Whew. Shocking no one, I blinked and Liliana is almost seven months old. How did that happen? You always hear parents talk about time flying but hot damn, they weren’t kidding.

Thankfully, I can’t say that we’re wasting any of our precious moments together. It took some effort, but Will and I managed to get outside fairly frequently, and more often than not, baby girl is with us. She has been abroad; she vacationed in a campervan; she’s been backcountry skiing {touring}; she visited a backcountry hut; she’s been hiking; she’s been trail running. And her repertoire is going to become more extensive in a few weeks when we embark upon our road trip!

Of course, this came with a fair bit of trial and error, especially in the packing department. It took me a minute to figure out the best gear for our baby girl, and this was largely because you just can’t Google what you need. {Seriously, I tried. I asked the internet, “What should I bring for a 4-month-old baby to a backcountry ski hut?” and got a lot of crickets. Or more people telling me to bring a Pack-and-Play. Y’all, who is going to carry that 15-pound behemoth of a “travel crib” into the backcountry for me?!} Near as I can tell, most parents aren’t bringing their kiddo along on those adventures and the ones who do apparently don’t blog about it.

This is where I’m aiming to close the gap. We’ve found a few tried, true, and tested products or methods that have enabled our little family to get outside *almost* as frequently as pre-baby. Sure, things are different but having a baby does not mean have to kiss those beautiful peaks goodbye.

Our Favorite Baby Outdoor Gear

Photo Credit: Wild Acorns Media

Note: Links below may be affiliate links which means I receive a small commission if you purchase anything. As always, I appreciate the support!

Thule Chariot Cross

This was a big purchase for us but we definitely don’t regret it. {And to clarify, we did receive a pro-deal for 50% off.} The Thule Chariot Cross is like the multi-tool of kiddo transportation. The basic buggy package comes standard with walking wheels and a tow-bar so you can pull your kiddo while out cycling. Additionally, we purchased the jogging stroller and ski sled package, which are the two options we’ve used the most.

This thing is a-mazing. As far as running strollers go, I’m sure it’s not quite as good as BOB strollers and the front wheel doesn’t turn the absolute best. But the versatility of being able to flip between sports makes this purchase a no-brainer. Now that she is bigger, Liliana loves sitting in there, watching the world go by, regardless of whether I’m running, walking, cycling, or pulling her on skis. There is a pull-over plastic cover if it’s raining or snowing, and we’ve discovered that you can chuck a Nalgene full of hot water inside the sled {just like when camping} and then pull the plastic cover over to create a cozy warm environment. Liliana has no complaints!

Tip: If your kiddo is under the age of one, spend the extra money on the infant sling. The regular seat is too big for infants whereas she fits in the sling just fine.

Photo Credit: Moxie 82 Inc

Osprey Poco AG Premium Child Carrier

I was beyond baffled when the Osprey Poco Premium hiking backpack showed up at the door on my birthday. Seriously, it’s like the folks at Osprey know me; best birthday gift ever!

There is a lot of debate in the hiking world as to who makes the best kid carrier: Osprey or Deuter. We’ve never tried the Deuter packs so I can’t speak to those, but Will and I are in love with this backpack! {Well, namely me since I mostly carry Liliana while Will schlepps….everything else.} The pack uses Osprey’s award-winning AG suspension system which carries the load so your body doesn’t need to. The waist belt hugs your hips in a manner far different from other packs and while it does taking getting used to, it’s worth it for multi-hour hikes. Plus, there is an included sun shade that pulls out of the back, making it easy to provide Liliana with a shady snooze. The Premium carrier comes with a zip-off smaller backpack and additional storage so I can still carry a few lighter materials, like a sleeping bag and/or sleeping pad.

Added bonus: your baby can easily lay her head forward for a nap while hiking. Trust me on this one; Liliana does it all the time.

Ergo 360 Carrier

It may seem redundant to have two carriers on the list, but stay with me here. Before Liliana could sit upright on her own, the backpack wasn’t an option. In fact, she was only able to begin using the Osprey before she turned six months. Previously, we relied on the Ergo 360 Carrier.

Thankfully, we received our Ergo as a hand-me-down gift from an old friend so we had it from day one. Liliana took to the carrier immediately, napping in it at home and enjoying walks with Tals from the confines of her Ergo. As she grew older, we began hiking with her in the front carry too. In fact, this is how we toured all of Iceland and France!

As she gets heavier, the front-carry is tougher on my hips so we’ve mostly switched to the Osprey backpack. But, the Ergo was a godsend during particularly cold and wet ski tours. When we skinned the four miles into Maroon Hut, temps were in the single digits and it was puking snow. I was really worried about keeping her warm, so we opted to pop her in the Ergo and face her inwards so that her cheek was mashed against my chest {I left my jacket unzipped.} Not only did my body heat help keep her warm, but turning her inwards protected her face from the elements. We did the same thing while hiking in Iceland and it worked like a charm.

Little Hands Hawaii Sun Protection

Any parent has heard the rule: no sunscreen on your kid prior to six months. Apparently it’s because the amount of chemicals in sunscreen could be slightly dangerous for your baby. That said, I really worried because Liliana was out in the sun a lot. I know they say no sunscreen but for us, skin cancer trumped sunscreen chemicals.

Thankfully, my sister sent me some sunscreen from a local Hawaiian company called Little Hands Hawaii. Since everyone in Hawaii ‘screens up all the time, they shun the generic rule too and apparently a lot of locals use this stuff. It’s made from whole, real ingredients, the majority of which are edible. And it’s good for coral reefs which is obviously near and dear to Hawaiians’ hearts.

Aquaphor

An Instagram follower suggested this to me awhile back and she was right on the money! Even if the sun was behind the clouds, I still wanted to cover Liliana’s face to protect her cheeks from the wind and cold, but I could never find a gaiter small enough to fit her. In the end, I smeared Aquaphor on her cheeks to act as a barrier between her baby-soft skin and the harsh outdoor elements {kinda like diaper cream for her face.}

Dock-A-Tot

The Dock-a-Tot is a controversial sleep item, especially here in the USA. In Europe, it is regularly used but in the USA, it’s not on the approved list for sleep items. However, Will and I couldn’t think of anything else that would work for us in the backcountry so we bought this rather pricey bed.

I’ve heard that a lot of babies become reliant on this contraption but that wasn’t the reason we bought it. We really needed something lightweight that we could take anywhere to use as a bed for Liliana. The Dock-a-Tot is perfect. We took it to Europe and used it in both the campervan and on the kid-friendly bed in our French AirBnB. We popped it in our pulk sled and used it on a couch cushion in the Maroon Hut. We’ve put it on the floor in multiple hotels and in her Pack-and-Play in a closet in our Crested Butte condo. Because it prevents her from rolling around, we had a lightweight-yet-safe sleep place no matter where we went {Note: This is soon to end! As Liliana gets more and more mobile, it’s likely she will be able to climb out of this, so it’s a short-lived solution.}

Tip: We travel with the 125L Big Agnes Stagecoach rolling duffel which is large enough for the Dock-a-tot to fit in the bottom. Easy peasy!

Patagonia Hi-Loft Down Sweater Bunting

We bought this when Liliana was barely out of the womb, and I”ll admit that it is the most expensive bunting one can buy. That said, the Hi-Loft Down Sweater is arguably the warmest out there which made it worth the extra cash.

Added bonus: it’s on clearance at REI right now!

While skinning into the Maroon Hut, temps hovered just over 5 degrees and I was terrified Liliana would get cold. We had four miles into the hut and I’m not exactly the speediest skier. Was she going to be warm enough?!

Thankfully, this bunting is crazy warm and girlfriend was fine! She napped for 90 minutes and woke up for a trailside nursing session {which meant Mom’s boobs came out in sub-freezing temps…oy.} But she was warm even when she wasn’t pressed against me in the Ergo, and I credit this bunting. It’s water-resistant so it doesn’t wet out in moderate snowstorms. Plus, the hood is fleece-lined which means Liliana actually enjoys it pulled up on her head. All the winning.

Zutano Booties

Kids kick off socks like all the days. I’ve found socks in our driveway, in the backseat of our car, in our bedroom, and at my parents’ house. I worried how I was going to keep Liliana’s feet warm in the backcountry since she is too small for shoes but can’t wear socks without removing them immediately. Turns out, Zutano booties are a great choice!

A friend gifted us our first newborn pair at the hospital immediately after Liliana’s birth and we loved them so much that we bought another pair as she grew. They have two snaps so it’s literally impossible for her to remove them, and they fit over socks so I can put a few layers on her feet. While skiing, I put on a pair of merino wool socks, the booties, and then pull the Patagonia bunting over the top. Cozy cozy!

Summer Infant Pop ‘n Jump Activity Center

Ok, admittedly, we aren’t taking this sucker backpacking any time soon, but it’s been great for parks and mellow days in the sunshine! The Pop ‘n Jump Activity Center was gifted to us by my uncle and it is seriously a crowd favorite.

It’s portable {it comes with a travel bag} but it also has a removable canopy that folds over the top. We keep it off indoors but when we’re outside playing, we use the canopy to keep the sun off Liliana’s head. Plus, it has a removable floor so that she doesn’t have to put her feet in the mulch or the grass or dirt or whatever. Pretty handy.

Snoozing in her Osprey

Medela Battery Pack for Pump In Style

Obviously, this isn’t necessarily for Liliana but it sure has made my life a lot easier!

I use the Medela Pump in Style breast pump at home and it has worked great {It also seems to be a really common choice thanks to insurance providers.} But, when I went to Idaho for a week, I had no idea what to do. I’d be in the backcountry with no electricity, but the manual pumps don’t work on me at all. If I couldn’t figure out how to pump in the woods to maintain my milk supply, I was going to forgo the trip.

Thankfully, I found this battery pack! It takes AA batteries {8 at a time} which last for about a day and a half for me. You plug the battery into the normal plug section and it works almost as well as when you have electricity.

The downside: this is definitely a heavy option for the backcountry. The battery pack itself is small and lightweight but you have to carry your regular pump, which isn’t light or small. Plus, you have to make sure you have enough batteries to get you through your trip. For our six night trip, I packed almost 40 batteries since I was perpetually terrified of running out. Let me tell you: 40 AA batteries weighs a fair bit! But, it worked really well while we were gone and I didn’t notice any dip in my milk supply, so I the extra weight was more than a fair trade off.

Patagonia Micro D Bunting

I’ll admit that we have a bit of a love affair with Patagonia’s baby gear! It is just SO stinking adorable! {Although we do have a fleece bunting by Helly Hansen too, and we love it, but it’s since been discontinued. Womp, womp.}

We love the Micro D Bunting because not only does it act as an extra layer of warmth underneath her Hi-Loft Down Sweater, but it acts as a great spring layer on its own, or even as warm jammies in a chilly backcountry hut. It comes with feeties too, so if it’s really cold outside, I’ll pull those over the Zutano booties for an additional layer of warmth.

And also? It’s adorable. So there is that.

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Sound off! Outdoor mamas: what would you add to the list?

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