Posts Tagged kids’ gear
Bollé Sunglasses for Kids
Finding kids’ sunglasses that fit well, will last a while, are reasonably priced, and aren’t pieces of junk isn’t easy. These Bollé sunglasses fit the bill and have three great attributes on top. 1) The kid likes them. 2) I like them. 3) They haven’t broken yet.
As I mentioned in this review of Chums sunglasses straps earlier, it’s hard to justify spending good money on sunglasses for kids because odds are they’re going to either lose them or break them in no time flat. The problem is, their eyes are even more sensitive than ours, so you feel like a guilty parent outfitting them in dollar store cheapies of questionable sun blocking ability. This is especially important if you are taking kids hiking at high altitude, boating out on the water, or to a mountain for spring skiing.
These Bollé Breezy sunglasses generally run $30 to $40 at retail, about the price of a good pair of kids’ sneakers, but for that you get shatter-resistant polycarbonate lenses that block 100% of UV rays and very strong but flexible nylon frames. There are absorbent rubber grips on both the nose and the ears so they stay on the little one’s head easily.
The key attribute for me is that these are cool enough and comfortable enough that there’s not much whining involved when I give the order to wear them all the time when we’re in the bright sun. My daughter’s version picture here is girly pink, but there are three other colors including the Crystal Lime ones at the bottom.
These are meant for kids 7-10 years old, but Bollé has a whole line of other options. They start with strap ones that are suited for tiny toddlers on up to the very suave Sarah style for ages 9-12. The Bollé site is in Flash, so get on something not using the iPhone operating system to check out the whole product line for kids, men, and women—sunglasses and goggles.
Posted by Tim in Kids and Family on April 14th, 2010
Keen Kaley Boots for Girls
Sometimes it’s hard to figure out what your kid is going to like, but other times you can take one glance at an item and go, “Oh man, she’s going to go nuts over that.” These pink Kaley boots from Keen Footwear definitely fall into the latter category. My little one surely did go nuts over these and she’s been wearing them anywhere and everywhere since the weather turned cool.
These Kaley boots are fun and funky, but like most Keen products are also comfortable and rugged. They would be awesome for any trip that calls for cold weather walks and playing outdoors.
In terms of specs, there are full-length side zippers to make the boots easy to take on and off, rubber toe guards and non-marking rubber outsoles, and EVA midsoles to provide cushioned support. Polyester “faux shearling” does not sound very desirable, but it looks good and is warm.
The uppers are suede though, which is great for cold weather but isn’t ideal for snow. You may want to spray some waterproofing on them if you live in the north.
The Keen Kaley boots come in sizes 1 to 6 and retail for $70. Just a tad over half the price of UGG boots for kids and only half as likely to make you go “Ugh!” Unlike most of the footwear from Target that she plows through in a season, these should last at least another year (if the feet cooperate and don’t grow another size.)
And yes, if your child isn’t a girly-girl, you can also get them in brown or “iguana” green. If you’re not a girl at all, there’s a women’s version too (but for $110).
See more at Keen Footwear’s site.
Posted by Tim in General Gear, Kids and Family on November 17th, 2009
A Fun Activity Book for Traveling Kids
My skeptic meter goes on high alert when I see anything featuring the line, “offers children hours of creative fun.” I’ve taken plenty of these promises on faith before a trip only to have said item hold the little one’s interest for about 15 minutes of a four-hour flight.
I’m happy to say this Julius Pop-up Sticker Activity Kit really delivers on that promise, and then some. Six weeks into our two months on the road I suggested that maybe we didn’t need to hold onto this book anymore and my daughter looked like she was going to break into tears.
This 48-page book is based on Paul Frank’s popular Julius character but it’s the thought that went into the design of this activity book that really makes it a winner. There are pages and pages of stickers—always good—but actually something interesting to do with them too. Outfit stickers to dress up the characters, sunglasses for different faces, fish to put under a glass bottom boat drawing, and a band with instruments to put on stage.
Many of these stick-on pictures require a contribution by the artist/owner though: a puzzle to solve, a cupcake to decorate, or maybe a garden to grow. But wait, there’s more! There’s a whole pop-up scene to put together inside of the cover of the whole affair, then you get to use more stickers to decorate the whole beach!
I made the mistake of showing this to my daughter two days before the plane took off and she was practically foaming at the mouth to get to it by the time we left. I expected this interest to soon wane, but it didn’t.
If you’ve got a flight to Australia or Thailand in your family’s future, or a very long cross-country road trip, pick up this book for your imaginative young child. I’d peg the ideal age at somewhere between “reading well” and “not yet jaded.” The Julius Pop-up Sticker Activity Kit lists for $14.95, but you can usually find it discounted by following the links below.
Posted by Tim in Kids and Family on August 19th, 2009
