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Our Favorite Cool Weather Toddler Outdoor Gear

our favorite toddler cool weather outdoor gear

Towards the end of August in the Rocky Mountain West, there’s a certain crispness in the air in the mornings. As the calendar rolls over into September, you find yourself using the heater in the car in the mornings and the air conditioner in the afternoon. You reach for a hoodie or a cardigan in the evenings, even if you wore a tank top and flip flops during the day. For me, this transition into Fall means taking inventory of our wardrobes to make sure we have all the outdoor gear we’ll need.

For the Boneses, there’s no such thing as bad weather – just bad outdoor gear – so we take our closet prep seriously. Today I’m sharing our favorite toddler cool weather – not snow, that’s a different post – outdoor gear and our favorite places to shop for it, including some hacks for buying Patagonia on a budget.

Patagonia Baby Synchilla Fleece Cardigan

Don’t let the “Baby” in the title fool you – this key piece of outdoor gear is available in sizes 3-6 months to 5T and generally runs a little big! We usually get two seasons of wear out of a fleece while our kiddo grows into it. We prefer this Patagonia version to others because it’s soft, super durable, washes up great, and layers easily for buildable warmth. Also, it’s just plain cute! 

Patagonia Toddler Outdoor Gear Down Sweater
Bowman Style: Hat, vintage from when Mac was little. Jacket: Patagonia Down Sweater complete with gigantic ski lift pass. Pants: Carters Kids. Shoes: Nikes from EasyKicks. Friend: Platypus on Loan from the Library

Patagonia Baby Down Sweater

Again, not just for babies, and also not a sweater, this micro puff coat is available in sizes from 3-6 months to 5T. A mini version of the popular adult coat, this coat serves as our kid’s main winter coat with different layers underneath depending on activity and weather. It’s lightweight, windproof, water repellent, and warm – the four keys to kid’s outdoor gear. We layer the Synchilla Fleece underneath it and use that hood to cover cold ears when needed.

How to Buy Patagonia on a Budget:

  • Directly from Patagonia – signup for the Patagonia mailing list to be notified of sales. We buy past-season outdoor gear on sale all the time! Sometimes the exact size we need isn’t in stock, but if we have the funds I’ll buy the size we’ll need next season.
  • From a Patagonia Outlet – Patagonia outlets are like our Disneyland for outdoor gear. They offer past season gear at greatly reduced prices – and they have sales, too! Find one near you and if you can’t make a trip, I know the good people at the Patagonia Dillon Outlet will shop by phone and ship to you! 
  • From REI – Become a lifetime member for $20  and get 10% of purchases back every year plus no hassle returns and exchanges and members-only offers.
  • Gently Used – Starting in August I haunt our local outdoor gear thrift shops for gently worn Patagonia. Since the brand is so durable and kids grow so fast, there’s always lots to choose from! If you live near or travel to ski towns – Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Whitefish, Montana, or Sun Valley, Idaho, for instance – you’re sure to find almost-new kids outdoor gear in the thrift shops. It’s worth checking out! I also shop from several Facebook Outdoor Gear Buy / Sell / Trade groups, including my fave, Patagonia B/S/T. 
toddler outdoor gear tuffo and western chief boots

Tuffo Muddy Buddy Coverall

Mud? Rain? Puddle jumping? Sand? A little bit of snow? The Tuffo is the easiest – and maybe the cutest – outdoor gear to shield your kiddo from wet and dirt while letting them have fun! This waterproof layer zips over a toddler’s entire outfit and whatever layers they need beneath. The gusseted sleeves and ankles mean the wet, mud, and sand stay out. We use the Tuffo on the beach, out in the rain, in the mud, and for light snow play. Available in sizes from 12 Months – 5T and runs big. Our tall skinny three-year-old is still comfortably wearing his 2T he’s had since 18 months. Trust us on this one and buy a Tuffo for your adventure kid today!

Western Chief Waterproof Boots

Before we switch to a heavy snowboot for the winter – we prefer Bogs for that – our kiddo wears his adorable dinosaur Western Chief boots. Available in some stores – we bought ours on an Oregon Coast vacation at Fred Meyer – or online at Amazon, these waterproof boots pull on easy and keep the wet out. With a pair of wool socks underneath, these can handle a little bit of cold, too. Available in toddler starting at size 5, little kid and big kid sizes. 

Want more outdoor gear tips like these? 

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Our Favorite Outdoor Dog Gear

Camp Bones Favorite Outdoor Dog Gear

We’re dog people. When we lost our yellow lab, Jackson, to Mastocytoma in the Fall of 2011, we spent a few months without a dog in the house. While I enjoyed not being constantly covered in yellow dog hair, we missed the click-clacking of nails on the hardwood floors and the warm presence of a dog in the house. By January 2012 we had our eyes on a puppy and we brought home our Ranger Dog in March 2013. Ranger goes on all our adventures with us, so he needs gear too. This article details our favorite items of dog gear.

Ruffwear Float Coat

While yellow labs might be built for water, the cold mountain lakes and swift rivers where we recreate can be dangerous for even the best swimming dogs. We love the Ruffwear Float Coat for Ranger. It doesn’t bother him when he wears it, and the handle is strong and positioned well so we can haul his 90+ pounds back into the boat or on to the shore when needed. Great for peace of mind and practicality, the Ruffwear Float Coat is a must-have piece of dog gear for our water adventures. 

Ruffwear Booties

I know, I know. Dog boots? Really? Really. For any length of time on rocks or hot surfaces, Ranger wears his Ruffwear Grip Tex All-Terrain boots. They protect the pads of his feet from cuts or blisters and protect his nails from breakage. These are also great when the ticks are out in full force to protect those crevices between toes! Size these carefully and they’ll stay on well and last a long time. I highly recommend buying red ones – the black and blue can both blend in at the river if one does come off! If you do lose one – you can buy a set of two without having to buy another four, which I appreciate. I’ve considered getting Ranger the winter version for cross-country skiing this winter!

Visibility

Camp Bones Favorite Outdoor Dog Gear

Out in the woods during hunting season? Our whole family wears orange just in case, and that includes our dog. We have a different version of this high-visibility Ruffwear Track Jacket, and I think I’ll upgrade to this one soon. 

For nighttime adventures and camping, we always throw this LED dog collar on Ranger. I like it better than a beacon because the lights go all the way around. As a bonus – it’s pretty disco. Since we always have glow sticks around for Bowman’s entertainment, a Bones family campsite can become quite the toddler/dog rave at night!

Odds & Ends

No Bones adventure is complete without the most genius piece of dog gear ever invented – the Chuckit. Keeps your hands clean and throws the ball further – perfect for high-energy dogs like Ranger who just can’t get enough fetch.

If we’re camping, we always bring our portable foldable pet play yard so Ranger can hang outside with us without being leashed or tethered. For our complete Ultimate Camping Checklists, click here!

Mountainsmith K-9 Cube Travel Bag

Lastly, a bag to fit it all in! We love this Mountainsmith K-9 Cube Travel Bag so much we’ve given it as a gift to all of our dog-loving friends. It may be our favorite piece of outdoor dog gear! This sturdy, compact bag has a removable dog food container, a drop-down flap that holds collapsible food and water bowls, and an interior divider to keep everything organized. Plenty of room for treats, balls, and more!

What’s your favorite outdoor dog gear?

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Ultimate Camping Checklists

Camp Bones Ultimate Camping Checklists

Mac and I started out camping together in a tent, then out of the back of our truck camper, and finally, now, with a kiddo in tow, we camp in our vintage 1976 Kit Companion pull behind trailer. Both of us are planners and over-packers, so we’ve developed thorough camping checklists for all of these situations – which we’re happy to share with you now! My Ultimate Camping Checklists are linked below!

Tent Camping Checklists

When I say tent camping I mean drive to the campsite and set up a tent, not backpacking! I’ve never been much of a backpacker – I just really like having my stuff with me at all times, honestly. We’re hoping to backpack with Bowman in the future so I’ll definitely be writing about it when that happens.

When tent camping, some considerations are:

  • Food storage
    • Bear country or not, it’s important to keep food out of your tent and somewhere hard-sided to not let the critters in. Do you have the space in your vehicle to store your coolers and camp cookware?
  • Inclement weather
    • Make sure to choose a space where water isn’t going to collect! One time on the Washington Coast we setup the tent, went to town for dinner when it started raining, and came back to our sleeping bags floating on Therm-a-Rests in a newly-formed lake! This was even on the tent pad – so don’t always trust the campsite engineers. Also make sure you have a rain fly, no matter what the weather, and stake that tent in good to prevent fly away situations!
  • Thoughtful storage
    • Most of your camping supplies will need to be stored in your car once you get to the campsite, including food! How are you storing it and keeping it organized?

truck camping checklist

Truck Camping Checklists

We loved the freedom of truck camping! Wherever the truck could go, which is almost anywhere, we could go. We didn’t need to worry about campsites and dispersed camped wherever we could. This chapter in our lives is best described as … pre-kid. We truck camped one time with Bowman and I said never again. I don’t have the constitution for life including naps and sleep with a baby or toddler in an eight-foot truck bed, no matter how well kitted out it was. You may be different, but Camp Bones was not destined to camp in the truck.

When truck camping some considerations are:

  • Thoughtful storage
    • If you’re living in the truck bed, all your stuff is going to be living elsewhere. Do you have a plaform under the bed? Does everything fit well in the cab? Do you have hardside storage boxes on top the truck?
  • Location
    • Don’t drive somewhere it will be hard to leave if the weather turns! Mac and I did this once. It started to sprinkle and we threw everything – including the skillet cooking our breakfast – into the truck and raced out knowing we would be stuck for a couple days if the road got wet. Also make sure you’re on a level spot.
  • Space
    • You may love your partner and your family – but have you tried living out of a six or eight-foot truck bed with them? Make sure you’re using the truck space thoughtfully.

trailer camping checklist

Trailer Camping Checklists

One week after our truck camping experience I swore to not do again, we found an amazing vintage trailer for sale locally and before we knew it we were trailer campers! We love our little camper, nicknamed Kit, and have taken her on all kinds of adventures. Our favorite thing about having a trailer is that most of our camping gear is inside Kit year-round! That means less tubs, less storage space needed, and an easier way to camp spontaneously!

When trailer camping some considerations are:

  • Trailer limits
    • Total tow vehicle length and height will determine where you can go! We love our small trailer because we can still get into the out-of-the-way camping spots.
  • Logistics
    • Are you dry camping – that means no water or potty on board – or are you going to use all the facilities? You’re going to need to fill with potable water and find a place to dump at the end of the trip.

I hope this article gave you some considerations on how to camp.

Download the Camp Bones Ultimate Camping Checklists!

Want gear recommendations? Check out all my gear posts here!

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