When I was a teenager, skiing and living in Colorado, my friends used to tease me that I was more coordinated on my skis than walking on my own two feet. Every day, walking on the snow and ice, I’d slip and crash to the ground. I began to suspect the most dangerous activity every…

We are eeking out of the bunny-hill years but honestly the most questions we receive regarding teaching kids to ski is about how and when to teach your young kids. We started all our kids when they were 2 years old, something I was comfortable with, having also been taught to ski when I was…

Truthfully? Summer has over stayed its welcome here in Utah. Being in the paradise of Lake Tahoe, California as the summer nights chilled down to 40 degrees and day times temps settled in the 60s and 70s didn’t help either. We settled into our front row seat and watched fall put on its display.  …

Happy back to school season, parents! Honestly, I have some mixed emotions about the whole affair. Maybe my inner child never really grew up because I love summer break as much as the kids do. We do a decent amount of biking, mostly around the neighborhood, often on dirt trails. And every year the risk…

The more miles our kids hike, the greater the need for good shoes. We’ve found the actual type of shoe depends largely on our kid’s preference. Our boy loves trail runners and doesn’t seem to notice if his feet get wet. But our daughter is more, shall we say timid? She likes her feet dry…

Second to asking for more trail bait (ie. candy) while on adventures, are the never ending requests to “take pictures” with my phone or camera. Most the time I oblige, but inwardly I cringe at the knowledge that when I get home I’ll have 500+ photos to delete. 🙂 To be fair, they DO get…

We have loved Deuter packs for many years now, using their ACT and Lite series for backpacking, the Comfort Air kid carrier and many of their kid’s backpacks for a variety of adventure. So when I was looking for a day pack that would work for Backcountry ski touring as well as day hikes in the…

This last spring I had the honor of becoming one of Aventura Clothing’s new 2015 Ambassadors. I was majorly stoke… in fact I still am! It isn’t too often you get the chance to team up with a brand that you love and practically live in. I say “practically” because I also spend an embarrassingly…

As a jack-of-all-trades family, our collection of eyewear is impressive. Between the five of us, sunglasses, goggles, running sunglasses, work glasses, etc litter our house like my son’s lego collection. But our eye wear has become increasing important to us. And although I’d long given up on glasses or goggles with interchanging lenses (it simply…

If you have engaged in the running or triathlon community for even a little while, you will undoubtedly have heard of Headsweats brand headwear. They are, after all, the official visor brand for Ironman branded races, amongst many other well-known events. I was first introduced to them last year at the Outdoor Retailer show (not being…

Ecōths as a brand has jumped highly in our opinion over the last year. In fact, we’d be silly to turn down a sample from them. If you are looking for slick and comfortable men’s casual wear. Check them out! Tested in: Casual Wear for Fall and Winter Cost: $89.00 Best Use: Casual pant for…

Us parents we are always looking for great winter boots. Even better if the boot is three-season, meaning my kids can wear them as rain or snow boots. But I have more unique issues as a mother of a special needs child. My son’s feet are very small for his age. And any boots we…

Stonewear Designs is on my top 5 women’s apparel companies.  Plain and simple, they make fantastic clothing that is flattering and high performing.  But more than that, I love the women behind the clothing and the community they are building and using to promote women in the outdoors. While I’ve tested a few pieces for…

Other than aquiring the gear needed to adventure with kids, the largest obstacle for most parents people is organizing it. Or packing it. Or both. So naturally we are up for trying out every “good idea” of a travel bag that we find. Granite Gear Packable Duffles Tested in: Road Trips, weekend travel, gear organization…

Larkin Pack by Boreas Tested in: Alpine day hikes, city bike commuting, slot canyons. Cost: $79.99 Best Use: 18-liter Day pack for hiking, bike commuting, or travel. Selling Points: The sleek styling and compact design of the pack will appeal to both the adventurer and city slicker looking for an easy access, multi-use pack. It has…

Kai is my best running buddy.  No matter how slow I go, he is always there with a cheerful smile. He doesn’t push or pull. He doesn’t nag. He doesn’t complain. Running with your dog really is a blast. Now only for the annoyance of the leash, eh? If I had a preference, I’d be…

A few months ago I became acquainted with Skida through the Instagram photos of many of my favorite female skiers, boarders and mountaineers. I guess you could say marketing through influential athletes works because I immediately checked Skida out. Skida Skida hats and headbands are homegrown with a passion for taking a fresh perspective on…

This will be my second time taking a critical eye to Aventura’s clothing and I am a quick learner: there isn’t much to hate and there is a ton to love! Aventura, an eco-friendly women’s clothing designer is also a designer after my own heart -the heart of comfort. They have a variety of tops and…

A good approach shoe will quickly become your most used shoe in your arsenal. Great for easy climbing and scrambling, they [usually] are also great for urban adventures, hiking, backpacking and for wear in the winter or shoulder seasons. After previously wearing out my Camp Four approach shoes by Five Ten, I’ve been on the…

I honestly cannot believe it is the back-to-school time of year. Quite literally I am in summertime-travel mode, backpacking in Wyoming with a group of girlfriends while you read this post. But I am going to have a rude reality-call when I get home, three kids in school and my time spent in a whole…