Taiga Teethers Giveaway!

Win a matching adult & child hazelwood necklaces, you choose the color, from Taiga Teethers, run by one of our very own mamas, Anna! Simply like Taiga Teethers and Taiga Trekkers on Facebook and leave a comment below the giveaway posting on the Taiga Trekker page to be entered. Sorry amber necklaces do not apply. Drawing will be this Saturday, November 26th 2011, also known as Small Business Saturday. Hazelwood is great for little teethers, but also has wonderful healing properties for adults too!

 

Kowalli Baby Carrier Cover

A huge thank you to the folks at Kowallie for providing Taiga Trekkers and the Anchorage Outdoor Family Network with a brandnew Kowalli Baby Carrier Cover for parents to try out at a hike or Skedaddle! They also make fantastic hats and booties for keeping you little one warm. If you'd like to give it a whirl email me and I'll make sure I have it with me.  One of the many things we love about this product is that it is made right here in the USA!

Check them out and send a little business their way - http://kowalli.com/

 

Plan B

The weather at the airport says there are still gusts up to 35 mph this morning and a windchill. We're going to try Plan B - The Subway Sports Center on the corner of O'Malley & Old Seward behind the Alaska Club. The price is $5 to use the indoor track. The track is above the ice rinks so still plan to dress warmly.

My Review of Skhoop Original Skirt

Originally submitted at REI

The Skhoop Original skirt offers a long length for coverage and warmth.

Skhoop Original Skirt

Life will never be the same!

By Arctic Lupine from Anchorage, AK on 11/16/2011

 

5out of 5

Fit: Feels true to size

Waist: Feels true to size

Length: Feels true to length

Pros: Easy Care, Washes Well

Best Uses: After run or ski, Walking the dog, Wear to School, Wear To Work, Skiing, all winter, Over work clothes outside, Playing outside w kids, Walking across campus, After Yoga

Describe Yourself: Trendy/Stylish Dresser

Was this a gift?: Yes

I've had one for a couple of years now and still think of all the times in my life before that I could have really used one! Bus duty at the school I work at, walking across freezing campuses, hikes with the dogs... They really do make life in cold climates more comfortable! So easy to throw over work clothes! The size zippers make it easily adjustable for the cold and range of motion.

(legalese)

Annual Food Drive

'Tis the season for giving and the annual Taiga Trekker Food Drive.

Bring a non-perishable/canned food to the November 17th hike (RSVP Here) and be entered to win a fabulous Outdoor Prize!

A huge thanks to Sondra, who has volunteered to collect & transport the food to the food bank!

Toasty Tootsies

Choosing the right boot to keep your kiddos feet warm and toasty on hikes or while playing in the winter has been a hot topic lately. It can be maddening to find the right boot in the right size. We have two major requirements we look for in boots, well actually three.

1. Buy Used & Local - Like most winter gear, boots can be expensive and will only last a single season, if that. We buy our boots second hand. Even if you have more then one kid they will surely last. Since this is an important piece of gear we also want to make sure that they've been tried on. If you don't feel comfortable buying boots used, try buying them locally. We've attempted ordering online for footwear in the past, only to have to make more then one return to get the right fit.  We live in the ultimate winter wonderland. Stores here, especially locally owned ones ought to carry the tried and true gear that has proven to work for families before.
2. Light Weight - Brand doesn't matter to us, what does is the weight of the boot. While it seems a heavy boot would provide more insulation this isn't entirely the case. Heavy boots are tiring to wear. They drag the feet down and make life very frustrating, especially for the early walker who's already wearing a lot of restricting gear. Light weight boots can be deceiving. Looking at my own Mukluks made of moose hide, canvas and wool I would never have suspected them to keep my feet warmer then a pair of bulky Sorels, but they do and down to temperatures well below what most other boots are rated to.
3. Extra Room - A boot that is too tight will restrict circulation and increase the chances for frostbite. Buying a boot a little larger accommodates many needs: allows for growth over our long winter season, allows for some air which actually helps insulate, provides room for extra socks and foot warmers. 

How will the boots be used outside? 

There are also a couple of other things you need to take into account when dressing your child's tootsies for the cold. What will they be doing outside? If they are playing then they will be generating heat that will help to keep their feet warm. If they are being pulled in a sled, pushed in a stroller or worn in a back pack they won't be generating as much heat. Foot warmers are a good idea when they aren't doing the work, especially when worn in a back pack. Dangling feet tend to loose circulation more quickly.

Moisture Wicking Socks!

As mentioned in many of our gear posts before - all the outdoor experts say "Cotton kills." Cotton takes a long time to dry out making the fabric stick to the skin, which in the cold freezes directly to the skin. Socks are your foot's baselayer and like a good baselayer you want a moisture wicking fabric like wool. There are also many synthetic fibers out there if you find yourself sensitive to wool. These materials not only dry faster but they also pull the moisture away from the skin to the outside so that should the sweat start to freeze it isn't directly on the skin.