Being a success

How do we measure success? Well first, “what role you are measuring?”

•  Your role as a parent?
• As a climber?  
• Success in career?
• Success in relationships?  

All of those should have different measurements for success, right?

Standard measures of success

Some would argue that as a climber, you measure success by  how hard you climb.  Or what routes you’ve sent.  As a runner, what races have you won, or what is your personal best?  In your career, the measurement is more commonly salary or title.  With romantic relationships and children, our measurements get a bit more complex.  Is your kid the smartest? Best behaved? Well liked?  Is your spouse faithful, hardworking, a good parent?

If these are the things by which success is measured and judged in our society, why is it that we strive so hard to be successful when what we really want is to be happy? Why not measure success by happiness? In your role as a parent, are your kids happy? Are you happy? In your role as a spouse, is your partner happy? Are you?  In your job or career. . .Are you, your coworkers, and your customers happy? Do you feel good about what you do or do you enjoy the work?  And finally, in your role as a climber, does that route you just climbed make you happy?

We put so much stress on being the best (and I am a huge culprit of that with my strident competitiveness and Ivy League education) but we do not  consider the toll that being the best takes on our happiness.  Some say that if you do what you love, what makes you happy, you will find financial success – that you are good at those things that you enjoy, therefore financial rewards and public accolades follow.  

A new measurement of success

As a parent, doing what you love with your kids must be better than all of the scheduled games, practices, classes and events.  Unless you and your child love those things, and are happy with their scheduled evenings/weekends.  What makes one child happy is completely different than another. So why do we insist on conforming to the group and miserably trying to make our child like everyone else’s?

There have been a number of recent articles dissecting the perfect mom,  the stressed parent, criticizing the mom on the phone. . . talking about the end of school blues and the struggles to get through the year.  The articles (or rants, as they are sometimes called) and the “counter- rants” that inevitably crop up, still don’t address why we are so judgmental as parents. . . and why we always feel so judged by others.  It’s because we are being groomed to think that there is only one right way.  Conform or fail.

We judge the home schooler or the over scheduled kid (look, I did it above), or the tiger mom, or the slacker.  But what if that is what works for them and their kid?  Similarly, we judge the sexually free woman or we judge the virginal one. . . why does it matter? Let it be what it is – if it makes them happy.

(ASIDE) Notice, I have done my best above to go with the generic “parent” instead of “mom”.  Each article so far contextualizes the parenting role as solely the stress and strain on the mother. . . while mommy guilt abounds, I would argue that each of the articles linked above continues the preconceived stereotype that moms are responsible for, well, everything.  The truth is that we have the power, as moms and as individuals (men, too!) to stop the cycle of self inflicted mommy guilt and just focus on not buying into the societal pressures of being successful as defined by others.

As a parent, stop judging success by the standards that others have given you and set your own.  I’m not saying to get rid of all ambitions, just pointing out that all goals and measurements are not created equal.   I’m not advocating complacency or mediocrity, just a perspective shift that says if your goals aren’t making you happy, SET NEW GOALS.

And, please please please, stop judging others that don’t have the same goals.

Measure Success Differently.

Be Happy.

We threw around a few ideas for the summer – one of which was a trip to Europe for an extended summer vacation.  In the end, we decided to hold off on that until the kids are older and investigate more of the US before branching out with our 6 and 4 year olds.

We had previously traveled with the kids (when they were 3 and 18 months) in California, with a travel RV.  The RV was a fabulous experience for the whole family.  California trip report here. Since that was such a success, we evaluated the cost of doing it again and calculated what would make the most sense.

Renting an RV

Renting an RV with kids is great option.  Eating out when traveling is always a bit of a struggle.  I’ve previously written about the choice between camping vs. a hotel with kids.  The RV option (travel trailer, RV, pop up etc) provides a mix of both worlds.

• A cushy mattress
• Heat
• Air conditioning
• Plumbing, running water, heated shower, toilets.
• Food/kitchen/cooking (no restaurants needed)
• Portable, close to the crag
• Toilets.
• Did I say toilets?

With the cost of a rental which ends up being around $750 to $1000 or more a week (depending on location, size, reservation company, length of trip), we determined that purchasing a used travel trailer was a better economic option.

Purchasing an RV or travel trailer

First things first when purchasing an RV or travel trailer.  There are a few vital pieces of information that you should start with.

1. What is your budget
2. How many people do you want to sleep?
3. What can you tow, if anything?

These things will help you determine if an RV (a motorized recreational vehicle) is required and/or even an option.  For us, we own a F250 diesel pick up with massive towing capabilities.  So our options were limitless with a travel trailer.  We also didn’t want to pay insurance and maintenance on a separate vehicle (include those costs in your analysis, as a motorized RV will require registration, insurance, maintenance etc.)  While the convenience of an RV can’t be beat, the costs and ongoing commitment of funds and time were a bit prohibitive for us.

Towing Capacity

Towing capacity is your next “deal breaker” limitation.  If you own a minivan or an SUV, you have some options that include lightweight travel trailers and pop up trailers.  These can be towed by a smaller vehicle but you’ll want to pay close attention to weight.  The new lightweight travel trailers are full size hybrids (a little low in the ceiling space) that offer everything a full sized trailer does.  Since they are lighter, they are also a newer line and will limit your options a bit with regard to “used” vs “new” and pricing.  (Expect to pay more for those features).  If your budget doesn’t allow for much, you’ll want to consider a pop up trailer instead (if you can’t tow anything big).  These pop ups have burners/cook tops, toilets, showers (some), and beds, but you sacrifice privacy (there are no doors for those using the potty). You can find these in luxury or budget price points, so these will give you the broadest selection, but within a low tow capacity.

For those that have a larger towing capacity (read, you already own a pickup), a full sized trailer can be found in pretty much any price point and size.

What factors to consider in purchasing a travel trailer

A few things that will change what you are paying:

• Age – the older the vehicle (in general) the less you pay
• Size – the bigger the vehicle, the more you pay, but you can certainly find large trailers in the lower price points, you’ll sacrifice things like age and condition, though.
• Layout & Features – some layouts include more privacy, more sleep capacity, better “flow”. Features can include upgrades like solid surface countertops, oven (or microwave), audio features (tv, radio, satellite speakers,) and more.
• Condition – this is the most significant factor and the one that you’ll sacrifice when you have a specific price in mind and the other factors are not “variable”.  i.e. if you want a specific layout, sleep capacity, or year.  Deal breaker and/or budget makers are things like a “soft floor” where water has leaked and made the floor rotten/soft – that will need to be replaced in most cases.  Another deal breaker/budget maker is a leaky roof.  Those are “fixable” but usually cause damage in the interim.  Also, remember to check the awning if there is one, (expensive to replace) and the plumbing/gas lines as well.  Make sure that someone has “tested the lines” (in a private deal, you’ll want to have a professional look it over, in a dealer sale, that is something they typically include). Check the frame to determine if it is bent and/or has seen damage, as well.

One other factor is brand. You will note (as you begin shopping) that anything in the Airstream line is more expensive.  I’m sure that there are other brands that similarly impact price, but it isn’t quite as obvious as Airstream.  That puts you in a $10,000 range (generally) just because of the brand.

Travel trailers, like cars, have a standard value book.

You can do your research here.

Ultimately, we ended up purchasing a 2003 22 foot Thor Chateau travel trailer.  The interior height was a bonus as my husband can stand tall inside, but we did sacrifice a bit in layout in order to get something in “like new” condition.  The kids would have liked bunk beds and we would have loved a bit more space around the “master” bedroom but all in all, the price point, size, and condition were our sticking points and we weren’t willing to wait in hopes of finding a similar trailer with exactly the sleep layout we wanted.

The kids are in love with our purchase and I’ve had them cleaning it out already.  Seems like they think it is “their home” instead of ours, and they are taking a lot of ownership for keeping it clean and organized.  I look forward to their efforts as we start to plan our upcoming weekend and summer trips!

This past weekend was a first for our family.

So. . . we took a non climbing camping trip!  It was a weekend camping trip only a few hours from home and I am happy to say that the trip was a huge success.

Assateague Island State Park Camping

We drove 4 hours to the Maryland State Park on Assateague Island.  Assateague is known for both a state park and national park (Assateague National Park) hosting hundreds of wild horses, beachfront camping, and unparalleled undeveloped East Coast Seashore wilderness.

Camping is available at both the Maryland State Park and the National Park. Reservations are recommended (and hard to come by for peak season which is from May until September).  The State park campgrounds have a bit more on the amenities including hot water showers, clean bathrooms, and running water toilets.  The NPS facilities are more rustic and sufficient for those that aren’t picky about running water and indoor warm water showers.

Beachfront Camping on the East Coast

Beachfront camping on the East Coast is hard to come by.  When camping at Assateague, our site happened to be right up against the dunes, and only a quick walk over the dune path to get to the beach.  The National park also boasts ocean front campsites but you will want to look at the campsite map to find the appropriate site.  Bayside campsites are, as you would image “Bayside” rather than ocean front.

We lucked out with the weather – 70′s during the day and sunny. Evenings were a bit cooler with heavy jackets and a warm fire being needed for comfort.  Temps were probably in the 40′s at night.

At this time of the year, the camping was lovely with limited bugs and no humidity – my understanding is that the heat can get oppressive and the Assateague mosquitos and flies are quite aggressive and non responsive to bug spray.  As things heat up, the bugs become an issue.  With regard to sea gulls and other wild animals, we had limited interaction.  We did see some deer in addition to the wild horses.  Bird watchers will likely see a large variety of sea and East Coast birds.

A quick warning: Where we stayed, the water had a particularly rough shore break as the ground changes depth quickly and the waves break hard and shallow in the water.  While I’m sure that the summers account for this and folks are aware for swimming purposes, if you have difficulty swimming or young children, you will want to take particular care with the shore break.

National Park Camping, Assateague Permits and More

Assateague State Park and National Park border one another and you can walk from State to National without much effort.  Not sure how they patrol the state to national beaches, but I’m sure they must during the summer at there is a National Park Pass required to go onto National Park land.  The pass is valid for both Assateague and Chincoteague Island – Chincoteague is the Virgina side of the island and is host to only commercial campgrounds, though there are more summer housing rentals on that side of the island.  For $15, you can have a day pass, or $30 gets you the annual.

You can stop at the visitor center before you get over the Verrazzano Bridge.  We didn’t stop there but we did hear that there was a nature center with a number of hands on displays for the kids.  Pets are allowed in certain campsites and locations in both the state and national park but, as with all National Parks, they must be on a leash.

Firewood can not be brought from out of state, but is available within the county and can be purchased on your drive in – there are a number of stores that have it for sale and we recommend purchasing outside of the park as what we bought within the park was a bit greener than what we used from outside of the park (within the county).

Driving on the Beach

Assateague has miles of sand open for driving with an Over Sand Vehicle Permit.  The permits vary in price based on usage but we bought an annual pass for $90 to drive further down the beach.  Additional campsites are available in the backcountry that you can hike and/or drive to using your OSV permit.

The OSV permit has some caveats that you should be aware of.

1.  Only 145 vehicles are allowed in the NPS OSV area at one time.  That number fills up quickly during the summer and the limit was 3/4 full on our trip in April by the end of the day – I would imagine it is a difficult task to get in within the limit during the summer months.

2.  Requirements include a specific type of shovel, piece of wood or steel, tow straps, and tire pressure gauge as you must lower tire pressure to 15 and have the tools to get pulled out of sand should you get stuck.

For more info on the OSV, visit the NPS Assateague information page.

Finding the Assateague Horses

Finding the horses is a complete luck fest. . . They can be walking on the road, on the beach, in the campsite area, or in the parking lot.  . . Or you can go through the trails stumbling over pile after pile of warm horse manure with no horse in sight for hours.  It’s just hit or miss, but you are bound to see a few.  We made an adventure of following the horse trails through the woods a bit only to realize that we were probably making too much noise to surprise anyone.  It was a fun time, and the kids certainly enjoyed checking the horse scat to see how fresh it was an how “hot on the trail” we were.

So are the horses at Assateague horses, or ponies?  Well, you’ll see signs for both across the island.  We spoke with a local who said that they are ponies because of their size. . . they aren’t over a certain number of “hands” so they are considered ponies not horses.  So there you go.

The running of the horses occurs during the month of July when the horses swim from the mainland back to the island.  It’s likely not to be missed, but since we don’t do crowds, we opted to visit in a less popular month.

Things to do at Assateague Park

1. Watch the sunrise from your campsite

2. Hike along the beach and look for shells and horses.

3. Drive on the beach.  Stop for a picnic. Go on a pony hunt.

4.  Kayak or Canoe around the bay

5. Bring a paddle board (not sure if they had rentals)

6. Dig in the sand. Build Sand Castles

7. Visit the Nature Center

8. Hike on one of three nature trails; dunes, forest or marsh.

9.  Bike around the park with the kids.

Between marshmallow roasting, hot dogs for dinner, digging holes in the sand, driving on the beach, going on a pony hunt, picnics, walks, and bike rides, we managed to fit a lot of activity into a short weekend – even if we didn’t go climbing even once!

Condolences to Boston

First of all, let me convey my condolences to the victims of the Boston attacks and their families.  Marathoners specifically, and runners in general, are a hardly lot – they are strong and will surely get through this. Similarly, Bostonians are a particularly rugged bunch. . . they too will recover with a giant shrugging of their shoulders as they bear this burden and carry on.

Explaining Terror Attacks to Children

Well, we’ve gotten really good at this.  Figuring out how to convey the important information to our children so that they are aware of current events and how they may be impacted without making them fearful of school and/or going to public events.  We talked about this when Sandy Hook happened. And during the shootings in Aurora.  The techniques were used on us during Oklahoma City, and we may even have heard them during 9/11.

Here are some of the best articles, summaries, and quotes about explaining tragedy and terror to your kids.

There’s the religious approach for those that like to include God in their explanations.

The visual approach for those that prefer images and charts.

The lying approach for parents that want to believe that they can make everything safe and okay.

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, Look for the helpers.  You will always find people who are helping.” – Fred Rogers.

1.  I’ve found that minimizing tv time is helpful.  Depending on the age, young children barely get the difference between “real” and “make believe”, “live” and “recorded”.  Television merely creates more questions and confusion as they try to figure out whether or not the blood is real, if the people are actors, and if it happened today or ten years past.

2.  Tell the truth.  I never advocate lying to children.  You are a grown up.  .. learn to turn a phrase a bit so that you aren’t lying but aren’t giving them so much information that they can’t feel safe.  ”A sick and/or troubled person made a terrible decision and hurt some people” can be just as effective as words that demonize, that terrorize, and that inflict a constant fear in your child for going to school, out on the street, or to the movies (depending on the event/location).

3. Talk about the good.  As Fred Rogers said, “look for the helpers”.  Do what you can.  Give blood.  Or supplies.  Or just a listening ear to those that need to talk.  Check on your family and friends.  Go for a run.  Be grateful. Thankful.  Live.

Let it Grow for Earth Day

I’m hoping to do a few Pinterest projects this spring to help the kids understand about Earth Day, planting, and air (trees, carbon dioxide etc).   Check out a few of the Earth Day and Spring projects I’ve pinned.

First Day of Spring!

Happy first day of spring!  Between Rita’s Water Ice (free water ice today!) and the fact that my daffodils are popping up (yay, flowers!), it is starting to feel like spring.  So here’s a video that may help you to enjoy the start of spring.

What does spring mean?

In our family, spring means:

• walking to school (and from school)
• planting flowers
• playing in the dirt
• puddle jumping
• rock climbing
• hiking
• camping

What does spring mean to your kids?

Summer Camps For Kids

Sending your child to summer camp seems to be a right of passage that most parents go through at some point.  Day camps and overnight camps are your first two choices to consider but there are a plethora of decisions that you have to wade through to get to the right camp for you (or your child).

Day Camps vs Overnight Camps

Day Camps are usually half or full day experiences for kids aged 5 to 14.  While this can be a wonderful option for the younger child, it is important to consider supervision (number of counselors, age, and experience).  Overnight camps have the same consideration (supervision) but add the difficult consideration of whether or not you (and your child) are ready for an overnight camping experience.

Camping, of course is a variable term.  Summer “camp” does not mean “Camping” by default (though my Girl Scout Camp experience also involved camping).  Summer camp may or may not even include an outdoor component.  Some can be educational, some can merely be unstructured play, others  can be outdoor adventures, crafts, and/or skill building.

Specialty Camps

Climbing Camps

Climbing camps are often available both through indoor climbing gyms (for those looking for a day camp option) or through outdoor wilderness programs (usually an overnight experience).  NOLS and Outward Bound offer the most famous of these hiking and climbing excursions, while the Boy Scouts may include climbing and/or hiking as one of their options depending on the camp.

Summer Ski Resort Camps

East Coast ski resorts and others that have a “summer” season with Zip lines and more often have a summer camp option.  These camps often have outdoor skills, games, and/or opportunities. Just search your local ski resort and “summer camp” to see what options might be available near you. For example, Ski Roundtop (in Harrisburg PA) has a number of programs both day and overnight for ages 8-16.

Ski and Snowboard Summer Camps

West coast and high altitude areas also offer summer ski camp options where youth can build their skills in snow sports (who knew you could ski in June?!).  Some options include Whistler Blackcomb, Mt. Hood and Tahoe.  Check out this great write up by Evo about some of the ski/snowboard summer camp options available.

Outdoor Skill Camps

Don’t want to rock climb? Other outdoor skill camps include kayaking, dog sledding, rafting, mountaineering, sailing and more.  You are only limited by the distance you are willing to travel and the money you are willing to spend.  Search for your particular interest and “summer camp” and find the camps available to you.  The more obscure and environmental dependent the sport or skill, the more regionally dependent you’ll find the results.

Athletic Camps

Of course, if outdoor activities and sports aren’t your thing and you want a skill camp to develop sports skills, those options abound.  Every sport offers a camp, both day and sleepover. College campuses are usually a hotbed for camps such as those.  Not only are they a great resource for skill building, but they are a wonderful option for those high school students seeking to be recruited for a particular sport or skill.   Some examples include Lehigh University, USSC Nike Sports Camps, and more.

Educational Camps

Most private schools offer summer school and/or summer camp options.   Phillips Andover, and Colorado Academy are only two of the private schools that have their own website (and or section) dedicated to the summer camp opportunities. 

While selecting a summer camp can be a daunting experience, your options are easily narrowed by location, price, age range, and interest.  For our 6 year old this summer, we’ll likely pick a small nature camp that focuses on outdoor nature experiences rather than a larger adventure camp, in the consideration of his age and interests.

What camps are you considering for your child? How old are they? Why did you pick that camp?

I recently heard from a friend that our kids used to be known as the kids at the climbing gym that were going to get hurt.

I was shocked.  I know that they run around a bit, but we teach them not to run on mats (only play on the bouldering mats where folks aren’t climbing) and stay away from anyone belaying/on rope.  I admit, I had a few moments of “Oh, no – we are bad parents. We are those parents. We shouldn’t take our kids to the gym anymore.”  I take pride in the fact that we primarily boulder when the kids are around.  And that one of us is usually crawling on the floor playing monster with them while the other one climbs.  We bring food and crayons, movies and electronic devices, we encourage them to climb, and we entertain.  What else could we do?

Stay home? Not take our kids to the gym?  Teach them to sit still and not move while we climb at the gym?

Then I remembered a Facebook post I saw the other day (left, from a friend of mine)  I’m not sure that it applies 100% to this situation, but I believe that there are some similarities.

See original post and the mom replies.

What do you think?  Do we have a problem? Or is the problem judgmental non parents, parents of non mobile children, parents with only one child, parents with children that happen to be a little more quiet and reserved than ours?  I honestly am not sure that we can do anything differently.  We do the best we can to teach them the rules of the road for climbing, and we watch them diligently to make sure that we prevent any non-listening moments.

Am I naive to think that those judging us just haven’t been there yet?

I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments on this one as I’m almost afraid to take them to the gym in fear of being seen as “those parents” who can’t (or won’t) control their children. My kids are now ages 4 and 5 – so active, but still young. . .

Here are my initial thoughts for alternatives and improvement.  I’m not extremely excited about #2 or #5.

1.  It’s a choice between playing (physically) or self entertaining.  Should I encourage self entertainment as option 1 and option 2 to be climbing?  If yes, then they shouldn’t be running in the gym at all.  Is that realistic and/or should that be an expectation.

2.  If I am ok with electronics in the gym, an ipad/ipod would settle them down.  Is this the direction to go?

3.  Food. Food.  Food.

4. Climbing.  They should climb. . . it is after all a climbing gym.  If they don’t want to climb, see option 1 and 2.

5. Stop taking them to the gym for a while.  Get a babysitter

What would you do? Which is the lesser of two evils? Out of control kids, couch potatoes?

As we talk about outdoor activities, kids, and safety, we often discuss the dangers of the outdoors, the wilderness, rockfall, and weather.  While many of us are firm believers in preserving nature (and avoiding technology), I often note a significant overlap between the outdoor experience and such activities as snowmobiling, dirt biking, and four wheeling.  While these are more man made than environmental, and while there are negatives (noise and air pollution), these little devices can yield oodles of fun for a pack full of kids.

Safety and protection are some of the most important questions that arise when considering four wheelers, atvs, and motorcycles for anyone younger than 14 or 15 years old.  So what can you do to make riding safer?  For us, we stick to things like emergency kill switches, mandatory helmets, and a governor to maximize speed at a comfortable level.

For more information about ATVs and kid safety check out this article with one perspective on when it is appropriate for kids to ride: Safety and Kids on ATVs.

This is something I never thought I’d say.  “Night skiing with kids is fun.” We took our 3 (almost 4) year old and our 5 year old out on the slopes at 7 pm for a bit of pre-bedtime night skiing.  They had a great time, and, to be honest, so did I. . . it was so much better than the typical crowded mornings on the bunny hill.

Yes, that’s what I said.  Night skiing is a great option for young kids.  There are some cons.  And some pros.  Here they are.

Cons of Night Skiing with Kids

1.  It’s colder than during the day.  Sometimes less windy, but colder

2.  Kids aren’t usually at their best in the late afternoon/early evening. They may be too tired to ski.

Pros of Night Skiing with Kids

1.  Sometimes less expensive

2. Fewer people in line for the lift, shorter wait.

3. Less crowded on the beginner slopes.

Why did we go night skiing?  We tried the morning and early afternoon skiing on Saturday during the day.  The kids were overwhelmed by the people, tired of the lines, and unimpressed with the sheer over stimulation of too many people on the slopes on a Saturday in the middle of winter break.  It’s the reason we choose to take our big winter trip in an off week in January/February.  Instead of trying that again on Sunday, we opted to stay at the house (a friend’s lake house in Pennsylvania) sledding.  The kids were excited for sledding and rather than push the issue, we went with their preference.

The afternoon was full of napping and relaxing, and the evening enjoyed a bit of a dip in the hot tub (for the kids) and dinner.  As 7 pm rolled around, we realized that our napper had tons of energy and that skiing was still an option . . . so why not!?

Yes, all things need to align for this to work, but for those that wonder, night skiing can be a wonderful option for kids.  Check out the video of our daughter taking her last run of the night (somewhere between 8:30 and 9 pm).

Skiing and Snowboarding With Kids

Teaching our kids to ski and snowboard is one of the things we believe is a “must do”.  Manners, integrity, a healthy lifestyle, a love of the outdoors – those are some of the key values we work to teach our kids.  Skiing/snowboarding falls within both healthy lifestyle and love of the outdoors.  It is also a great way to combine these values with family time – as kids and adults can do this activity together from quite a young age.

Mid Atlantic Skiing, Not Exactly A Mecca

Admittedly, (considering that we live in Pennsylvania) we aren’t located in US Skiing Mecca (out west, of course), but we are lucky enough to have opportunities for skiing a few months each year within a one hour drive – and pretty great skiing only a long day drive away (New Hampshire/Vermont/Maine). It’s not Colorado Powder, but it ‘s pretty darn great, especially if you hit it during a big snowfall.

We prepare for our winter mountain sports time for months in advance, as we take a week long trip to New England on a ski in/ski out resort vacation each year.  The kids look forward to this as soon as summer ends and school begins.  The preparations include evaluating our ski equipment needs (snowboards, boots, bindings, skis, poles) and our clothing/warm weather gear needs.  You would think this would be easier each year – as we get the hang of it.  As adults, we don’t need new gear each year.  The kids are a totally different story.

Stocking Up on Equipment for Skiing

I’ve mentioned ski swaps for getting kid’s ski/snowboard equipment – this year it was a total win!  We grabbed a great snowboard for Ryder (with bindings) at a great price.  The bindings are top of the line youth Burton Bindings and the board is in great condition (not a scratch on the bottom or side).  We’re still looking for snowboard boots, but we’re excited for the find.  I always keep an eye out at the ski swaps for the boots, but buying online is also a great source when you know what you are looking for. Evo happens to be running a sale at the moment, click here to check it out – ->evo | Winter Clearance – Huge Markdowns!

Other online shopping resources abound, but I often find my best winter coat/gear purchases at the local consignment stores. I found a child’s Patagonia snow suit last year – barely worn!  You have to know the right time of the year to hit the stores, and you also need to have an idea of what store has the best winter gear selection.  This varies by location so you’ll need to do a bit of homework.  I’ve gotten winter boots, jackets, and snow pants in our local consignment store.  The money isn’t the primary issue, we want the high performance gear and don’t want to be buying new each year (since they outgrow it so quickly).  It’s important that the kids are warm and wearing quality performance gear when they might be spending the day outside in sub-freezing temperatures.  I’d rather buy used Patagonia, Mountain Hardware, Outdoor Research (that new would be $200 or more for a kids outfit) than new non-performance clothing.  Yes, I’m a outdoor clothing brand snob, you found me out! I’m just unwilling to spend  the money year after year on new kids clothing that will only last one season.

Disclosure: the Evo link is an affiliate program link, if you buy something from Evo after clicking that link, I get rewarded.  I shop there myself (just bought a new pair of skis this season), and would link to them anyway (their customer service is awesome), but just wanted you to know!