Hike it Baby Style Picks: The Elusive Women's Winter Jacket

When you start to think about backpacking, you start to research gear. A lot of gear. To me, there are three things that can make or break a trip: your pack, your tent and your sleep system. If you don't get a good night sleep, no amount of coffee or tea is going to help in the morning. Splurging on a good sleep system that will last for years can make a big difference on whether you go once or continue to head out on trail. Snuggle More on Trail I'll admit it. I'm a snuggler. Sure, I can sleep alone, but why would I want to? I'm not the only one out there since the double sleeping bag market has several great contenders in it. Before deciding on a sleeping bag, I looked through different reviews to see what would work for our family; however, most didn't take into consideration the special needs of a family with young children. Therefore, we've reviewed three bags below with families in mind. Good for the night sneaker Sierra Design Backcountry Bed Duo 35/700 Dridown Pros: Accommodates 25-inch pads, snuggly comforter feel, foot ventilation With a blanket-like top and fast ventilation for warm feet, the Sierra Design Backcountry Bed Duo 35/700 Dridown ($399.95) is perfect for the some-like-hot, some-like-it-cold couples. My husband typically runs hot and I run colder, so this was a great way for us to share a bag and make both of us happy. This bag is a bit heavier than two solo bags as it weighs in at 3 lbs., 12 oz. Even though it is slightly heavier, the bonus in features definitely make up for the weight. I was excited when this bag came in to see it accommodated a 25-inch sleeping pad. It has two sleeping channels that are set for 20-inch pads, but it was easy to figure out how it can be opened up for the 25-inch pads. There are a number of buttons on the side so you can easily go between the two sizes as needed. My daughter, Sky, will start in her own bag but typically sneaks into my bag halfway through the night. Even with the standard 20-inch pads, we slept comfortably between the three of us. One thing to watch is that there is a middle channel between the two pads that is stuffed with filling so it remains warm. However, there is a slight dip between pads so if you shuffle quite a bit at night, you may find yourself sinking a bit. Foot ventilation, integrated comforter, closure to seal out drafts and insulated hand pockets are the main benefits that give this a cozy feel. The insulated hand pockets on each corner, paired with the extra long comforter, make this feel like your bedding at home. This is an excellent hybrid between a sleeping bag and a quilt-style. [gallery size="hikeitbaby-featured" columns="2" ids="922746,922747"] Photos by Jessica Featherstone. Versatile and Cozy Nemo Tango Ultralight Down Comforter Pros: Compresses down small, able to use as a solo bag The simple, effective design of the Nemo Tango Ultralight Down Comforter ($329.95) compacts down small and keeps you cozy on trail. The backless design of the Nemo comforter makes it compress as small as a single-person sleeping bag, leaving plenty of room in the bottom of my Deuter 60L pack for its slipcover, two sleeping pads, pillows and Sky's blanket. (Never forget the blanket!) The slipcover keeps the two pads snug tight against each other. The design is simple with only the foot box and top section that slides under the pads. The sides are open and bottom attaches to the top with a snap on each side. This allows each person to determine how much ventilation they desire whether it's a full open side or just enough to stick out a foot. The snap is strong and not even a preschooler rough housing can break it open. Since this is backless and lightweight, I've also used it as a solo quilt. It was quite effective as a quilt and it's about the same size as other single sleeping bags. This is lightweight for a two-person bag at 2 lbs., 11 oz and compares to many single sleeping bags out there. This bag is an excellent choice for those who want to head out with the family and also use the same bag solo. [gallery columns="2" size="hikeitbaby-featured" ids="922749,922748"] Photos by Jessica Featherstone. Double or Solo Therm-a-Rest Ventana™ 35™ Pros: Cozy feel, use as solo or double bag, fits 25-inch pads The lightweight, versatile and compact design of the Therm-a-Rest Ventana ™ ($269.95) makes it a great choice for families who take both family and individual adventures. Use as a cozy solo bag (it is also wide enough to fit a 25-inch sleeping pad) or use the included zip-in mattress coupler, which turns it into a soft, draft-free sleeping solution for two (or even three if you have early snuggle visits from a preschooler, like we do!). We paired the sleeping bag with the NeoAir Camper Duo Pad ($299.95), and what I love about this camping pad is its separate chambers and how easy it is to use with the Ventana™. I tend to move around more in my sleep than my husband, and with this design, I don't feel bad for tossing and turning a bit at night. The comforter stayed connected (no fighting over the covers!) and he didn't get bumped around as I moved. I can also see us using this sleep system when I take my 3-year-old and 8-year-old boys camping solo. The three of us could easily all fit into the double and, because there isn't a gap in the middle, no one will feel like they're falling in the crack. For summer camping, I can also see us not attaching the comforter to the mattress (like shown), as we all tend to sleep warm. With a temperature rated to 45 degrees (women) and 35 degrees (men), the sleeping bag is a great choice for summer camping adventures. The fabric and insulation will also do well in wetter conditions like the Pacific Northwest. While not the lightest bag on the block (4 lbs., 7 oz), both the bag and the sleeping pad pack down small and would be easy to take on a summer family backpacking trip, festival weekend or campsite adventure. [gallery columns="2" link="none" size="hikeitbaby-featured" ids="920878,920880"] Photos by Jessica Wynne. When considering sleeping systems for your family, it is helpful to take into consideration the climate, versatility, size and weight of the sleep system, as well as those unique features that could help your family sleep while backpacking or camping. What are your favorite double sleep systems? Do you have any questions? Leave a comment below! Read More: The new era of the family camping tents Light it up: Headlamp reviews The ultimate guide to camping with kids Disclaimer: Hike it Baby was provided with free product for this round up and honest review. All thoughts, opinions, and photos are Hike it Baby’s own and not influenced by any company or its affiliates. Comments provided by Hike it Baby staff are their own and reflect their own love for their sleeping bags.

After two pregnancies, two nursing babies, and four years working in the outerwear department at R.E.I., I’ve had the chance to figure out what clothing works best for getting outdoors while pregnant or breastfeeding in cold winter weather.  I’ve been disheartened to notice that pregnant and nursing mothers are a greatly underserved population for gearing up for the outdoors, which is a shame as life outside doesn’t end with pregnancy. All the traditional maternity outfitters seem to offer cotton-only (or mostly cotton) clothing which is a major no-no for outdoor activities in the cold, not to mention the fact that for being maternity-specific clothing, it never seemed to cover my belly past month 8.  (For reference, I am 5'8" and 125lbs, though at my biggest during pregnancy I was about 175.) Fortunately, I’ve found several items that I have been able to wear throughout the duration of my pregnancies and beyond, as each of these items below were purchased in my pre-pregnancy size and due to stretchy waists or longer torso sizes were able to last throughout my pregnancies and continue to fit once I reached pre-pregnancy weight - no small feat since I gained 50lbs each time - which is nice since no one wants to buy quality technical gear that only lasts a few months. These are items that I have personally used, but I have seen a lot of items that would fit the bill for pregnancy/nursing friendly gear; my main recommendation would be to stop in an outdoor retailer and look for items with a longer torso (like tunics) and a stretchy waistband (for pregnancy) or any shirts with a henley style/zip-down/stretchy scooped neck (for nursing), paying close attention to the labels to make sure you’re avoiding cotton. Pregnancy: lucy Manifest Long-Sleeve Tunic They have a number of pregnancy-friendly options and have something along these lines in a short-sleeve as well (the Yoga Girl Tunic).  This also has a deep V-back so if you’re feeling frisky you can even try flipping it around post-pregnancy and using it as a nursing shirt (though the jury is still out on how obvious the backwards-wear is!). lucy Get Going Pants With a solid base layer underneath for colder temperatures these are definitely workable hiking pants (as well as a just a good all-around athletic or even casual pant during pregnancy). Kuhl Mova Pants These unfortunately picked up more leaves than I would have liked but were still a solid non-jeans option for expanding bellies - and it has pockets! The North Face Aphrodite Pull-On Pants Similar to the Get Going Pants, another really nice option for a stretchy band to last the whole pregnancy (though different brands fit differently, so it’s important to try things on to make sure it fits your body type). Nursing: Smartwool Women's PhD® Light Printed Wind Zip T One of the few Merino wool options I’ve had the chance to try on (though I’m sure there are others).  Merino wool can be worn for days on end before it starts to smell and does a much better job than synthetic materials at regulating body temperature so this tends to be my go-to for more serious hikes when I want to be more careful about over-heating. REI Screeline Hoodie This one has a nice quarter-zip option that goes down just far enough for me to get a boob out while out and about - and it has thumbholes!  This is definitely a more “technical” shirt with a lot of backpacking-friendly features like paneling that works well with backpack (or carrier) placement. Toad&Co Divinitee Shirt I recently discovered this one and I ended up picking up two - it is a synthetic but is incredibly soft like broken-in cotton, plus it just looks nice as a casual shirt.  It has a deep v-neck with some stretchiness to it and is a tested and confirmed nursing-friendly option. Carrier-Friendly Jackets On another note, I highly recommend people look for more "technical" jackets (as opposed to a casual, traditional coat) if they plan on carrying their kids.  Companies that make jackets intended for backpacking/climbing tend to have easier to access pockets when wearing babies as opposed to more traditional jackets where you have to do a lot more fumbling/readjusting to get to your phone/keys.  I have only tried one jacket that does this - the Arc’Teryx Zeta LT - so I can only speak to that particular item, but including “harness compatible pockets” in your search for a jacket should turn up some options that work well with a SSC or framed carrier. Do you have a favorite piece of outdoor gear? Share with us here in the comments! Happy Winter Hiking! Photo Credits: Jennifer Cozine