The holiday season is in full swing and we’ve put together a list of age-appropriate outdoor gifts for kiddos ranging in age from infancy to early elementary. This post contains affiliate links to stores where you can buy some of the products. With affiliate links you pay the same price for the products as you always would, but we receive a small commission on the purchase to help maintain our website. Infants Base Layers Any adventuring parent will tell you about the importance of a good set (or two) of base layers for the littlest adventurer on the trip. However,…
Outdoor Donkey – StayPut Connect Picnic Blanket
Companies frequently contact us asking to review or promote their products. More often than not we turn them down as we don’t like the quality or don’t think it’s a product that families should invest in. We were a bit hesitant to test and review the StayPut Connect™ Picnic Blanket because we weren’t sure what would be special about a blanket? However, the company that makes them, Outdoor Donkey, is based here in Minnesota and we instantly connected with the founder and owner, Sean. We love supporting our local companies and appreciated this company’s attention to detail. They made the…
Buying Our First Canoe
This past summer we tried our hand at canoe camping and we were absolutely hooked after our first trip! Taking young children out on the water always intimidated me, but we wanted to have a wilderness experience with our son. Being pregnant with our second baby all summer, backpacking was not an option for us. So, we took the plunge and headed north to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). After that initial trip we knew we would be planning a lifetime of trips together as a family. During the two trips we made to the BWCA this summer we borrowed Bobby’s…
Bending Branches Canoe Paddles
Being native Minnesotans it’s almost embarrassing to admit that neither Bobby or myself had ever been to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) before this year. A couple of my sisters had gone on trips up there when they were younger and I had some friends that frequented the area. Bobby’s Dad has been visiting the BWCA for over 20 years, first with members of the Boy Scout Troop he was an adult leader for. Then, after their boys were grown, a group of Scout Dads continued to venture up to the wilderness area annually. After moving back to Minnesota, blogging about…
SPACE Trailer
Before Jack came along we had a rather hard time fitting all of our gear and our trusty adventure companion, Latigo, into our Ford Explorer. We had picked up a Yakima Rocket Box many years ago and it has served us faithfully. With the addition of a baby into our lives and adventures the Rocket Box is no longer cutting it. Finding adequate space in the car for gear, baby, and dog stuff while still having enough room for all of us to be comfortable was becoming a huge issue. We would cram the Rocket Box full, take up half of…
Merrick Backcountry
Latigo has been chosen as an ambassador for Merrick Backcountry dog food. Their protein-loaded kibble is a grain free, all-natural option that has chunks of raw, freeze-dried meat in it. Merrick also offers several canned food options in both stews and loafs. These 12.7 ounce cans come in a variety of flavors such as Alpine Rabbit, Hearty Beef, Hearty Salmon stews, and Beef and Chicken Loafs. The stew is thick and slathered in a gravy while the loaf has more of a hash texture and is a little watery. Often times the smell of canned dog food makes me a…
Bear Vault Solo
For our 3 day backpacking trip to the Norse Peak Wilderness at the end of July 2013 we decided it was time to invest in a Bear Vault Solo. On previous multi day trips we had used a stuff sack and some rope to MacGyver a hanging bear bag. We never had much confidence in them and decided that the added weight of the Bear Vault Solo (2 lbs 1 oz) would be worth it. We had read online reviews of the Bear Vault Solo that had complained about how difficult it is to open. The instructions for opening the canister…
Outdoor Research Crocodile Gaiters
Throughout this winter season in the beautiful Cascade Mountains, venturing out on many hiking/snowshoe outings, it has become clear to us that the most important piece of gear to bring with us are the Outdoor Research Crocodile Gaiters that we purchased at the beginning of the season. While a pricier option than some of the other gaiters out there, we have had no regrets with our decision. We have hiked through the rain, traversed through streams, snowshoed in slush and deep snow and these have proven to be satisfactorily waterproof. It is no surprise to me that this exceptional piece…
Gear Pick: Salomon Aura 08 Custom Air Womens Helmet
After my first lesson went so well and I had decided to further my snowboarding education I decided the time had come to provide myself with additional safety equipment. A solid helmet was definitely a necessity in my mind. While learning on the bunny hill, a helmet really didn’t seem necessary. However, during my first outing on a real run I was grateful that I had it. Because I felt more protected, I also felt more confident. Fear can often prevent me from furthering a skill and the addition of my new helmet helped me try new things and take…
Gear Pick: Outdoor Research Meteor Mitts
This week’s gear pick of the week were Bobby’s new winter mittens. For years he had been using old leather choppers as his primary winter hand apparel. After a day in the mountains with constant snow he soon realized that the old worn out mittens wouldn’t do any more. He needed something that was both warmer and waterproof. We found a pair of Outdoor Research mittens that fulfilled both those requirements beautifully. We chose the Outdoor Research Meteor Mitts.With their removable liner mittens that have a fold back flap so as to expose your fingers when needed and the wrist tightening…