Posts Tagged kids’ gear
Kidz Gear Wired Headphones for Kids
If you spend significant time in the car or plane with your kids, you probably bring along electronic devices to entertain them. And if your kids enjoy electronic devices while traveling, you’ve probably tried more than one style and brand of headphones. (A bit like ‘giving a mouse a cookie’…if you’re a parent, you know what I mean.) As a family who hits the road regularly, we’ve tried all sorts of headphones–from the cheap foam-cupped ones that break near-instantly to Apple earbuds that fall out, to everything in-between.
Kidz Gear Wired Headphones are–hands down–the best we’ve tried. First off, they’re comfortable, which means your kid won’t be ripping them off (hopefully). The cups are nicely padded, and the over-the-head arch is double-paneled, to keep them from slipping off. My seven and ten-year-olds have been putting the headphones through their paces, but because they’re so adjustable (there are nine distinct size adjustments on each side) they fit my 12-year-old too. The Kidz Gear website lists them for kids two years and older, and though I don’t have a two-year-old to try them on, I noted many positive reviews online for use with kids even younger.
Secondly, they produce high-quality, stereo sound. (This is why my 12-year-old reaches for them more often than not.) The cups completely cradle kids’ ears, and the sound delivered is noticeably better than with ear buds (especially while watching a movie or TV show). For those of you for whom sound technology stats will mean something, the sound pressure level is 80dB-90dB.
Thirdly, Kidz Gear headphones now come with built-in volume limiting technology. This means that sound is limited to approximately 80 percent of the normal level, ensuring it’s safe for kids’ ears. I worried this would make audio books and quieter music too hard to hear, but we never had this problem.
Next, these headphones are programmed with an inline Apple remote and mic for use with Apple devices (including iPods, iPhones, and iPads). This doesn’t mean they only work with Apple devices: we’ve used them with our portable DVD player and a Leapster as well. But if you do use Apple products often, you’ll like the convenience of a control feature right on the cord to raise or lower the device’s volume and track up and down. There’s also a built-in mic, though my kids don’t take a lot of calls from the back seat of the minivan, so I can’t say we needed this.
Lastly, at a retail price of $29.99, the value is astonishing. Honestly, I would have paid double for such a well-made, multi-functional travel product. Each headphone comes in its own padded bag, and if you buy two, they toss in a volume limit splitter cable. Due to the independent volume control on each headphone, even with two kids listening to one device, each can set the volume to his or her liking.
Our absolute only complaint is that the wire is quite long. I can see how this would be helpful if your kids are watching a back-of-seat mounted screen, but for use with iPods or other hand-held devices, there’s too much cord in the way. That said, I wouldn’t let that stop you from trying these out.
Pick up a pair at Amazon or the Apple Store for $29.99.
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Posted by Amy in Kids and Family on March 6th, 2012
Quality Girls’ Jackets at a Good Price From Columbia
It’s always a dilemma: you want to put your kids in decent outerwear, but you don’t want to spend a fortune on something that won’t fit a season or two from now. Your best bet is often to hit the sale rack (physical or virtual) and look for the Columbia Sportswear logo.
I’ve talked before about how Columbia Sportswear is not timid about the “out with the old, in with the new” retail discounting philosophy, with this post on inexpensive travel staples. Whereas most companies act like the list price is sacred on their own websites, these guys aren’t afraid to mark down items to move them out the door on their outlet site.
This winter my daughter has been the guinea pig on two jackets that have already gone from a good price to a better one. First up is the cute Pearl Plush Full Zip fleece you see pictured at the top, in two of its four colors. My daughter being the girlie girl she is, naturally went for the pink. Besides the color, she loves how soft and fuzzy it is, like a favorite stuffed toy. They call this fleece “Luscious pile,” and it’s a good description.
Although kids don’t sweat out the armpit area as much as we do, this does allow some venting there to keep the little ones from getting overheated and also makes this fleece look more like mom’s more expensive outdoor wear. It’s also got the same kind of zippered pockets and zipper pulls.
This jacket originally sold for $60 to $75, but now you can find the regular or hoodie version for under $40 if you shop around. That puts it in the range of no-name brands that don’t look or feel as good. And this is a great jacket for this spring, next fall, and beyond. Just go a size or two up to allow for growth because it’s slim-fitted. Follow these links to check prices at Backcountry, Department of Goods, Campmor, or direct from Columbia.
Omni-Heat for Girls
I also like how Columbia has incorporated some of the technology you find in their most expensive adult jackets and put it into kids’ versions you can pick up for far less. At the top of that list is the silver-dots Omni-Heat technology, which reflects body heat back and thus saves on the amount of bulk needed.
This Red Hottie jacket incorporates that technology plus the Omni-Shield water repellent, but is currently selling for $60 on Columbia.com. This has 100 grams of insulation, so it’s not meant for blizzards and sub-zero weather, but is a good layering piece for less trying ski days and playing outdoors.
As with the fleece, this is meant to look like something mom would wear, with its quilted design, slim fit, and pockets in all the right places (including an interior zippered one). But it’s 1/10 the price…
Check sale prices on the Red Hottie at Altrec.com, Zappos, and Columbia’s outlet site.
See more kids apparel at Columbia Sportswear.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Kids and Family on March 1st, 2012
Baffin Candy Boots Let Girls Fight the Winter
Do you want your daughter to have warm feet, dry feet, and the ability to stay upright on packed snow and ice? If you outfit her in these Candy boots from Baffin, she’ll be next to indestructible from the calf down—but she’ll look cool too.
Baffin is probably Canada’s best-known footwear brand and they know a thing or two up there about dealing with frigid winter weather. When local conditions aren’t bad enough to test out their boots’ performance in sub-zero weather, the president has been known to trek to the North Pole for a test run. These are serious boots with the technology to take on whatever wintry conditions you may encounter.
This particular Candy version is a great example of the toughness. There’s a thick rubber sole with serious tread, but the boots have some bend to them even in extreme cold. The rubber extends over the tops of the toes, with an extra layer over the front. The whole upper is waterproof. The laces and tassels on the side can be left as is for show, but they are functional if it makes sense to tie the boots tighter around the calf.
Inside there’s a removable 5-layer lining that makes these really warm and snug: they’re rated to -40 degrees F. Brrrr! Despite that and the lack of scrimping on the rubber, they are surprisingly light, weighing in at 1 pound 6 ounces each.
No girl or tween worth her doll collection wants to be seen in a clunky pair of boots with no style though, so these Baffin Candy ones look as good as what Mom wears, with a healthy dose of pink. The fake fur on the cuffs along the top helps too. There’s also a solid black version if she’s too cool for pink.
So far my daughter has just worn these in barely freezing weather in Virginia, so I can’t vouch for that minus-40 claim yet. She didn’t whine when we asked her to put them on and when it’s time for a ski trip or a journey to an icy place, we’ll be ready.
The Baffin Candy boots list for $80, but check prices online at Backcountry and Altrec. See the full line of Baffin boots for kids here, including some more boy-friendly versions.
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Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Kids and Family on January 11th, 2012
Travel Gear Under $20 for Fall
Polarized sunglasses for 10 dollars?
We don’t highlight travel gear sales too often on this blog since they can come and go so rapidly. As I’ve said before though, if you can wait until the hot new items is last year’s model, you can often get it for 25 to 50 percent off. Occasionally a fair bit more than that.
I just got the fall 2011 catalog from Campmor in the mail earlier this week and since it’s a print version, these deals should be around for a while. They’re all “while supplies last” and you may have to compromise on the color now and then, but these are sweet values for the cheapskates like me always trying to avoid paying the list price. If you order $100 worth of stuff, you get free shipping. (See the link at the end.)
A woman at Sunglass Hut once told me in a huffy voice that I could not expect to find polarized sunglasses for less than $100. She was off by 90% because there are five models of Scin polarized sunglasses on sale now for 10 bucks.
Getting geared up for ski season? You can get a pair of Bolle Mojo ski goggles for just $15.
This Princeton Tec Quad Headlamp pictured above is usually $35. Right now it’s $19. Four bright LED bulbs that will last for ages on one charge.
Like REI, Campmor has its own line of travel quick-dry basics clothing that’s significantly cheaper than the brands everyone knows. They have a long-sleeve shirt for men that’s a tad over $20, but three items for women that are less: a shirt-sleeve adventure shirt, a skort, and capri pants. There are also a whole lot of under-$20 items for kids, including convertible pants. Here’s a link to the adventure shirt for women. Do a search for “Campmor Adventure” after landing for the others. 
Speaking of kids, here’s an array of screaming bargains: how about a Marmot Girl’s Lumina Fleece or a Columbia Benton fleece for your little girl? Or get girls and boys some quality Terramar wicking long underwear sets for $15.
This isn’t the half of it (I didn’t even touch on all the socks) and if you go up a few notches in price you’ll find Timex watches, camping lanterns, and other great goodies for half price. Happy hunting! Free Shipping on Orders of $100 or More
Looking for reviews? See our adventure travel gear reviews or items that will help you travel light.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Kids and Family, Travel Light on September 21st, 2011
Inexpensive Travel Staples from Columbia Sportswear
I’m willing to pay for quality travel gear sometimes, but I’m also a big fan of clearance ranks and end-of-season sales. Because Columbia Sportswear cranks out so many new products and styles each year, you can often get their travel clothing at a very reasonable price if you time it right. Here are a few staples of theirs I’ve bought in the past 18 months that were well worth their (discounted) price tag and another one to consider right now for a son or nephew.
I spent all of $15 on a reversible bucket hat on sale at a sporting goods store more than a year ago and somehow she managed to not lose it in all that time. It held up well through a few washings and she still wears it. The one pictured here is not an exact match, but it has the same SPF30 sun protection and two looks to sport. There are a lot of colors to choose from and it’s just $10 at Amazon.
I bought two pairs of Columbia shorts at 50% off at a June sale in 2010 and both styles are off the map now online. I’ve worn them both a lot though in the meantime and they’re still going strong. So check out the available Columbia shorts at Campmor, where they have several styles $25 or less right now, deeper discounts coming later probably when it gets closer to autumn.
Columbia sent me a Silver Ridge travel shirt to review way back when it came out, so I didn’t have to wait for it to go on sale. That time is now though if you want to get a cool travel shirt for your own boy or someone else’s at a bargain price. The boy’s Silver Ridge II long-sleeve shirt is comfortable, wrinkle-resistant, and quick-dry—all for only $16.47 right now at Backcountry.com. A steal for something with vents and roll-up button sleeves.
Look for other Columbia items on sale regularly at Backcountry, Campmor, Rock Creek, and REI.
See more reviews of Columbia Sportswear items here at Practical Travel Gear.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Kids and Family on July 14th, 2011
