 gear review series. Thanks for the write up Mountain Dad!  

So I bought the PEET Four Shoe Dryer for Mountain Mom a couple of years ago and it just sat in the box. She felt it was kind of frivolous and wanted to return it, but days slipped into weeks, and then months, and then it was too late to return it.

But this year is an El Nino year here in the West, and Sundance is getting pounded with snow (almost 5 feet in one week). With so many relatives coming over to play during the holidays,forcing us outside even more than usual, I decided to crack open the box to see if it would help us combat the piles of wet shoes, boots, gloves, etc in our home. What do you know, it works awesome!


The PEET Four Shoe Dryer is a simple device, with a mildly heated fan, a timer control, and four posts with various end attachments, not unlike a vacuum. It comes with adult size boot attachments in the box, but I purchased an additional glove attachments and helmet attachment. PEET gave Mountain Mom a set of the smaller kid’s mitten attachments for Big E and Little G’s boots and shoes last summer at Outdoor Retailer.

These attachments can be mixed and matched as needed by simply popping them on and off the base. It is made of thick black plastic, is lightweight, and easy to move around if necessary. It seems sturdy enough for the task, even if it looks a bit cheap. I think you could even easily pack it for ski/snowmobile vacation if you wanted.

What I Love
Simple is good. Throw your gear on the PEET Four Shoe Dryer, choose heat or no heat, and depending on how wet they are, turn the timer to a setting (ranges from 10 minutes to 200 minutes in 10 min increments), and maybe check on them every once in a while. The timer automatically shuts it down when the timer runs out, and viola, dry gear! 

How long it takes depends on how wet the items are, but I don’t think we have ever needed to exceed the maximum timer setting. If you did, you would simply turn the timer again. Unlike setting your gear next to a fireplace, there is no risk of your gear getting singed/melted or your heat moldable ski boot liners getting screwed up, as it produces very mild heat. The attachments are easy to attach/remove yet sturdy enough that you don’t feel like it is going fall over or break. The plastic is thick and sturdy and looks like it will hold up well.

Attachments
The adult sized boot attachments work good for our ski boots, snowmobile boots, rain boots, and normal shoes. There is a PEET Boot Extension Attachment if you have really long boots or waders, but we haven’t needed one to date. It dries the foot bed extremely well, with longer boots taking more time to get the upper interior as dry.

The smaller PEET PeeWee Kid’s Mitten DryPort Attachment work good for the kid’s boots AND gloves, particularly mittens (the adult sized glove attachments are too big for kids gloves). I am assuming this is because kid’s gloves are smaller, with shorter fingers, and less likely to flop over and block the airflow.

The PEET Glove Attachment works very well, although putting on the gloves can be a little tricky depending on the size. This is due to the attachment opening and directing airflow directly into the fingers, which makes short work of moisture. Gloves typically dry out pretty quickly.

We have not yet tried the PEET Helmet Attachment but I expect similarly good results.

What I Don’t Like
That we didn’t start using the PEET Four Shoe Dryer sooner? Honestly, this is a great little piece of equipment. It is a little pricey at around $100 + any additional attachments (approx. $15 each), but we have used this often during the last month and are very pleased with it. Hopefully it will hold out over time and prove to be reliable and dependable.

This post includes affiliate links. If you purchase something from these links I receive a small commission. Usually only a few cents, but every little bit helps.