Rave and Review

Pouch Carrier Cover from Rain or Shine Kids {Review & Giveaway}

While we’ve had a bit of a mild winter here in the Pacific Northwest so far, it looks like winter is going to hit us pretty hard in the next few weeks.  Taking other years into account, this means that we are likely looking forward to months and months of ice, freezing temperatures, and snow in our future.  While most of us have snow gear and down jackets we can slip on, the problem becomes what you can do to keep the littlest ones warm during freezing temperatures.  The answer, of course, is Rain or Shine Kids, our favorite Seattle brand. 

We’ve raved about their Woobee blanket that kept our daughter from freezing in our trip across Spain and Morocco, we’ve adored their UPF Sun Blanket that helped protect our little guy from sun, wind, and rain, and we’ve recommended the Fleece Blanket for all the weather in between, but now they’ve got a brand new line of Pouch Carrier Covers that we are crazy about.  Designed to keep your little one toasty while rolling, strolling, or sledding, the cover is the perfect thing to place over your baby carrier, your stroller, your car seat, or even in the event of a snowstorm, your sled.

We got to check out this new line at the ABC Kids show in September and thought it was truly brilliant, so we were thrilled when one arrived at our doorstep right before the cold hit.  Now that the weather has taken a dip, the Rain or Shine Kids Pouch Carrier Cover has gotten quite the workout over the top of the ERGO baby carrier.  When the weather dipped even further and the snow began to fall, we loved using the cover right over the top of our Mountain Boy Bambino Grande Pull Sled, keeping the little one toasty warm even while the flakes were falling.

Like everything made by Rain or Shine Kids, the design of the Pouch Carrier Cover is truly outstanding.  With the signature Woobee weatherproof cover paired with their super soft lining, it looks just like the Woobee we love, but with some important differences.  Instead of a flat perimeter as with traditional blankets, the bottom half of the Pouch Carrier Cover is gathered with an elastic hem, creating a pocket that your little one’s lower half is enveloped in.  Then, ¾ of the way up the cover, they included coordinating grosgrain ribbon to tie to baby carriers, strollers, car seats, wagons and more. 

Quality details throughout and extra features will make this the only cover you will ever use.  For instance, my favorite feature: the front kangaroo pocket for your hands {while front carrying} or your child’s {while strolling, rolling, sledding}.  This was great during our daily snow walks where I couldn't wear gloves and take pictures, and also served as a warm and dry place to hold onto the camera in between shots. 

I also love that Rain or Shine Kids included snaps tabs on the sides and the undersides that you can connect if you’ve got too much fabric and reduce bulk while providing the coziest environment possible.  Not only does this help keep the cover fitted to whatever carrier or seat you're using, it is also so incredibly snugglable that you will never want to take your babe out.

While I have focused the review on how great this is for babies {and the people that carry them}, this adjustable nature makes it a cover that is not easily outgrown. It is so adaptable that our three year old can still use it if she tucks up her legs and our 1 year old fits in it with room to spare, as you can see below. 

We’ve used it numerous times throughout the past few weeks and it’s now a fixture on our days out for keeping the little ones cozy in the car, in the stroller, the carrier, or just about anywhere else.  We love it so much that we always have it ready, which is great because we're going to be needing it around here well into June!

Find out more about the Pouch Carrier Cover from Rain or Shine Kids as well as the rest of the Woobee family at rainorshinekids.com

One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a Rain or Shine Kids Pouch Carrier Cover of their very own!

To Enter: Visit Rain or Shine Kids and let me know what other item of theirs you have your eye on.

And, as always, there are extra entries available!  {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

1 Extra Entry - Post on your Facebook wall about the giveaway {http://t.co/Ij0SzYCT} and tag Rain or Shine Kids and R&R on Facebook

1 Extra Entry - Like Rain or Shine Kids on Facebook

2 Extra Entries {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Simply tweet the following after following us both:

I want to keep cozy with the awesome @RainOrShineKids Baby Carrier Cover! Enter the #giveaway from @RaveAndReview http://t.co/Ij0SzYCT

2 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus.  Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

On February 28th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. US addresses only.

The Rain or Shine Pouch Carrier Cover for review and the giveaway were offered at no charge to us.  All opinions remain 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review.

More Magic Elfcapades

It's hard to believe that our elf, Ryan has only been here a few days.  Just like last year, he has quickly become part of the family and we are all dreading the day that he returns to the North Pole to help Santa on Christmas Eve. 

Yes, that's my son learning to walk holding onto Ryan the elf, and then getting up enough courage to walk Ryan over to the rocking horse for a ride.  Thank goodness Ryan slept through most of it, because he's already made it clear that he doesn't really do horsey rides.  I did, however, grab these shots which I left for him to see.

In the past weeks we have had all sorts of adventures only a crazy bunch of kids with an elf could dream up.  But, this year was even more fun now that Ryan brought his mini elf, Eric, with him. If you thought one magic elf was fun, you should see what kind of fun we can have with a magic elf and a mini elf.  While Eric doesn't have any special powers {unless you count being cute}, he still adds a lot of fun to our Elfcapades, plus I think he makes Ryan feel more at home.

Since Ryan still hasn't acclimated to our time zone and is still very sleepy during the day, we've decided it's best to keep him on that schedule so he will be most helpful on Christmas Eve when all the elves pull an all-nighter to help Santa.  This means that he still is at his liveliest when we are sleeping, and he mostly sleeps during the daytime.

So, while we awake to Ryan's Elfcapades nearly every morning, we use the afternoons to have mini-Elfcapades where we "borrow" Eric for a little while.  This past week we've had Eric dressed all in pink {which Ryan hates}, hiding in the Christmas stockings, and peeking out of the advent calendar on the wall when Ryan awoke, which I'm sure he thought was just as funny as we think his Elfcapades are. 

So, our favorite Elfcapade so far?  It would have to be when we found him ziplining from the chandelier to the Christmas tree this week, hanging by his little gloved hand and riding a piece of thread as if it were an amusement ride.   

If you would like to start a wonderful family tradition for the holiday season, you can check out Elf-Magic.com and see all about how to send Santa a letter requesting your own boy or girl Elf-Magic Elf visit you this holiday season!  You can also click on the Elfcapades tab and see what kinds of adventures other families have had with their elves!

Connect with Elf-Magic on Facebook and Twitter and see great stories of Elf-Magic elves all over the world!

A big thank you to Santa for answering my daughter's letter and sending Ryan the elf again this holiday season.  He will be a welcome addition to our family each and every year!

 

J.L. Childs Dragon Tails Hybrid Sunglasses {Review and Q&A}

Get Out and PLAY Event - Day 32

When my wife first told me she had a new pair of sunglasses for me to try out, I was pretty excited as I think most guys would be.  But if I’d known then what I was getting I would have been a lot more so.  You see, one of the aspects I love most about reviewing products is the chance to see the design and innovation in new products, but this is especially true when it comes to products that you would think are as advanced as they could be, like sunglasses.

With the Dragon Tails from J.L. Childs, first and foremost you get a great pair of sunglasses.  With UV400 rated lenses you will be sure to keep your eyes safe from the sun’s rays, and their wrap around shape means you have a full field of view. But the details beyond those are where it gets fun. 

Besides protecting you from the sun, those lenses are ANSI Z87.1 certified, which means you are protected from impacts as well.  I bet you {like me} hadn’t even thought of all the situations where that would be great to have.  For instance, hiking, biking, or rock climbing where branches or debris may be flying, as well as hunting, water skiing or other outdoor activities. 

But, even more practical is that you can wear them in situations where safety glasses are required, which is great on outdoor job sites for construction or industrial settings or even just doing yard work.  This has been great for me as I no longer have to switch back and forth from my sunglasses to safety glasses as I move around for work, especially since my safety glasses aren’t tinted at all and are horrible for bright and sunny days. 

At this point the skeptics are saying something about “sure, they would protect you... if they don’t just get knocked off,” and that is where some more innovation comes in.  The standard arms of the glasses can be easily removed and replaced with an adjustable elastic band, essentially turning them into goggles.  To keep this as comfortable as possible and to protect your eyes even more, the Dragon Tails come with a full surround cushion that snaps into place to complete this transition.  Of course, you can leave the padding on in sunglass form as well if you wish, but I typically remove it before wearing as sunglasses. 

Besides the lenses being super tough, the frames are made out of TR-90 plastic which is virtually indestructible, much to my son's dismay.  As someone who has broken a few pairs of glasses by forgetting they were in my pocket or stuffing them into my luggage at the airport, I can definitely appreciate that.

Here's a little Q&A that I did with John Child's this past week talking about the glasses, his vision, and the future of Dragon Tail Sunglasses:

1. How did Dragon Tails get its start?  It started from when I lost my eyewear climbing in Boulder Canyon and thought that I need climbing sunglasses that not only can protect my eyes but also will not fall off my face on my favorite climbs.
2. What makes your glasses unique?  Dragon Tails are safety rated, can transform to goggles for when you are skiing, and also have a unique design to wrap around your head for when you are doing activities like climbing or skiing.
3. Who are Dragon Tails Sunglasses for? The active, athletic individual who needs a durable, secure eyewear for their active lifestyle.
4. What do you see next for Dragon Tail?  A new design that incorporates some feedback I've gotten from customers.  Hopefully the second version will supercede the first!

Some cool facts about Dragon Tail Sunglasses:
•    Free Shipping and Free Returns if You Aren't Happy
•    100% Money Back Guarantee
•    10% Profits Donated to the World Wildlife Fund

Find out more at http://jlchildsoutfitters.com/ and at their Facebook and Twitter pages!  P.S. Show them some love on their social networking sites when you get a moment, they need some good followers and fans on both pages!

A big thank you to Dragon Tail Sunglasses for this review opportunity.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Huge Sale at Rain or Shine Kids - Get your Super Woobee at 40% Off!

Do you love Rain or Shine Kids as much as I do?  I know from past comments that just about all of you out there would love a Super Woobee blanket as much as I would, so I’m really excited to report that they are now on sale for a whopping 40% off, which is a really awesome deal. 

But the sale doesn’t stop there - From now until July 14th, you can find 20-50% off their entire site so you can get sun covers, plush blankets and more for an incredible discount that’s always in season.  So go on and get yourself that Super Woobee, the Original or Fleece Woobee, or the Woobee Graphic you’ve been eyeing… at the lowest prices I have ever seen. 

Maybe we will finally cave and get that great Seattle Graphic Woobee we both love… or maybe the Paris blanket to remind us of our Europe trip, or the San Fran blanket in honor of the city I was born in, or even the NYC blanket to recognize one of our absolute favorite cities.  No matter which we choose it is bound to become a favorite and get all sorts of compliments when we’re out!

Start shopping at RainOrShineKids.com!

Thank you to Rain or Shine Kids for sharing their sale information.  No form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this post - we just love this great Seattle company!

Copper-plated Oval Firewood Tub from Plow & Hearth {$50 Giveaway}

I resolve to… find beautiful storage solutions

If your house is anything like mine, you just don’t have a spot for bright, primary colored storage solutions.  This means that I’m constantly searching for storage containers that don’t actually look like storage and instead blend seamlessly with the surrounding décor.  Since I moved out and started decorating my own house, I’ve tried just about every store I can think of and haven’t found anything worth raving about in terms of clever storage.  That is, until I found Plow & Hearth. 

Plow and Hearth is one of those catalogs that carries just about anything you can imagine to make your house a home, and I’ve spent quite a bit of time shopping there since I found it earlier last year.  It wasn’t until I did a quick search on the site this past winter that I realized I had found the perfect item for my living room storage, the large copper-plated oval firewood tub.

The funny thing is that once it arrived and I saw how beautiful it was and how much stuff it could store, I realized it was the perfect solution for just about every room in my house.  Because of its understated good looks, it can be either dressed up or dressed down and can be used in so many ways to organize, decorate, or add just a bit of color.  Whether you use it by the fireplace to store wood, kindling, or hearth accessories or you use it as the fanciest toy bin you can imagine, it really adds something special to every room. 

It measures 22.5”L x 13”W x 12”H which makes it cavernous enough to house both small and large objects and it is crafted from thick steel with an antique copper finish with wrought iron handles for carrying.  The finish is not too shiny and not too matte, which gives it a nice rich finish that looks incredibly expensive despite its reasonable price tag.  It may be just as useful as a plastic storage bin, but it the great part is that it is actually pretty enough to add to your décor. 

Since it arrived I have been brainstorming ideas for the tub and have come up with roughly 578 uses for the beautiful copper bin.  It started out as the perfect place to store blankets, throw pillows and slippers for the long nights of winter but then after Christmas came and hit my house, it became a great place to store wrapped and unwrapped presents while they found their permanent homes.  It’s been suggested that we could use it to store extra toys in our living room, shoes and slippers by the front door, or even gardening tools and clogs by the back door, and it’s also been suggested that we use it for its intended purpose – as a beautiful way to display our fireplace accessories. 


With literally hundreds of uses, the Plow and Hearth exclusive copper plated oval firewood tub is going to be a fixture in my house even when the great-grandkids come visit – which is something that you won’t hear me say very often.  It truly is beautiful and is extremely high quality, which means that it will work for my family even as we grow.  It may start by holding toys and games for the kiddos but then eventually become a great place for me to store all the little living room accessories to keep me cozy while I enjoy a nice book.   

If the Large Coper Plated Oval Firewood Tub (11694) is too large for your space, you can choose between three size options at Plow and Hearth to make your hearth and living room beautiful.  Or, if you’re like me you’ll want to own all three so you can organize everything in your house!

Shop Plow and Hearth's sale and clearance and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter!

http://www.plowhearth.com/

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a $50 Gift Card to spend at Plow&Hearth for some post-holiday shopping!

To Enter: Simply visit Plow and Hearth and tell me what you would buy with your gift card.

 And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Like Plow and Hearth on Facebook - it's a great way to know about all their great promos! (2 extra entries, just leave your FB name in comment)

3) Tweet about this giveaway using the following tweet after following us both (daily Tweet, just post link here):

"I'm entering to win a $50 Plow & Hearth Gift Card from @raveandreview and @PlowAndHearth http://bit.ly/fRgyhq What should I buy?"

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage and to Plow and Hearth (2 extra entries, just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

5) Place my button in your sidebar on your blog or website  (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

8) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank R&R has)

On February 18th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US Addresses only.

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to: #1015  simplydab said...2-8 TBB vote (#4)

A big thank you to Plow & Hearth for providing the sample for review as well as offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review.

Winterize Your Car with the Midas Winter Safety Kit {ARV $100 Giveaway}

 
For the last few days the entire Pacific Northwest has been pounded with snow.  Even more snow and ice is predicted over the holiday weekend throughout the U.S. so I know many of you out there are already thinking about winter weather.  This makes it the perfect time to tell you all about Midas’ “How to Winterize Your Car” campaign and give one of you the chance to win a Winter Safety Kit from Midas. 

To help prepare drivers for unexpected winter conditions, Midas has compiled a list of winter driving tips to keep you safe.  From tire pressure to packing an emergency kit, Midas gives you quick and easy ways to winterize, including offering how to videos. 

The Midas Winter Safety Kit includes:
•         $50 Midas Gift Certificate
•         Jumper Cables
•         An Emergency Thermal Blanket
•         First Aid Kit
•         An Ice scraper/Snowbrush
•         A Flashlight
•         Storage bag
•         Water

For more information, please visit www.midaswintersafety.com or watch the “How to Winterize Your Car” Video. 

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a Midas Winter Safety Kit valued at over $100!

To Enter: Simply tell me something you learned by visiting the Midas Winter Safety site or watching the embedded video above.

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) "Like" Midas on Facebook 

3) Tweet about this Giveaway using @raveandreview and @MyMidasGuy with #giveaway and the link to this post (http://bit.ly/fuCPNO) after following us both (daily Tweet, just post link here)

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (2 extra entries, just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

5) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

8) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank R&R has)

On December 17th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US Addresses only.

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to: #25 Tina Renee said... subscribed to Rave & Review
treneebarker at hotmail dot com

A big thank you to Midas for sending the Winter Safety Kit and information as well as providing a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Stonz Wear Booties for Your Little Explorer {PTPA Winner}

 

What do all these images have in common?  Besides being absolutely adorable and making me wish I was babywearing right this second, there is one common theme in all of these pictures: exposed baby legs.  For those of you not blessed with year-round sunshine, you will be happy to note that there is a solution to the exposed leg guarantee that comes along with babywearing, and that the solution is equally adorable.

Stonz Wear is a line of water and wind resistant soft-sole booties that go over socks or shoes to keep kids’ feet dry and warm in any weather.  These little booties are prefect for toddling through grass and grime or for babies that are hitching a ride and just need an extra layer of warmth that crib shoes don’t provide.  With smart adjustments that make them easy to put on and stay on, Stonz Footwear are favorites of both kids and parents alike. 

I love that Stonz are flexible and soft, which is perfect for really little babies as well as new walkers that experts recommend you keep in soft sole shoes while they learn to balance.  The skid resistant sole is great for both indoors and light treks outdoors, although it is recommended that pavement and concrete walking be limited in order to extend the life of your Stonz Footwear.  We found that they were perfect for grass, dirt and other soft surfaces, and they did a great job of protecting her feet and footwear no matter where we roamed. 

The best part is how the Stonz are designed with two unique adjustable toggles at the calf and ankle, which takes the open and roomy design and cinches it to any size foot securely.  This is great for when your little one is alternating between walking and riding and traditional boots would fall off or be awkward and painful to carry for long periods of time.  Instead, you can quickly put the lightweight and flexible Stonz over their socks or shoes and give them weather protection while still offering the greatest range of motion possible.

All Stonz are handmade in Canada and are rugged and durable as well as being machine washable.  If you’re like me and enjoy exploring and playing outside together as a family, you should definitely check out Stonz Wear for their full line of adorable Stonz booties as well as Linerz, Hatz and Mittz that will help your little one stay dry and warm year round.   

Price: $46.95 for the Stonz Booties.  I took a whole day deciding which of their adorable patterns I wanted to try and in the end went with a very safe and gender-neutral tan and brown.  For those who are feeling more adventurous, there are some really cute Stonz designs that are both cute and classic and sure to add just a bit of flair to every outfit.  If you’re on a budget, you will be happy to know that they currently have many styles on sale right now for $24.99. 

http://www.stonzwear.com/ You can purchase the booties directly from the website, or for a list of retailers click here 

Photo credits: SleepyWrap, B'Eco Baby, and ERGO Baby are featured in the babywearing images.  Stonz features are taken from the StonzWear website.  A huge thank you to Stonz who sent their awesome booties to be reviewed.  No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Sundancing with the Stars

Any of you that follow my tweets have probably already picked up on the fact that all of us at Rave and Review have been hanging out in Park City, Utah this past week living it up at the Sundance Film Festival.  We have been enjoying all their beautiful snow and sun, especially since it doesn't look like the Pacific Northwest is going to get much of either this year and having a great time meeting people from all over the world.

Even though we will be on our way home soon, we are really excited about all the great companies and brands we have met with that we will be working with this next month to bring you some really awesome reviews and some great giveaways.  We even have put together some Sundance Swag Bags that we will be giving away to readers with some of the cool stuff we found on our journey.  If that wasn't enough to be excited about, there's going to be some Sundance footage compliments of our friends at Cinemek that we will be posting later this month with interviews and more from the festival. 

Bambino Grande Pull Sled by Mountain Boy Sledworks

You know that really cool neighbor you used to have growing up that had all the cool stuff that everyone always wanted to play with?  Even they would covet this sled.  This is the kind of sled that makes you feel like a good parent for even allowing your kids to sit on it, let alone ride on it in actual snow.  

When the Mountain Boy package first arrived, hubby and I were so excited that we actually opened it together like some sort of Norman Rockwell painting.  And, once we unveiled the Bambino Grande wooden pull sled in all its glory, it only got more so.  There was clapping, there was squealing…and the kids were excited, too. 

The Bambino Grande by Mountain Boy Sledworks is the perfect marriage of old and new world craftsmanship, which means you get all the style and feel of an old hand crafted antique, with the technology and performance of the latest and greatest modern design.  And perform it does.  Even with two toddlers weighing it down all the way up to its 150lb capacity, this sled skimmed along behind us with surprisingly little effort.  

Made with exceptional craftsmanship and paired with an extremely smart design, the Bambino Grande is one of those products you have to see to fully appreciate.  The Bambino Grande consists of a beautifully finished birch wood deck that is both sturdy and classic, with a hand carved willow chair back and arm structure on top so the little ones can lean back and relax while they ride.  These contrasting woods are set off with extra detailing such as copper tubing which hides the bolts that hold it together and adds the perfect finishing touch to this heirloom quality sled.  

As if that’s not enough, underneath all this classic handcrafted wood is a thoroughly modern and high tech plastic base to allow this sled to perform better than any we have ever seen.  The base is almost entirely flat to give the Bambino Grande the best stability and speed on soft powdery snow.  The exceptions to the flat bottom are two v-shaped ridges on the outer edges which help the sled track straight in powder, and act as rails to minimize resistance on hardpack snow and ice.  Whereas other sleds offer only a thin piece of plastic between the seat and the snow, the Bambino Grande is unique in that the molded plastic base keeps the wooden deck out of the cold snow, which keeps the kiddos warmer and cozier than traditional pull sleds.   

Our first trial of the Bambino Grande was at home in about 1.5-2 inches of snow, and we were shocked at how easy it was to pull compared to a metal railed sled, which requires much more snow.  The next time out was in 2-3 feet of fresh powder, and once again the Bambino Grande truly impressed.  With the large flat bottom dispersing the weight, it simply floated on the snow while we sunk deep down as we walked ahead of it. 

With a truly stable ride, even our youngest, most timid testers loved riding the Bambino Grande. Especially with the side and back rails to hold and lean onto, they felt safe and secure the whole time.  And those same rails can act as anchor points if you want to rig up some sort of seat belt to make sure your little ones stay put.  We were actually able to quickly attach an infant car seat with a strap we had around the house to bring our bundled up 6 month old out into the fun without having to worry about her lack of stability.   

Having a high quality wooden sled that will be a great memory for our children and last through our grandkids, makes every time we use it feel like a special occasion.  From long walks through the snow to snowshoeing with kids too small to trek, the Bambino Grande is going to see years and years of memories and special moments as a family.  And with its perfect size we know we can use it a lot as it easily fits in our trunk, no SUV required, which means it can go anywhere and everywhere we can drive – whether that is through feet of snow in the mountain pass, or merely through the neighborhood to spread a little Holiday cheer to the neighborhood kids. 

The Mountain Boy Sledworks company offers some really cool options to finish off your Bambino Grande pull sled, including custom engraving and specially made chair pads that make this sled even more cozy.  But, don’t be deceived by the name, Mountain Boy Sledworks has more than just kids sleds available; they have a full line of heirloom quality sleds, toboggans, and flyers for all ages as well as a wooden version of the ELSA Kicksled we reviewed earlier this year. 

Don’t get much snow where you live?  In addition to their snow products, Mountain Boy Sleds also makes a line of push carts, wheeled toys and scooters for your little ones, including the cutest and most fun wagon we have ever seen.  Take a look at their site and you will see why their wagons are at the top of our Spring wishlist. 

The Bambino Grande Pull Sled measures 34"L x 14" W x 13"H, weighs 10 lbs and retails for $149.99 with shipping for $14.99

http://www.mountainboysleds.com/

A huge thank you to Mountain Boy Sledworks for allowing us to take to the snow as a family, and making us the coolest family on the block.  No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

ESLA Kicksled for Snow Travel

The snow is falling in the mountains all around Seattle and I can't help but get giddy with excitement about all our coming adventures in the snow this winter.  My daughter will finally be old enough to play in the snow, I'm planning on building a really sweet Snow Guy with my nephew, and we've got all sorts of gadgets and gear to make the most of the winter conditions.  Last year we profiled what is quite possibly the coolest winter toy ever, but I couldn't help revisiting the ESLA Kicksled now that it looks like we will get to use it sometime in the near future. 

When I first saw the ESLA Kicksleds, my first thought was “I want one” but then it was quickly followed with “but what would I do with it?”  Clearly the desire to try something new and exciting beat out any doubts I had about whether or not I could actually use it; I just had to have it.  Once it arrived, I was literally speechless at how the Kicksled package engulfed our abnormally large front porch.  It was clear to me that this was no toy; this was a mode of transportation.  Case in point: the footprint of the Kicksled is bigger than most motorcycles.   

But, before I get too far, I have to answer the question I know most of you are asking.  A Kicksled, eh?  Allow me to explain…. Handmade in Finland since 1933, the ESLA Kicksled is like a scooter-ish, ski-ish, sled-ish seat that sits upon rails that you can ride with reckless abandon over both ice and snow. The Kicksled's standard metal ice rails come with plastic covers that attach easily for snow and allow you to ride over drifts instead of through them.  To manuever the Kicksled, you simply kick the ground between the rails like a scooter while riding on the foot plates on top of the metal rails behind the seat.  Unfortunately, in this case, a picture really is necessary to properly describe the Kicksled... 

Two people can ride the Kicksled at once, one on the rails and the other in the birch seat (which can support up to 300 pounds), which means that riding an ESLA Kicksled is really double the fun.  However, the Kicksled can also be ridden alone, with one person riding on the rails and then you're free to really rip it up on snow and ice.  As much fun as it is to ride, it really can be practical in really snowy climates.  Some people actually use their Kicksleds as transportation, taking it grocery shopping, to pick up and drop off kids at school, and even to work.

The next question I'm guessing you're asking is how you steer the the Kicksled.  Instead of having a steering wheel, or handlebars that turn the rails, you simply twist the handlebars in the direction you would like to turn and push with your feet at the same time and the whole frame torques to allow for sideways steering.  It takes some getting used to at first, but before long we were pros at it, being able to navigate down hills and turn without using the entire cul-de-sac.

On our first trial run with the Kicksled was on a vacant lot that had been sitting under snow for quite some time.  The conditions were not the best for snow sports of any kind since the snow was deep and slightly crunchy.  The areas with pavement underneath compacted well under the Kicksled rails and were fairly easy to navigate through, but, the farther into the field we went, the more the ground underneath the snow gave and would cause us to sink in the snow when we stepped off the sled.  The Kicksled still performed well under these conditions, but it was quite a workout to move fast across the field and carrying a passenger in the seat made for an even harder run, especially when your kicking leg only had non-compacted snow to push off with.

Exhausted but exhilarated, we wore ourselves out within an hour.  We dusted off the Kicksled and got it ready for transport by car (or rather, SUV), which consisted of unscrewing 2 wing nuts and folding down the Kicksled seat and handle so that the entire sled was as flat as possible for the ride back home. 

Our next run with the Kicksled came with a surprise snowstorm that hit the Seattle metro area and iced over our neighborhood completely.  Even though it was almost midnight, we text messaged our favorite late-night loving neighbors and asked if they wanted to try out our awesome winter toy with us.  Bundled and excited, we quickly re-assembled the Kicksled and a minute later we were off.  No planning, no SUV and no mountain.  But, it was oh, so much fun.

We kicked down the slushed sidewalks and onto the ice covered road, gliding along with ease and very little effort, even with full-sized adult passengers on the Kicksled seat.  The most amazing aspect was how little snow was actually required to keep you moving.  We found ourselves cruising over six inch drifts, through patches of barely an inch and onto bare ice you could hardly see.  We weaved back and forth from the streets to sidewalks, up and over the driveway cutouts catching air the average eleven year old would scoff at.  But it was fun nonetheless, and much more exciting than our average weeknight.  From back alleys to main drags, flat surfaces to hills, we conquered them all, while getting curious looks from every passing car. 

Going downhill is just as fun as you'd imagine, with all the speed of a sled but with more control.  But, what was extremely surprising was how much fun even a level surface could be on the Kicksled.  It’s the kind of fun that makes you (almost) wish you lived in the arctic and had snow year-round so you could ride it everyday.  Picturing yourself running errands, taking long winding rides through your town and parking it at your office pop into your head and really make you wish you didn’t have to wait so long between snow seasons. 

http://www.goslide.ca/ is the Canadian distributor of the ESLA Kicksled, and happily ships to the U.S.  They have a great site where you can see videos of the Kicksled in action.

Price: $209 - $279 (CAD) for the various size sleds.  Sizes are small to extra-large, a sizing chart for which is available on the GoSlide site… for anyone who actually knows the metric system.  We ordered the extra large because hubby is tall (6'3"), and I'm glad we did because I'd rather have it too large than too small.

Overall: Simple and fun to use, yet completely functional as a form of transportation...  and you can race it.

**Photos courtesy of TLC Photography, ESLA, and our late night neighbor