Most kids have a single piece of clothing that becomes part of their personality. It is worn so frequently that where it ends and the kid begins can be hard to distinguish. My 9 year old son has permanently inhabited his Patagonia Capilene Hoody since the day it arrived. Except for brief interruptions for forced washing, he wears it constantly. Living and playing hard in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado puts all his clothing to the test. The Hoody is the first choice for chilly morning bike rides, as a base layer for backpacking, abrasion protection when rock climbing, and as a turtle shell when things go wrong. It provided exactly the right combination of breathability and warmth during a 3 day backpack into the high peaks of the San Juan Mountains. On a 5 day camping/climbing trip on Independence Pass, it accompanied Toby on steep granite climbs, on day hikes, around the campfire, and as pajamas inside his sleeping bag. The hoody has proved adept at repelling marshmallows, keeping mosquitoes at bay, and looking good in the process. The hood and pocket are a marked improvement over standard long underwear and make this much more appealing as street wear. Despite taking a beating from a very active outdoor boy, Patagonia’s renowned construction means that it appears nearly as fresh as it did out of the box. The only flaw I can see is that my son will outgrow this long before it is ready for retirement.

-Dave Meyer

Carbondale, Colorado

When I got the Prana outfit  ( Kaley top and Capris) to review, I wasn’t even showing. I figured I should wait to fill out more before I wrote up a review. I loved the fit and feel from the beginning, though I did have to shorten the capris (due to my short legs, not the pants fault). As my belly, as well as the rest of me, grew, I still felt comfortable in the stretchy capris and really loved the length of the tank top. No matter what I did, walk, yoga, work around the house, everything stayed in place and didn’t budge. The waist band on the capris sits just low enough to accommodate a full belly, now that I’m in my eighth month.

The print of the Kaley tank top was not something I would normally wear, but I got a lot of great compliments. It was fun to wear something different and flashier than usual. The brown capris are something so versatile, I could have worn them every day, especially now towards the end of my pregnancy, since not much else fits. And not only do they fit, because of their stretchiness, but they look nice enough to wear with a lot of other tops. I don’t have to dress professionally for work, but I still like to look nice, and these capris fit the bill with a nice top.

The materials used are technical enough that you can sweat and still be comfortable, or go rock climbing and not worry about wearing a hole in your pants. They seem like they’d last forever. Overall, I’m really happy with the fit and quality of both the capris and the tank top. I’m not even sure they’re actually maternity clothes, but they sure work well for the job. The nice thing is they looked great before I started showing too. My plan was to buy and wear things that I could wear after pregnancy as well, and these are perfect for both.

Polarmax Technical Base Layer is what I always called “long underwear.” Technical Base Layer does sound a lot more hard-core, though.

My son and I tested out the Mid Weight Double Base Layer crew tops, which are rated “warmer” (halfway between warm and warmest).

According to the website: “Featuring Acclimate Dry fabric, the Double Base Layer collection contains microfibers that are cuddly soft to keep you toasty and dry during any outdoor cold weather activity.”

Stretches for Comfort

Wicks

Quick Drying

Breathes

Scent Prevent Anti-Microbial

Comfortable Flat Seams

Easy Care - Wash & Wear

I wore my base layer for two days on a backcountry horsepacking trip. White might not have been the best choice in terms of showing dirt, but it worked for keeping the sun off. It was pretty cool and I did stay warm. Best of all, the Polar Max crew didn’t get stinky after two days of wear the way some synthetic fabrics can. And it looked great after washing.

My three year old has worn his youth crew base layer while hiking and camping. It keeps him warm and the relaxed fit makes it easy to wear alone, as a shirt.

I think we’ll both enjoy wearing our Polar Max this winter, layered under a fleece while cross-country skiing, although something a little more form fitting might be better for a base layer. The sizes seem to run a little big. We both found the long underwear to be soft and comfortable.

Here are the details on the women’s and youth crew:

6.0 oz. / sq. yd
Relaxed Fit
100% Acclimate Dry Performance Fabric
Great for Skiing, Hiking, Climbing, Fishing - ALL WINTER SPORTS or if you just want to be WARM
Feels like Cotton

Reviewed by Melynda  Coble Harrison

By looking at the title of the book I thought it was going to be a foreign language to me, full of concepts that were way out of my comfort zone or lifestyle. Honestly I started reading it with a biased state of mind. I grew up on a farm where fertilizers and pesticides were commonly used. Our crops were big and beautiful but not organic.

The first few pages alone softened my attitude. The book presents ways to keep your baby healthy but in a way that is doable for all lifestyles.

I like that they don’t make the reader feel guilty for not following all their guidelines. They gently encourage you to just do what you can.

I think I will be taking baby steps to a healthier non-toxic lifestyle for my entire family.

I think if I can take something from this book anyone can. If anything I want my kids to realize that they need to care for themselves and the environment which we live… our home, our neighborhood and our earth. I also want them to learn how to conserve and be frugal when it comes to the “things” in their lives. How can I expect them to do that if I don’t do it myself? I don’t want them to be wasteful and just consume, consume, consume. This book touches on all of these concepts and I’m going to take my time going through it a second time and try out some of the bonus recipes!

Love, love, love this backpack as a laptop carrier. My MacBook slides right in and out and it's very padded and safe in there. It's wonderful to have a special pouch devoted to solely the laptop because then you don't have to worry about a water bottle leaking on it, or a pen scratching it up, or moving your files and papers to squish it in. No matter how much stuff I had in the big pouch, I could always easily slide the laptop in. It's also very comfortable. I thought that having my laptop right against my back would hurt while walking, but the extra cushions on the backpack make it really easy to wear for a long time. It has lots of nice pockets for pens and keys. All in all, I really liked this backpack. I think it's best for people who are carrying books, files, computers or notebooks. It has one chest strap that takes a bit of the weight off of the shoulders, but no waist belt, which I would have liked a couple of times when the backpack was full of heavy books.

Review by Lauren DeAre

I have been practicing yoga or Pilates daily for 12 years now. During pregnancy I tend to lean more towards prenatal yoga instead of Pilates and lean more towards Pilates when not pregnant. My husband has never practiced either and is lacking in flexibility. We have been working on his flexibility over the last month or so. As a licensed athletic trainer, I have given him a stretching program, and gradually he has been improving. I was a little skeptical about doing partner yoga with him for a couple of reasons: I’m pregnant and we are at very different levels of experience. I will admit, I put off testing this dvd with him as I am very protective of my own yoga workouts and typically don’t have time to do more than one workout per day. I was more than pleasantly surprised when we finally went through the workout together. The dvd is extremely easy to follow, no matter what level yogini or yogi you are. It really was relaxing and energizing for both of us. The first time, I overdid the squatting poses. My joints tend to be pretty lax even in non pregnancy, so I always modify any yoga poses that I do that could possibly over stress my hip joints. Even though Jamie is not pregnant, he is having to do a lot of extra with our 2 year old, Allie, who seems to be getting heavier by the day! His work as a fly fishing guide is already physically demanding.

I wish we could do this together more. However, it is hard to synchronize our schedules. It needs to be when we are both available and when Allie is napping or at school.

Included on the Prenatal Yoga for Partners with Joe Kulak DVD:

- 45 minute complete workout—breathing warm-up, standing series, floor series, and guided relaxation.

- Massage techniques for partners

- Poses for common aches and pains including low back pain and leg cramps

- Guided meditation for mom-to-be to help manage stress

I would highly recommend this dvd. Not only is it physically beneficial, but also provides a time to share with your partner and baby-to-be. And when your partner is unavailable, it is possible to modify the workout to do on your own.

Reviewed by Katie Rouse 

This great pack graced my first day-hikes of the summer. The first thing that crossed my mind when I saw the pack was its’ color. “Well that’s not going to work”, I thought. “It’s practically white!” I own nothing white or similar too it because I have four little kiddos running around my house and it seems their dirty little faces and hands are like magnets to that kind of stuff. But after a couple long days around kids and the outdoors the pack has held up beautifully. I even laid it in the dirt during lunch time and breaks and leaned against it. The material showed a bit dusty but I wiped it down with a wet rag when we got home and it cleaned up good as new.

The second thing I noticed about the pack was the zipper pulls. I’m in love with these zipper pulls. They are a plastic loop big enough to fit your finger in. They just seem really sturdy and easy to pull. I wish my coat, sleeping bag, tent and diaper bag had the same zipper pulls. Love them!

The pack is capable of carrying hydration systems and personal music systems. But where I put my water reservoir is meant to be a laptop sleeve. So pretty much you can use it for the trails or the city streets. I also like the fact that it has a sternum strap and waist strap…not too bulky or padded, perfect size for this type of pack.

Comfort wise I give it 4 out of 5 stars. It adjusted easily and once loaded was very comfortable. When not loaded with a lot of items it moved around more and was a bit annoying but still very useful and functional.

The small inner and outer pockets are good sized and in great locations.

The only thing I wish the pack had was a smaller pocket on the shoulder straps near the sternum strap. I find it useful for keeping things handy without having to take the pack off, like sunglasses, cell phone etc.

Product tested by Shawna Andreasen @ Nature For Kids

For less than two years Pasque Flower Designs has been offering men and women comfortable hand dyed hemp clothing that are comfortable and move well.  Pasque Flower Designs clothing is available on Etsy and they should not be overlooked.

They only have  a few pieces of clothing available: dress, underwear, pants, shirt, hoodie, skirt, cami and a men's shirt.

We have tested three of their products.  Both my husband and I have started fighting over the fact that we had not done the laundry fast enough because one of our Pasque Flower Designs clothing is in it.  Having organic cotton underwear handmade for you is a luxury you suddenly don't want to live without.  The men's shirt looks so good and yet so relaxed that my husband wears it when it is hot, cold or when he wants to just feel good. As for the yoga dress, I wear it every night as a night shirt or I layer it.  There is no way I would sleep without it now.

Pasque Flower Design offers simple design that fits well.  Their clothing is suitable for lounging days, yoga or active days.

The REI Nodder is a sleeping bag that grows with your kids.  There is a specially constructed stuff sack that allows you to lengthen or shorten the bag for the height of your child.  The Nodder is also equipped with a stuffable hood to create a pillow.  This is a synthetic bag.  The stuff sac is attached to the bag, a plus since it can't be lost.

Our ten year old tester found this bag to be very comfortable but found that other kids his age may not fit inside the bag since he is kind of smaller.  REI markets this bag for 6-10 year olds.  Parents found the adjustable feature to be great.  Our kid tester liked the integrated stuff sack but wished their was some straps since the bag stays bulky and takes too much room in his pack.  He found the Nodder to be warm enought for spring climbing trips or to hang out around the house.

The Women's Terra Pack by the North Face has an adjustable shoulder harness that is easy to use, along with their Opti Fit technology to measure the correct fit.  The hip belt is padded and holds 55 liters.  The bag weights 4 pounds and is made of 420 D polyester and ripstop.

We have tested the bag on a few different hikes and found that it is a good pack to use if you are not carrying to many odd shaped items or if you are not covering long distances.  We really liked that the bag was easily adjustable since we find that on a family trip we often switch off who carries what items.  You have easy access to the sleeping bag compartment in the Women's Terra Pack but only enough space for a small sleeping bag.

A little Osprey goes a long way.

We had our ten year old tester take this backpack on a lot of adventures and this is what he had to say:

The pack fits well and is comfortable but does not hold a lot of gear.  It holds enough for a day of fun climbing (fits shoes, harness and chalk bag), biking around or going to school.  We tried hanging three ten year old boys off the pack while it was suspended in the air on a climbing rope and the bag never broke.  We hung on and pulled and tugged and nothing ripped.  The bag does not make you sweat as much as other bags because of the rib feature.

The Cassis Hooded Shirt by Horny Toad is very soft and is made of a blend of cotton and synthetic material.  It is light weight and comes in two colors.  It is a great shirt for hanging around or as a cross over second layer when going on a short hike then hitting town.  We found the shirt to be more of a lazy day shirt since it has an ordinary cut.  The Cassis shirt is very well made and durable like most Horny Toad products.  The only fault we found in this Hooded shirt is that the material stains easily.