Have a favorite piece of gear your family couldn't live without, or want to help others save money and not experience the grief you did from a bad purchase? Juneau Outdoor Family Network would love for you to share reviews of the good, bad and the ugly gear you've used on outdoor adventures with your family. Email me here with a write up and photos and we'll get them posted right here on the JOFN webpage!
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Merino wool has
become a fast favorite in our home. Wool, specifically merino, is an
amazing fiber, who's benefits when worn for outdoor activities are
limitless. Here's why our family is now all clad in it:
- softness - it is remarkably soft and completely challenges the idea that wool has to be itchy and prickly.
- Instead of trapping moisture against the skin, like cotton, it wicks the moisture away.
- It is antimicrobial, and that equates to less stink. Compared with polypro, merino smells like a breath of fresh air, even after days of wear.
- Merino can also be washed in the washer. I've mistakenly thrown in with our regular wash many times with no shrinking, though the manufacturer's directions are to wash it separately in cold water and air dry. I like using the Kookaburra Wash on all our wool. We have enough for an entire large load now between the 4 of us.
- Merino does an exceptional job of helping a body regulate its temperature. It insulates in the cold and helps the body cool in the heat. My youngest runs hot. He never wears jammies. While we like the temp in the 50s when we sleep during the winter and snuggle under the covers, he kicks off the blankets. These are the only jammies we've ever been able to keep on him an entire night!
- A natural and environmentally friendly option compared to synthetics.
- Their price point is quite reasonable for such a great fabric and product.
- They are made in nearby Victoria, BC!
- Light weight - there are different thickness of merino. The Wee Wollies are ultra light. They are less bulky than even their synthetic counterparts. The one down side is they can get pretty battered with rough play. My Cub started to shed layers when the sun came out the other day. He was running around with just his long undies on and took a tumble. He shook it off, but one of the knees had a tear in it I will need to mend. My one suggestion to the company would to reinforce elbows and knees.
- Softness - merino is soft, but Wee Wollies is the softest most comfortable merino I've felt.
- They're line is small and specialized. They make, hats, infant onesies, sleepers, bigger kid base layers and sleep sacks.
Stay tuned for an upcoming post on layering and dressing your kids, and yourself for wet winter fun!
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Stonz Rain Boots
Stonz is probably most known for their outdoor baby booties, but they are branching out into rain bootz as well as winter bootz as their clientele grows. They sent us a pair of their Rain Bootz to try out. Here's what we thought...
Features:
- 100% Natural Rubber
- Durable and tear resistant, yet flexible and comfortable
- Quick dry 100% cotton liner
- PVC-free
- Phthalate-free
- Lead-free
- Formaldehyde-free
- You can purchase a pair linerz for these bootz to boost their insulation = warmth
- Come in sizes for kids 4 years to 10 years of age or 4t to youth 4
- Come in a wide array of colors that range from gender neutral to more gender specific if you like.
While we haven't tried the boots with the liners, we think the combo makes the perfect boot, giving kids options for every season in our rainforest climate. Pull on wool socks and add a foot warmer and you have a solution for even the coldest of winter days in Southeast Alaska!
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| From the Stonz Website |
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Favorite Baby Carrier Cover - Hands Down!
We've had the Kowalli Cover
in our lending library for a while now. When it first arrived, my
oldest was starting to become an independent little Trekker and I didn't
get much use out of it personally. Now with the addition of our newest
son, I've had the chance to really use it and totally fall in love with
it. It is hands down my favorite baby carrier cover. Here's why:- Most of the other carriers have a small hole or slit through which baby has to put their head. Besides the fact that babies don't tend to like putting their heads through small holes, it makes it that much more difficult when wearing them on your back. Still other benefits of the wide opening is that you can easily adjust the baby and use the sleep hood (like on an Ergo). This too can not be said for some of the other covers.
- My other pet peeve with some of these carriers is that your own jacket must remain open. With the Kowalli, My own jacket can be zipped up. (I also recently found the best baby wearing, no bulk, super warm jacket... we'll save that for another review).
- The fleece is super soft.
- A pocket!
- The design is no frills, simple & smart.
- Not only is the Kowalli constructed in the USA, the fabric is made here too! Usually clothing and gear may be constructed here, but the material is outsourced. Not in this case. I also happen to love that the company is out of Providence, RI. I grew up in Lil Rhody and my family still resides there, most of them in Providence.
- Alizah, the owner of the company is accessible and so friendly!
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Gskirts
It's a rainforest out there! How are you keeping dry? My new favorite way is with a rain skirt! George the maker of Gskirts was kind enough to send both an adult and kids version my way. Here are my thoughts on the adult version (kid's review coming soon):
- The adjustable wrap around style of this skirt allows you to wear it over anything from simple base layers to to suit pants
- Allows for free range of motion
- Sweet button detail
- The material is so light weight, yet very durable
- Comes in a range of great colors
- Much better price than comparable rain skirts like Skhoop
- Quick and easy to put on
- Keeps you dry!
- Perfect for going to the grocery store, soccer games, hiking, walking the dog, playing in the rain...
- Perfectly simple
- Clean lines
- Handmade in Vancouver, BC!
This is the perfect outer layer for any outdoor activity, especially in Juneau, Alaska! My favorite way to wear this skirt is with Smartwool leggings and my trusty Xtratuf boots (an Alaskan staple). I would have killed to have this when on recess or bus duty as an elementary school teacher! It is a great way to keep your professional clothes dry too.
Photo credits go to my 3 year old Little Bear.
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