GEAR ROOM PIONEER 22 KIDS BACKPACK
We took our 5-year-old backpacking for the first time last summer and wish we would have had this pack. The 22-liter, Jack Wolfskin kids pack includes many of the same features as adult packs. It has a main compartment with a cord closure and lid to keep gear in place. And there’s a water bladder pouch, straps
for trekking poles, stretchy external mesh pockets for water bottles and snacks, and an integrated rain cover. The pack is fully height adjustable, well ventilated, and has adjustable sternum and waist belt straps to fit little bodies snuggly. MSRP: $99.99. Us.jackwolfskin.com (Derrick Knowles)
OUTDOOR RESEARCH JANU SHIRT
I’ve spent some time staring at the pattern on this organic cotton blended shirt because it looks cool and draws you in, yet the hidden story the pattern tells still eluded me until I did my research. The Janu pattern that this shirt was named after was created by the artists of the Godnas Tribe of rural India and was leased by OR from Roots Studio.
When you buy this Roots Collaboration product shirt, you support a sustainable livelihood for these talented artists and get to wear a comfortable, cool-looking shirt that you and others won’t be able to stop staring at while you contemplate its beautiful design and mysterious meaning. MSRP: $32.50. Outdoorresearch.com (Derrick Knowles)
PRINCETON TEC RECHARGEABLE HEADLAMP
This rechargeable, made-in-the-U.S.A., 450-lumen, LED headlamp covers the bases with all the features you want from a headlamp and then some. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery gives you a burn time of up to 15 hours. And the flood beam and spot beam
options plus red LED provide specific lighting for different camp tasks with a push of the button. The one unique innovation that I really liked is the addition of a dial to more easily control the brightness of both light modes. MSRP: $59.99. Princetontec.com (Wil Wheaton)
JACK WOLFSKIN MOSQUITO-PROOF PANTS, SHIRT & JACKET
I hate mosquitos even though they evidently love me to no end. And I’m not down with spraying DEET all over myself. So to say that I was stoked to put Jack Wolfskin’s Lakeside collection of mosquito-proof pants, shirts, and jacket to the test in a swarm of the little blood sucking bastards is an understatement. Take that Upper Priest Lake in June and mosquito-hell lake in the Selkirks in July! The shirt, pants, and jacket all use a pro-
prietary fabric technology of tightly-woven organic cotton that is breathable yet impenetrable to mosquitos and other unsavory, biting insects. And unlike pesticide-treated bugproof clothing, Jack Wolfskin’s Lakeside Collection of mosquito-proof technology is biocide free, sustainably made, stays effective through endless washings, and provides protection from UVA and UVB rays (UPF 40+). MSRP: $79.99-99.55. Us.jackwolfskin.com (Wil Wheaton)
SKIDZ KIDS MTB APPAREL
Skidz gloves, shorts, and shirts are mountain bike clothing for the next generation of riders. They're designed in California by DH Racer Justin Schwartz, who is also the founder of the iconic Marin County, Calif., brand Mount Tam Apparel. Crafted with the lightest, most breathable fabrics, this apparel will wick 22
OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
sweat, breathe, and maintain the comfort kids ages 6-15 need. It’s awesome for little riders to have mountain biking gear that looks like mom's and dad's, and my son Remi concurred when we pulled his new riding gear out of the box: “That’s so cool!” MSRP: $25-50. Skidzmtb.com (Derrick Knowles)
