As an editor at Practical Travel Gear and a gear reviewer for OutdoorsNW, I test a lot of travel products and outdoor gear. Some of this gear we keep and continue to use as a family, and some of it gets pushed to the wayside. Some of the most-frequent questions I'm asked on Pit Stops for Kids is related to what to pack, what to bring, and what to wear. Our Travel Gear We Use series will address … [Read more...]
Travel Gear We Use: Camping Comfort Items
April 20, 2016 By
We used to be hardcore minimalist campers...until we starting reviewing camping gear. Then we realized there's a whole slew of fun, convenient camping items we now can't live without. Turns out, we like to be comfortable! While we still camp in a minimalist fashion when it comes to backpacking gear, we've added the following camping comfort items to our car camping experience. Big Agnes … [Read more...]
Oboz Sundog review: hiking shoes that please the teen
May 15, 2015 By
I have a 13-year-old who loves hiking, but hates hiking boots. We've tried just about everything, from rugged backpacking boots that I hoped would look 'cool' to very simple Columbia low-cut hiking shoes that practically slid onto his feet. It didn't matter: he always preferred to hike in his Keen sandals. I'm a huge fan of Keens for outdoor adventure and travel: we believe about 80% of all … [Read more...]
Travel gifts for kids: best hydration packs for all-season use
February 20, 2015 By
As an extension of our Travel Gear We Use series, we also feature some of our favorite travel-related gifts for kids. First up: best hydration packs for kids. I used to think that hydration packs were 'overkill' when it came to kids' outdoor gear, but I've completely changed my mind! My kids love using hydration packs during outdoor-adventure travel, and I love that they stay hydrated. Best … [Read more...]
Camping with babies and toddlers: gear up!
January 12, 2012 By
The first time my family and I took our eldest son out camping, it was a three-day backpacking trek into Oregon's Columbia Gorge near Multnomah Falls, and he was 13-months old. Were we crazy? Well, yes, but we had a great time introducing baby Nate to the outdoors we loved, and I believe the experience (and others that followed) helped him acclimate at a young age to the idea of roughing it. Is … [Read more...]
